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Buyers Beware!
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW BEFORE YOU CONTACT US ABOUT PURCHASING A NEAPOLITAN MASTIFF All of this information is copyrighted & cannot be used online or in print without written permission from Cassandra Boczar
Please recognize this is a breed that is not for everyone, as many breeds are not, especially giant breeds of a Molosser nature. Keep in mind, I already know that if you are reading this now then you must be one of the awestruck that has somehow come upon the image of a Mastino, whether it was an in-person siting or just a picture that you couldn't forget. I want you to also know that if you are still looking at this page you are taking the right first step in going beyond the wrinkles. Researching this breed is key to saving yourself all the hell that can be Neo ownership. Some will be lucky enough to find in the Mastino a friend for life. Neapolitan Mastiffs ARE the Ferrari of Dogs......people can't help but look when they go by, there is nothing else in their class, and they are more expensive to maintain than anything else in the garage. Before you contact anyone about a Neo, these are answers to questions you may have. FAQs 1. Are Neapolitans AKC registered? 2. What colors do Neos come in, and are there any rare colors? 3. Should I crop my Neos ears? 4. What is a cherry eye and will my Neo get it? 5. What should I feed my Neo? 6. What are some common health ailments in the Neo? 7. Are Neos good with kids, other pets and are they aggressive with strangers? 8. Should I breed my Neo? 9. What is the difference between the American and Italian style Neos? AKC Standard
Registration 1. Are Neapolitans AKC eligible? Neapolitans Mastiffs are an AKC breed, they are in the Working Group and their papers and titles are issued via AKC's regular registration process. AKC (American Kennel Club) is the GOLD STANDARD. Neo's have been fully AKC recognized since July 1st 2004 in the Working Group, therefore they can participate in shows and all other AKC events. There are still Neos that are not AKC registered and these dogs are often CKC*, FIC, WWKC, AAPR, NMCA, ANMA, FCIPR, or one of the other what we commonly refer to as "junk" registries that are out there. A little history on the Neapolitan Mastiff registration, the USNMC (United States Neapolitan Mastiff Club) was the registry that was turned over to the AKC in 2000 when Neos were admitted into the Miscellaneous Class, but Neapolitans were AKC-FSS eligible since 1996. The USNMC is now parent club for the breed. The standing registries that are accepted by the AKC for Neapolitan Mastiffs are the UKC (United Kennel Club), CKC* (Canadian Kennel Club) and a few other Internationally recognized registries that you would see on some imports such as FCI.
Colors 2. What colors do Neos come in, and are there any rare colors? There are 4 colors of
Mastino, Blue, Black, Tawny & Mahogany. Brindling, white on the feet &
chest, those are all MARKINGS, not colors. Grey
and blue are the same color. There are a million variations of each color, there
will be blue dogs with a lighter, silvery grey coat, and ones with a darker,
charcoal-grey coat. There will be tawnys that are colored like a yellow Lab and
some that have the hue of a fawn Pit Bull. Mahoganys that are red like a rust colored
Dobie or darker like a chocolate Lab. Still with all the variations there are
just the 4 colors. There are Neos with no white, some white, lots of
white (white only allowed on feet & chest), the same goes for brindling, but
again these are not color variations, these are MARKINGS. We personally mostly
breed blacks and blues, therefore most of our dogs do not carry or produce
color. A great misconception about color is that if you breed a colored dog, colored being tawny or mahogany, then you
will get color. This is true only if you breed to another colored dog OR the black or grey dog you are breeding
to carries the gene to produce color, if not you can breed endlessly and only
get the dominant blue and black. You will find that most major breeders do not
breed for color. Many that show will actually avoid color, you have to remember
that the backyard breeders & puppy mills in the USA have been pushing these
colored dogs as "rare" for years and because it is expensive, inconvenient and
disappointing to breed typey neos, most of the puppy millers have been
breeding the generic, type-less dogs that breed naturally and raise their own
young. Hence a mass production of bad quality colored dogs has been going on for
years. AKC working group status will help change that, but it's going to take
time. It's going to take generations & generations of correction to make colored
dogs that look like my black & blue dogs consistently. For these reasons & just
pure ratio, colored dogs generally have a tendency to be plainer. Of course
there are exceptions to this, but in my opinion if you are looking for a
massive, heavy-boned, typey Neapolitan Mastiff, especially for the show ring,
you should expect to get a black or blue dog. Really it turns into a debate
about what everyone's idea of "good quality" is. There are different
expectations for colored dogs, what may be a mediocre-type blue dog would be an
excessive-type tawny dog. Whatever the shade, there are only 4 colors and NO
color is more valuable than another, NO shade of a color is more rare and
expensive. Below are pics of all 4 colors, click on the pic for more examples,
all are represented by typey examples of the breed.
Cropping Ears 3. Should I crop my Neos ears? Ear cropping has become highly controversial in the day and age of animal rights. Seen as only being done for “cosmetic” purposes, many breeders and vets are steering away from cropping. In many countries, cropping is now illegal as well as tail docking, not just for the Neo but for Dobermans, Boxers, Danes, etc. As you can see we have both cropped & natural ears here. I prefer cropped, reason being most of mine are show dogs and for non-specific reasons the dogs without ears tend to fair better in the ring. The Neapolitan is what is called a “head breed” meaning a lot of importance is weighed in the head. When a Neo doesn’t have big floppy ears to frame its head, the head looks wider and the cropped ear looks more alert and gives the dog a more intimidating look. That is why breeds like the ones listed above have cropped ears, they were breeds designed to protect, and a dog without a tail and ears cannot use its body language to tell you if it’s friendly or not. It will look alert and ready, even if its not. Man created every breed for a purpose, whether to sit on one’s lap or kill rodents or hunt game. Each breed was distinctively bred to fit the mold for the chore he is designed for. To start banning crops and docks is to change the standard and the definition that created each breed, which differentiates each breed from one another. We do not require our pup’s ears to be done nor do we automatically do them before they go to their new homes. We leave it up to you the buyer whether YOU want to have them done. There are certain risks involved, Neos are not good under anesthesia, and they require about 1/2 of what other breeds their size need. You would need to have them cropped by a vet familiar with the breed, which has experience with neos and this surgery. We have a manual available to those who would like to take it to their vet. Vets do not understand that the risk is real, we ourselves have lost a pup during this procedure and our vet was wonderful and had never had problems before. Not to mention the aftercare needed takes time and patience. You need to keep them buttoned & clean them and keep them from scratching at them and then have the stitches removed and possibly do things to get them to set. Cutting the ears is risky, expensive and a pain afterwards to care for. If you like the look of the natural ear then save yourself the drama and leave them on. The only physical benefit to having ears cropped is that dogs with ears have a much greater chance of having chronic ear or yeast infections. This is because of the weight of the ear holding it close to the head, it does not allow air to pass into it and then moisture collects and causes bacteria growth and then infection. I know this paragraph is rambling on, but I want our puppy buyers to be as informed as possible when making the decision to crop or not. We have a good ear crop vet here, but we do not crop buyers ears. We can however give you our vets number, help you research your area or contact local breeders to locate an experienced neo cropping vet. If you have such a vets number please feel free to email me at ildragoneo@aol.com to have it listed on this site. It's great to have someone who is experienced with this crop.
Cherry Eyes 4. What is a cherry eye and will my Neo get it? One common problem that I can almost promise that your pup will experience, is at least one if not two CHERRY EYES. This usually occurs after their 2nd or 3rd set of shots somewhere between 9 and 16 weeks. It appears suddenly and often scares the crap out of the new neo owner. It is not the actual eye ball, it is the tissue around the eye, a third eyelid gland which has prolapsed. It can be very small but often gets very large quickly. It doesn't hurt the dog so much as it gets in the way. The area around the eye will get watery & over time can get infected & you will see a green discharge . The treatment for this is removal of the cherry eye, which requires someone who is experienced in doing so. This is very often mistreated by vets not familiar with the neo. Many vets, especially newer vets, will recommend tacking the prolapsed gland down. They have learned in school that removing the tear gland that helps to lubricate the eye often leads to other problems like dry eye. While this can be true, the treatment for this is to lubricate the eye artificially, which many Mastini require anyway to maintain clear eyes. So tacking the prolapsed gland may work in other breeds that suffer from cherry eye, like St. Bernards, Cocker Spaniels, Chows, Bulldogs, Bloodhounds, as Neos are not the only droopy-eyed breed afflicted with cherry eye, but this absolutely does not work with the neo. It is necessary to remove the prolapsed part of the gland. If you have a vet that insists on tacking the gland instead of heeding your advice & removing the gland, then ask them to put it in writing that they will remove the gland & correct any problems they have created by tacking, free of charge when they realize that tacking isn't working. I guarantee no vet will do this & it is probably best to just find a vet that has the experience & will remove the cherry eye. This is a relatively simple procedure & can be done with or without anesthesia and should not cost more than $150, unless you are in California. I often recommend to puppy buyers to give it a couple weeks once one cherry eye has appeared to give the other eye a chance to pop one too. That way the pup only has to go to the vet once instead of twice which saves you money & saves the dog the risk of anesthesia again. Via the advise of Juan-Carlos Stauring, I have learned there is an eye ointment you can find online, it is marketed for humans that is not prescription called AKWA. It is awesome for the eyes, you can use it daily and it helps to keep them clear and lubricated and is only a few bucks.
Feeding & Diet 5. What should I feed my Neo? ![]()
We sometimes add pasta and breads, great for carbs in the winter. You can also use brewers yeast for skin and coat, and if you have a hard time keeping weight on your adult dog try digestive enzymes, like Prozyme or Vit-a-Zyme. Vitamin C is helpful and mandatory for the growing years. All of our dogs 10 weeks and older get 1000 mg of vitamin C daily. Powdered is best, but if you can’t find powder than gel caps are ok. It helps with the immune system & also joints & bones. Peanut butter on a piece of bread is a great trick in getting them to take pills. Raw burger balls is another good way to hide pills. Diet is probably the biggest part of what you can do for your pet to keep it healthy and sound. Neapolitans are a breed that have predisposition to gastric dilatation or BLOAT, this is twisting of the stomach after gastric distention occurs. There are some things you can do to try and prevent bloat, most revolve around diet, although the exact causes of bloat are not known at this point. Feed two or more meals daily and discourage rapid eating. Do not allow exercise for two hours after a meal. DO NOT elevate the food dish, and sometimes if a dog is a gulper, soak your dog’s food in warm water 10 minutes before feeding it, this allows the food to expand and swell outside of the dogs stomach. Do not feed commercial dog foods that contain any kind of fat in the first 4 ingredients listed, or any citric acid; these 2 ingredients alone increase your risk of bloat tremendously.
Your Growing Neo & Some Common Ailments 6. What are some common health ailments in the Neo? The Neapolitan Mastiff has what is referred to as incongruent growth patterns. Basically, their rear quarters and front quarters do not grow at the same time. One week his rear end may look higher than the next week he is flat on top. The neo is not physically mature until 3-4 years of age, some experts argue even longer. It is very important to appreciate that your 8 week old 20 lb puppy will be gaining close to 100 lbs in his first year of life. This in itself is traumatic on the bones, joints and hips. We ask that you do not subject your pup to extraneous activities such as long jogs, repeated stair climbing, or jumping in and out of trucks or off beds. These activities, added to the stress of growing on your pup’s soft connective tissues could have severe consequences. Try to maintain normal to low levels of play fighting with other dogs, because when they play they often slam into each other. Should you see your puppy limping or looking a little “gimpy” an aspirin crushed into his food will most likely cure the problem. Vitamins A & D can be given to help pups if they are walking down on their pasterns or if their toes are splayed or the back legs are hocky. Glucosamine, chondroitin & MSM are awesome additions to your pup’s diet that will surely help relieve the stress of stiffness and joint problems. Neos often experience growing pains, as do humans, however a consistent, lasting or any swelling with limping does require veterinary attention. I really encourage people with young Mastini to take a step back & keep in mind vets are eager to diagnose hip dysplasia & other defects in giant breeds & that’s why we start our guarantee at 1 year old, because before that, many pups can be misdiagnosed by a vet unfamiliar with Mastini. Due to their size, most giant breeds are prone to problems with....eye disorders, cancer, bloat, hip dysplasia, heart problems, & knee, elbow, bone & joint injuries & disorders. There is really an unlimited amount of information on these things, of which I am no expert at any. I have had some luck in buying and breeding & have not had to deal with these problems too much, but I have learned everyday is a new learning experience with the Mastino. I think this is where getting a puppy from a reputable breeder that has written guarantees on their dogs is important. There is an even longer list of Neo "idiosyncrasies" including...yeast infections, eye infections, dry eye, demodex, interdigital cysts & foot licking, & hygromas. As breeders we must now take on some kind of pre-testing our stock. Hips should be PENN Hipped & hearts should be OFA at least. By making a change now we can start recognizing where the problems lie in our pedigrees.
Socialization 7. Are Neos good with kids, other pets and are they aggressive with strangers? Many times people have called and asked about Neos personality. They want to know if they are good with cats or kids or are they aggressive with strangers, and the answer to all of these questions is yes and no. The most important thing in molding the temperament of your puppy is SOCIALIZATION. I suggest frequent car rides from the start, because neos can be very bad in the car if they don’t get used to them. Some will vomit and others will defecate and others will jump from the front to the back and to your lap. Best to start when they are little and that doesn’t give you much time. I strongly recommend puppy classes, both for you and the puppy. This helps puppies get used to being around other dogs too. After your pups final vaccinations take him to pet stores and vet clinics and dog parks. If your pup is from us it will be born in a family atmosphere with the busy goings on of a normal home. He will be raised with my son & I handling him from birth, but he will be around his own kind enough to learn to bark when the big dogs bark. You will want to continue on with the process of teaching your puppy manners and Neos are stubborn and wary of new and different things and people. You may think by keeping him from socializing outside your family that it will make him a better guard dog or protector, but Neos have a natural watch dog instinct and you will not need to encourage this behavior to see it when it is needed. Be prepared to be firm & don’t be afraid to use a little strong-arm. Neos need to be set straight at a young age, as they are dogs and dogs are pack animals. When they are young their litter is their pack, and when they go to your house, your family is their pack. A Neo should never be allowed to be the alpha. You will find that they don’t always readily respect your personal idea of "who is who" in your pack. This makes young & small children susceptible to dog law, which is much more physical than human law. If you have kids raise them with your kids and teach your kids to respect the boundaries of the dog, and the dog to respect the frailness of children. Common sense tells you that any giant breed of dog is not necessarily the safest bet with small children. Giant dog + small child = potential accidents. Always supervise young children with your neo. We personally do not sell intact males (dogs not being neutered) to families with kids under the age of 10. Adult intact males rarely have the innate maternal instinct to withstand the unpredictable behavior of small kids. Females are usually cleaner, less stubborn and more tolerant of young children. This is of course a generalization, there can be exceptions to these rules. There is always someone that will sell you a male regardless, but keep in mind I have a child and I had Mastini before I had him and I am just giving parent to parent advice. Mastering your pup while he is small & more impressionable is essential; do not tolerate aggression of any kind. Activities that are harmless & cute while a Mastino is a baby can be down right dangerous when they are full grown. At the end of the day, they each have their own personality, just like people. The breed in general is superbly loyal, they do not roam off of your property because they do not love everyone like they do their master. They are smart for their own good and not quick to the task but they are efficient in following basic commands & they have a loving and silly persona. You could never over-socialize them with anything. They were bred to intimidate with their looks not their bite. Their natural instinct is to protect what is theirs, so this never needs to be encouraged in everyday life. In fact it can be quite dangerous when the dog is full grown and now has an overly aggressive nature because it was allowed to growl at strangers or play "get em" games. Individuals looking for a bite work or a PP Neo need not inquire about our pups. REMEMBER, Neos were bred to be wary of things that they are unfamiliar with. That's why you have to start young doing and meeting and seeing all of the things he should be ok with. Cars, doors, trash cans, vets, parks, kids, carts, strollers, bikes, other animals (big & little), water, baths, loud noises, etc. They are actually great off leash dogs, they are not roamers, they were bred as courtyard, farm & estate dogs, they know their perimeters. I have a 3 year old Dobie that runs off and on the property every day; my Neos have never once left my yard, even after hours and hours of being loose. At times they have gotten out of their areas and they just lay at the door or in the garage till I discover them. That's what they were bred to do.
Il Drago Valentino with my son Joel 2003
"Would you like to try and go inside?"
Breeding 8. Should I breed my Neo? Breeding Neos is a huge task. One must evaluate the sire & dam to ensure that a genetic match is appropriate; meaning in part that they compliment one another and that you are not breeding 2 dogs that have the same faults. I do not believe that a bitch should whelp her first litter prior to her 2nd heat, and a male shouldn’t be bred until at least 12 months. Typey neos are often difficult to breed and even harder to whelp. Probably only 1 in 10 true Italian Mastini can breed naturally. Yes, that means that Neos DO NOT BREED NATURALLY. You can put a male & female in the yard together and you will most likely NEVER get pups. Even when Neos breed naturally there is nothing natural about it. Someone's holding up the female, someone's holding up the male, and possibly someone to put the male in the female, like I said, nothing natural about it. Artificial insemination is the choice standard for breeding Neos, sometimes even surgical implantation. Most female Mastini need C-sections, they can have HUGE litters and tire out easily while giving birth naturally, thus leaving the pups not yet born to smother inside. Keeping the neonates alive the first 2 weeks requires around the clock supervision. Many Mastini mothers lay on and smash their offspring, or refuse to feed them or clean them. Be prepared to supplement an entire litter by bottle, both of these are not uncommon. Of course, there can be great joy in whelping a litter & watching them grow and change. Most people that decide to breed Neos have one litter and then never again. The people that think having a litter of Neos is a great way to make money usually go into debt after the first round and run screaming out of the breed. Type is hard to get and even harder to reproduce, it takes many generations of wrinkle, mass & heavy bone to consistently reproduce these qualities. If you buy a pup out of Neos that look more like Cane Corsos than the Neos you see on this site, then your pup, not matter how cute, will look like a Cane Corso as an adult. You will pay for quality in this breed, because it costs so much to produce it.
A rare occasion of 2 Neos breeding "naturally", it only took 4 people to make this happen
The Real Mastino 9. What is the difference between the American and Italian style Neos? There are certain people that will tell you there are 2 styles of Neapolitans today, the Americanized version and the mother-land (Italian) version. The Americanized version is supposedly sounder with longer legs and shorter lips and dewlap (which inadvertently leads to less drool) and they have plainer, less wrinkled heads and longer noses while possessing the less typey lighter boned bodies, they are more athletic and can run and jump and seize large prey easily. The Italian style Mastino is shorter legged, has a thicker frame, heavier bone, excessive skin on the body and head, more head wrinkles, shorter noses and is less able-bodied and slower than the American version. In reality, there is no geographical difference in these 2 kinds of Mastini, they are the same breed and share the same bloodlines. So why are these 2 dogs so different? How can they look like 2 different breeds, both impressive in their own rite but so obtuse? The answer is simple, there is no American/Italian Neo, it is simply the difference between a good and a bad Neo. I know this will be hard for some people to grasp and even harder for certain die-hards to believe, but the Neapolitan was created in Italy, therefore that gives the Italians the privilege of creating the standard for the Neo. Every breed was created for a purpose, some to hunt, some to lay in our laps, some to kill vermin, some to protect and some to run. Each breed has the physical design to make it best at what it was bred to do. NEAPOLITANS are a member of the working group, but they were not intended to ever serve the same purpose as a Doberman Pinscher or a German Shepherd, they were bred to LOOK the part. A Neos worth is not in chasing after the intruder and dragging them down and holding them till their master arrives. A Neos worth is the intruder that never follows through with his trespass, because the lion-like monster that lays waiting for him isn't worth whatever prize he is risking crossing it for. You may find a rare Neo that loves to chase a ball over and over, and loves to take long romps in the park while you roller blade, and loves to jump and chase their tail, but they are few and far between, most will just lay about unless they are busy following you from room to room. The bottom line is that both the overdone and the plain Mastini can have health issues, they both suffer from dysplasia, cherry eyes, demodex, & heart issues. They both drool, are destructive, need extreme socialization and are not for the novice dog owner.
Confirmation Shows & Clubs If you plan on showing your Neo, you need to check with show agents in your area or go to www.akc.org, or www.infodog.com. Feel free to contact me to get info on upcoming shows in my area. If you bought a show quality puppy from us, there is a 50% rebate on the purchase price if you champion your dog before the age of 3 years old. Since the Neapolitan Mastiff was admitted into the Working Class of the AKC in July 2004 there is much greater access to shows. Finally championship titles are available for this breed from the AKC. The USNMC (United States Neapolitan Mastiff Club) does have a National Specialty Show every year for the breed. I do offer handling; specializing in the neo, so if you decide to pursue a conformation title for your Mastino please feel free to contact me. I may be able to recommend someone in your area. I encourage you to join the USNMC either as an associate or a member (members must be sponsored) even if you do not plan to show, because they send informative articles, pictures and updates in their “Neogram” magazine.
It is important to learn the standard for the Neapolitan Mastiff, we have provided the AKC Standard by Neapolitan World below.
Neapolitan Mastiff Vocabulary Neapolitan Mastiff- Neo, Mastino, Mastino Napoletano Standard- the exact physical definition of each breed Type- wrinkles, mass, bone density Plain- lack of type (see above definition) Overdone- excessive possession of type Color- usually refers to tawny or mahogany Cherry Eye- prolapsed gland of the third eyelid which swells and pops out
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