Overview
The Assyrian Mastiff was an ancient landrace of dog found in Assyria. It is known chiefly from carvings and clay depictions rather than from living animals.
It served as a livestock guardian against predators and as a hunting dog for lions and wild horses. The modern Assyrian Shepherd, also called the Kurdish Mastiff, is probably its descendant.
History
The ancestors of this dog are thought to come from the region between India and Persia, where they were domesticated and used for hunting. Mastiff-type figures from around 2000 BC carry inscribed names such as "Catcher of the hostile one".
More reliefs depicting these dogs date from roughly 1000 to 650 BC, in the Neo-Assyrian Empire. The name is most likely taken from these images.
Appearance
Reliefs show a massive dog with a deep chest, heavy limbs, and a short, broad head with a short, blunt muzzle. The loose skin forms large folds on the face and the lips hang heavily.
The ears were of medium size and the coat appears short, with no roughness on the tail. A nineteenth-century writer saw a strong similarity to some English mastiffs.
Temperament
No direct record of its temperament exists, but its role points to a bold, fiercely protective and powerful dog. Names carved on figures, such as "Don't stop to think, bite", suggest a courageous and aggressive hunter and guardian.
Care and exercise
As a historic landrace, it is no longer kept. Dogs of this kind would have lived outdoors with livestock and the hunt.
