on Tue, 16 Jan 2007 19:15:24 GMT, "Sionnach" wrote:

"Lynne" wrote:

I always think of Mastiffs when I hear the term 'gentle giant.' But
I am not intimately familiar with the breed,

Which Mastiff breed? There are several breeds with "Mastiff" as part
of
the breed name - Bullmastiff, English Mastiff (which, IIRC, the AKC &
UKC call just "Mastiff"), Neopolitan Mastiff, Pyrenean Mastiff, etc.,
and they vary quite a bit in size and temperament, with some variation
in looks, as well.

English Mastiff

IIRC, there are also breeds which are mastiffs, but which don't have
the
word "mastiff" in the official breed name, such as the Cane Corso and
Presa Canario; not to mention that the UKC classifies the Great Dane &
the Doberman Pinscher as mastiffs. (The UKC has a "guardian dog"
group, which is subdivided into "flock guardians" and "mastiffs".)

And as I understand it, nearly all Mastiff breeds were originally
guardian and/or war dogs.

Yeah, I really don't know much at all about the breed. I've just had a
couple of friends with Mastiffs who really were gentle giants. I had no
business recommending a breed to this person, though.

--
Lynne