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Yeti is a Tibetan Mastiff
For this morning’s Chapter Banner installment, scroll down. For those who have read it and are curious about the beast….
Several readers have asked what kind of dog Yeti is. He is a Tibetan Mastiff. They believe these “big dogs” (Do Kyi in Nepal) came out of the Himalayas with Alexander the Great and became the foundation stock that led to the Saint Bernard, Bernese Mountain Dogs, Great Pyrenees and Newfoundlands… The TMs are considered an “ancient” breed, and only go into heat once a year, having a litter in early spring (so weaned when summer approaches). For a giant breed, they live fairly long: 11-14 years!
TMs have a double coat (downy plus guard hairs), of hair, not fur, so for folks with allergies they are supposedly better. Also means he doesn’t shed much at all, though when he “blows coat” at the onset of summer, they entire neighborhood ends up fluffy with tufts of dog fur. When I groom him, just one side, I end up with a pile of fluff as big as he is (after two or three hours of combing). Last year one of our neighbors was out for a walk and saw tufts of fur and thought someone had nailed a small mammal…until she came past us as we waited for the school bus with Eli and saw us engaged in the annual “pluck the dog” ritual!
He is a great big couch potato… at our old house our uphill neighbor said she once saw and eagle dive-bomb him to see if he was roadkill because it had been so long since he moved! These dogs were bred to guard the villages of Nepal at night, so they sleep all day, wake up, bark (Yes, Yeti, it’s a car with its lights on, thank you…STOP now!), sleep more, bark some, sleep more. Consequently, they eat less than a German Shepherd or Lab. Yeti is sweet as can be, but gosh is he stooooopid! Dumb as a dirtclod is the common phrase around here LOL!
Tibetans come in a variety of colors…but all are large! Yeti is what is known as a cream-sable, but they come all black (like a Newf), black and tan, red (like an Irish setter’s color), or cream-sable. As they mature that lion-like ruff around their necks becomes heavier, as does the “shawl” which goes over their shoulder and (varying from animal to animal) can run all the way down to their feathery plume of a tail. And his feet are HUGE.
Here are some links to:
The Tibetan Mastiff Club of America
The American Tibetan Mastiff Club
and here’s a link to a picture there when Yeti was a wee pup….only the size of an end table then!
The American Kennel Association page on TMs
Drakyi TMs (a top breeder—Yeti is the grandson of Drakyi’s Simba)
Yeti is now 152 pounds, drops his chin to rest it on the dining room table, takes up half a sofa to sleep, and (at our old house) when he stands on his hind legs with front paws on the top railing, looks me pretty much in the eye. I’m 5’6″!
April 27th, 2007 at 6:01 pm
Thanks for taking the time to find my blog and respond to my comment.
I looked at Yeti for a while and thought he might be a Tibetan or a Leo but I couldn’t tell for sure so I guess Leonberger. I’ve only seen a Tibetan once in person at a dog show and she was pretty small. I love the giant breeds. We have a Mastiff and a Mastiff/Saint mix, our friend has a Neapolitan Mastiff and a Great Pyrenees and another friend had a Bullmastiff and Neos. I like your Pug as well. One of our friends has a Pug and used to have a Neo too. They were so cute together. The Pug would stand under the Neo for shade. You can see pictures of them in my Webshots albums if you’re interested (http://community.webshots.com/user/kac101). There are some fun pictures of all the dogs together on our “Big Dog Walks”.
By the way, I love your art too!
Kacy
April 28th, 2007 at 10:20 am
He is a big, beautiful puppy!! Also beautiful are those two quilt blocks below. Love, love, love the loon! My favorite bird. They come to Texas in the winter…but they are all brown.
April 28th, 2007 at 11:19 am
You commented on my blog!! (Bashful and blushing with joy) If you ever hear of another “Yeti” who needs a home, I’m open. Love big dogs.
Also, have to tell you I Love your quilts. It was actually your blog that inspired me to get my sewing machine back out and make SOMETHING. So even though I’m not super creative or talented, I thank you for the inspiration to TRY.
Your photos also make me long to move back to Maine – we lived in Searsport until 1 1/2 years ago. If you ever want to escape the cold (or the black flies), my home is open to you in Texas. =)
November 17th, 2009 at 4:01 am
Modern Molosser – New Magazine…
A new magazine hits the market this Summer, MODERN MOLOSSER, debut issue featuring the DOGUE DE BORDEAUX.
“This 100-page issue is filled with authoritative stories and features on those imposing breeds known throughout antiquity as the Molosser…