The Origin Of Molossos

The origin of molossos… You may be wondering what kind of animal this is? Well, in this article we will explain who they are and where they come from. Are you curious? So don’t miss what’s coming!

Who are the molossos?

They are dogs that are characterized by their rounded skull, drooping ears, short jaw, strong and powerful body.

They can be divided into 3 groups:

• Dogue Molossos
• mountain molds
• small molds

Let’s take a look at each of them:

Source: sunnygirl

The origin of dogue molossos

They are an evolution of the mountain molossos and have a very striking appearance, with well defined characteristics: large head, robust musculature, facial wrinkles and short hair.

Although at first they were used as guard dogs or even war dogs, they evolved to become hunting or even fighting dogs. Some breeds that are considered molossos dogue type, are: the Great Dane, the Neapolitan Mastiff, the Shear and the Great Dane, among others.

The origin of the mountain molossos

They have long hair and are the oldest type of molossos. They are tall and used mainly as sheepdogs.

Saint Bernard, Leonberger, Tibetan Mastiff, Caucasus Shepherd, among others. They all have something in common, they are land rescue dogs. Also among this type of molossos is the Newfoundland dog, which is often associated with water rescues.

The origin of small molds or bulldog

This type of molosso was the one that suffered the most physical transformation. They have achieved the highest degree of brachycephaly, and have the smallest jaws. Furthermore, their  muscle strength is immense, even though their size is smaller  than the types discussed above.

This type of animal was used for dog fighting. That’s why they’re known today as aggressive breeds, although they don’t get that way if they get a good education.

where do molossos come from

The name comes from Molosia, a city in Greece where large dogs were used to guard livestock and fight wars. Therefore, dogs that have characteristics suitable for this type of work are known as molossoids or molossoids.

Anyway, in Molosia they were very well received and appreciated. They achieved great fame beyond their borders. In fact, during the expansion of the Roman Empire, several were taken to different territories and were used in arenas and battlefields.

And thanks to Marco Polo, these dogs arrived in Tibet. This is why the famous Tibetan Mastiff is known.

Although molossos include different breeds of dogs, as we have seen, there are some that are not registered in this category. It is the example of Pit Bull or Boerboel.

Author: pleple2000

Also, it is considered that there are some hybrid breeds, like the American Bully, which is not completely a molosso.

And, over time, there were also some that disappeared, such as the Alpine mastiff and fighting dog from Córdoba.

These dogs are special, with remarkable physical characteristics, but despite their past, they are not marked by it. In other words,  the character of each dog, whatever the breed, is defined by the education and treatment received. So remember, a pet needs love and discipline in just the right measure.

No matter what breed he is, he will be a loving and happy dog ​​if you know how to raise him.

Image source: Kumarrrr, sunnygirl and Pleple2000.