Kestler Family Guardians
Tibetan Mastiff
Estate & Family Guardian Breeder
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Grooming Your Tibetan Mastiff
Depending on the climate, the Tibetan Mastiff will seasonally shed his dense under coat to stay cool. If they do shed, Mastiffs will require extra brushing to keep their coat from looking sloppy. Their long coat should be brushed several times a week with a wire slicker brush to prevent matting.
Tibetan Mastiffs are very slow to mature and can take up to 3-4 years to fully develop. As they grow older their coats come out easier and in tuffs.
The Do-Khyi
Tibetan Mastiffs were called 'Do-Khyi' in Tibet which means the dog that can be chained. They are believed to have evolved from an extinct stone age dog and they first made their way to the Western world during the time of Alexander the Great. These loyal and fearless dogs were known to guard the Tibetan Monasteries and protect livestock, villages and caravans. In the 14th century, Marco Polo came across them and claimed that they were the size of donkeys. This has been supported by archaeologist excavations, where skeletons of the early Tibetan Mastiffs were found to be considerably larger than the Tibetan Mastiffs that we know today.