Tibetan Mastiff Growth
It Takes a lot of patience
© Lyse Y. Stormont 2005
While the controversy of overall size continues to perplex many
newcomers to the breed one element that seems to be particularly
confusing is the typical Tibetan Mastiff growth pattern. Over the
years I have heard from new puppy owners who are disappointed and
discouraged from the onset that their Tibetan Mastiff is not growing
as he/she "should". They expect a big dog and they want the dog
to grow "faster." Veterinarians not familiar with the breed further
exacerbate the problem because they do not understand that the
breed does not fall within an acceptable and "normal" range of
canine growth. History dictates that we can expect a large dog
but it takes a lot of patience and experience to appreciate that
the Tibetan Mastiff is a SLOW MATURING breed.
The Newborn
Let's start at the beginning. On average a healthy newborn TM
puppy may weigh anywhere between 13-22 ounces at birth. Birth weight
is dependant on a variety of factors but the total number of puppies
in a litter is one of the most important. Breeders may put their
puppies on the scale daily or weekly to ensure puppies are growing
and often find that individual newborns vary in their weight gain.
Rate of growth in the initial weeks may be anywhere between 2-8
ounces a day while older puppies may put on 1-3 pounds a week.
Again, this is dependent on a variety of factors such as number
of puppies in a litter, the quality and quantity of the dam's milk
supply, daily intake for each individual puppy, and whether or
not the litter is being supplemented. It is important to note
that more than one breeder is witness to the fact that the largest/bulkiest
puppy in the litter at this point does not necessarily turn out
to be the largest when the entire litter matures.
Your Tibetan Mastiff Puppy
Tibetan Mastiff puppies are often allowed to travel to their new
homes somewhere between the 8-12 week mark and this signals the
time when it becomes the responsibility of the new owner and a
veterinarian to chart puppy's progress. It is extremely important
for new owners to schedule an initial puppy well check-up visit
upon puppy's arrival. Introducing your puppy and establishing his/her
personal growth chart will help both you and your vet to better
understand the specific growth pattern of your dog.
Most owners and veterinarians expect medium to large large breeds
to reach their final weight and height by 12-18 months but that
is not the case with the Tibetan Mastiff. Special attention must
be paid to the particular breed line from which your dog descends,
as it is not uncommon for some lines to be slower to mature than
others. It is always best to discuss this with your breeder first
so that you are prepared and have an idea of what to expect from
your dog based on his/her pedigree. Impatience with the maturation
process or inexperience on the part of many veterinarians who want
to fit this primitive breed on average growing curves can bring
about a lot of frustration.
It is generally agreed upon that the average female reaches maturity
at 3-4 years of age while males
generally take 1-2 years longer.
Your dog's attitude to food, overall health and rapid or slow growth
rate will help determine how your dog develops over the years. "Chow
hounds" tend to pack on weight fairly quickly while "grazers" may
remain lanky. Weight gain may be anywhere from 5 to 10 pounds some
months of the first year. Sometimes it is common for larger dogs
to "fall apart" or be out of proportion as their body parts grow
at distinctive rates. Heads may seem overly large or rears may
grow slightly while fronts haven't caught up giving the illusion
that your dog is riding down an escalator. The in-between years
may bring about leggy, rangy, or lean dogs that are putting all
their growing efforts into long bone development or height first.
After The First Year
The typical rate of monthly growth may slow considerably after
the first year and may be almost imperceptible. You may notice
that your TM goes through growth spurts instead as he/she follows
the dictates of the four seasons. Spring signals the onset of warmer
weather and the usual time for your Tibetan Mastiff to blow his/her
coat. Food intake is generally less at this time and the hot temperatures
of summer continues that trend. The autumn months indicate colder
weather is on the way and dogs don't normally have a problem eating
their fill well into winter. The very gradual increase in weight
in males may seem more noticeable as they are impressively dramatic
with their heavy coats and manes but females and males go through
a period where they build overall bulk and their chests "drop" and
fill out.
Dogs in Breeding Programs
Breeders may also notice influences that affect their own breeding
stock. A more mature female physique may be quite noticeable to
breeders once a 3 or 4-year old bitch has delivered her litter
and there may be either a weight loss/gain for intact stud dogs
who anticipate the breeding season.
Growth and the Show Ring
It is also important to note that the slower maturation process
should affect how you approach the show ring so be mindful of exhibiting
your dog in the appropriate classes. Entering your young Tibetan
Mastiff in the 12-18 month class may bring you much better results
than pushing him/her into the Open category. Judges must be made
aware that juvenile dogs may not have the size and bulk required
to compete against an older or a fully mature dog like the one
described in the breeding standard.
Personal Experience
Below is a PDF depicting a typical Tibetan Mastiff growth chart
that I kept for my first dog. My breeder made me aware of his potential
height and weight (27 inches and 130 pounds respectively) and I
presented that information when I visited with my veterinarian.
It was not long before I found this vet to be especially wearisome,
as she simply would not consider the input. She charted my dog's
progress on a Waltham Healthy Growth Chart that ended at the 30-month
mark and repeatedly insisted that my dog's breeder had given me
false expectations. Based on the growth curve that my dog was apparently
following in the first year she stated that he would never grow
to be more than 100 pounds. I switched vets and continued to monitor
my dog's growth. As you can see, his development was mapped out
as a slow but steady progression to his final weight of just over
130 pounds. All in all it took him 5 years.
Printable
PDF Version
Top of Document
|
