In Tibet, Tibetean mastiffs had been considered sacred for many years.

Their large bodies, large heads and long hair make them look very much like a lion and they can be just as dangerous as one. Tibetan mastiffs are strong and aggressive dogs if trained to become so.

Tibetan mastiffs are the greatest herds guard dogs and are also believed to be great predictors of earthquakes.

The Tibetan mastiffs are a loyal breed of dogs. They are not born aggressive even though they have the body and strength to become very dangerous if trained this way.

Tibetans have been training them for centuries to become effective in herd guarding. Tibetans have been growing herd animals through the ages. The greatest enemy of their herds has always been the wolf, so they have trained their mastiffs to fight of wolves.

Training mastiffs to be "wolf killers" involves not feeding them enough, exposing them to harsh weather, keeping them hungry, tired and frustrated. Growing a mastiff in such cruel conditions cause him to become vicious, angry, bitter and extremely dangerous.

This cruel training continues when the dog is taken out to the wilderness to be placed in a dry well and fed only a few pieces of raw meet per day. The wild animals, especially the wolves smelling the meet would come and steal their food, but after a short while the Mastiff would start using his strength and anger to fight them.

All the bitterness turns into aggressiveness and cruelty as the mastiff finally attacks the wolf, fighting for his food.

Throughout this process up till this point the Tibetan mastiff are being kept in solitude, with no other dogs around.

Once he is released into a group of mastiffs, they acknowledge him as a stranger and attack him. The poor mastiff has to fight for his life. He learns that the only way to survive, eat and not be killed is to fight.

In order to emphasize it, Tibetan trainers used to start feeding the mastiff pieces of raw wolf's meat when he very hungry, so he acquires the taste and begins to connect the taste of wolf meat with being fed and surviving. This method of training makes the wolf become a natural enemy of the mastiff.

Wolfs are the biggest threat for herding animals in Tibet. This has been a good reason to train the mastiffs to hate wolves and by that become the most efficient, fierce herd guardian.

Tibetan mastiffs have been breed with other kinds of dogs, so pure breed Tibetan mastiffs are rare these days.

Generally, mastiffs are very loyal to their owners but very dangerous to strangers. The training process described above is not being used very often any more, which makes me, for one, very happy.

This beautiful breed of dogs deserves a pampering way of life. Living in a caring home and having a loving family they grow to become gentle giants that would still make excellent guardian dogs for their families and their environment.