This is a page where I want to show what great family-dogs these Molossers are. There are enough negative light on these breeds. Let us turn it the other way around and put the Molosser breeds into a positive light, so everyone can see why we love our chosen breed.

Everyone know that the Molosser breeds are very protective and that they would sacrifice their life in protecting their human family. What I want to tell you now is why the protective and watchful Molossers is such great family dogs.
From the dawn of time dogs have been a companion and helper of the human beeings, some dogs as a helper on the hunt, others as watchdogs at the campfire and as pets for the tribe, but sometimes also as food supply in case of a bad hunt. There are especially three dog types that are known from pre-historical times, the spitz, the sighthound and the Molosser. The dogs for the hunt needed to be fast, so they evolved into the sighthounds.
The early humans soon discovered that dogs were useful to alarm when enemies, whether it was another tribe or large predators, came close to their camp. These dogs also had to help defending the camp, especially when the men of the tribe were out on a hunt. They had to be strong enough to pull the tents, food, supplies, etc. of the nomadic tribe when they moved to the next place.
This dog, the guarding, defending and pulling dog of the early humans became the pre-molosser.

Left: Nick Teifke's Rottweiler Cleo and his nephew Juan. Right: Kay Gawthrop's Rottweiler Gus, a 14,5 years old male.

Matuszak (Beefy) at 15 months old, just finish with licking the baby in the face. Note the eye contact.
Picture by Michael Rogers & Mary Montgomery.

From the dawn of time, in close contact with the humans, especially the women and the children of the tribe, made the pre-molosser very attached to their human family, with a strong desire to guard and protect them. These traits, as well as the need for a strong pulling dog, was the fundation for what later evolved into the Molosser breeds. Another trait of these early Molosser dogs, recognized by the owners of the "true" Molossers of today, is that they were bound to their home and did seldom wander off. A trait the dogs needed to guard and protect the early humans camp. What use would it be to have a watchdog that wanders off?

My son Kevin and one of our dogs, Khan, pictured at x-mas 97.

So, in close contact with the human beeings for such a long time, guarding, defending and helping their human family, have "produced" a dog with true love and affection for their owner and his/her family. When writing that the Molosser/pre-molosser already was present with the early humans (Homo Sapiens nevertheless) I am claiming that this type of dog is much older that common believed, and I truly believe so. More about this subject will be up at the "Origin of the Molossers" page.

An example of the oldest Molosser breed.
Jeannine DePalma's Central Asian Ovtcharka Cozemo.

Pictures from the World Dog Show in Helsinki, Finland, June 1998.

Yngve at 7 months of age, together with our youngest boy, Victor, and our late Boxer/Dobie/Lab "Geronimo".

The Rottweiler Yngve My wife and I have two children, two boys at the age of 10 and 4 1/2 year. Some time ago the firm of my wife were arranging a free weekend for their employees, at a hotel in the high mountains. All our family did go on this trip, including our Rottweiler Yngve, who then was only 6 months of age. The firm had arranged with "child-watchers" that constantly did patrol back and fourth in the corridors, so in the evening, after the boys were sound asleep, as were Yngve at the floor below them, I and my wife joined the rest if the firm for a dinner banquet. Only 20 minitues after we had arrived at the banquet one of the "child-watchers" came to us. She told us that she had heard some noises from our flat, and she opened the door to enter and check the kids. But, she were immediately stopped before she could enter the flat, by a dog that were growling and showing his teeths. The boys were still sleeping, and Yngve obvious regarded his job as important, despite of his young age. -Kjetil Tveit, Norway

Bandit

The American Bulldog Bandit We were watching a black Lab for my neighbor. He was a nice dog, never showed any aggression at all. Bandit, my American Bulldog was in the yard with my daughter and son. The kids were playing in the sand box and the dogs were being lazy under the tree. Kaitlyn got stung by a bee and started screaming and the Lab went after her barking like he was gonna attack her. He got close to her and lunged right for her face. Bandit went right after him in got him before he could get my daughter. It was a really bad fight and a really scary one for me and my kids. I couldnt break them up. I do feel in my heart that this Lab would have severly hurt my daughter if it wasnt for Bandit. She is my best friend and a huge part of our family. She saved my daughter from not only being attacked but from emotional scrarring. She was my first Bully and will certianly not be my last!! I will defend the Bully and Mastiff breeds till the day I die. -Kristine, USA.

Now a old story from the book "The Mastiff" by Marie A. Moore

Captain Brown gives an an interesting instance of the gentleness of a Mastiff towards a child. He says that a large and fierce Mastiff which had broken his chain, ran along a road near Bath, to the great terror and consternation of those whom he passed. When suddenly running by a most interesting boy, the child struck him with a stick, upon which the dog turned furiously upon his infant assailant. The little fellow, so far from being intimidated, ran up to him and flung his arms round the neck of the enraged animal, which instantly became appeased, and in return caressed the child. It is a well known fact that few dogs will bite a child, or even a young puppy. Captain Browns adds that he possesses a Mastiff which will not allow any of his family to take a bone from him exept his youngest child.

More pictures from the World Dog Show in Helsinki, Finland, June 1998.

Story by Mersch Calabresa, Bradford PA. From the Fila Magazine.

My daughter who is 16 years old was home alone with Dino when he was 5 1/2 months old. Out of the blue two guys started to pound on our door and demanded my daughter to buy some raffle tickets. My daughter was frightened by their loud voices and demands and no doubt her fear was detected by Dino who hurled his body against the door trying to go through for these two guys. Well, he bounced off once, because of the steel frame and hurled his body again wanting to attack.
My daughter told me he was a different dog other then the one she knew, and afterwards he followed her around the house until my wife came home.

Both the Fila (left) and the Tosa (right) are truly great family dogs.
Left picture from Paul Schuetz, right picture from Les Smith.

Picture from Samantha Paige of her Pit Bull and her children.

Story from the Fila Magazine.

A woman walking alone with her leashed year old Fila one night was approached by a man. He started getting fresh with her but did stay far enough away to be out of reach of the dog. She told him to leave her alone, and that the dog would attack him, and then turned around and walked back in the direction she was coming from to avoid a confrontation.
The man follow her paying no heed and kept up the smart remarks when suddenly the Fila made a instant turn and bit the man in the groin causing enough damage that he needed hospitalization and stitches. This could have been a rape, or rape and murder, so chalk one up for the Fila.

My son, Kevin and an American Bulldog pup, Truck,
owned by Tommy Blom and and bred by J&L Kennels in Sweden.

Extract from Barnaby Googe's description dated 1631 of the Bandog for the house.

"First, the Mastie that keepeth the house. For this purpose you must provide you such a one as hath a large and mightie body, a great shrill voyce, that both with his barking he may discover, and with his sight dismaye the theefe, yea, being not seene, with the horror of his voice put him to flight.....
....His disposition must neither be too gentle nor too curst, that he neither faune upon a theefe nor flee upon his friends; very waking; no gadder abroad, nor lavish of his mouth, barking without cause; neither maketh it any matter though he be not swifte, for he is but to fight at home, and to give warning of the enemie."

More pictures of Kevin and Truck.

Do you have any stories about how great familydogs the Molosser breeds are, or stories about what makes these Molossers so great dogs?
Mail me and I will put it up at this page.

Kevin and Khan.

Urraco & Blanche. Picture by Janine Frensemeyer.

Picture from Hermann Lock, Germany,
showing Res Rusticae Ebony with his godson.

Mail me