Molosserworld at moloss.com

The Molossers and the Dogge’s History in a new Perspective

By Barbro von Mosczinsky & Jan Edbladh

This compendium is dedicated to the ancient
Molosser dogs Mastino Napoletano, English
Mastiff & Dogue de Bordeaux, and all their
Offspring.
Eketorp, Sweden, 19th July 1995

Thanks to Ingridh Kral for her inspiration
that led me and Jan to fulfill this work.

Copyright holder: Ingrid Kral, Sweden
Illustrations: The authors and Katarina von Mosczinsky
Layout: Barbro Halvarsson

Translation from Swedish to English
by Kaare Konradsen, July 2002.
Corrections by Peter Chattenach Chell.

Introduction

Curiosity, ingenuity and courage are characteristics which we primates shares with our fellow creatures the predators. The courage can have several different aspects. When it comes to us human beings the courage can be displayed in the way we live, if our lives deviate from the common accepted pattern, or if we have different opinions and ideas than the common accepted way of thinking.
If we combine this courage of being different with the primate-characteristic we humans still is alone to inhabit among the living creatures, namely the ability to creative thinking, it can result in such work as which will follow.
We have experienced that through a long life with dogs of different breeds, several distinctive questions regarding fundamental differences between the many types of dogs have been raised. These distinctive differences between the ”groups” of dogs raise other questions, regarding the creation and development of the dogs.
Through many years with studies in the history of the dog breeds, and the archaeology of dog breeds, these questions have gotten more ”substance” through additional field-work, and through more extensive search for living and archaeological evidences that support the growing theories.
The science has, in lack of evidence for other theories, and for the simplicity, in the later years agreed that the only ancestor to our domesticated dogs is the WOLF. In the early 1900’s the wolf as the only ancestor to the modern dog was not the only accepted theory. Some suggested the jackal, and crossings between different spices of ancient dog-types, as the possible ancestor, together with the common wolf.
If we, as a start, presume that the wolf is the ancestor to all domestic dogs, it raises a question in itself; Why do we have a type of dogs, namely the Dogge, which differences completely from all other breeds, physical, but first and foremost mentally? Breeding for specific characteristics would probably be the answer we would be given.
If we then goes further in our investigation and discover that already 3-4000 years ago, in other words as far back in time as written information is possible to be found, -and certainly long before the conception of pure bred dogs and breed improvement was present in the human mind, already then the Molossers, the Sight hounds and the Spitz existed as defined and distinctive types of dogs.
In the relief’s that have been preserved all the way up to the modern time, the sight hounds have been pictured, almost without exceptions, as a hunting dog, as the same way the Spitz also have been pictured as a hunting dog in stone relief’s, while the Molosser dogs always have been pictured as their owner’s guardian, protector and keeper, protecting and defending, either against human aggressors and soldiers, or lions and wild boars. The Dogge have also always been used to end the hunt effective by killing the prey. To hold, knock down and to kill the prey have been the work of the Dogge, and their contribution to the humans search for food.

We shall through this article develop this ”question”, by dividing the article in three parts, which will explain the basic differences with the dog breeds that does not belong to the group of the Dogge.

1. Physical and exterior characteristics.
2. The history of the development, and the temperament.
3. The Dogge’s area of application and its future in Sweden.

The last part of the article will consist of references to sources used for this article.

Neo by Barbro von Mosczinsky

Illustration 1
By Barbro von Mosczinsky

Part One
Physical and exterior characteristics

Who can say that they not have let themselves fascinate of the Dogge’s flexible and catlike movement? All owners of a Dogge have probably surely observed that the Dogge rather walk than trot. We can not overlook the large, arched skull of the Dogge, but we have seldom, or never, been in the receiving end of the enormous powerful bite don by a dogge and his muscular jaws. We have also, maybe, observed a large and heavy bone structure, rather short legs, large paws, short neck and a muscular tail.
Typical of the Dogge is the loose and easy built of the joints and the elastic tendons and ligaments, which gives them a catlike, or maybe we should use the term bear-like, movements.
Let us take a look at the movement of the wolf. We can easily see that the wolf has the typical movements of a trotter, with firm attachment to the shoulder and the hip, a built that help the animal to a long reach and powerful kickoff when moving. We clearly can see the difference between the Dogge and the wolf in the skull, which in the wolf is narrower, flat and has a more pointed muzzle. We can observe the wolf’s lighter built of body, on longer legs, and smaller paws. The wolf has a different type of coat, always long haired, while the Dogge always has short hair. The wolf has a longer and narrower tail, used as the trotters balance ”stick” and semaphore, and always erected ears. The ear of the Dogge is always hanging. The built of the wolf are constructed to been able to a carry on a time taking pursuit of a prey for very long distances, where the energy has to economic portioned. The ears of the wolf are constructed so they are able to detect any sound from the prey or its fellow wolfs, and the nose made to detect the smell of these. The wolf needs help from its flock to kill the prey.
The built of the Dogge is the built of a predator that stalks cautiously when looking for a prey. Its movement is the movement of a “ambushing”, awaiting predator, which –when the pray is close, uses a powerful and lightning quick attack, and kills the prey with the use of its power in the jaws. The Dogge do not need the help of a pack for this task. But, the hunting instinct of the pure Dogge is only rudimentary. Historically they are not regarded as hunters, but as guardians and protectors of their owners against two and four legged enemies, and also as “finishers” in a hunt.

The vert first doglike animals

Let us, with the above written “breed” characteristics I mind, travel back in time, about 26 millions years.
Our first observations when we arrive in the past is a pack of about 5-6 small dog-like animals, about the size of the present fox. At the border of the forest they are together hunting for a little hoofed animal (ungulate), just slightly larger than themselves. The dog-like animals seems to be well social organized and ensambled, since it takes little time before the leaders have grounded and killed the little prey. We can observe that the ones that killed the prey eat first. The other members of the pack are waiting impatient on their turn to eat, and in-between the ones which is waiting clashes together as a result of the tense situation.
At the distance we are observing the animals it is different to see the colour exactly, but they seems to have random placed spots of brown, black and white placed all over their bodies. We can see that the have long thin tails, short erected ears, a fairly long body, a long neck and fairly long legs.
When all members of the pack have eaten and are satisfied the leftovers of the prey is leaved on the spot, and the predators move into the forest and away from our visible range. This hunting dog-like animal, which remains have been excavated in Europe and Asia in modern time, have been given the scientific name Cynodictis.

Cynodictis

Daphoenodon

Illustration 2 & 3
Cynodictis and Daphoenodon

Several hours after the Cynodictis have disappeared, we can again observe a movement in the border of the forest. We spot a lonely animal that follow in the track of the Cynodictis in a slow manner. Now and then it stops and uses its sense of smell in the air and at the ground. These animals can, at the first blink of the eye, look much like the Cynodictis in built, but it moves different. It does not trot like the Cynodictis, but seems to have a rolling and slow way of moving its body, on large and soft pads.
After observing this animal for a while we can clearly see that this animal is larger than the previous, about the size of a wolf, and heavier built. It has shorter legs, a long but broader tail, larger pads, longer and broader but still erected ears, shorter muzzle and a scull that is wider. The colour seems to be between red and brown, darker at the muzzle and legs and lighter under the flank and brisket. The length of the coat is shorter that at the Cynodictis. The throat, under the brisket and tail seems to have longer coat.
This animal is also belonging to the dogs and we call it today for Daphoenodon, or bear-dog, since it has some characteristics that is common at the bear. It is nevertheless clearly belonging to the dog-group and represents a animal between these two related families.

The bear-dog has now located the remains of the prey and for a while it is standing watchful below the threes. When the bear-dog is sure that there are no other animals in sight he quickly galloping over the grass covered ground and begin to eat the remains of the cynodictis prey. He easily crushes the bones with his strong jaws. When the Daphoenodon have fed its hunger, he slowly moves further, following the border of the forest.
The Daphoenodon keep the activity level low, and he never is in the need to rush, since he always has lived on the leftovers of the hunting Cynodictis. However, if he has no success in finding caresses he is fully capable to hunt down his own prey.
The Cynodictis, which have existed as a species much longer than the bear-dog, have developed a highly effective method of hunting, with such a successful result that the bear-dog often just need to follow in the track of the hunters for surviving. The bear-dog does not mingle, or keep any kind of contact with the hunters. To work alone gives the best result.
The evening before we leave the past we are lucky to spot the bear-dog again. This time he is eating berries on his way through the scrub, and we also can observe that he plunder the nest of a ground hatching bird. The bear-dog eats all the eggs, and as a dessert he swallows an egg-eating lizard that tries to get hold of its part of the bird eggs. In other words; the food supply of the bear-dog did not only include meat. He were, just like the bear of today, omnivorous.
While the older dog-animal Cynodictis continued successfully with specializing its technique in the hunt and its social life, multiplying and spreading, while dividing into new lines in the Canoid-family such as the wolf, jackal, wild dog and fox, the younger dog-animal Daphoenodon, or bear-dog, which were of the same Canoid-family, continued to life its slow life as a omnivorous animal following in the tracks of its successful hunter relative. The Daphoenodon did not change its lifestyle in millions of years, since it was not necessary for its survival.
An exterior development and dividing into modern families and lines did however occur as a result of geographical disturbance, climate changes and continental moving. For the bear-dog this led to a development against a larger and heavier animal, and with a growing of the animal a larger skeleton was developed. The long and broad ear began to curve downwards. The coat possibly became shorter, since the Daphoenodon did live in a warm climate. But in the way of life he did not change. It did never have the need to develop into a skilled hunter.

The Daphoenodon did not became extinct, as scholars believe today -since there have not been found and fossil younger than 16 million year old, but it did developed unnoticed into the larger and heavier Molosser dog. In this way the Molosser became early the companion of the human.
While traveling back to our own time we stops for a short while at the Olduvai cleft in Africa, 1,7 million years before the present time. In the cleft we can observe the dead body of a Scabrak jackal, which will become the oldest fossil found by the modern man of the Canis family.
Next stop on our travel home to present time is beside a grave from the stone ages, about 10-12 000 years ago. In this grave a little dog of the spitz type is buried together with its owner. This spitz will become the oldest find of the Canis familiaris.
The millions of years between the Cynodictis and Daphoenodon’s first appearance in the world for 50 and 26 million of years ago, and to the dead spitz in the stone age grave for a little more than 10 000 years ago, is practically “clean” for fossils and findings of dog-animals. The development of the dog breeds with the wolf as the ancestor is therefore just an assumption and theory.
Even among the scientists the origin of the dog is a matter of disagreement. It is an agreement that the ancestor of the dogs must be found in the family of wolf in its relatives; coyote, jackal and possibly dingo, maybe also a extinct, unknown wild dog, which remains we never have found. This extinct wild dog has in our studies been classified as the old bear-dog, which direct descendants are the Molosser dogs.
The Molosser dogs later developed into the old Assyrian Dogge, which we can study at the 3000 year old Babylonian reliefs, where they are lead by chain by their owners. The modern descendants of the Assyrian Dogge can be found in Neapolitan Mastiff, English Mastiff and Dogue de Bordeaux of today.
The bear-dog has given us the answer on our questions about type, phenotyp, mentality and function which absolutely fundamental divides the Dogge from the dog breeds close related to the wolf, which means most of the dog breeds of today.

Part Two
The history of development and temperament.

Today, almost without exception, the wolf is regarded as the ancestor of all dog breeds. We regard this as misleading and just a way to an convenient easy explanation, which very possibly can harm and destroy the still existing knowledge about the connection with the old bear-dog.
The phenotyp of the wolf have become the only accepted guideline that all dog breeds must be judged by, to be considered sound. The skeleton of the wolf have become the only accepted and correct shape for all dog breeds. The active hunter’s way of trotting has become the only accepted way of movement among the dogs. The highly developed systems of signals among the pack-living wolf have become the only accepted way of communication. The wolf’s –a active hunter, way of being alert and “at the ready” have become the highly regarded qualities of the dogs used by the military, police and human hunters, and is now accepted as a quality all dog breeds must possess for being useful.
The mental qualities of all dog breeds are evaluated with the reaction pattern of the wolf as the standard. In short, -all qualities of the active hunter have unfortunate become the only qualities that is accepted and that is a priority among the cynologists of today. Sadly they have become, because of the dictatorial opinion, a reference point and guideline for all dog breeds of today.
The old bear-dog’s descendants in the shape of the Molossers and the close related Dogge has therefore been judged based on a criteria that is not natural for their body shape. The long time needed for their physical development, with a loose connected and heavy bone structure, have been pushed to the limit because of unnecessary hard work while developing, often combined with too much motion. They have therefore been judged as un-sound according to the x-rays of the hips, which have been done way too early for the Dogge, but at the correct time according to the wolf skeleton. The practices in dog shows have contributed to the ever continuing of high placed degenerated specimens in all their forms. This has especially been unfortunate for the Dogge’s.
The bear looking movements, which is natural for the built of the Dogge, is today regarded as unsound and untypical for a descendant of the wolf. The slowly movement, which is an inheritance after millions of years of passive search for food (the systematic search of the territory of the omnivorous, where all supplies of food is used), is considered phlegmatic and as mental inferiority.
The individualism of the bear-dog and not wanting to belong to a pack is today considered as stubbornness and classified as a lack of intelligence. The lack of dog (wolf) signals, which also is a inheritance of the very earliest dogs, is considered as a quality that sadly have been bred out of the Dogge
The lack of interest for prey and hunting at the old bear-dog and its lack of “alertness”, make him considered as not useful in the eyes of very many humans. His strong will to protect his friends and human owners, as well as its territory, the fact that he becomes active at night –which makes him a formidable watchdog, as well as his power and effectiveness in combat (fight), its strong jaws, is the only qualities of the antique bear-dog that is appreciated by humans today.
As a silent and incorruptible guardian in the service of man the Dogge is unbeaten, and is therefore used in honest as well as dishonest work. As an effective fighter with a great tolerance for pain he has at all times fascinated the humans with a taste for blood and violence. Because of his incorruptible faithfulness against his owners and because of his individualistic way of living, the Dogge have often given his life defending his owner against wild animals, other dogs and even against other humans, if his owner required this from him. The human’s utilization of these very old qualities has resulted in an undeserved reputation as a “killer-dog”.
The old qualities of the bear-dog, as it roam with its bear-dog temperament and bear-dog movement, -not the slightly as the way of the wolf, is no longer at use or appreciated by the humans.
Shall this lack of understanding of the peculiarity of the Dogge at last lead to the extinction of the distinctive link of the history of the dogs? Shall we in our carelessness and ignorance let the Molosser dogs and Dogge’s, which is a treasure that we should careful preserve, disappear and go extinct, just because we not yet have discovered or found any fossil which can support our belief of the bear-dog as the ancestor of the Molossers and the Dogge?
In an attempt to bring light and understanding to this horrible misunderstanding we want to point out that the wolf as the only possible ancestor of all dog breeds is based on a theory that is not more supported by fossils and evidences as our theory about the bear-dog. Not fossil or remains have yet been discovered that support the theory as the wolf as the only ancestor. That a fertile offspring can be produced by mating a wolf and a dog is no proof. The same result can be produced by crossing a dog and a jackal, and between a dog and a dingo. Therefore is the theory about the bear-dog as much, or little if you want, a possibility as the theory about the wolf. For us, based on our studies, it is a logical conclusion that both lines of development should be regarded as credible.

Illustration 4
The probable development of the dog animals and the dog breeds.

Neo by Katarina von Mosczinsky

Illustration 5
By Katarina von Mosczinsky

Distinctive breeding of dogs before the time of the Babylonians?

To make the differences in the temperament more clear, we will do a comparison between the mental qualities between the spitz, which is a typical descendant of the wolf, and the Dogge, which is a typical descendant of the Molosser. The size differences, a different way to find food, and the way the Molosser have been described and portrayed historical in word and illustrations, tell us that its temperament and the way it have been in service of man always have been different from the way of the active hunter.
To explain these huge differences with the wolf’s predisposition for dimorphism (anatomical differences in the species) or explained because of akromegali (defect that causes an animal to grow out of proportions), which is suggested by some cynologists, is a too easy simplification.
Make a study of the listed differences below and ask yourself the following question; Is it reasonable to believe that the humans already 4000 years ago had succeeded in breeding away all instincts and qualities in temperament and phenotype?
Have in mind that all of the dog breeds of today that has the wolf as the ancestor have kept all of the wolf’s strong basic instincts, exterior details and behavior.

Spitz (Wolf)
Dogge (Molosser)

-A pack animal -Individualist

-Large territory -Small territory (the owner’s property)

-A need to expand the territory -No need to expand the territory

-Trotter -Pacer

-Active search for food -Passive search for food

-Extensive use of signals -Lack of “wolf-signals”

-Guards with yelp, howls -Silent guardian, do not howl

-Hunting instinct -Lack of hunting instinct

-Primary active during the day -Primary active during the night

-A need to be dominant -Lack of need to be dominant

-Need to gain a higher position in the pack -Do not need a position in the pack

-Survivor (without the help of humans) -Not a survivor

-Always “on watch” -Lack of the “on-watch” quality

-Low understanding of direction -High understanding of direction

-Need of a strong (dominant) leader -Need of a strong (loving) leader

-Independent -Dependent of humans

-Defender (pack and territory) -Great defender (owner and territory)

-Pack attack -Individual attack

-Living outside -Living inside the house

-Meat eater (can survive on only meat and bone) -Omnivorous (unsound changes in the skeleton, joints and skin by too much protein)

-Suspicious against strangers -Normally not interested in strangers, as long as they do not act as a threat. At night the guardian instincts grows and no stranger is allowed inside the premises without the owner’s approving

If we study this list we will clearly see that the neares descendant of the Molosser, the Dogge, in none of the qualities is in accordance with the pronounced descendant of the wolf, the spitz.
Again we will ask the question; Is it possible that the humans, in the time of the Babylonians about 4000 years ago, already then –through advanced selective breeding, were able to breed out all of the qualities of the wolf; behavior, temperament and exterior? We are asking this question because of the fact that the old Molosser dogs or Assyrian Dogge’s never, in writing or pictured, have been portrayed as active hunters, but as guardians and protectors, and as finishers of the hunt, -where the dog at the end of the hunt is protecting its owner against the running prey.
The Dogge is led in chain, in contrast to the active hunting sight-hounds, which normally is illustrated loose. To be led in a chain is even today in Asia a prove of the especial value and position of the dog with its owner.
We can safely assume that the Molosser dogs was developed as a type, both Exterior and mentally already at the time of King Hammurabi about 4000 years ago. It is logical to believe that this dog already had been together with the humans in many thousands of years, in the same way that the spitz had followed the northern stone age hunter and the sighthound of Egypt and Asia Minor had followed the nations and tribes. All foundational qualities that the wolf did hand over to the first spitz, all foundational qualities that the jackal handed over to the first sighthounds (long legged dogs that hunted by sight), and all foundational qualities that the ancient bear-dog handed over to the Molosser dog. All later dog breeds are crosses and/or a result of breeding for special traits.

Illustration 6
Old Assyrian Dogge.

The first crossing of breeds?

A very old dog breed, of which classification there still is disagreement about, is the Tibetan Mastiff. Sometimes it is classified as a Moloss, sometimes as a herding dog, some call it a Dogge, and others call it a mountain dog, while some even classifies it as a fighting dog.
We choose another point of view which is based on research of different sources, namely that the Tibetan Mastiff was the first deliberate crossing between a wolf-dog (spitz) and a Molosser (Dogge).
Close related animals with the almost the same mode of living, in territory and search for food, signal language and pattern of mating, can spontaneous and accidentally mate and produce fertile offspring. Another example of this is the Arctic spitz crossings with the wolf.
It is reasonable to believe that the way of keeping dogs at the ancient nomads did not deviate much from the way the modern nomads keep their dogs today. Therefore the dogs of the people of the old days probably had a constant infusion of wolf blood, just like the Arctic spitz of today.
Let us look back in time and observe the prehistoric spitz, sighthound and Molosser. The spitz still is close to the type of the wolf, even after thousands of years. The type of the sighthounds and Molosser dogs, however, which was divided from the type of the wolf already 4000 years ago and they have stayed that way, even if they have been domesticated for nearly as long time as the spitz. The explanation to this can be that these two breeds have other ancestors than the wolf.
In the matter of the sighthound the jackal can very well be the ancestor. We assume that the Molosser have the bear-dog as the ancestor, an animal which in all ways was strongly removed from the wolf. For the territorial omnivorous, i.e. the bear, is every intruder of competing species, and even the same species, a threat against its survival. The solitary, individual way of living is a must of the survival of the species. It is therefore reasonable to believe that the bear-dog from the beginning of time has opposed the wolf, and killed and eaten it, instead of mating with it.
When the pups of the wild Molosser dog were tamed by humans, it was early noticed that these dogs had an inherited hate against and a capacity to fight and win over other large predators. With their flocks of sheep, which attracted predators, the human very soon learned to appreciate, preserve and use the large, capable Molosser dog as a guardian and protector against two and four legged intruders.
Naturally the Molosser dogs kept their purity. Already at the beginning these dogs were regarded as very valuable that were kept with close bonds to the humans, and they have kept a high position even with Kings and Nobility all the way up to our time. The Molosser dogs were of course much wanted and precious for the nomads, since it probably was a problem that their herding and guarding spitz from time to time mated with the wolf, with hybrids as a result, -hybrids that would hunt their sheep without being as shy as the wolf. To buy a Molosser dog were indeed too expensive for the poor nomad, but to mate a spitz female with a Moloss should be possible, as payment for a service or for goods.
This mating resulted in a large dog of spitz type, with some Dogge influence in its exterior and mentality, which made this crossing a dog that were agile and formidable companion and protector of the Central Asian nomads and their livestock. The herder’s dog –the flock protector- was born.
At a Babylonian stone from about B.C. 1000 we can find a dog with recognizable Tibetan Mastiff traits. This dog even has a name written, and its work; Lik-Ku –guardian of the house.
The Tibetan Mastiff was set as a type already 650 B.C. The proof can be found in a little terracotta figure from Nineveh in the time of King Assurbanipal (668-626 B.C.). There can be no doubt about the relation of the breed in this portrayed figure. The influence of the wolf-spitz in the exterior and temperament is even today prominent. Historically we know that the Tibetan Mastiff have served as a flock guardian, but also, when the nomads settled down, as a watchdog. It has however never been a herding dog, since it lacks the herding qualities.
The Tibetan Mastiff is a medium heavy, very agile dog. His movement is trotting and gallop in long, powerful leaps. It is heavy coated, with medium long hairs, has hanging ears, curled tail, few wrinkles, loose skin below the cheeks, a powerful nose and muzzle, and a powerful arched skull.
These mixed influences can also be found in its temperament. Because of this mix of wolf and Dogge temperament the Tibetan Mastiff is an extremely difficult dog to own, since the two different temperaments is not compatible, seen in the light of evolution. However, an experienced dog owner can easily be charmed by the extremely primitive animal the Tibetan Mastiff is, even today.
Just as the Molossers and the Dogge, the Tibetan Mastiff is an ancient, living relic from times long past, that should be preserved for the future. Their archaic genes are irreplaceable and important to preserve for the breeding of purebred dogs in the future.

Illustration 7
Probable development of the dog breeds.

Part Three
The usage and future of the Dogge in Sweden

The Pitbull Terrier, the poor misused and misunderstood Dogge cross, often in the wrong hands, has with help from the modern wolf-theory followers and all, more of less experienced, yes-people, been the stone which have made the avalanche began to roll against the Dogge.
The accidents that happen because of wrongly raring, where inexperienced owners are trying to teach the alertness of the German Shepherd to a breed that in its genes does lack this quality, has resulted in accidents that have marked this Dogge as a “killing-dog”.
These humans has not understood that by their training they have trigged and brought forward the “combatness” of the Dogge, and thereby also lowered the Dogge’s normally high limit of acceptance. The inherited willingness of the Dogge to protect its owner, has on purpose been encouraged, with the result that the dog at last have become, because of the unnatural raising, the “unsecured weapon” that the media loves to portray.
The “killer-dog” concept has spread like a virus among the ones with too little knowledge, and it has been driven further by ill-informed politicians. Some geneticist surfs on the wave and in one single word they do judge most of our most interesting and valuable dog breeds.
How many of these virus-spreaders have any experience with the Bulldog, Pitbull Terrier, Neapolitan Mastiff, Tibetan Mastiff, and any other Dogge? The answer would be that very few of them has any experience at all with these dogs, because if they had they would surely know that all these Dogge’s, inclusive the Pitbull, is in the right hands absolutely a perfect companion dog.
If the Dogge is raised peaceful, calm and consequent, without playing combat or other “power-sport” games, the positive qualities of the Dogge is preserved; calmness, faithfulness, high sense of justice, reliable protector –but which interfere only if the need should arise, loving and caring of children, and a dog which is, because of the lack of alertness, almost has a inhibition to bite.
However, if a confrontation should arise, i.e. against a dominant dog which expects a clear sign of subjection, the Dogge always act with formidable aggression and the attacker is in immediate mortal danger.
As a watchdog the pure Molosser dogs is absolutely reliable and highly effective. Because they have a high sense of justice they seldom need to be aggressive. Often they only need to get up on their feet and walk towards the intruder, so the intruder has to wait for the dog’s owner before he is permitted to enter.
The Dogge crosses are more or less capable as watchdogs. The Pitbull and Staffordshire Bullterrier are often less reliable as watchdogs. They often let anyone that acts normal enter. As a personal protection dog they are however 100 percent reliable. There is no need to train them for this, and they should not be trained to do this task, because it already exists in the genes of the Dogge. If the owner is threaten by a stranger these Dogge’s is always ready to give their life in protecting their owner.
The Dogge is not much playful. They have none, or limited, need for playing. As adults they often act with gravity (exceptions exists), but without a lack of humor and tolerance.
The wolf descendants play a lot, even as adults. This is a preparation for the coming hunt, and it can be used by humans in training and performing.
Another trait of the Dogge, which often is misunderstood, is the very long time required to develop into fully matureness, even in smaller Dogge breeds. All “wolf-breeds” develops to an adult very quick, both mentally and physically. The large Dogge is still to be regarded as an un-developed youth at the age of 4-5 years, before they mature into grown adults.
Some keep their shyness for strangers for a long time. How often has not the owner of a powerful and famous “earlier” wardog been very embarrassed when their large grown pride of a dog sinks together while letting go of some urine when they meet a stranger? The great courage takes time to get real great!
The smaller Dogge can be “ready to fight” and confused, cowardly and bark a lot in at least three years. After that they mature to adults, self-confident, calm and wise dog personalities.
Common for all Dogge breeds is the need for human contact, human love and attention. Love and consistency is A to Z for the Dogge. The Dogge thrive best if it is the owners’ only dog. Its old individual quality makes him not interested of the company of other dogs, and he easy becomes jealous of new additions to the household. It requires a long time and much diplomacy from the owner before a Dogge that have been raised alone accepts a new dog in the house.
The Dogge is a “one-man” dog, and even if he accepts the whole family as its target of protection, he often chooses one person that he prefer. This person is not necessary the one that feeds him or uses most time together with him, but it can very well be the person that is most mental stabile, or simply the one who gives him most attention.
The Dogge is normally deeply attached to its owner and it shows this by reading the owners face and eyes, and by listening to the voice of the owner. In opposite of the wolf descendant’s inherited knowledge to look the other way, or at the side of, since the meeting of eyes for them means a threat, the Dogge can for a long time sit and look the owner straight into the eyes.
The Dogge lack any wolf-signals, and it should lack it, since it is a descendant of the bear-dog and the Molosser. This can cause a problem for the wolf descendant that uses time together with a Dogge. Often they believe that the Dogge they meet is without risk, since it does not make any threats or sinks down to the ground. The Dogge just holds its ground, looking in front of him. Sometimes they even waggle on their tail. If the wolf descendant decides to fight we will soon realize that a dog without signals is not the same as a dog without power.

Illustration 8
Tibetan Mastiff (600 B.C)

Working dogs?

The pure Molosser dogs and the heavier of the Dogge crosses, like the St. Bernard and Bullmastiff i.e. does not do well in work where quickness and agility is required. For this the wolf descendants, the former active hunters is better suited. They have the ability to work together because of their inherited qualities as a pack member. They have the suited body shape and the required “alertness”, together with a suitable level of courage.
The individualism and slow lifestyle of the Dogge leads the uninitiated to believe that it is stubborn and stupid. But the ones that have known a Dogge have experienced another type of intelligence, which does not need to be of minor quality since it can not be used in certain works.
Willingness to fight can be found in a large amount in the Dogge. However, if the Dogge is let alone, one does not notice it much. To let the fighting instinct sleep its sleep is at advantage for the Dogge. It will anyway arise when the need for it is required.
Courage is a quality that the Dogge have much of, in fact normally more than all other breeds. In parenthesis; the modern dog breeding has now and then, for trying to produce a gentler and society adapted mentality, made a priority to use weak individuals. This has resulted in the opposite; a weak Dogge without courage that does not at all fit into the society. It is therefore of extremely importance to always use in the breeding dogs with a great courage, without fearing that this will cause any problem. The breeder can rest assured that the Dogge always uses this great courage to protect itself, its owner or the owner’s property.
Included in the courage is a great deal of self-confidence, which makes the Dogge able to restrain itself from interfering, if it evaluates that the situation does not require it to do so. The Dogge does never use more “violence” than necessary, and if possible it avoids “violence” completely.
Included in the courage is also the unwillingness to bite, which means that we never need to risk that this type of dog becomes a “fear-biter”.

Closing words

A misunderstood and wrongly treated Dogge is deeply unhappy. Without its owners love, but with hits, punches and a loud and unfair voice while growing up, the Dogge is transformed to a very dangerous dog, which soon must die because of its owner’s imprudence.
On the opposite the Dogge will thrive when it is allowed to jog along its owner, which has in its Dogge the most faithful buddy that a human can ever want. The Dogge loves when the owner smalltalks with it. It listens carefully and it learns through the years, in a remarkable high degree, the human language. Guarding and protection is offered from the Dogge is a silent matter, and it willingly sacrifices its life for its beloved owner.
Let us hope that enough humans become able to see the qualities of the Dogge and appreciates the personality that emanates from these dogs. Still there are many that are fascinated by the Molossers and their offspring’s peculiarity, and this still secure the genes of the old bear-dog from going extinct.
An active cooperation through the “breed-borders” between all Molossers, Dogge and herder’s dogs, should gain the survival of these breeds that now normally can be counted in small numbers, it is would certainly more effective preserve these ancient genes in front of a uncertain future.

Illustration 9
By Katarina von Mosczinsky

Conclusion

Today the common belief is that all modern dog breeds is parented by the wolf. This conclusion is done because of the majority of the breeds and their likeness of the wolf in shape and behavior, and the fact that mating between a wolf and a dog will produce a fertile offspring. Archaeological evidences of the stages between the wolf and the dog is completely missing.
We have in this compendium assumed that the Molosser and the Dogge in their most pure forms has their origin in another, close related to the wolf, member of the dog family; the bear-dog. Archaeological evidences of the stages between the bear-dog and the Molossers is also missing.
Our assumption is based on countless observations from a pool of extensive experience, and information gathered from both old and new literature of different kind of sources.
The Molosser and the Dogge is different in their shape (built). They prefer to walk or gallop instead of trot. The wolf and their offspring prefer the opposite.
The large bone, the loose connection in the joints, tendons and ligaments, and the large, heavy body suggest another way of food-seeking in the past times.
The Molosser is never portrayed historical in text and picture as an active hunter. To track and pursue of the prey is the task of the wolf and for this the spitz and sighthound have always excelled.
The Molosser have always been portrayed as its master’s protector in war and in peace. As a finisher in a hunt for large prey (in the catch and killing of the prey) the Molosser and its Dogge descendant have always been unbeatable.
The spitz, sighthound and Molosser is archaic types that already was set in exterior and daily use in prehistoric times; the spitz about 10000 years ago, the sighthound about 4000 years ago, the Molosser about 4000 years ago and the Tibetan Mastiff for about 3000 years ago.
We ask ourselves the question; Is it really logical and reasonable to believe that already before the time of the Babylonians the humans had so much knowledge about genetics and organized breeding techniques that they at such a early stage were able to produce a breed that so foundational were divided from its ancestor, which the Molosser is in illustrations and text?
This question is asked in the light of the fact that all wolf offspring even today shows all fundamental traits of their ancestor, both in behavior and built. The Molosser and the Dogge’s temperament and behavior is fundamental the opposite of the wolf and its offspring.
(Ill. 4) The Molosser and the Dogge is not a pack living animal, they are individualists. They lack the signal language of the wolf, their “alertness” and hunting instincts, and a long list of traits that we classify as dog (wolf) qualities.
We are explaining these foundational differences and deviation, not as traits that have been bred out of the Molosser and the Dogge, but as traits that is correct according to the breed and type of dog these are, because of another ancestor. This ancestor was close related to the wolf, but had common traits with the animals that later developed into the bearcat, procyonids, bear and mustelids. We call this dog animal for bear-dog (Daphoenodon) which archeological remains is known. (Ill. 3).
The ancestor of the wolf we call Cynodictis. Even the archeological remains of this animal are known. (Ill. 2)
Both these ancient dogs belong to the family Canoidae. The Cynodictis was smaller, lighter built and more graceful than the Daphoenodon, which was larger and heavier with among other things shorter legs and feet’s.
In our mindset the bear-dog was the ancestor of the large Molosser and Dogge, while the Cynodictis were the ancestor of the wolf and the wolf-based dog breeds.
Later inter breeding between Molossers and the spitz has obvious produced the Tibetan Mastiff. This have happened in such a early stage that we, based on the search for food at both these archaic types, their behavior and built, do not believe that these crossings have happened accidentally. The ancient nomads’ need of help from large and courageous dogs to protect their livestock against wolfs and other predators can very well have been the reason for this crossing of types. (Ill. 8)
With addition of blood from the spitz and the sighthound, and further crossings between the archaic types and their bastard offspring (Ill. 7) we finally have achieved the huge number of different breeds as today.
Lastly we will look more specific into the temperament differences that are to be found at the Molosser and the Dogge. We are striving for increasing our understanding for these peculiarities, through pointing on another ancestor than the wolf. We are also pointing at certain problems that can arise because of the humans’ lack of insight in their dog’s way of functioning, through the misunderstanding of trying to raise their dog based on teaching adjusted for the wolf and its offspring. Lack of knowledge, insight and understanding can, in addition to different and changing human needs, at the end lead to the extinction of the ancient Molosser and the Dogge.
It is our hope that this work will lead to a better understanding for the antiquity and peculiarity of these breeds.
Through showing another possible ancestor, maybe the humans will stop with the comparing to the wolf in all ways, which lead to a destruction of a breed that in all basics is clearly divided from the wolf. Hopefully, through our work, this will lead to a growing for the understanding of the individual mind of this dog, and ourselves caring of these old relics that can surely become more accepted and adjusted for the breeds. If we succeed in this we will gain a happier Dogge, which is not regarded as unsound or dangerous, -Dogge’s that can continue to do what they for always have done in the service of man-, namely to quiet stroll along with its bellowed owner and look out for anything that can hurt him or her, the family and the property.

Illustration 10
By Barbro von Mosczinsky

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