If you can imagine a cross between a bloodhound and a mastiff, you’ve just pictured a Brazilian mastiff. He also has another perhaps less familiar name, the Fila Brasileiro.

Originally, this large breed was brought into existence to protect Brazil’s plantations. Perhaps not surprisingly, this dog’s ancestors also included mastiffs, bloodhounds and bulldogs of European descent. The conquistadors brought this dog’s ancestors to South America.

The result of this breeding is a dog who possesses the incredible scenting ability of the Bloodhound and the amazing fearless power of a mastiff. And this combination made the Brazilian Mastiff well suited in defense of the cattle ranches of the Minas Gerais region. Not only was he able to keep the cattle rustlers away, but he also kept the steer safe from the wild jaguars.

The Brazilian mastiff’s history also is one of their inclusion on hunting trips. These dogs have been used to track and attack, then hold intended prey until the hunter arrived. In fact, the name “Fila” is derived from Portuguese verb, “to hold.”

Interestingly, the Brazilian Mastiff, at one point in the history of the breed and the country, was used to track and capture runaway slaves.

The leg and spine joints of the Brazilian Mastiff demonstrate perfectly what made this dog such a great tracking dog. The joints are loose. This allows the dog to change his route extremely quickly – even if he’s traveling at a full-blown gallop.

The dog has one unique characteristic for which it is particularly known. That is, it is probably the only breed purposely selected because it actually dislikes strangers. To this day, this characteristic is definitely obvious.

In fact, temperament tests are run during championships. The tests include the ability to attack without being instructed, to remain self-confident during a shooting test as well as to overtly display their dislike and suspicion of people they don’t know.

In fact, this breed’s standard during a dog show specifically says that the Brazilian mastiff should not “allow the judge to touch it.” Of course, the judge happens to be a stranger, which is why this particular caveat is included. In addition, instructions specifically state that should the judge be attacked, this should not be considered a flaw, but an actual confirmation of its temperament.

As fierce as they can be with strangers, the Brazilian Mastiffs are gentle with their own families. As with other types of Mastiffs they are tender and affectionate with the family they are charged to protect. And, of course, the members of this breed are loyal to their owners as well.

As with the closely related English mastiff and other mastiff types, the Brazilian mastiff is large. He is 27 to 30 inches tall at the shoulder and doesn’t weigh less than 100 pounds. Females are slightly smaller, but are still quite big. A female Brazilian mastiff will weigh approximately 90 pounds, and will have a height at the shoulder of between 24 and 28 inches approximately.

The Brazilian mastiff’s coat is smooth and short. Its colors can include reddish tan, solid yellow, brindled or black colors. For a closer look at the Brazilian mastiff, do a search on the Internet; there are plenty of pictures available.

If the Brazilian Mastiff has won your heart and you’re considering owning one – beware. While the Mastiff as a general breed is a ferocious guard dog, the Brazilian Mastiff was bred to go one step further to actually distrust and dislike stranger. This means he needs more supervision and understanding than your average dog.

Is your mastiff dog getting the best care? Everything you wanted to know about raising & caring for a mastiff is revealed. Find out more about the brazilian mastiff here!