The Mastiff has been in existence for many hundreds of years, though not in exactly the form we know it today. The breed has played its part in history since well before the Battle of Agincourt, in the early fifteenth century, when accounts tell of its courage and guarding instincts. Indeed, when the Romans invaded Britain, they found a mastiff-type dog already here, and were so impressed that they took some back to fight in the arenas of Rome, and by the time the Normans conquered Britain some 1,000 years later, the mastiff type had become so common that the French word for mastiff, dogue, found its way into the English language. Despite this, the breed almost became extinct in Britain after the Second World War. Stock was then imported, and since that time the numerical strength and quality of the breed have taken an upsurge.

The Mastiff is an extremely large dog in both height and girth, broad and deep in body, full of substance and with large strong bones. He combines grandeur with good nature. A very intelligent dog, he is not excitable, but is affectionate towards his owner. He requires plenty of human contact and good food and is best suited to a home where there are opportunities for exercise.