Tyrolean Hound vs Giant Maso Mastiff - Breed Comparison

The Tyrolean Hound, also known as Tyroker Bracke or Tiroler Bracke originates from Tyrol, Austria. It seems the dog was developed in the late 1800s for hunting.

The first standard for the breed was published in 1896.

This is a scenthound that is thought to have descended from Celtic Hounds, Foxhounds and Bloodhounds in the late 1800s.

The dog is a member of the FCI’s scent hound group. The dog was recognized as its own breed in 1908, and in 2006 it was recognized by the United Kennel Club.

The Giant Maso Mastiff is a fairly new dog breed so you aren’t going to find much history on him.

The breed was only started in 2001 so as to create a mastiff dog that would have fewer health problems and therefore have the chance to live longer. The Giant Maso came about because of a mix between the Old English Mastiff and the Cane Corso Italiano.

As stated, breeding began in 2001 and the dog has inherited intelligence and protective instincts from both these dogs.

The Tyrolean Hound is a medium-sized to large dog. He stands at roughly between 43 to 50cm in height and can weigh between 20 and 27kg.

He is muscular, lean and compact. The double coat is short and smooth and can be red, tan, black or tri-colored. The ears are high set, are broad, floppy and long. The tail is long and is carried high.

Temperament:

Independent and intelligent the Tyrolean Hound is a hardworking dog, loving to be active. He has all the characteristics of a great pet and companion – loving, lively, intelligent, independent, easily trained and protective.

He’s the kind of dog that would suit a home with a large garden as opposed to living in the city. He is wary of strangers and has a loud bark to warn you of intruders. He has a friendly nature with his human family and makes a good playmate for children.

The Giant Maso Mastiff is a large dog breed and can stand at between 67 to 70cm in height and weigh 60 to 90-kg.

He has a big square head with medium sized floppy ears and thick neck covered with loose skin. Muscular, he is a deep chested dog with powerful legs and long tail. The fur of the dog is short and sleek and can be a number of colors such as fawn, an apricot color, gray and black as well as brindle.

Temperament:

Intelligent, protective, self-confident, balanced and calm, the Giant Maso Mastiff may be quite an imposing looking dog but he is gentle-natured towards his family.

The large dog loves to please and receive praise from his human family. He is the perfect friend, getting on well with children in the home as well as with other dogs. Training and socialization is easy for this dog and it is important that he is trained if you want him to be an obedient pet.

He is gentle, intelligent, protective – simply known as a gentle giant, being calm, steady and amicable. This breed loves to please and needs lots of companionship from his human family, loving just to lie close by to them.

He isn’t a particularly active dog, but will still need to join you on a walk every day. It is why the Maso Mastiff can live in the city or in the countryside, because not being an overly active dog, he doesn’t need a large garden.

The Tyrolean Hound is a keen hunting dog loving to be outdoors and active, requiring large grounds to be happy.

Once he comes indoors he is able to settle down with his human family and have some quiet time with them.

He is loyal and loving, but you are going to have to be prepared for an active lifestyle with this skilled hunting dog of yours.

Your Giant Maso Mastiff is such a gentle giant of a dog. He is well behaved and gentle so that it almost seems unnecessary to have him trained and socialized and yet doing so will make him even more amicable.

Calm and gentle he makes the perfect pet for families where there are children as well as elderly people. He is quite frankly everyone’s friend, being a loving family pet. If you’re a family more into indoor games and TV watching than an outdoor, sporty kind of family, the Giant Maso Mastiff will suit you.

He will love to settle down and watch TV with you. He isn’t particularly active, although he will certainly need a walk every day.

Those who have owned a Giant Maso Mastiff will tell you that this is an excellent family pet, making a wonderful companion dog.

Because these dogs put everything into their hunting, injuries related to hunting can sometimes plague this energetic dog.

Apart from that, he is robust and can live to be 12 – 14 years of age. There are one or two common dog illnesses to look out for with this dog such as hip dysplasia or ear infections.

Ear infections:

The large, floppy ears of the Tyrolean Hound are prone to ear infections. Unlike with dogs that have erect ears, these dogs don’t have their inner ears aired and the dampness, wax and dirt cause bacteria to build up which ultimately leads to an ear infection.

Hip Dysplasia:

The hip joint forms abnormally, leading to chronic wear and tear together with inflammation. Sometimes the dog will squeal when he gets touched around his hips. The condition can worsen and sometimes the dog even becomes lame. He will need to get to the vet for something to control pain.

There has always been the concern with joint disorders in large breed dogs. Both hip- and elbow dysplasia can occur with your Giant Maso Mastiff, more so if you overfeed him as a puppy and he grows too fast.

With hip dysplasia, the long bone of the leg forms incorrectly. This can lead to pain and lameness with your pet.

Also check out bloat. This is a serious illness when the stomach fills with air and can twist. Gastric Dilatation-Volvolvus, is an emergency situation then which is found more often in large, deep-chested dog breeds.

If you see your dog with a bloated stomach and acting in a strange, lethargic way, get him to the vet immediately as bloat can be life threatening.

Grooming:

He has a short coat and will simply require a brush twice a week. Because of the fairly large, floppy ears, he will need to have the inside of his ears checked for redness and the possibility of an ear infection.

Exercise:

This dog has always been used to plenty of exercise. He won’t adapt to life in the city on a tiny property. The ideal place for this dog is on a large property, preferably a farm.

Walks, hikes, swimming, ball games, hide and seek – he is a dog that can’t seem to get enough action – he wants to be in on all the action. He is intelligent and will also need mental stimulation.

Diet:

If you were to buy your lean Tyrolean Hound some commercially manufactured food, you’d buy him food that was made for high energy dogs. You’d certainly want to make sure the food is of a high quality, packed with vitamins and minerals and natural ingredients.

He would also love some home-made food too. Raw meat occasionally would do him the world of good. This sort of food needs to be plain and simple such as boiled chicken, brown rice and vegetables.

Dogs should never be without a constant supply of fresh, cool water.

Provide your pet with a nice, warm, dry, quiet sleeping place.

Have the vet check him over if he is ill. Make sure his vaccines are up to date.

Grooming:

As an average shedder, the smooth, shorthaired coat is easy to groom, and a good brush twice a week will be adequate.

The Giant Maso Mastiff has floppy ears and therefore these should be checked for ear infections. Wax build up and dirt will need to be checked and cleaned.

His nails will need to be clipped, especially if they don’t wear down on their own and his teeth will need to be cleaned 2 or 3x a week to avoid dental disease.

Diet:

With a large dog breed puppy such as the Giant Maso Mastiff, rapid growth is a risk factor for developing joint and bone conditions. The growth period can last till 12 months and puppies of large breeds should actually have their caloric intake adjusted during this growth period.

It is important to ensure that your puppy grows at a slow, steady rate. If you are feeding dog food from the commercially manufactured range, if you aren’t sure, speak to your vet about large breed dog foods. You want to be sure that this gentle giant of yours receives the best dog food there is, whether commercial branded dog food or your own home-made food. Good nutrition is imperative for the health of your pet.