North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

[Todd Ravitch <travitch@yahoo.com>]

Regarding Dean's question about a dog for an orchard. 
If you have room and time to train I may have an idea
for you.  Training is an absolute must for this breed
or it will become the alpha.  I have a female
Neopolitan Mastiff.  This is a type of dog called a
molossar breed of which there are several others. 
They are huge protective working dogs that live to 8
years or more typically.  My almost 2 year old bitch
weighs 110 lbs and is on the thin and small size.
She's spayed as I really do not think that many of
these should be bred as few people can really handle
an animal like this.  Just look at all the Rotts in
kennels and they are quite smaller than the Neos.  She
eats over two pounds of raw chicken quarters a day and
whatever else I have left over from dinner.  I have
seen some males over 200 lbs but they are a bit heavy
at this weight in my opinion.  These animals are
rumored to have participated in Roman games (?) where
people battled animals and each other.  You can find a
wonderful example at
http://www.neapolitan.com/car.html of an Italian
champion.  Remember puppies are puppies and mine
yanked up my newly planted Peach tree last fall and
chewed it up and I had to get another.  She actually
lives in the house with my wife, my three year old
daughter, and I.  I live in a subdivision and she has
a fenced yard but she's still a bit of a puppy and
I'll find branches chewed occasionally.  I haven't
tried to train her not to do this but she gets scolded
and knows she's been bad.  I also saw a comment about
a bear.  If you had a few of these I am sure that the
bear would be in for a real fight if necessary.  I am
also sure that the dog(s) would also try and protect
you with it's life if necessary. 

Just a thought but a dog like this is a real serious
commitment.  It's also a true working breed.  They are
used to guard land still I believe.

Regards,
Todd Ravitch
NE Oklahoma USDA Zone 6B

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