The Tibetan Mastiff is a large dog breed that was originally developed to be a herding dog and flock guardian for the Tibetan nomads and guard dog in Tibetan monasteries.
The breed appeared near the beginning of the 20th century but nearly died out during the years of the first and second world war.
Since its appearance in the United States in the 1950s, the breed has been gaining global popularity and being recognized by canine registries and other important organizations. In 2006 the Tibetan Mastiff breed received full recognition by the American Kennel Club (AKC).
A 2011 DNA study of this breed confirmed the presence of a genetic relationship to the Great Pyrenees, Bernese Mountain Dog, Rottweiler and the Saint Bernard.
The Tibetan Mastiff is known for being extremely intelligent and obedient if trained properly. It is also commonly known that owners should make a conscious effort to socialize this breed from an early age, as these dogs are often wary of strangers and other dogs, especially when on their own property.
The Tibetan Mastiff has a double coat that consists of a long, thick, coarse top coat, and a soft, dense undercoat. These dogs are built to withstand colder temperatures with their incredibly wooly and warm coats, however they do not actually shed as much as people may assume.
Understanding how to properly care for and maintain your Tibetan Mastiff’s coat of fur is incredibly important for ensuring a good look, as well as good overall health.
In this article we will discuss in detail some of the important coat care guidelines as well as the ins and outs of this relatively uncommon breed’s shedding tendencies.
Do Tibetan Mastiffs Shed A Lot?
The Tibetan Mastiff is a breed of canine that sports a beautiful double coat that consists of a coarse outer guarding top coat, and a warm insulating undercoat.
Despite this substantially thick coat of fur, this breed does not shed very much throughout the year. In fact, they are considered light to moderate shedders.
The majority of their shedding occurs in one or two sessions at certain times of the year, often referred to as “seasonal sheds”.
The main shed typically happens in the spring months, as this is when Tibetan Mastiffs will be getting rid of their winter coat. This 2 to 4 week period is when your dog will be experiencing a significant amount of molting, and as a result you will be noticing a fair amount of shedding and fur build up around the house.
This seasonal shed allows them to get rid of their cold weather coat that is no longer necessary, and make way for a coat that is suited to the upcoming season and the associated temperature changes.
This shedding of the coat in coordination with seasons changing is more commonly referred to as the act of “coat blowing”. For Tibetan Mastiffs and other double coat breeds such as the St. Bernard and the Leonberger, coat blowing typically occurs once per year in the spring as we discussed, but will also occur in the fall months, as they shed their summer coat to make way for a thick, insulating winter coat.
These molting sessions do not happen often, but do produce a significant amount of fur when they come around. Luckily, as a Tibetan Mastiff owner it is not very hard to keep the shedding under control.
Proper grooming routines are the most important thing to stay on top of in order to keep this breed’s shedding in check. Let’s talk a little bit about this next!
How Often Should You Brush Your Tibetan Mastiff?
One of the great things about owning a Tibetan Mastiff is that they are not very high-maintenance when it comes to grooming and coat care.
The general consensus is that their coat can be properly maintained with a brief brushing once or twice per week. Throughout the majority of the year, when your dog is not undergoing any of the heavier seasonal molting sheds, a slick brush that has fine wire bristles with rubber or plastic tips is appropriate.
This type of brush used in tandem with a pin brush that has thicker and more widely spaced pins will be best for removing any mats or significant tangles that your Tibetan Mastiff may have built up.
When your dog starts its seasonal coat blowing phase, it can be beneficial to pay close attention and be prepared with the best brush for grooming during this time.
An undercoat rake or some sort of deshedding tool is known to be a great grooming tool choice, and can be significantly more effective for removing any dead fur from both the top coat, and the undercoat as well.
During periods of molting, the Tibetan Mastiff will have an undercoat that is dense and wooly, which means that you will likely need a brush that can effectively get through the top coat.
This will ensure that the brush will penetrate through the double coat and reach down to the skin where it can remove all of the dead undercoat fur.
When you are able to predict these blowing coat periods that typically coincide with the changing seasons, you can reduce the amount of fur that will be shed into your household.
Do this by increasing the frequency of brushing to three or four times a week, in order to contain and collect the dead fur before it falls out on its own!
When Do Tibetan Mastiffs Blow Their Coats?
As previously discussed, Tibetan Mastiffs blow their coats once or twice within a calendar year.
This typically happens as a seasonal shed, and occurs in the spring and fall seasons each year. The Mastiff’s spring molt, which is considered the main shedding event, occurs in order for them to get rid of their thick winter coat and make way for a thinner coat that is more suitable for the warm summer season.
The second shedding event will often occur when the fall months roll around, and is associated with your dog going through a molt in order to get rid of the thinner summer coat. This allows the Tibetan Mastiff to grow the thick, and nicely insulating winter coat that they need to stay warm during the cold months of the year.
These two coat blowing events will make up the majority of the substantial shedding volume that Tibetan Mastiff owners are expected to experience.
Keep this seasonal timing in mind in order to prepare yourself and your dog for their molting experiences by grooming them properly beforehand.
How Often Should You Bathe Your Tibetan Mastiff?
When it comes to useful bathing tips and important guidelines, there are a few things to be aware of.
The Tibetan Mastiff has a very thick double coat of fur that can pick up a lot of dirt and become quite smelly fairly quickly. It is acceptable to bathe this breed as often as once per week, and as little as once every 4 – 6 weeks.
This will also obviously depend on the relative condition of your dog’s coat. If they are frequently outside and actively exposing their fur to dirt, bugs and the elements, their coat will become soiled a lot faster than usual and will likely require more frequent washes to keep clean.
It is important to develop the proper bathing and drying techniques for your Tibetan Mastiff’s beautiful fur in order to ensure that they can maintain a good looking and optimally healthy coat.
Be sure to get rid of as much of the loose and dead fur that is sitting around by lightly brushing through all areas before getting into bath time. This will help maximize the effectiveness of bathing sessions, and will leave your dog’s coat looking and feeling as great as it should!
Dan is a well respected content researcher who has vast experience working projects in the pets niche. He is a frequent contributor to dogtemperament.com and loves delivering numerous helpful dog articles like this one that are read by thousands of our readers monthly.