Neapolitan Mastiff: Big Skin, No Bite
The Neapolitan mastiff may look fearsome, but it’s been a long time since this gentle giant was used for guarding and protection work. His deep, loose folds give him the distinctive look of a dog wearing a jacket several sizes too big, but like the shar-pei, those wrinkles had a purpose. If called upon to protect people or livestock, his loose skin would reduce his chances of suffering injury from a bite.
Like the Neapolitan mastiff and shar-pei, the bloodhound’s loose skin has an important purpose and if you’re ever on the run from the law, you might just find out about it. His famous scent-tracking abilities wouldn’t be what they are without those loose folds around his jaw and neck. While this pooch patrols the ground for scent, his skin folds capture scent that he’s missed, enabling him to double-check his work and find what he’s looking for.
Bulldogs have a flattened face because they descend from breeds used for bullbaiting. Those breeds benefited from having a flat face because it enabled them to grip onto their prey while breathing clearly. Today’s bulldog carries the legacy of those dark days, his wrinkled jowls a reminder of his ancestry. Although they serve no practical purpose, those sloppy, wrinkled chops sure are cute. However, there’s also a downside. His skin folds are a haven for infection.
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While some dog breeds look fairly similar, such as golden retrievers and Labrador retrievers, others have quite distinctive features. They might sport a rare coat color or pattern, an uncommon shape to their ears or tail, or even wrinkles across their skin. Several dog breeds are notorious for the rolls their skin makes. These breeds come in many shapes and sizes. Some are very active dogs while others are happier to lounge around the house. And some tend to be friendlier than others, especially around strangers.
While wrinkled skin can give a dog some added charm and character, it also requires special maintenance. It’s important to thoroughly wash all those skin folds regularly with a gentle canine shampoo to prevent dirt and bacteria from getting trapped in them. The wrinkles also must be dried well.
What is the purpose of a dewlap?
The dewlap is primarily used when indicating territorial boundaries and for males to attract females during the mating season. Studies have found that the pigments generating this color are pterins and carotenoids.
Their eyes are dark and round and the lips are tightly closed, but there is no looseness or dewlap. This dog breed has a thick, glossy, and short coat of fur. They are intelligent and people keep them as both pets and guard dogs.
Dewlaps are loose flaps of skin that hang from the necks of some animals, notably certain lizards, birds, and hoofed mammals. … In a new study, Jakob Bro-Jørgensen of the University of Liverpool explores three hypotheses concerning the function of dewlaps in cows, deer, and antelopes.
Only some breeds have loose skin around the under part of their neck area. This is called the dewlap or wet neck, and it’s common on breeds like the Shar-Pei, the Bloodhound, and the Mastiff.
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Certain breeds, like Neapolitan Mastiffs, were once war dogs, and in those dogs, the loose folds served to protect the dog’s jugular vein in the throat.
In breeds that rely on scent, the dewlap helps trap smells. As the dog breathes in/out, his breath stirs up the dust, so to speak, and directs scent molecules towards the nose. The Clumber Spaniel’s standard addresses this: The Clumber “should have a long neck with some slackness of throat or presence of dewlap not to be faulted.”
In other breeds, such as the Saint Bernard, the loose skin provides a layer of fat as protection for the trachea in the winter. Extremely cold air is taken in and warmed to above freezing before it gets to the lungs or else the lung tissue could be damaged.
Virginia Devaney and Beth Harris wrote the following in Chapter 12 of the book, “The Complete Alaskan Malamute.” “This fatty dewlap warms the air descending to the lungs. When a dog pants, air descends directly to the lungs. The dewlap prevents the shock of cold air from being taken directly into the body. The shock of cold air would injure the delicate lung tissues.When in repose, the dewlap is laid across the thorax, protecting the vital heart and lung area from the cold. Many dogs also fold their forelegs under the dewlap when in repose. Thereby keeping the forelimbs warm and preventing muscle damage that would occur should they become cold and the animal be required to work immediately.”
Dewslaps are sometimes called “chops” or ‘jowls,” but when a dog’s neck has no excess loose skin, it is called a ‘clean throat’ or ‘dry throat’ which is wholly appropriate in breeds where excess skin in the throat area would be considered a fault.