Establishing the differences between Mastín and San Bernardo is not easy with the naked eye. They are both large dogs with a heavy appearance, drooping bellies and a pleasant expression; In addition, there are several types of Mastiff, all with different physical characteristics. However, there are some tricks that will help you know which dog you are facing.
The coat, the shape of the head and the height are key pieces to find the differences between Mastín and San Bernardo. Let’s see in detail how to differentiate these two breeds at a glance.
Index of contents
- 1 Characteristics of the Spanish Mastiff
- 2 Characteristics of the San Bernardo
- 3 Differences between Mastín and San Bernardo
Characteristics of the Spanish Mastiff
There are several types of Mastiff, but the breed that resembles Saint Bernard is the Spanish Mastiff. The dog is originally from Spain, it has a robust body in both genders, since the males measure between 77 and 81 centimeters at the withers, while the females measure between 72 and 75 centimeters.
The head of the Spanish Mastiff It is wide and strong. It has a large black truffle, a color that it shares with the mucosa that makes up the lips. The muzzle is straight and slightly rectangular in appearance, but without being pointed. The jaw, meanwhile, presents a scissor-shaped bite. The eyes are small, almond-shaped and dark, accompanied by black eyelids that look droopy when the dog is resting. Also, the ears are triangular and droopy.
The coat of the Spanish Mastiff is thick, bushy and of medium length. It is common for strands to lengthen around the neck, back, tail, and legs, where it is also more rustic to the touch. The color of the cloak is white, accompanied by a dark mask on the face, in addition to irregular spots spread throughout the body.
This is a breed of protective personality, it is very suspicious of strangers. However, with its owners this dog is tame and calm, so it integrates perfectly as a member of a family with children.
Characteristics of the San Bernardo
The Saint Bernard is originally from Switzerland, where he was raised on the Grand Monte St. Bernhard mountain, where his name comes from. It is a large dog, since the males measure between 70 and 90 centimeters at the withers, while the females measure between 65 and 80 centimeters.
The head of the Saint Bernard It is imposing and majestic, it has a square and black nose. The muzzle of the wide breed, lips of black mucosa were observed, in addition to developed and slightly drooping belfos. The shape of the bite can be scissor or clamp. The eyes are medium and sunken, they have well pigmented black eyelids and irises that vary between brown and hazelnut. The ears, meanwhile, are wide and high insertion, fall to the cheeks.
The breed’s coat can be short or long, but double in both cases. The coat has a white base color, accompanied by red markings on the face, back and flanks.. Although less frequent, some specimens of San Bernardo also have a pure reddish coat or a brindle combination.
The San Bernardo is a friendly and affectionate dog, it gets along well with its owners and other pets. In addition, it plays an excellent role as a home guardian, thanks to its protective personality. It is common to remain alert in front of unknown people, but rarely attacks if unprovoked.
Differences between Mastín and San Bernardo
As you will see, there are many physical and character similarities that these races share. Have you come across any, but have not known how to distinguish them? Do not worry! The following list of features will help you find the differences between the Spanish Mastiff and San Bernardo:
- The country of origin: the Mastiff and San Bernardo are mountain dogs; however, one comes from Spain and the other from Switzerland.
- The size: Although both dogs are imposing and are considered large breeds, the San Bernardo is up to 10 centimeters taller than the Mastiff.
- The shape of the bite: the shape of the bite is scissors on the Mastiff, but scissors or pincers on its companion.
- Coat color: both dogs have a white base in the coat; however, the distribution of the spots is different; In addition, these spots are black or gold on the Mastí and red on the coat of the San Bernardo.
- The shape of the eyes: the eyes are almond shaped on the Mastiff, but rounder on the San Bernardo.
- The shape of the skull: When viewed in profile, the Mastiff’s skull is subconvex, while the skull of the Saint Bernard presents a more rounded appearance.
- The form of the stop: Naso-frontal depression is discreet in the Mastiff, but more pronounced in its companion.