The Tibetan Mastiff (Tibetan: འདོགས་ཁྱི, Wylie: Dogs khyi; Chinese: 藏獒, Pinyin: Zàng áo) is a large Tibetan dog breed belonging to the mastiff family. Originating with the nomadic cultures of Tibet, China, Mongolia, India and Nepal, it is used by local tribes of Tibetans, Nepalis and Indians to protect sheep from wolves, leopards, bears, large mustelids and tigers. The guardian type from which the modern Tibetan Mastiff breed has been derived was known across the ancient world by many names. The Chinese name for the breed is Zàng áo (Cantonese: Tzong ngou), meaning 'Tibetan Mastiff-dog'. In Mongolia, a similar-looking dog is called bankhar, but this dog is genetically distinct (a different Traditional Native Landrace Breed) and is of a more ancient lineage. In 2011, a DNA study concluded that there was a genetic relationship between the Tibetan Mastiff and the Great Pyrenees, Bernese Mountain Dog, Rottweiler and Saint Bernard, and that these large breed dogs are probably partially descended from the Tibetan Mastiff.
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