Tibetan Mastiff is no longer a status symbol
Print Edition
IN addition to a Lamborghini, a Tibetan Mastiff was once the accessory of choice for rich Chinese to flaunt their wealth. But the ancient breed seems to be losing its glamor.
The change is most evident to people like Luo Yi, 47, who once owned five mastiff breeding farms on the outskirts of Lhasa, capital of southwest China’s Tibet Autonomous Region.
The farms, which were home to about 600 dogs, reached peak profitability between 2007 and 2012, when a pure-bred adult mastiff cost up to 800,000 yuan (US$128,000).
But in 2013, demand began to slump, so Luo closed two of the farms, laid off workers and halved the number of dogs.
“It costs 15,000 yuan a day to keep the dogs, so I was no longer making a profit,” he said.
According to the Tibetan Mastiff Association, the region had 95 breeding farms in 2012. There are now just 66.
But the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau is not the only place experiencing a “Tibetan Mastiff bubble.”
Wang Zhankui, chief of a Tibetan Mastiff research center in central China’s Henan Province, said 90 percent of breeding farms outside the plateau are losing money.
The shaggy, lion-like mastiff, native to Tibet and neighboring Qinghai Province, were traditionally used as watchdogs by herders and are known for their loyal but fierce disposition.
The mastiff craze began in the 1990s. In addition to stocks and real estate, the dogs became the preferred pets and investment options for the country’s rich. The trade was a boon for related industries such as feed producers, dog shows and exhibitions.
As interest surged, so prices. In 2011, a pure-bred mastiff was sold to a Chinese coal baron for 10 million yuan.
Driven by profits, the number of breeders rocketed, leading to an over-production of puppies.
“Many are inbred and of questionable quality, which threatens the species’ very existence and damages the reputation of the industry,” said Wang Yonggang, chief of Tibetan Mastiff Association in Tibet.
The cold front striking the industry can also be attributed to strict regulations against large dogs in cities, Wang Zhankui said. Cases of Tibetan Mastiff pets injuring or killing family members and passersby are occasionally reported.
“In this way, people in downtown areas of cities including Beijing, Shanghai and Tianjin have been banned from raising Tibetan Mastiffs,” he said.
China’s ongoing anti-corruption drive has also taken its toll, Wang said.
Considered a symbol of fortune and status, the dogs became a fashionable gift from businessmen to officials in addition to cash and luxuries.
“But now businessmen don’t dare to buy them. Even if they do, the officials won’t accept them,” Luo said.
Wang Yonggang said the bubble might be good for the industry as breeders will have to work harder to producing high-quality dogs.
“I won’t give up whatever happens,” Luo said.
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