Ten Prized Dogs series, Tibetan Mastiff. Artwork depicting a Tibetan Mastiff from the Qing Dynasty.

The Tibetan Mastiff known as 'Dogs-Khyi (འདོགས་ཁྱི) in Tibetan, reflects its use as a guardian of herds, flocks, tents, villages, monasteries, and palaces, much as the Old English Bandog (also meaning tied dog) was a dog tied outside the home as a guardian. However, in nomad camps and in villages, the 'Dogs-Khyi is traditionally allowed to run loose at night. This dog is known for its loyalty and has been used as a nomad dog for thousands of years.

The guardian type from which the modern Tibetan Mastiff breed has been derived was known across the ancient world by many names. Bhote Kukur in Nepali as bhote means someone from Tibet and kukur means dog. The Chinese name for the breed is 藏獒 (Chinese: Zàng áo; Cantonese: Tzong ngou), meaning "Tibetan Mastiff-dog". In Mongolia, a similar-looking dog is called банхар (bankhar), but this dog is genetically distinct (a different Traditional Native Landrace Breed) and is of a more ancient lineage.