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The Mastiff
Breedstandard
General Appearance
Head, in general outline, giving a square
appearance when viewed from any point. Breadth desired and in ratio to
length of whole head and face as 2 : 3. Body broad, deep,
long, powerfully built, on legs wide apart and
set. Muscles sharply defined.
Size is desirable, but only if combined with quality and
if absolute soundness is maintained. Height and
substance important if both points are proportionately combined.
Characteristics
Large, powerful, well knit frame. A combination
of grandeur and courage.
Temperament
Calm, affectionate to owners, but capable of
guarding.
Usually indifferent with strangers;timidity is
unacceptable.
Head
and Skull
Skull broad between ears, forehead flat, but
wrinkled when attention is excited.Brows (superciliary ridges)
slightly raised. Muscles of temples and cheeks (temporal
and masseter) well developed. Arch across skull of a
flattened curve, with depression up centre of forehead
from median line between eyes, to halfway up sagittal
suture.
Muzzle short, broad under eyes, and keeping nearly
parallel in width to end of nose;truncated, i.e. blunt
and cut off squarely, thus forming a right angle with upper line of face, of great depth
from point of nose to under-jaw.
Under-jaw broad to end. Nose broad, with widely
spreading nostrils when viewed from front, flat (not
pointed or turned up) in profile. Lips diverging at obtuse angles with septum, and slightly
pendulous so as to show a square profile.
Length of muzzle to whole head and face as 1 : 3.
Circumference of muzzle (measured mid-way between eyes and nose) to that
of head (measured before the ears) as 3 : 5.
Whilst in repose, any exaggeration of wrinkle or excess
of loose skin is unacceptable in mature adults.
Eyes
Moderate size, wide apart. Stop between eyes
well marked but not too abrupt.
Colour hazel brown, darker the better, showing no haw.
Loose eyelids highly undesirable. Free from
obvious eye problems.
Ears
Small, thin to touch, wide apart, set on at
highest points of sides of skull, so as to continue outline across
summit, and lying flat and close to cheeks when in repose.
Mouth
Canine teeth healthy; powerful and wide apart;
incisors level, or lower projecting beyond upper but never so
much as to become visible when mouth is closed.
Neck
Slightly arched, moderately long, very muscular,
and measuring in circumference about 2.5-5 cms (1-2 ins)
less than skull before ears.
Forequarters
Shoulder and arm slightly sloping, heavy and
muscular.
Legs straight, strong and set wide apart; bones being
large.
Elbows square. Pasterns upright. Balanced and in harmony
with hindquarters.
Body
Chest wide, deep and well let down between
forelegs. Ribs arched and well rounded. False ribs deep and well set
back to hips.
Back and loins wide and muscular; flat and very wide in
bitch, slightly arched in dog. Great depth of flanks.
Topline level and maintained whilst on the move.
Length of body taken from point of shoulder to point of
buttock greater than height at withers.
Hindquarters
Broad, wide and muscular, with well developed
second thighs,hocks bent, wide apart, and quite squarely
set when standing or walking. Strength in hindquarters is of paramount importance, cow
hocks in mature adults unacceptable.
Feet
Large, round and tight. Toes well arched. Nails
black.
Tail
Set on high, and reaching to hocks, or a little
below them, wide at its root and tapering to end, hanging straight in
repose, but forming a curve with end pointing upwards,
but not over back, when dog is excited.
Gait/Movement
Powerful, easy extension, driven from the rear,
fluent, sound, with ground-covering strides. Tendency to pace
is undesirable. Absolute soundness essential.
Coat
Short and close-lying, but coarser over neck and
shoulders.
Colour
Apricot, fawn or brindle. In any case, muzzle,
ears and nose should be black with blackaround eye rims,
and extending upwards between them. Excessive white on
body, chest or feet is unacceptable.
Faults
Any departure from the foregoing points should
be considered a fault and the seriousness with which the
fault should be regarded should be in exact proportion to its degree and its effect upon the
health and welfare of the dog.
Note
Male animals should have two apparently normal
testicles fully descended into the scrotum.
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