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English Mastiff
History
One of the biggest dogs
recognized by the American Kennel Club, the massive Mastiff loves
being around people and is known to bond closely with his ‘family.’
A combination of grandeur and good nature as well as courage and
docility, he was bred in England and used as a watchdog for more
than two thousand years. The breed’s short coat can be fawn, apricot
or brindle.
As early as 3000 B.C., drawings on Egyptian
monuments depict typical Mastiffs. Later, even Caesar noticed the
fearless, strong Mastiff as it fought alongside the British soldiers
in 55 B.C. Impressed by the breed’s courage, he brought a group of
them back to Rome and forced them to take part in bull baiting, lion
fighting and fights with human gladiators. Later, the Mastiff became
popular with the peasants in England, where the dogs were used to
keep wolves and other dangerous predators under control as well to
as protect the home.
The Mastiff is a
powerful yet gentle and loyal companion, but because of his size and
need for space, he is best suited for country or suburban life. The
breed requires light exercise and minimal grooming.
Breed Standard for English
Mastiffs
General Appearance
The Mastiff is a large, massive, symmetrical
dog with a well-knit frame. The impression is one of grandeur and
dignity. Dogs are more massive throughout. Bitches should not be
faulted for being somewhat smaller in all dimensions while
maintaining a proportionally powerful structure. A good evaluation
considers positive qualities of type and soundness with equal
weight.
Size, Proposition,
Substance
Size--Dogs, minimum, 30 inches at the shoulder. Bitches,
minimum, 27½ inches at the shoulder. Fault--Dogs or bitches
below the minimum standard. The farther below standard, the greater
the fault. Proportion--Rectangular, the length of the dog
from forechest to rump is somewhat longer than the height at the
withers. The height of the dog should come from depth of body rather
than from length of leg. Substance--Massive, heavy boned,
with a powerful muscle structure. Great depth and breadth desirable.
Fault--Lack of substance or slab sided.
Head
In general outline giving a massive appearance when viewed from any
angle. Breadth greatly desired. Eyes set wide apart, medium
in size, never too prominent. Expression alert but kindly.
Color of eyes brown, the darker the better, and showing no haw.
Light eyes or a predatory expression is undesirable. Ears
small in proportion to the skull, V-shaped, rounded at the tips.
Leather moderately thin, set widely apart at the highest points on
the sides of the skull continuing the outline across the summit.
They should lie close to the cheeks when in repose. Ears dark in
color, the blacker the better, conforming to the color of the
muzzle. Skull broad and somewhat flattened between the
ears, forehead slightly curved, showing marked wrinkles which are
particularly distinctive when at attention. Brows (superciliary
ridges) moderately raised. Muscles of the temples well developed,
those of the cheeks extremely powerful. Arch across the skull a
flattened curve with a furrow up the center of the forehead. This
extends from between the eyes to halfway up the skull. The stop
between the eyes well marked but not too abrupt. Muzzle should be
half the length of the skull, thus dividing the head into three
parts-one for the foreface and two for the skull. In other words,
the distance from the tip of the nose to stop is equal to one-half
the distance between the stop and the occiput. Circumference of the
muzzle (measured midway between the eyes and nose) to that of the
head (measured before the ears) is as 3 is to 5. Muzzle
short, broad under the eyes and running nearly equal in width to the
end of the nose. Truncated, i.e. blunt and cut off square, thus
forming a right angle with the upper line of the face. Of great
depth from the point of the nose to the underjaw. Underjaw broad to
the end and slightly rounded. Muzzle dark in color, the blacker the
better. Fault snipiness of the muzzle. Nose broad
and always dark in color, the blacker the better, with spread flat
nostrils (not pointed or turned up) in profile. Lips
diverging at obtuse angles with the septum and sufficiently
pendulous so as to show a modified square profile. Canine Teeth
healthy and wide apart. Jaws powerful. Scissors bite preferred, but
a moderately undershot jaw should not be faulted providing the teeth
are not visible when the mouth is closed.
Neck, Topline, Body
Neck powerful, very muscular, slightly arched, and of
medium length. The neck gradually increases in circumference as it
approaches the shoulder. Neck moderately "dry" (not showing an
excess of loose skin). Topline--In profile the topline
should be straight, level, and firm, not swaybacked, roached, or
dropping off sharply behind the high point of the rump. Chest
wide, deep, rounded, and well let down between the forelegs,
extending at least to the elbow. Forechest should be deep and well
defined with the breastbone extending in front of the foremost point
of the shoulders. Ribs well rounded. False ribs deep and well set
back. Underline--There should be a reasonable, but not
exaggerated, tuck-up. Back muscular, powerful, and straight. When
viewed from the rear, there should be a slight rounding over the
rump. Loins wide and muscular.
Tail set on moderately high and
reaching to the hocks or a little below. Wide at the root, tapering
to the end, hanging straight in repose, forming a slight curve, but
never over the back when the dog is in motion.
Forequarters
Shoulders moderately sloping, powerful and muscular, with
no tendency to looseness. Degree of front angulation to match
correct rear angulation. Legs straight, strong and set wide
apart, heavy boned. Elbows parallel to body. Pasterns
strong and bent only slightly. Feet large, round, and
compact with well arched toes. Black nails preferred.
Hindquarters
Hindquarters broad, wide and muscular. Second thighs
well developed, leading to a strong hock joint. Stifle joint
is moderately angulated matching the front. Rear legs are
wide apart and parallel when viewed from the rear. When the portion
of the leg below the hock is correctly "set back" and stands
perpendicular to the ground, a plumb line dropped from the rearmost
point of the hindquarters will pass in front of the foot. This rules
out straight hocks, and since stifle angulation varies with hock
angulation, it also rules out insufficiently angulated stifles.
Fault--Straight stifles.
Coat
Outer coat straight, coarse, and of moderately short length.
Undercoat dense, short, and close lying. Coat should not be so long
as to produce "fringe" on the belly, tail, or hind legs. Fault
Long or wavy coat.
Color
Fawn, apricot, or brindle. Brindle should have fawn or apricot as a
background color which should be completely covered with very dark
stripes. Muzzle, ears, and nose must be dark in color, the blacker
the better, with similar color tone around the eye orbits and
extending upward between them. A small patch of white on the chest
is permitted.
Faults--Excessive white on the
chest or white on any other part of the body. Mask, ears, or nose
lacking dark pigment.
Gait
The gait denotes power and strength. The rear legs should have
drive, while the forelegs should track smoothly with good reach. In
motion, the legs move straight forward; as the dog's speed increases
from a walk to a trot, the feet move in toward the center line of
the body to maintain balance.
Temperament
A combination of grandeur and good nature,
courage and docility. Dignity, rather than gaiety, is the Mastiff's
correct demeanor. Judges should not condone shyness or viciousness.
Conversely, judges should also beware of putting a premium on
showiness.
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