Mastiff

General Information - Mastiff

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History

The Mastiff is descended from the large, mastiff-type dogs brought to Britain as early as the 6th century BC, by Phoenician traders. The dogs were crossed with local fighting dogs and were used for hunting, and as fighters against bears, lions, bulls, and eventually dogs. However they were most prized as a family guardian, courageous, yet devoted to their family; they maintained this popularity for over 2000 years in Britain, only to be reduced in numbers close to extinction after World War II; a breed census confirmed that there were only eight dogs of breeding age left. With the help of a Canadian breeder who sent over puppies, the breed was restored, and has again attained a high level of popularity.

Temperament

The Mastiff is a courageous and intelligent dog, yet gentle and biddable. It makes a wonderful companion in a setting with a good deal of space. As with all dogs that are giants at maturity, training should begin early during puppyhood.

Upkeep

The adult mastiff needs daily moderate exercise, consisting of either a good walk or game. It does not enjoy hot weather. It can live outdoors in temperate or cool weather, but it does not do well in warm weather; in fact, even though it may be physically able to live outside, it is a breed that should live inside with its family so that it will be inclined to fulfill its role of devoted guardian. It tends to drool. Coat care is minimal.

Mastiff

A breed standard is the guideline which describes the ideal characteristics, temperament, and appearance of a breed and ensures that the breed is fit for function with soundness essential. Breeders and judges should at all times be careful to avoid obvious conditions and exaggerations, as well as being mindful of features which could be detrimental in any way to the health, welfare or soundness of this breed.

Breed Standard - Mastiff

General Appearance: Large, massive, powerful, symmetrical and well:knit frame. A combination of grandeur and good nature, courage and docility. The head, in general outline giving a square appearance when viewed from any point. Breadth greatly to be desired, and should be in ratio to length of the whole head and face as 2:3. Body, massive, broad, deep, long, powerfully built, on legs wide apart and squarely set. Muscles sharply defined. Size a great desideratum if combined with quality. Height and substance important if both points are proportionately combined.

Head and Skull: Skull broad between the ears, forehead flat, but wrinkled when attention is excited. Brows (superciliary ridges) slightly raised. Muscles of the temples and cheeks (temporal and masseter) well developed. Arch across the skull of a rounded, flattened curve, with a depression up the centre of the forehead from the median line between the eyes, to halfway up the sagital suture. Face or muzzle, short, broad under the eyes, and keeping nearly parallel in width to the end of the nose; truncated, i.e. blunt and cut off squarely, thus forming a right:angle with the upper line of the face, of great depth from the point of the nose to under jaw. Under jaw broad to the end. Nose broad, with widely spreading nostrils when viewed from the front, flat (not pointed or turned up) in profile. Lips diverging at obtuse angles with the septum, and slightly pendulous so as to show a square profile. Length of muzzle to whole head and face as 1 to 3. Circumference of muzzle (measured mid-way between the eyes and nose) to that of the head (measured before the ears) as 3:5.

Eyes: Small, wide apart, divided by at least the space of two eyes. The stop between the eyes well marked but not too abrupt. Colour hazel brown, the darker the better, showing no haw.

Ears: Small, thin to the touch, wide apart, set on at the highest points of the sides of the skull, so as to continue the outline across the summit, and lying flat and close to the cheeks when in repose.

Mouth: Canine teeth healthy; powerful and wide apart; incisors level, or the lower projecting beyond the upper but never so much as to become visible when the mouth is closed.

Neck: Slightly arched, moderately long, very muscular, and measuring in circumference about 2.5 or 5 cm (1 or 2 in) less than the skull before the ears.

Forequarters: Shoulder and arm slightly sloping, heavy and muscular. Legs straight, strong and set wide apart; bones being large. Elbows square. Pasterns upright.

Body: Chest wide, deep and well let down between the forelegs. Ribs arched and well rounded. False ribs deep and well set back to the hips. Girth should be one:third more than the height at the shoulder. Back and loins wide and muscular; flat and very wide in a bitch, slightly arched in a dog. Great depth of flanks.

Hindquarters: Broad, wide and muscular, with well:developed second thighs, hocks bent, wide apart and quite squarely set when standing or walking.

Feet: Large and round. Toes well arched up. Nails black.

Tail: Put on high up, and reaching to the hocks or a little below them, wide at its root and tapering to the end, hanging straight in repose, but forming a curve with the end pointing upwards, but not over the back, when the dog is excited.

Coat: Short and close:lying, but not too fine over the shoulders, neck and back.

Colour: Apricot or silver, fawn, or dark fawn:brindle. In any case, muzzle, ears and nose, should be black with black round orbits, and extending upwards between them.

Note: Male animals should have two apparently normal testicles fully descended into the scrotum.

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 and on the dog’s ability to perform its traditional work.