Pyrenean Mastiff

General Information - Pyrenean Mastiff

---

History

The Pyrenean Mastiff (PM) was developed on the southern slopes of the Pyrenees Mountains in Spain. It is not to be confused with a closely related French breed, the Great Pyrenees. Some experts believe the Pyrenean Mastiff is the product of a cross between the Great Pyrenees and the Spanish Mastiff. Over the centuries, they guarded flocks during the Transhumante, the formal mass migration of the flocks up and down the mountainside with the change of the seasons. The breed was recognised in the late nineteenth century.

Temperament

This breed is affectionate and calm, and has a noble bearing. This breed is also courageous and can be formidable with strangers, never backing down if property, owner, or animals under its charge are threatened. The Pyrenean Mastiff has a deep, loud bark. Pyrenean Mastiffs are dogs that are happy to please their owner and enjoys their owners company. The PM is a breed that is playful and not difficult to train and firm training should start early due to their eventual large size.

Upkeep

This breed is well-suited to family life, but because of its size should have plenty of room and exercise to stay in shape. A moderate walk will usually suffice. In comparison to the Great Pyrenees ­ they will not consume food sparingly so care must be taken that they do not get too heavy as this can be hard on their joints! In the warmer weather ensure that the PM has shade and plenty of water. This breed can live outdoors in temperate to cold weather, although it enjoys being with its family indoors. Its coat needs brushing once or twice weekly, daily when shedding and regular grooming in between. A well fenced property is a requirement and an awareness of barking as a dog bred to guard must also be noted.

Pyrenean 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 - Pyrenean Mastiff

Brief Historical Summary: Guard and defence. Previously, the Pyrenean Mastiff was used for defence against beasts of prey, in particular against wolf and bear. Nowadays the breed is an excellent guard for country estates and their owners as the Pyrenean Mastiff is easily trained.

General Appearance: That of a very large dog, above average size and of medium proportions. Harmonious, emphatically strong and muscular. Firm bone structure. Coat not exaggerated in length. In spite of its size, this breed must not give the impression of being heavy or sluggish.

Important Proportions: Within medium proportions. Well balanced and harmonious. The length of the body measures barely more than the height at withers. Length of skull in relation to bridge of nose = 5:4. Breadth of Skull - Equal to or slightly larger than the length. Relationship of height at withers to girth of chest is approximately 7:10.

Temperament: Friendly towards humans, calm, noble, and very intelligent, at the same time courageous and proud towards strangers from whom he never backs away. In his behaviour towards other dogs, he is good natured and aware of his superior strength. Occasionally, he will fight with great skill, an atavistic quality which goes back to hundreds of years of fighting wolves. His dark bark comes from deep within his chest. His expression is alert.

Head: Large, strong, moderately long. Length of skull is 5: 4 in proportion to bridge of nose. Longitudinal axis of skull and muzzle are very slightly diverging to almost parallel. Seen from above, the skull and muzzle must be long and even in shape without marked difference between the width at set-on of muzzle and width at temple. Seen from the side, the head must be deep and not bulging.


Ears: Medium size, triangular, hanging flat. Set on above the line of the eyes. In repose, hanging close to the cheeks. When the dog is alert, clearly standing away from the cheeks. One third of the upper and rear part should be slightly pricked.

Mouth: Scissor bite. Teeth white, strong and healthy. Canines, large, long, pointed and well adapted to each other, so as to be able to catch any prey. Molars, large and strong. Incisors, rather small. All premolars should be present. Gums black with pronounced transverse membraneous ridges.

Neck: Should be the shape of a blunt cone, broad, strong, muscular and flexible. Skin thick and slightly loose. Distinct double dewlap, well formed, yet not exaggerated.





Tail: Set on medium high. Thick at root, strong and flexible. The coat on tail is definitely long, soft and forms a beautiful plume. In repose it hangs low and reaches easily to the hocks. The last third is always slightly curved. In movement and when the dog is alert, it is carried in sabre form with a definite hook at the tip but without the entire length being bent or resting over the back.

Gait / Movement: Preferred movement is the trot, which should be harmonious, strong and elegant. No tendency for legs to swing outward. No pacing.

Coat: Dense, thick and of moderate length. The ideal medium length, measured on middle section of the topline, should be 6 to 9 cm. The coat is longer on the shoulders, neck, under belly, at the back of the legs as well as on the tail. On the plume, the texture is not as bristly as elsewhere on the body. The coat should be bristly, not woolly in texture.

• snow white with medium grey marks
• deep gold yellow
• dusk
• black
• silver grey
• light tan
• sand or brindle

• Bridge of nose slightly arched when seen from the side.
• Pincer bite.
• Any missing premolar.
• Topline not straight.
• Wavy, rolling movement at walking pace but not in an exaggerated way.
• Coat slightly wavy; coat in the middle section of the topline a little longer than 9 cm.
• Very slight shyness.

• Generally weedy or sluggish.
• Muzzle too pointed or too blunt.
• Slightly overshot mouth.
• Absence of several premolars and canines if loss is not caused by an accident.
• Slight faults in the occlusion of the incisors.
• Saddleback [Swayback].
• Height much greater at the croup than at the withers.
• Tail carried lying over the croup; lack of plume; lack of hook on the end of the tail, docked tail.
• Extremities [Legs] not vertical.
• General weakness in pastern, rear pasterns and feet.
• Cowhocked, either standing or moving.
• Legs swinging out sideways in movement.
• Coat very wavy or curly; coat in middle section of the topline slightly shorter than 6 cm and longer than 11 cm.
• Lack of patches on ears.
• Generally unbalanced temperament.

• Lack of pigment in nose leather or mucous membranes.
• Split nose.
• Very marked overshot mouth, undershot mouth.
• Coat in middle section of the topline only 4 cm or shorter or longer than 13 cm.
• Absence of white colour; absence of white on the tip of the tail and on the lower part of the legs.
• Solid white coat colour; lack of mask.
• Patches not clearly defined and with little contrast to basic colour which points to a cross with another breed.
• Too shy, timorous or aggressive dog.

FCI No 92
Copyright Dogs New Zealand
01 Mar 2006

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.