BREEDINFO OF THE MASTIFF

x GENERAL APPEARANCE

- The head should be ,from all angles in general outline, a square impression. Width is higly desirable and should thirds of the total lenght of the head and face.

Massive body,broad,deep,long,powerfully built legs wide apart and squarely set.  Muscles sharply defined. Size is higly desirable,when combined with quality.

Height and substance important if both points are turned to each other.

x TYPICAL PROPORTIONS:

- Large,massive ,powerful,symmetrical,well-built body. A combination of grandeur and courage.

x TEMPRAMENT:

- Peaceful,affectionate towards its owner,but capable of guarding.

x HEAD AND SKULL:

- The skull broad between the ears, forehead flat,but wrinckled when attention is drwan. Arches eyebrow slightly raised.

Muscles of the temples and cheeks (temporal and masseter) well developed. Arch across the skull of a rounded ,flattened curve,with a floor (pit) until

the middle of the forehead between the eyes from the line until mid-sagittal sutura (the line wich connects the wall bones).

Face or muzzle short ,under the eyes and nearly parallel in width to the end of the nose. Truncated,ie blunt and cut off squarely ,thus forming a right angle with

the topline of the muzzle and of great depth from nose to jaw. Under jaw broad to end. Nose broad,from the front,wide nostrils,flat,not pointed or turned in profile.

Lips diverging at an obtuse angle of the septum,and slightle pendulous so a squar profile.The lenght of muzzle (measured before the ears) is as 3 to 5.

x EYES:

-Small,wide apart,separated by at least the space of to eyes. Stop between eyes well marked but not too abrupt.

Color hazelbrown,darker the better. The third eyelid should not show.

x EARS:

- Small, thin to touch,wide apart at the highest points on the side of the skull on, so they countour to the top of the skull continuing.

In repose lying flat and close to cheeks.

x MOUTH:

- Canin teeth healthy,powerful and wide apart ,incisors of the lower projecting beyond upper but never so much as to become visible when the mouth is closed.

x NECK:

- Slightly arched ,moderately long, very muscular and in circumference about one or two inches (2.5-5 cm.) Less than skull before ears.

x BODY:

- Shoulder and arm slightly sloping,heavy and muscular. Legs straight,strong and wide apart,bones being large. Elbows square. Small upright.

Chest wide ,deep and well let down between forelegs.Ribs arched and well rounded. False ribs deep and well  set back to the hips.

girth should be one third more than height. Back and loins wide and muscular,flat and very wide in bitch,slightly arched in a dog. Great depth of flanks.

x HINDQUARTERS:

- Heavy,wide and muscular,with well developed second thighs,hocks bent,wide apart and quite squarely set when the dog walks as if he is stationary.

x FEET:

- Large and round. Well arched toes. Nails black

x TAIL:

- High, and reaching the hocks or slightly less wide at its root and tapering towards the tip. At rest, hanging straight, but if the dog is excited forming

a curve with end pointing upwards , but not over back.

x MOVEMENT:

- Powerful, easy-tending (ground- covering)

x COAT:

- Short and close lying,but not too fine over the shoulders, neck and back

x COLOR:

- Wild apricot-colored (apricot) ziverree-color (fawn) or dark brindle (brindle) on the same substrates. In any case, muzzle,ears,and nose are black

with black around the eyes sockets and running up between them.

x ERRORS:

- Any departure from the foregoing points should be considered a fault and the seriousness of the fault shoult thereby be precisely measured the degree

to which is standard deviation. (note: male animals should have two normally descended testicles.)

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