CKC OFFICIAL BREED STANDARD FOR THE MASTIFF

General Appearance :  Large, massive, symmetrical, and well-knit frame. A combination of grandeur and good nature, courage and docility.

Size:  Dogs, minimum 30 in. (76cm) at the shoulder ; bitches, minimum 27 1/2 in. (70cm) at the shoulder .

Coat and Colour:  Outer coat moderately coarse . Undercoat dense, short, and close-lying. Colour apricot, silver fawn or dark fawn-brindle. Fawn-brindle should have fawn as a background colour which should be completely covered with very dark stripes. In any case muzzle , ears, and nose must be dark in colour, the blacker the better, with similar colour tone around the orbits, extending upwards between them.

Head:  In general outline giving a massive appearance when viewed from any angle. Breadth greatly to be desired.

Skull:  Broad and somewhat rounded 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.

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 under jaw. Under jaw broad to the end and slightly rounded. Lips diverging at obtuse angles wit the septum and sufficiently pendulous so as to show a modified square profile. Muzzle dark in colour, the blacker the better . Muzzle should be half the length of the skull, thus dividing the head into 3 parts- one for the foreface and two for the skull. In other words, the distance from tip of nose to stop is equal to one-half the distance between the stop and the ociput. Circumference of muzzle (measured midway between the eyes and nose) to that of the head (measured midway between the eyes and nose) to that of the head (measured before the ears) as 3 to 5 .

Nose:  Broad and always dark in colour, the blacker the better, with spread flat nostrils (not pointed or turned up) in profile...

Mouth:  Canine teeth healthy, powerful and wide apart. scissors bite preferred but a moderately undershot jaw permissible providing the teeth are not visible when the mouth is closed.

Eyes:  Set wide apart, medium in size, never too prominent. Expression alert but kindly. The stop between the eyes well marked but not too abrupt. Colour of eyes brown, the darker the better and showing no haw.

Ears:  Small, 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 colour, the blacker the better, conforming to the colour of the muzzle.

Neck:  Powerful and very muscular, slightly arched, and of medium length. The neck gradually increases in circumferences it approaches the shoulder. Neck moderately"dry" (not showing an excess of loose skin ).

Forequarters:  Shoulder slightly sloping, heavy and muscular. No tendency to looseness of shoulders. Legs straight, strong and set wide apart, heavy bones. Elbows parallel to body. Pasterns strong and bent only slightly. Feet heavy, round and compact with well-arched toes. Black nails preferred.

Body:  Back muscular, powerful and straight . Chest wide, deep, rounded, and well let down between the forelegs, extending at least to the elbow. Forechest should be deep and well defined. Ribs extremely well rounded. False ribs deep and well set back. Loins wide and muscular, slightly rounded over the rump. There should be a reasonable , but not exaggerated, cut-up.

Hindquarters:  Hindquarters broad, wide and muscular. Second thighs well developed, hocks set back, wide apart and parallel when viewed from the rear.

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 dog is in action.