Mastiff Dog

　　The ideal minimum shoulder height for male mastiffs should be 30 inches; for females, the minimum shoulder height should be 27.5 inches. The body proportions should be giant, with the body length (distance from the forechest to the rump) slightly greater than the shoulder height. The height provided by the depth of the torso contributes more than that provided by the length of the legs. The deeper and broader the torso, the better.
　　Morphological Characteristics
　　[Head]
　　From any angle, the head’s contour gives a very burly impression. Width is very important.
　　Eyes: widely spaced, medium-sized, must not be too protruding. Expression is alert but gentle. Eye color is brown. The darker the better. The third eyelid is not visible. Light-colored eyes or aggressive expressions are faults.
　　Ears: appear small compared to the head. V-shaped, with slightly rounded tips. The ear pinnae are slightly thin, widely spaced, located on both sides of the top of the head, at the upper extension line of the head’s contour. When relaxed, the ears lie close to the cheeks. Ear color is dark, the blacker the better, matching the color of the muzzle.
　　Head: wide, slightly flat between the ears, forehead slightly curved, showing wrinkles when focusing on something, a unique feature. The brow bones (above the eyes) are moderately prominent. The forehead muscle is clear, cheeks very strong. There is a vertical wrinkle in the middle of the forehead, extending backward from between the eyes to halfway down the head. The stop is located between the eyes, clear but not harsh.
　　Muzzle: half the length of the head, dividing the head into three equal parts, one part for the face and two parts for the cranium. In other words, the distance from the nose leather to the stop equals half the distance from the stop to the occiput. The circumference of the muzzle (exactly at the half-distance between the eyes and nose leather) to the circumference of the head (in front of the ears) is 3/5. The muzzle is short and wide; the width under the eyes and at the end of the nose leather is nearly the same. The tip looks truncated—that is blunt and rectangular, forming a right-angled frontal appearance. The depth from the nose leather to the lower jaw is very deep; the jaw is wide, slightly rounded at the end. The muzzle color is dark, the blacker the better.
　　Fault: a muzzle like a hunting spaniel.
　　Nose leather: broad, dark-colored, the blacker the better. The nostrils have a flat outline (neither protruding nor upturned).
　　Lips: fully drooping lips correct the rectangular contour of the head. Teeth: strong canines, widely spaced, with powerful jaws.
　　Bite: scissors bite; moderately prognathous bite is not considered a fault. Teeth should not be visible when lips are closed.
　　[Neck, Backline, Body]
　　Neck: strong, very muscular, slightly arched, medium length. The closer to the shoulders, the thicker the neck. The neck is moderately dry (without excessive loose skin).
　　Backline: straight, level, and firm, without dips, arches, or sharp downward slope behind the rump.
　　Chest: wide, deep, round, and descending between the forelegs. Extends at least to the elbows. The forechest contour is clear, with the sternum extending more forward than the front of the scapula. Ribs are well expanded.
　　Underline: reasonably tucked up but not exaggerated. Back: muscular, strong, and straight. Viewed from behind, the rump is slightly rounded.
　　Loin: wide and muscular.
　　Tail: appropriately set, able to extend to the hock or lower. The tail root is broad and ends tapered; at rest it hangs vertically, while in motion it curls slightly upward but must never exceed the back’s level.
　　[Forequarters]
　　Shoulders: moderately sloped, strong, and muscular, with no tendency to slacken. Forequarter angles correspond to the hindquarter angles.
　　Legs: straight, sturdy, and widely spaced, with heavy bone.
　　Elbows: parallel to the body. Carpus: strong and slightly sloping.
　　Paws: large, round, and compact, toes arched; black nails preferred.
　　[Hindquarters]
　　Hindquarters: wide, broad, and muscular.
　　Healthy thighs: clearly defined, with strong hocks.
　　Knees: moderately angled, in proportion with forequarters.
　　Hind legs: widely spaced, parallel when viewed from behind. When the lower part of the hind leg below the hock is correctly “reversed” and vertical, the vertical line from the rearmost point of the hindquarters should pass through the front of the paws. This eliminates overly straight hocks. Because hock angle affects the knee angle, overly straight knees are also excluded.
　　Fault: overly straight knees.
　　[Coat]
　　The outer coat is straight, coarse, and slightly short. The undercoat is dense, short, and lies flat to the body. The coat on the belly, tail, and hind legs should not be long enough to form a “fringe.” Fault: coat too long or wavy.
　　[Color]
　　Fawn or apricot, possibly brindled. Brindling must have a fawn or apricot base color, completely covered by very dark stripes. The muzzle, ears, and nose leather should be dark, the blacker the better; the eye rims should be similar in color, extending upward to between the eyes. Small white chest spots are allowed. Faults: too much white on chest or white elsewhere on the body; lack of pigment on mask, ears, or nose leather.
　　[Gait]
　　Gait shows power and strength; hind legs provide sufficient drive, while forelegs are steady and well extended. In motion, all four limbs move straight forward; as speed increases from walk to trot, the paws tend to converge toward the body’s centerline to maintain balance.
　[Temperament]
　　Combines dignity with good nature, brave yet gentle. Nobility rather than cheerfulness characterizes the true Mastiff spirit. Shy or aggressive dogs are faults. Conversely, beware of dogs overly coaxed by excessive rewards during competition.