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Webmaster Note:
There was a very "spirited" discussion about the AKC Bouvier des Flanders
standard on the Bouvier Mailing List.
As in all breeds, the standard calls for both dogs & bitches to be within a
certain height range. Yet there seem to be breeders who are trying to create a
larger than standard Bouvier & advertise them as "Bigger is Better".
Thus the discussion ensued. This contribution was forwarded to the Bouvier
Mailing List to lighten the mood. Simply substitute Bouvier for Mastiff. |
THE NEW STANDARD FOR THE Mastiff Breed
The Mastiff can be described as an
intelligent, courageous and
beautiful hound, with the appearance of a gentle giant,...all
of which tells us nothing at all about the dog.
HEAD
The head is of great importance....without it the dog loses all
expression and bumps into things. Dogs without heads should only be
shown under Mastiff Breeder Judges only, as regular judges tend to
notice this failing.
MUZZLE
This is something else that all Mastiffs should have. It should
start below the eyes and finish at the nose, and should not be too
pointed or the judge may mistake the dog for a Borzoi, or too heavy in
which case it might win the Great Dane classes. Its predominant use is
for jogging elbows when trying to enjoy a cup of coffee.
TEETH
These should be white, and should not stick out too far, or in too much.
If they get grey or yellow, a mixture of sand and Ajax, applied with a
wire-brush will get them white in no time. It may make the gums bleed
but there is nothing in the breed standard about bleeding gums. Mastiff
teeth are designed for transporting any object from the house to the end
of the yard especially towels, bath sponges or one slipper.
EYES
These should be open, and there should be two of them. They should both
look in the same direction. If they don't, train the dog to keep them
shut.
EARS
Again there should be two, one on each side of the head, but they should
not be so large that a good gust of wind can lift him off the ground.
Dogs with no ears may have difficulty in hearing.
NECK
The neck should be strong, muscular and of medium length, preferable at
the head end of the body. Dogs without nects may suffer from
malnutrition due to difficulty in transferring food from the mouth to
the stomach region.
LEGS
The Mastiff should have four legs, one at each corner. They should
be quite long but at least long enough to reach the ground. It is also
desirable to have all four legs the same length, otherwise the dog will
walk with a tilt. At the end of each leg, there should be a foot. Dogs
with feet going in opposite directions have a problem, as this is a very
difficult fault to correct.
BODY
The body connects the front of the dog to the back. Dogs without bodies
should not be shown or bred from. Dogs with bodies too low to the
ground also have problems, especially nursing bitches.
TAIL
All Mastiffs should have a tail, and it should be at the opposite end of
the head. For this reason it should be quite long, to enable
owners to differentiate between head and tail end at feeding times.
They should also be the right height for helping to clear coffee tables.
TEMPERAMENT
The Mastiff must never be shy, sullen or growly, except when bill
collectors come around. Biting a judge, even when justified as when
being put into second place, is frowned upon. Biting stewards is quite
permissible, however, as these are normally replaceable.
COLOR AND MARKINGS
The Mastiff must be of any colour acceptable in the Deerhound,
whatever they are, but it must be remembered there is a bias amoung judges
who keep putting up grey or cream dogs. However, if you have an unusual
colour, wait until a breeder judge producing the same colourings as your
own is judging, as he will be the expert and recognise a good when he
sees one.
DISQUALIFICATIONS
Any artificial means used to deceive the judge, e.g. artificial limbs,
false teeth, glass eyes or glued on coats (especially if this comes off
on handling).
FAULTS
No Mastiff has any faults worth mentioning.
(By an unknown New Zealand author and changed ever so slightly)
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