ORSINOSOUTH

The Neapolitan Mastiff Club (GB)


The original Italian Neapolitan Mastiff Standard was written in 1946, rewritten, then modified and rewritten again. It is known as the official ENCI version of the Neapolitan Mastiff Standard. The Neapolitan Mastiff is regulated in Italy by its national breed club, known as SAMN (Societa Amatori del Mastino Napoletano). SAMN is in turn regulated by the Italian Kennel Club known as ENCI (Ente Nazionale della Cinofilia Italiana). This national kennel club is regulated by the FCI. The only official worldwide standard for the Neapolitan Mastiff is the FCI standard as submitted by ENCI which in turn should get the standard from SAMN.
The FCI states that the standard for a breed belongs to the country of origin of that breed. The standard of the Neapolitan Mastiff has a rather complicated ongoing history. The original standard, written in 1946 by several of the early Mastino lovers, was rather brief. In 1949, Scanziani and others elaborated on the standard previously engineered by Dr. Soldati and due to their efforts, ENCI accepted the new breed standard. The 1946 ENCI standard remained in force until 1968. At that time the SAMN created a longer more explicit standard which was not accepted by ENCI. They contracted another individual to draft a Neapolitan Mastiff standard in 1968. This standard was adopted by the FCI in 1971. In 1987 the FCI decided that the standards for all their recognized breeds should be revised into a specific format. The standard was changed again and was accepted by ENCI and by the FCI in 1991. Bewteen 1989 and 1991 the Italian standard was translated into French, German, Spanish and finally English. If you go to ENCI's Web site you will find the standards worded in the five languages. I am advised that the Standard written in Italian differs considerably in its wording but not necessarily in its overall meaning, from the standards in the other four languages.

Our PROPOSED Breed Standard

Neapolitan Mastiff Breed Standard proposed by The Neapolitan Mastiff Club

GENERAL APPEARANCE
Well-boned, large, heavy, strong and massively built. Whose length of body exceeds the height at the withers. Of majestic bearing with noble expression.

CHARACTERISTICS
A degree of loose fitting skin over body and head with a double dewlap as a feature but is not to be overly excessive.

TEMPERAMENT
Steady, loyal and devoted defender of owner and property. Vigilant, intelligent and slightly aloof.

HEAD AND SKULL
Head large, broad short skull. Broad across cheeks and flat between ears. Head proportion: skull length 2-3, to muzzle 1-3. Top of skull parallel to top line of muzzle well pronounced definite stop. Nose should not protrude beyond vertical line of muzzle. Nose large with well-opened nostrils. Lips fleshy, thick and full. Upper lips form an inverted ‘V’. Muzzle deep and square when viewed from the front. The head has abundant skin which forms wrinkles and folds but not to the determent of the breed. Lack of skin and wrinkle on head is undesirable.

EYES
Set forward and deep, quite rounded and well apart. Rim pigmentation to tone with coat colour.

EARS
Small for size of dog, set forward, high and well apart. Triangular, hanging flat towards cheeks, but not reaching beyond line of throat.

MOUTH
Teeth white and regular. Strong well-developed jaws, with scissor or level bite. Scissor bite, i.e. upper teeth closely overlapping lower teeth and set square to the jaws.

NECK
Short, stocky, very muscular, double dewlap from lower jaw reaching mid-point of neck and slightly arched when viewed from the side.

FOREQUARTERS
Shoulder long, slightly sloping with well-developed and definite muscle. Elbows not to close to body, must allow for very free action. Pastern slightly sloping, legs vertical when viewed from front. A degree of loose skin on elbows is a common charistic of this breed.

BODY
Its length is 10% greater than the dog’s height at the withers. Broad, well-muscled chest, the breastbone reaching at least to elbow, ribs long and well sprung. Top line straight and long, only withers rise above it. Line of belly to be parallel to top line.

HINDQUARTERS
Broad loin, well let into backline, slightly rounded with well-developed muscle. Croup broad, muscular, with slight slope. Thighs long, broad, moderate stifle and angulation, powerful hocks. Dewclaws (single or double) removed.

FEET
Round, close arched toes. Pads thick, hard and dark coloured. Nails curved, strong and dark. Hind feet slightly smaller than the front.

TAIL
Customarily docked to the articulation of the hock (1/3 of length). Wide and thick at the root, set on slightly lower than topline, tapering towards tip. At rest the tail is carried slightly hanging and curved in a sabre fashion. When moving it is carried level or slightly higher than top line but never carried up or over back. Undocked: Wide and thick at root, set slightly lower than topline, tapering towards the tip. Never carried up or over back but may be carried level or slightly higher than topline when moving. In overall balance with the rest of the dog.

GAIT/MOVEMENT
The typical breed characteristic of movement is at walk; the gait is slow, free and resembles that of a bear or the propulsion of a large feline due to the unique construction of the breed. The trot has strong drive of the hindquarters with good extension of the front legs. The preferred gaits are walk and trot, pacing is tolerated, the dog rarely gallops.

COAT/SKIN
Short, dense, fine hard texture, with good sheen, 1.5cm maximum, no fringing.

COLOUR
All shades of grey, black, mahogany or ash blond, all these coats may be brindled. Small white patches on chest, tips of toes and penies sheaf permissible. Pigmentation to tone with coat colours.

SIZE
Males - Height: 65-75 cms (25 ½”- 29 ½”ins); Weight: 60-70 kgs (132-154 lbs). Females – Height: 60-68 cms (23 ¾” – 26 ½”ins); Weight 50-60 kgs (110-132 lbs) Height tolerance allowed of 2cm plus or minus allowed for both sexes (3/4”).

FAULTS
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.

NOTE: Male animals should have two apparently normal testicles fully descended into the scrotum.

KC BREED STANDARD

F.C.I BREED STANDARD

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