Member of the Working Group
General Appearance
An ancient breed, rediscovered in Italy in the 1940's, the Neapolitan
Mastiff is a heavy-boned, massive, awe inspiring dog bred for use as a
guard and defender of owner and property.
He is characterized by loose skin, over his entire body, abundant,
hanging wrinkles and folds on the head and a voluminous dewlap.
The essence of the Neapolitan is his bestial appearance, astounding
head and imposing size and attitude.
Due to his massive structure, his characteristic movement is rolling
and lumbering, not elegant or showy.
Size, Proportion, Substance
A stocky, heavy boned dog, massive in substance, rectangular in
proportion. Length of body is 10% - 15% greater than height.
Height: Dogs: 26 to 31 inches, Bitches: 24 to 29 inches. Average
weight of mature Dogs: 150 pounds; Bitches: 110 pounds; but
greater weight is usual and preferable as long as correct proportion
and function are maintained.
The absence of massiveness is to be so severely penalized as to
eliminate from competition.
Head
Large in comparison to the body. Differentiated from that of other
mastiff breeds by more extensive wrinkling and pendulous lips which
blend into an ample dewlap. Toplines of cranium and the muzzle must
be parallel. The face is made up of heavy wrinkles and folds. Required
folds are those extending from the outside margin of the eyelids to
the dewlap, and from under the lower lids to the outer edges of the
lips. Severe Faults: Toplines of the cranium and muzzle not parallel.
Disqualifications: Absence of wrinkles and folds. Expression: Wistful at
rest, intimidating when alert. Penetrating stare. Eyes: Set deep and
almost hidden beneath drooping upper lids. Lower lids droop to reveal
haw. Eye Color: Shades of amber or brown, in accordance with coat
color. Pigmentation of the eye rims same as coat color. Severe Faults:
Whitish-blue eyes; incomplete pigmentation of the eye rims. Ears: Set
well above the cheekbones. May be cropped or uncropped, but are
usually cropped to an equilateral triangle for health reasons. If
uncropped, they are medium sized, triangular in shape, held tight to
the cheeks, and not extending beyond the lower margin of the throat.
Skull: Wide flat between the ears, slightly arched at the frontal part,
and covered with wrinkled skin. The width of the cranium between the
cheekbones is approximately equal to its length from occiput to stop.
The brow is very developed. Frontal furrow is marked. Occiput is
barely apparent. Stop: Very defined, forming a right angle at the
junction of muzzle and frontal bones, and sloping back at a greater
angle where the frontal bones meet the frontal furrow of the
forehead. Nose: Large with well-opened nostrils, and in color the same
as the coat. The nose is an extension of the topline of the muzzle and
should not protrude beyond nor recede behind the front plane of the
muzzle. Severe Faults: Incomplete pigmentation of the nose. Muzzle:
It is 1/3 the length of the whole head and is as broad as it is long.
Viewed from the front, the muzzle is very deep with the outside
borders parallel giving it a "squared" appearance. The top plane of the
muzzle from stop to tip of nose is straight, but is ridged due to heavy
folds of skin covering it. Severe Faults: Top plane of the muzzle
curved upward or downward. Lips: Heavy, thick, and long, the upper
lips join beneath the nostrils to form an inverted "V". The upper lips
form the lower, outer borders of the muzzle, and the lowest part of
these borders is made by the corners of the lips. The corners turn
outward to reveal the flews, and are in line with the outside corners of
the eyes. Bite: Scissors bite or pincer bite is standard; slight
undershot is allowed. Dentition is complete. Faults: More than 1
missing premolar. Severe faults: Overshot jaw: pronounced
undershot jaw which disrupts the outline of the front plane of the
muzzle; more than 2 missing teeth.
Neck, Topline, And Body
Neck: Slightly arched, rather short, stocky and well-muscled. The
voluminous and well-divided dewlap extends from the lower jaw to the
lower neck. Disqualification: Absence of dewlap. Body: The length of
the dog, measured from the point of the shoulder to the point of
buttock is 10 - 15 percent greater than the height of the dog
measured from the highest point of the shoulder to the ground.
Depth of the ribcage is equal to half the total height of the dog. Ribs
are long and well sprung. Chest: Broad and deep, well muscled.
Underline and tuckup: The underline of the abdomen is practically
horizontal. There is little or no tuckup. Back: Wide and strong.
Highest part of shoulder blade barely rising above the strong, level
topline of the back. Loin: well-muscled, and harmoniously joined to
the back. Croup: Wide, strong, muscular and slightly sloped. The top
of the croup rises slightly and is level with the highest point of the
shoulder. Tail: Set on slightly lower than the topline, wide and thick at
the root, tapering gradually toward the tip. It is docked by 1/3. At
rest, the tail hangs straight or in slight "S" shape. When in action, it is
raised to the horizontal or a little higher than the back. Severe Fault:
Tail carried straight up or curved over the back. Kinked tail.
Disqualification: Lack of tail or short tail, which is less than 1/3 the
length from point of insertion of the tail to the hock - joint.
Forequarters
Heavily built, muscular, and in balance with the hindquarters.
Shoulders: Long, well-muscled, sloping and powerful. Upper arms:
Strongly muscled, powerful. In length, almost 1/3 the height of the
dog. Elbows: Covered with abundant and loose skin; held parallel to
the ribcage, neither tied in nor loose. Forelegs: Thick, straight, heavy
bone, well muscled, exemplifying strength. About the same length as
the upper arms. Set well apart. Pasterns: Thick and flattened from
front to back, moderately sloping forward from the leg. Dewclaws:
Front dewclaws are not removed. Feet: Round and noticeably large
with arched, strong toes. Nails strong, curved and preferably
dark-colored. Slight turn out of the front feet is characteristic.
Hindquarters
As a whole, they must be powerful and strong, in harmony with the
forequarters. Thighs: About the same length as the forearms, broad,
muscular. Stifles: Moderate angle, strong. Legs: Heavy and thick
boned, well-muscled. Slightly shorter than thigh bones. Hocks:
Powerful and long. Rear pasterns: (metatarsus) Heavy thick bones.
Viewed from the side, they are perpendicular to the ground. Viewed
from, the rear, parallel to each other. Rear dewclaws: Any dewclaws
must be removed. Hind feet: Same as the front feet but slightly
smaller.
Coat
The coat is short, dense and of uniform length and smoothness all
over the body. The hairs are straight and not longer than 1 inch. No
fringe anywhere.
Color
Solid coats of gray (blue), black, mahogany and tawny, and the lighter
and darker shades of these colors. Some brindling allowable in all
colors. When present, brindling must be tan (reverse brindle). There
may be solid white markings on the chest, throat area from chin to
chest, underside of the body, penis sheath, backs of the pasterns,
and on the toes. There may be white hairs at the back of the wrists.
Disqualifications: White markings on any part of the body not
mentioned as allowed.
Gait
The Neapolitan Mastiff's movement is not flashy, but rather slow and
lumbering. Normal gaits are the walk, trot, gallop, and pace. The
strides are long and elastic, at the same time, powerful, characterized
by a long push from the hindquarters and extension of the forelegs.
Rolling motion and swaying of the body at all gaits is characteristic.
Pacing in the show ring is not to be penalized. Slight paddling
movement of the front feet is normal. The head is carried level with or
slightly above the back.
Temperament
The Neapolitan Mastiff is steady and loyal to his owner, not aggressive
or apt to bite without reason. As a protector of his property and
owners, he is always watchful and does not relish intrusion by
strangers into his personal space. His attitude is calm yet wary. In the
show ring he is majestic and powerful, but not showy.
Faults
The foregoing description is that of the ideal Neapolitan Mastiff. Any
deviation from the above described dog must be penalized to the
extent of the deviation.
Disqualifications
Absence of wrinkles and folds
Absence of dewlap
Lack of tail or short tail, which is less than 1/3 the length from
point of insertion of the tail to the hock.
White markings on any part of the body not mentioned.
Approved (by the AKC): January 13, 2004
Effective: May 1, 2004
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| Wyldwood Mastini All Rights Reserved 2007 Neapolitan.US |
| Wyldwood Mastini All Rights Reserved 2007 - 2010 Neapolitan.US |
| Jim or Lola Farmer Phone # 972-513-1039: Or Cell # 214-995-1999 E-mail address: neomastiffs@yahoo.com |
Breed Standard: Neapolitan Mastiff
