Mastiff Breed Standard

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Aug 15, 2004

There is nothing more stunning that an adult Mastiff! This is our Chesty. You'll hear lots about him throughout my articles. Chesty is an apricot brindle Mastiff who is 1 1/2 years old and weighs about 185 lbs, but he is still a lap dog!

When we first began looking for a puppy to bring into our lives, we read everything we could find, searched the internet high and low, and knew exactly what we were in for well before we adopted our baby. In this article, I want to share information on the breed standard so you'll know what the parents should look like when you go meet them and their breeders.

The American version of the "standard" was written by the American Kennel Club and the Mastiff Club of America. It was written to tell you what the "perfect" Mastiff should look like. Chesty is perfect to us, but not exactly to standard.

Appearance and Size

Mastiffs should appear large, powerful, and solid, with a broad, dark head, droopy ears, short muzzle, and a short, coarse coat. The dog's shape should be symmetrical and balanced with good bone structure. The female will be smaller, but should have the same qualities for her size.

The Head

The description of the head is the longest part of the 'standard' and states, "...a massive appearance when viewed from any angle with breadth greatly desired." Of course most people who see the Mastiff are drawn to the dog's expression, it's soulful, sad eyes, and the personality that shines through. That is, unless of course, you are on the end of the Mastiff's 'Hey! Who are you?!' look! THAT look can be terrifying, but it's rarely seen.

The Eyes

medium size

set wide apart

as dark brown as possible, showing little to no haw

The Ears

V-shape

set wide apart at the highest point of the skull when relaxed, should rest close against the cheeks

color should match muzzle - the blacker the better

The Skull

not domed

broad and somewhat flattened between the ears

the stop (space between the eyes) should be noticeable and form a distinct angle change between the forehead and muzzle, but not be too abrupt

ridges above the eyes should be moderately raised

The wrinkles on the Mastiff's forehead should be seen even when the dog is relaxed. When you've seen this face, you will notice that the wrinkles really show when you've got his attention. Say "treat" and you'll really get the wrinkles going! (But you'd sure better have a treat!)

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The copyright of the article Mastiff Breed Standard in English Mastiffs is owned by T. Darlene Cheek. Permission to republish Mastiff Breed Standard in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.