Breed Characteristics

Description

The Old English Mastiff is one of the heaviest breeds; a male Mastiff can exceed 200 pounds. This dog is very massive, powerful and muscular. The head is heavy and square with a short muzzle. There is a black mask around the eyes and muzzle no matter what the general coat colour. The eyes are medium-sized and dark; and the small ears should also be dark-coloured. For more details, please read the Canadian Kennel Club Breed Standard.

Temperament

 Originally valued for their abilities as a fierce guard and fighting dog, today's Mastiff is a gentle giant. He is a self-confident, watchful, and patient dog who is gentle-natured towards his family. Intelligent and dignified, he rarely barks, but it is his nature to defend his territory and family. Calm, steady and docile, this dog is normally excellent with children, and responds well to gentle, patient training. Good natured, but very large and heavy, this breed loves to please and needs lots of companionship.

The Mastiff's dominance varies widely depending on the lineage. They can be aloof with strangers or fairly friendly. A born guard dog, brave and loyal; when strangers visit, a Mastiff is likely to refuse to let them in unless they are accepted by its handler. The Mastiff generally holds intruders at bay rather than attacking, and protection training is unnecessary for this naturally protective breed. It is very possessive of home, family and car, yet if properly socialized it will get along well with other animals. The Mastiff tends to drool, and may snore loudly. They can be somewhat stubborn.

Size

Height: Males minimum 30 inches (76cm); Females minimum 27 inches (69cm)

Weight: Males from 175 pounds (80 kg) to 230 pounds (105 kg); Females from 130 pounds (59 kg) to 190 pounds (86 kg)

Health

Hip dysplasia, elbow dysplasia, gastric torsion (bloat), ectropion, entropion, PPM, PRA, and osteosarcomas are just some of the health issues afflicting the Breed. Buyers are encouraged to research the health issues of the Breed. Life Expectancy - 7 to 10 years. Please visit our Health page for more information.

Housing Requirements

A Mastiff can be comfortable in an apartment if it is sufficiently exercised. They are relatively inactive indoors and a small yard will do.

Exercise

Mastiffs are inclined to be lazy but they will keep more fit and happy if given regular exercise.

Grooming

The smooth, short-haired coat is easy to groom. Brush with a firm bristle brush and wipe over with a piece of towelling or chamois for a gleaming finish. Bathe or dry shampoo when necessary. This breed is an average shedder.

Origin

The Mastiff is one of the oldest breeds of dogs, most probably originating in the mountains of Asia, and is the ancestor of the giant breeds. Bas relief's of the Babylonian era depict Mastiffs hunting lions and horses. Phoenician traders probably introduced the Mastiff to England where the Romans found them and brought them back to fight in the arena. Marco Polo wrote of the court of Kublai Khan who kept a kennel of 5,000 Mastiffs used for hunting and dogs of war. Hannibal, when he crossed the Alps, left Mastiffs
behind which crossed with local native breeds to produce St. Bernard's, once called the Alpine Mastiff, and all the massive mountain dogs of Spain, France, Turkey, and the Balkans have Mastiff blood in their ancestry. Even the Chow carries his blood as does the Pug, which was originally a form of a dwarf Mastiff.

Of all the countries who used the Mastiff, it was the British who kept him to his purest form. They were kept to guard their castles and estates, releasing them at night to ward off intruders. Henry the VIII is said to have presented Charles the VI of Spain a gift of 400 Mastiffs to be used in battle. The Legh family of Lyme Hall, Cheshire, who were given their estate by Richard the II (1377-1399), kept and bred Mastiffs for many years, and reference is found in Stowe's Annual which shows that James the I (1603-1625) sent a gift of two Lyme Mastiffs to Phillip the III of Spain.

The first conclusive evidence of the Mastiff in the United States comes in the early 1880's when they began to appear at bench shows. World War I saw the decline of the Mastiff in the United States and England. World War II almost eliminated the breed in England altogether. At the end of the war, dogs were imported to England from Canada and the United States to re-establish the breed. Slowly but surely, as time passed, the breed has become popular again.

Breed Health

The Mastiff Breed is subject to several health conditions, not all of which are hereditary. Prospective buyers are strongly encouraged to research Mastiff health. Listed below are some of the health concerns known to affect the breed.

Structural Disorders

Hip Dysplasia

Canine hip dysplasia is a genetic disease of dogs that causes looseness, abnormal development and arthritis of the hip joint. The hip joint is a 'ball-and-socket' type joint. The 'ball' is the uppermost part of the thighbone, or femur, and is called the 'head of the femur. The 'head' is connected to the rest of the bone by the 'neck'. The 'socket' is part of the pelvic bone, and is called the 'acetabulum'. Normally, the ball, or head of the femur, fits very tightly within its socket, or acetabulum. With hip dysplasia, this fit becomes loose and the joint partially dislocates, or subluxates. This subluxation can cause discomfort, abnormal development and arthritis, later in life. Hip dysplasia is usually a bilateral disease, which means both hips are often affected.

Elbow Dysplasia

Elbow dysplasia is a term used to describe three different disorders that all stem from poorly formed or fused elbow joints: 1. Fragmented Coronoid Process (FCP) - This form of elbow dysplasia is generally the most difficult to treat if the fragments are actually loose in the joint. 2. Osteochrondritis Dissecans (OCD) - A nutritionally based developmental disease. It is separation of joint cartilage caused by too rapid growth. It is known to occur in elbows, shoulders, hocks and stifles but it can occur anywhere in the body. It is a defect in the cartilage overlaying or attaching to the bone. 3. Ununited Anconeal Process (UAP) - In Mastiffs the anconeal process can close later than in smaller breeds, as late as one year of age.

 While there are 3 types of elbow dysplasia, there is also a diseased state that aids in the diagnosis of elbow dysplasia - DJD or degenerative joint disease. Elbows are considered dysplastic when DJD is diagnosed. Degenerative in this case does not mean that the elbows are getting progressively worse, but rather that the elbow is in a diseased state rather than a healthy state. DJD is a secondary result of the 3 primary forms of elbow dysplasia, above.

Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) Rupture

The ruptured cruciate ligament is the most common knee injury of the dog. Chances are that any dog with a sudden rear leg lameness has a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament. The history usually involves a rear leg suddenly so sore that the dog can hardly bear weight on it. If left alone, it will appear to improve over the course of weeks but the knee will be notably swollen and arthritis will set in quickly.

 Panosteitis (Pano)

Panosteitis is a spontaneously occurring lameness that tends to occur very suddenly, usually without a history of trauma or excessive exercise. In most cases one or the other front leg is affected first and then the problem tends to move around, making it appear that the lameness is shifting from leg to leg. There are often periods of improvement and worsening of the symptoms in a cyclic manner. This condition is self limiting, meaning that it will eventually go away, with or without treatment. Pain control can go a long way towards helping your pet feel more comfortable.

Disorders of the Eye

Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA)

The term progressive retinal atrophy covers several types of inherited degeneration of the retina. These diseases affect primarily the photoreceptor cells that are located in the back half of the eye and are composed of specialized nervous tissue that transmits the image viewed by the eye to the brain for interpretation. The first sign of PRD is a loss of night vision, followed later by the loss of day vision. Both eyes are similarly affected and dogs eventually become totally blind. There are no treatments currently available.

Eyelid Disorders

Entropion (rolling inwards), and ectropian (drooping or rolling outward) are the most common eyelid disorders. Ectropion, unless very pronounced, does not lead to severe diseases of the eye itself. However, the droopy eyelid may collect debris such as dust, pollen and plant material from the environment. This may cause ocular irritation that leads to discharge and a red eye. This is particularly pronounced in hunting dogs or dogs that are outdoors much of the time. Dogs that have ectropion must be watched carefully by their owners for possible foreign bodies in their eyes, and the dogs' eyes must be cleaned and often medicated on a regular basis. Entropion on the other hand frequently causes ocular pain and corneal disease. If the eyelid is rolled inward sufficiently so that the hairs of the eyelid rub on the eye, much damage may be done. Dogs with entropion usually squint and have watery eyes. If the entropion is not corrected and the rubbing continues, ulcers often develop on the cornea and the cornea becomes pigmented and vision may be lost

Cataracts

A cataract is a partial or complete opacity of the lens. In cases where cataracts are complete and affect both eyes, blindness results. Cataracts may be caused by genetics, trauma, ocular inflammation, diabetes, progressive retinal atrophy, persistent pupillary membranes, specific nutritional deficiencies, congenital abnormalities and uncommonly by other diseases. The size of cataracts is also highly variable. They may be very small and not affect vision, or complete and cause blindness.

Persistent Pupillary Membranes (PPM)

PPMs are remnants of a fetal structure called the pupillary membrane. This membrane covers the pupil before an animal is born, supplying blood to the developing lens. Normally the pupillary membrane completely absorbs by four to five weeks of age. In some dogs these strands do not disappear and become PPMs.

CMR (Canine Mutil-focal Retinopathy)

CMR is a recently identified recessive eye disease in Mastiffs. The condition includes numerous distinct (i.e. multi-focal), roughly circular patches of elevated retina with accumulation of material that produces gray-tan-pink colored lesions. These lesions, looking somewhat like blisters, vary in location and size, although typically they are present in both eyes of the affected dog. The disease generally develops in young dogs before 4 months and might progress slowly, might appear to heal, or might even appear and then go away again. Some dogs affected with CMR do not show clinical symptoms of disease until later in life. Some lesions disappear with no remaining sign, while some lesions leave a wrinkled area – a fold. Some leave the lasting lesion of a blister formation. Most dogs exhibit no noticeable problem with vision despite their abnormal appearing retinas. And in almost all cases, CMR does not progress significantly over time. As more dogs are tested for this disease, then the full range of how it affects Mastiffs will be understood.

Other Disorders

Cardiac

The three most common cardiac disorders affecting the breed are: aortic stenosis, mitral valve dysplasia and cardiomyopathy. Aortic stenosis is caused by a ring of thickened tissue around or near the aortic valve. This ring of tissue makes it very difficult for the heart to pump blood out into the aorta. Blood pressure builds up in the left ventricle, and the heart begins to overwork itself to perform its normal function. Mitral valve dysplasia occurs when the valve deteriorates and allows blood to seep through during its closed phase. The extra blood, present in the left atrium as a result of the failing valve, cause enlargement of the chamber and the back up of blood into the lung's blood vessels. Eventually, fluid begins to leak out of the distended vessels in the lungs. This fluid, known as pulmonary edema, fills the lung airspaces and results in a cough.

Cystinuria

Cystinuria is a genetic disorder in which the kidney is not able to process cystine correctly. Over time the cystine clumps together forming stones that can block the urinary tract.

Epilepsy

Epilepsy occurs when there is an over or under firing of nerve signals within the brain, with seizures as a result.

Hypothyroidism

Hypothyroidism is a common disorder in middle-aged to older dogs characterized by a reduction of thyroid hormone production. Common symptoms include: hair loss, seborrhea, skin infections, lethargy, obesity, muscle weakness, slow heart rate, reproductive disorders and severe behavioral occurrences (aggression, fear, compulsivity).

von Willebrand's Disease (vWD)

von Willebrand's disease is a bleeding disorder caused by a defect in a blood protein required for normal clotting and control of hemorrhage.

Gastric Torsion/Dilation/Volvulus (Bloat)

Bloating of the stomach is often related to swallowed air (although food and fluid can also be present). It usually happens when there's an abnormal accumulation of air, fluid, and/or foam in the stomach ("gastric dilatation"). Stress can be a significant contributing factor also. Bloat can occur with or without "volvulus" (twisting). As the stomach swells, it may rotate 90 to 360 degrees, twisting between its fixed attachments at the esophagus (food tube) and at the duodenum (the upper intestine). The twisting stomach traps air, food, and water in the stomach. The bloated stomach obstructs veins in the abdomen, leading to low blood pressure, shock, and damage to internal organs. The combined effect can quickly kill a dog.

Cancer

There are many different types of cancer that can affect Mastiffs. Some may be hereditary while others conditional on the environment.

Pyometra

Pyometra means an accumulation of pus in the uterus. It is a very serious disease that can result in death. Pyometra is a result of hormonal and structural changes in the uterus lining. This can happen at any age, whether she has bred or not, (although it becomes more common as the dog gets older). Under these circumstances, bacteria (especially E. coli) can migrate from the vagina into the uterus and find the environment favorable to growth. There are two types of pyometra: If the cervix is open, the infected material can leave the body, and this is far easier and safer to treat. This is known as open pyometra. If the cervix is fully closed, there is no discharge from the vulva, the uterus may rupture and pus escapes into the abdomen, causing peritonitis and possible rapid death. This is known as closed pyometra. The most obvious symptom of open pyometra is a discharge of pus from the vulva. However, symptoms of closed pyometra are less obvious. Symptoms of both types include vomiting, loss of appetite, depression, and increased drinking and urinating. Fever is not always seen.

Health Links

MCOA Health Page

Canine Cysturnia

Orthopedic Foundation For Animals

Canine Eye Registration Foundation

Devine Farms Mastiff Health

Canine Epilepsy Network

OFA Clinics

Identifying Molosser Breeds

Mastiffs, Molossers and Misunderstanding!

There are many different mastiff breeds but only one true Mastiff which also belongs to a group of dogs called Molossers. The Mastiff is sometimes referred to as the English Mastiff or Old English Mastiff but the official name of the breed is Mastiff.

The term Molosser describes a group of working dogs with a related ancestry that were used historically to guard and protect properties and livestock. Molossers include breeds such as the Boxer, Bull Terrier, Cane Corso, Dogue de Bordeaux, Fila Brasileiro, Great Dane, Great Pyrenees, Mastiff, Newfoundland, Neopolitan Mastiff, Shar Pei and Tibetan Mastiff, among other breeds. Typically, Molossers can be identified by a comparatively large head, shortened muzzle, heavy bone and often thick and wrinkled skin. Many of the numerous Molosser breeds are often referred to as a “mastiff” which is confusing and misleading. The different Molosser breeds were developed for different purposes and therefore have many physical and temperamental differences between them.

Blame or praise can be unfairly associated with the Mastiff breed due to a failure to correctly identify Molosser dogs and can thereby paint a misleading picture of the Mastiff breed as well as the other Molosser breeds. By referring to each distinct breed by their correct breed name we can help to lessen misunderstanding and misidentifications. Anyone looking for a Molosser breed of dog should be aware of the differences between the breeds and investigate which would be the best fit for them and their family based on activity level, trainability, temperament and specific breed traits.

To help identify the most common Molosser breeds please refer to the handy image and chart below.

* The Canadian Kennel Club (CKC) does not recognize this breed as purebred in Canada. Any breeds that are unrecognized are ineligible for registration with the CKC. The CKC registries exist to promote and advance the purebred dog. They approve breed standards, maintain birth records of registered dogs, promote responsible dog ownership, maintain official records for these events, and award titles.

To learn more about the specific characteristics of the Mastiff, please visit Breed Characteristics.

General Appearance
Large, massive, symmetrical, and well-knit frame. A combination of grandeur and good nature, courage and docility.

Size
Dogs, minimum 30 inches (76 cm) at the shoulder; bitches, minimum 27 1/2 inches (70 cm) at the shoulder.

Coat and Colour
Outer coat moderately coarse. Undercoat dense, short, and close lying. Colour apricot, silver fawn or dark fawn-brindle. Fawn-brindle should have fawn as a background colour which should be completely covered with very dark stripes. In any case, muzzle, ears, and nose must be dark in colour, the blacker the better, with similar colour tone around the orbits, extending upwards between them.

Head
In general outline giving a massive appearance when viewed from any angle. Breadth greatly to be desired.

Skull: broad and somewhat rounded between the ears, forehead slightly curved, showing marked wrinkles which are particularly distinctive when at attention. Brows (superciliary ridges) moderately raised. Muscles of the temples well developed, those of the cheeks extremely powerful. Arch across the skull a flattened curve with a furrow up the centre of the forehead. This extends from between the eyes to halfway up the skull.

Muzzle: short, broad under the eyes and running nearly equal in width to the end of the nose. Truncated, i.e., blunt and cut off square, thus forming a right angle with the upper line of the face. Of great depth from the point of the nose to underjaw. Underjaw broad to the end and slightly rounded. Lips diverging at obtuse angles with the septum and sufficiently pendulous so as to show a modified square profile. Muzzle dark in colour, the blacker the better. Muzzle should be half the length of the skull, thus dividing the head into three parts - one for the foreface and two for the skull. In other words, the distance from tip of nose to stop is equal to one-half the distance between the stop and the occiput. Circumference of muzzle (measured midway between the eyes and nose) to that of the head (measured before the ears) as 3 is to 5.

Nose: broad and always dark in colour, the blacker the better, with spread, flat nostrils (not pointed or turned up) in profile.

Mouth: canine teeth healthy, powerful and wide apart. Scissors bite preferred but a moderately undershot jaw permissible providing the teeth are not visible when the mouth is closed.

Eyes: set wide apart, medium in size, never too prominent. Expression alert but kindly. The stop between the eyes well marked but not too abrupt. Colour of eyes brown, the darker the better and showing no haw.

Ears: small, V-shaped, rounded at the tips. Leather moderately thin, set widely apart at the highest points on the sides of the skull continuing the outline across the summit. They should lie close to the cheeks when in repose. Ears dark in colour the blacker the better, conforming to the colour of the muzzle.

Neck
Powerful and very muscular, slightly arched, and of medium length. The neck gradually increases in circumference as it approaches the shoulder. Neck moderately "dry" (not showing an excess of loose skin).

Forequarters
Shoulder slightly sloping, heavy and muscular. No tendency to looseness of shoulders. Legs straight, strong and set wide apart, heavy bones. Elbows parallel to body. Pasterns strong and bent only slightly. Feet heavy, round and compact with well-arched toes. Black nails preferred.

Body
Back muscular, powerful, and straight. Chest wide, deep, rounded, and well let down between the forelegs, extending at least to the elbow. Forechest should be deep and well defined. Ribs extremely well rounded. False ribs deep and well set back. Loins wide and muscular, slightly rounded over the rump. There should be a reasonable, but no exaggerated, cut-up.

Hindquarters
Hindquarters broad, wide and muscular. Second thighs well developed, hocks set back, wide apart and parallel when viewed from the rear.

Tail
Set on moderately high and reaching to the hocks or a little below. Wide at the root, tapering to the end, hanging straight in repose, forming a slight curve but never over the back when dog is in action.

Scale of Points: