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Standard F.C.I. n 197
DATE OF PUBLICATION OF THE VALID ORIGINAL STANDARD:
27th november
1989.
Country of
origin:
Italy
Name in the country of origin:
Mastino
Napoletano
UTILIZATION
Protection and guard dog. FCI’S CLASSIFICATION:
Group 2 (Pinscher and Schnauzer type -
Molossian type and Swiss cattledogs) Section 2.1 (Mastiff type)
Without working trial
BRIEP HISTORICAL SUMMERY
The Neapolitan Mastiff is a descendant of the great
Ro- man mastiff described by Columelle in the first
century A.D. in his book ”de re rustica”. Widespread all
over Europe by the Roman legions, with which he has
fought, he is the ances- tor of numerous mastiff breeds
in the other European countries. Having survived so many
cen- turies in the countryside at the foot of Mt.
Vesuvius and general in the region of Naples, he has
been re-selected since 1947, thanks to the tenacity and
devotion of a group of dog lovers.
GENERAL APPEARANCE
Large, heavy massive and bulky dog, whose length of
body ex- ceeds the height at the withers.
IMPORTANT PROPORTIONS
The lenght of the body is 10% more than the
height at the withers. The ratio skull-muzzle is of 2 to
1.
BEHAVIOUR AND TEMPERAMENT
Steady and loyal, not aggressive or biting without
reason, guardian of the property and its in habitants,
always vigilant, intelligent, noble and rna- jestic.
HEAD
Short and massive, with a skull wide at level of
zygomatic arches; its lenght is about 3/10 of the height
at the withers.
Ample skin with wrinkless and
folds of which the most typical and the best marked goes
from the outer palpebral angle down to the lip angle.
The upper 1ongitudinal axes of the sku11 and the muzzle
are parallel.
CRANIAL REGION
The skull is wide, flat, particulary between the
ears, and, seen from the ~~ont, slightly convex in its
fore part. The bizygomatic width is more that half the
lenght of the ”ead. The zygomatic arches are very
prominent, but with flat muscles. The protuberances of
the frontal bones are well developed; the frontal furrow
is marked; the occipital crest is hardly visible.
STOP
well defined.
FACIAL
REGION
NOSE
Set in
the prologation of the muzzle, must not protrude beyond
the ourter vertical line of the lips, must be voluminous
with large, we11 opened nostrils. Its colour is
according to the colour of the coat: black tor the black
subjects, dark greybrown in dogs of other colours, and
chestnut for brown coats.
MUZZLE
It is very wide and deep; its length corresponds to
that of the fore-face and must be equal to the third of
the length of the head. The lateral sides are parallel
(between them), so that, seen from the front, the shape
of the muzzle is practically square.
LIPS
Fleshy, thick and full; upper lips, seen from the
front, form an inverted ”V” at their meeting point. The
lower lateral profile of the muzzle is shaped by the
upper lips; their lowest part is the corner of the lips,
with visible mucous membranes, situated on the vertical
from the external angle of the eye.
JAWS
Powerful with strong jaw bones and dental arches
joining perfectly. Lower jaw must be well developed in
its width.
TEETH
White, well developed, regularly aligned and
complete in number. Scissor bite, i.e. upper incisors
closely overlapping the lower ones in c1ose contact, set
straight to the jaw, or, pincer bite, i.e. upper
incisors meet edge to edge with the lower incisors.
EYES
Set on an equal frontal level, well apart one from
the other; rather round, slight1y deep set. Compared
with the coat co1our, the colour of the iris is darker.
The eye may nevertheless, be lighter in coats of diluted
shades.
EARS
Small in relation to the size of the dog, of
triangular shape, set above the zygomatic .’ arch, they
are flat and close to the cheeks. When they are cropped,
they have the form of an al-: most equilateral angle.
NECK
PROFILE
The
upper profile is slightly convex. LENGTH: rather short,
measures about Z,8/10 of the height of the withers.
SHAPE
Conical trunk shaped, well muscled. At mid-length
the perimeter is equal to about 8/10 of the height at
the withers.
SKIN
Lower edge of the neck is well endowed with loose
skin which forms a double dewlap, well separated, but
not exaggerated; starts at level of the lower jaw and
does not go beyond middle of the neck.
BODY
The length of the body exceeds by 10% the height
at the withers.
TOP LINE
Top line of the back is straight; withers are wide,
long and not very prominent.
BACK
Broad and of a length about 1/3 of the height at the
withers. The lumbar region must be harmoniously united
with the back and muscles well developed in width. The
ribcage am- ple, with long and well sprung ribs. The
circumference of the thorax is about 1/4 more than the
height at the withers.
RUMP
Wide, strong and well musc1ed. Its obliqueness compared
with the measured horizon- tal on that of the hip bone
(coxal) is about 30’. Its length is equal to 3/10 of the
height at the withers. The hip bones are prominent to
the extent of reaching the top lumbar line.
CHEST
Broad and wide with well developed chest muscles. Its
width is in direct relation with ihat of the ribcage and
reaches the 40-45%
of the height at the withers. The tip of the sternum is
situated at the level of the scarpular-humeral joint.
TAIL
Broad and thick at its root; strong, tapering
slightly towards the tip. In length it reaches the
articulation of the hock, but usually is docked at about
2/3 of its length. At rest is carried pmging and curved
in sabre fashion, in action lifted horizontally or
slightly higher than the top line.
LIMBS
F(3REQUARTERS
On the
whole, the forequarters, from the ground to the point of
the elbow, seen in profile and from the front, are
vertical with a strong bone structure in proportion with
the size of the dog.
SHOULDERS
Their length measures about 3/10 of the height at the
withers with an oblique- ness of 50’-60’ on the
horizontal. The muscles are well developed, long and
well defined. The angle of the scapulo-humeral
articulation is of 105’-115’.
ARM
Measures about
30%
of the height at the withers. Its obliqueness is of
55’-60’ furnished with significant musculature.
ELBOWS
Covered with abundant loose skin, they are not too close
to the body.
FOREARMS
Its length is almost the same as that of the arm. Placed
in perfect vertical posi- tion, of a strong bone
structure, with lean and well developed muscles.
PASTERN JOINT
broad, lean and without nodosity, continues the
vertical line of the forearm.
PASTERN
flat continues the vertical line of the forearm. Its
inclination on the horizontal to- wards the front is of
about 70’ to 75’. Its length is equal to about 1/6 of
the length of the limb from the ground up to the elbow.
FOREFEET
Of round shape, large, toes well arched and
well-knit. The pads are lean, hard and we11 pigmented.
The nails are strong, curved and of a dark colour.
HINDQUARTERS
On the whole they must be powerful and sturdy, in
proportion with the size of the dog and capable of the
required propulsion in movement.
UPPER-THIGH
In length measuring 1/3 of the height at the withers
and its obliqueness on the horizontal is about 60’. It
is broad with thick, prominent but clearly distinct
muscles. The thigh bone and the hip bone (femur and
coxa) form an angle of 90’.
LOWER THIGH
length slightly inferior to that of the thigh and of an
obliqueness of 50’-55’, with strong bone structure and
well visible mosculature.
STIFLE
The femoral-tibial (hip bone-shin bone) angle is
about 110’-115’.
HOCK JOINT
Very long in relation to the length of the leg, its
length is about 2,5/10 of the ”eight at the withers. The
tibial-tarsal articulation forms an angle of 140’-145’.
HOCK
Strong and lean, its shape almost cylindrical,
perfectly straight and parallel, its length is about 1/4
of the height at the withers; eventual dewclaws should
be removed.
HINDFEER
Smaller than the forefeet, round with well-knit
toes. Pads dry, hard and pigment- ed. Nails strong,
curved and of dark colour.
GAIT/MOUEMENT
This constitutes a typical characteristic of the
breed. At the walk, the gait of feline type of lion
steps, is slow and resembles that of a bear. The trot is
distinguished by a strong thrust of the hindquarters and
a good extension of the forequarters. The dog rarely
gal- lops; usual gaits: walk and trot – Pacing is
tolerated.
SKIN
Thick, abundant and loose all over the body,
particulazly on the head where it forms nu- merous folds
and wrinkles, and at the lower part of the necl- where
it forms a double dewlap.
COAT
TYPE
OF COAT
Short
rough and hald dense, of the same length all over,
uniform1y smooth, fine and measures 1,5 cm maximum. Must
not show any trace oE fringing.
COLOUR OF COAT
Preferred colours are: grey, leaden grey and black,
but also brown, fawn and deep fawn (red deer), with,
sometimes, little white patches on the chest and on the
tip of the toes. All these coats may be brindled; hazel,
dove-grey and Isabella shades are tolerated.
SIZE AND WEIGHT
Height at withers: males 65-75 cm. Females 60-68 cm.
Some tolerance of 2 cm. More or 1ess is allowed.
WEIGHT
Males 60 – 70 kg. Females 50 – 60 kg.
FAULTS
Any departure from the foregoing points constitutes
a fault which must be penalized in proportion to its
degree.
SERIOUS FAULTS
Pronounced undershot mouth; gay tail (trumpet tail),
sizes bigger or smaller than the limits allowed.
DISQUALIFYING FAULTS
Overshot mouth; accentuated convergence or
divergence of the facial-czanial axes; topline of muzzle
concave or convex or very aquiline (Roman nose); total
depigmentation of nose; wall eye; total depigrnentation
of both rims of eyelids; cross eyed; ab- sence of
wrinkles, folds and dewlap; absence of tail whether
congenital or artificial; ex.tensive white patches;
white markings on the head.
NOTE
Males should have two apparently normal testicles fully
descended into the scrotum. |
