Mastiff

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The Old English Mastiff is a massive dog. The Mastiff has a large, heavy square head with a well marked stop between the eyes.

The muzzle should be half the length of the skull. The medium-sized brown to dark hazel eyes are set wide apart with a black mask around them. The nose is dark in color.

The small ears are V-shaped and in proportion with the skull and are dark in color. The teeth should meet in a scissors bite but a slightly undershot bite is also acceptable in the show ring providing the teeth do not show when the mouth is closed. The tail is high-set with a wide base, tapering to a point reaching the hocks. Coat colors include golden fawn, light fawn, apricot, silver, tiger or brindle.

Temperament: Affectionate, Courageous, Dignified, Protective, Good-natured, Calm

Health Problems: Beware of hip dysplasia. As these dogs are prone to bloat, feed two or three small meals a day, instead of one large one. Also prone to CHD, gastric torsion, ectropion, PPM, vaginal hyperplasia, elbow dysplasia and PRA. Occasionally seen is cardiomyopathy.