English Mastweiler

The Mastiff is among the most massive and powerful of all dog breeds, combining enormous size with a symmetrical, well-proportioned build that conveys dignity and grandeur. Males stand at least 30 inches at the shoulder and commonly weigh between 160 to 230 pounds, with some exceptional individuals exceeding these impressive figures. Females are slightly smaller, standing minimum 27.5 inches and weighing 120 to 170 pounds. The body is rectangular, slightly longer than tall, with great depth and breadth, particularly in the heavily muscled forequarters. Despite their imposing mass, well-bred Mastiffs appear balanced rather than ungainly or disproportionate. The head is the breed's most distinctive feature, being massive and broad with a pronounced stop between the skull and muzzle. Heavy wrinkles form across the forehead and around the eyes when alert, and the brows are moderately raised. The muzzle is short and broad, approximately half the length of the skull, with large nostrils and heavy flews that overlap the lower jaw. The expression is alert yet kindly, with dark brown, medium-sized eyes set wide apart. Small, thin ears are dark in color, set high and wide on the skull, and lie flat against the cheeks when relaxed. The coat is outer smooth, straight, and coarse, with a shorter, denser undercoat. Acceptable colors include apricot-fawn, silver-fawn, fawn, and dark fawn-brindle. All Mastiffs must display a dark mask encompassing the muzzle, ears, nose, and eye orbits, with darker coloration strongly preferred. The neck is powerful, slightly arched, and blends into muscular, sloping shoulders. The chest is wide, deep, and well-rounded, extending well past the elbows. The back is straight and level, supported by powerful hindquarters. The tail is set on moderately high, wide at the root, and tapers to the hocks, carried straight or in a slight curve but never carried over the back.

The Rottweiler is a medium-large, robust working breed descended from the mastiffs of ancient Roman legions. Males stand 24 to 27 inches at the shoulder and weigh 95 to 135 pounds, while females measure 22 to 25 inches and weigh 80 to 100 pounds, with the preferred size being mid-range for each sex. The body is compact and powerful, slightly longer than tall, with the desirable proportion of height to length being 9 to 10. The chest is broad and deep, reaching approximately fifty percent of the dog's height, with well-sprung ribs. Bone and muscle mass are substantial, creating a compact and very powerful appearance that conveys strength, endurance, and agility. The head is of medium length with a broad skull that is moderately arched when viewed in profile. The stop is well-defined, and the muzzle is broad at the base, neither too long nor too short in relation to the skull. Dark brown, almond-shaped eyes are moderately deep-set and convey an alert, confident expression. Medium-sized pendant ears are triangular, set wide apart and high on the head, lying flat against the cheeks when relaxed. When alert, the ears come level with the top of the skull, appearing to broaden it. The powerful jaws support large teeth that meet in a scissors bite. The coat consists of a medium-length outer coat that is straight, coarse, dense, and flat-lying, with an undercoat present on the neck and thighs. The Rottweiler is always shown naturally without trimming. The color is always black with clearly defined rust to mahogany markings in specific locations: spots over each eye, on the cheeks, a strip around each side of the muzzle, on the throat, triangular marks on the chest, on the forelegs from carpus to toes, on the inside of rear legs from hock to toes, and under the tail. The tail is set as a natural extension of the topline, carried slightly above horizontal when the dog is alert or moving.