Talking With ...

"When I presented myself as a young recruit in military uniform to a Mastino breeder near the barracks where I was stationed, like a novice dog person I asked all kinds of banal questions: How much does the dog weigh, is he good, is he bad, how much does he eat and what does he eat ... ? At this final question, the unlucky man frowned and responded in a thick Neapolitan dialect: 'A pizza!' To my surprise and perplexity, he showed me a bag containing the pizza crusts that he had recovered from a nearby pizzeria. That is how in those years the Mastini Napoletani that went on to be the breed's founders were reared: Pizza at best, and the truly fortunate, chicken wings. . ..."

 
Guido Vandoni has been an international FCI judge since 1975, but his heart lies with the breed he raised for many years, the Neapolitan Mastiff. In this wide-ranging interview, he discusses ideal Mastino temperament, problems of hypertype, and his favorite memories of the breed, including this one.

Uneasy Evolution

"My first experiences as a dog fancier were in breeding Neapolitan Mastiffs, always with the pleasure of having a dog who was also a companion and a partner. I have lived for years in an isolated house in the country, and never been visited by thieves for as long as I have had Mastini. My best memories are the walks in the mountains with two or three Mastini pulling me up the steepest climbs by their leashes.
 
I am linked to the Mastino with a story that is part of my life. I look back nostalgically to the past and feel a surge of anger when, in a ring somewhere in the world, I see our Neapolitan Mastiff unable to do two laps around the ring without collapsing.
 
Sometimes I have the pleasure of seeing a dog that is simply a good, typey synthesis without exaggeration, combined with proper construction, and muscle tone and solidity of joints that is expressed in movement that is harmonic and typical.
 
I think this is the goal today. ... "

Mythical Mario

"Greek-born Dennis Dafnis, a neurologist who now lives in Fremont, Ind., first met Mario Querci as a college student in Florence in the early 1970s. Smitten by puppies he had seen around town that looked for all the world like miniature panthers, he soon learned that a breeder by the name of Querci was responsible for producing them. He enlisted his girlfriend to call every Querci in the phone book, and on the third call ... success.
 
'That day that we went to his house, I saw the three or four dogs there, and the puppies, and was very impressed,' remembers Dafnis, who also noted the hundreds of trophies and ribbons. 'No, those are not all,' Querci responded to his question about whether the trophies were all his. 'Those are the biggest ones.'"

In Neapolitan Mastiff circles, the name "Mario Querci" needs no introduction. The late Tuscan breeder, whose di Ponzano bloodlines are at the basis of most modern pedigrees, is revered for his artfulness -- both in breeding and presenting this unique breed. His peers in Italy, including Giuseppe Alessandra, Antonio Di Lorenzo, Nicola Imbimbo, Guido Vandoni and Michele Palazzo, share memories and opinions about the man whose influence is still felt today.

Veterinarian and Neo breeder Robin Waldvogel White, DVM, explores a major health concern of nearly every Molosser breed: Dilated Cardiomyopathy.

Molosser Musings

"The life of a Molosser judge in the 1970s and '80s was so much easier. Breeds like the Bullmastiff and Mastiff were well established, in the U.K. and U.S. at least, and the Dogue de Bordeaux and Neapolitan Mastiff were ready to take on the world. The best dogs were very typey specimens of their breed. No hypertype, no health issues as a result, no criticism from outside nor inside the dog game. Changes to standards because of this? Unheard of.
 
Two, three decades ago, the world of these four Molosser breeds was a more 'well-organized' one. To better understand the nuances of why, it's probably the best if I focus on one breed characteristic only: wrinkles. In all four breeds, wrinkling is an important to extremely important part of type, depending on the breed. There are vital differences between the four when talking about wrinkles, and those differences highlight what is true-to-type in each. If you really want to understand a given breed, you have to study its close relations as well, certainly when as much interbreeding has taken place as in these four."

In this new column, Molosser specialist Bas Bosch of Belgium explores wrinkles in the Bullmastiff, Dogue de Bordeaux, English Mastiff and Neapolitan Mastiff. Settle in for a good read -- Bas' commentary is always bound to get you thinking.

Mastino and

Modern Dance

"'What are you doing?'
 
'This is not you!'
 
'Huh?'
 
These were some of the comments from friends in the world of dog shows, the fancy and AKC judging when they learned of my interest in, study of and involvement with Neapolitan Mastiffs.
 
Coming from my original breeds of Afghan Hounds, Salukis and Irish Wolfhounds, with a Borzoi and Greyhound co-ownership and exhibiting experience, and judging Hounds and Sporting breeds but not judging or owning any specific Working breeds, it did seem like quite a stretch. Given my careers in dance, theater, art and movement analysis, it seemed, well, far-fetched and out of character. I was assailed with 'But they are so ugly!' 'They can barely move,' 'They slobber,' 'They are scary' and 'Aren't you afraid to get near them?'
 
Over the years, as Neapolitan Mastiffs began to be seen and shown more often, these types of comments by judges are still out there. So perhaps I can bring a different perspective on how to view this truly unique breed. They can be much more fully appreciated ... much more!"

Tails, You Lose

"In many Molosser breeds, docking and cropping play an important role in helping set type -- or at the very least, in not letting it drift into the province of uncropped cousins. But in much of Europe -- with the exception of most of Eastern Europe, where pretty much anything still goes -- the drumbeat against docking and cropping has intensified. Legislation has banned the practices, except for some concessions made for registered hunting dogs. Standards have had to be rewritten, and some breed re-imagined -- or parts of them, at least.

For breeders in the United States, where cropping and docking are freely practiced -- for now, at any rate -- debate about the procedures is just that: Debate. Still, in those breeds whose fanciers interact regularly with a country of origin where docking and cropping have been outlawed, the changing culture is slowly seeping across the Atlantic."

 
"Dock" and "crop" are turning into dirty words overseas. We talk to breeds of Rottweilers, Neapolitan Mastiffs and Cane Corsos about the ramifications of ceasing to snip.

Not to Be Bested

"The American Kennel Club recognized the Bullmastiff in 1933. But it took more than 40 years before the breed garnered its first Best in Show. And over the ensuing 36 years, there have only been 51 more Best in Show Bullmastiffs - a comparatively low number compared to other Working breeds such as the Doberman Pinscher and Boxer.
 
What makes the Bullmastiff a less popular choice in the Best in Show ring? Not a "sexy" breed, the Bullmastiff might be less understood and not as flashy as the other dogs in the final lineup. Many lack the showy attitude of the other Working breeds, and because they're not from a prominent breed, their correct type might be less commonly understood, which in turn can shake a judge's confidence in awarding the prestigious honor. Many Best in Show Bullmastiffs have been owner-handled, and campaigned and advertised more sparsely, which also contributes to them being unjustly overlooked. ..."

Earning a Best in Show is a crowning achievement for a Bullmastiff in the U.S., because the Working group presents a gauntlet of showy competitors. Breeder-judge Helene Nietsch of Banstock Bullmastiffs presents a visual gallery and historical commentary on some of the Bullmastiffs that have earned this AKC honor.

Meet the Dogo

"As a youngster living in Argentina when the Dogo first made his debut, I was mesmerized by the legendary white 'King of the Pampas.' A few years later, in 1950, thanks to the efforts of my grandfather, I received my first specimen directly from the creator of the breed.
 
How fortunate I was to have one of these fine dogs! In those days, they were not for sale. They were what you might consider on loan. Dr. Nores Martinez could come and collect his Dogos at his pleasure, depending on his needs for breeding or hunting. Only after my devotion was proven and many personal interactions with the Nores Martinez family, the Dogos in my tenancy were transferred into my name. 
 
Ever since, hours of my time have been spent learning the conformation, form and function of the Dogo Argentino. These dogs have their own way of teaching you their intimacies.. ..."

 
Argentina's national breed, the Dogo Argentino, is arguably one of the most elegant of the Molossers, with its striking white silhouette and impressive headpiece. Breeder-judge Massimo Inzoli of Sicily walks us through the breed's evolution, as well as the hotly debated changes to its standard. And we get an exclusive look at the breed's introduction into the United States by Raul Zeballos, above.

The Mastiff in America

"With the mastiff, as with all dogs, the disposition is largely the result of his training. Environment influences the character of the puppy as well as of the child. The man who relegates his mastiff to the confinement of a stable and the exclusive attention of the man-of-all-work will probably succeed in rearing a dog that will be anything but desirable in disposition or habits. There is no dog more fitted for human association than the mastiff, and there is no dog which goes wrong so quickly for the want of it."

Heads Up!

"From time immemorial there has existed a lighter type of Molosser in the Mediterranean area, with diverse names and breeding criteria, depending on location. Other than the Cane Corso, which was typical of the southern areas of Italy, such as Lucania and Salento, in Sicily there was, for example, the Brachiero, as well as the Vucciriscu, the butcher's dog of Palermo who took his name from the Vucciria, the historical open market of the city's neighborhoods. The Majorca Mastiff (Ca de Bou), the Spanish Alano and the Presa Canario also resulted from a functional selection in past centuries for a lighter molosser, tied to a geographic area from which oftentimes its name was derived. All these evolved, however, from a common root, dating back to the Roman Empire and even before the Phoenicians.

One characteristic that always marked the Cane Corso was its versatility, highly valued in antiquity up until today. Assigned to use in war and in the Roman arenas, the Cane Corso was also employed with excellent results in hunting dangerous game such as wild boar. The dog immobilizes the wild creature, which is then finished off with a knife to the heart by the hunter. Another use was as a butcher's dog, both to defend the herds and to manage and stop the bull by grabbing him by his muzzle to block and hold him."

 
Specialist judge Massimo Inzoli gives a comprehensive overview of the Cane Corso, including a detailed discussion of skull and muzzle planes in this breed, where head type is a premium.

Mastiff Roundtable

""Currently, the Mastiff's greatest weakness would be the decline of correct head type. Our standard describes the head as being massive in appearance when viewed from any angle, breadth greatly desired. I don't believe breeders or judges use our standard effectively to 'see' a  correct head type when they picture our breed. If you have ever seen that big, massive, square magnificent head with that noble expression that our standard describes, you could never be satisfied breeding anything less."

 
An assortment of Mastiff breeders from around the world -- including Donna Bahlman of Old School Mastiffs, above -- share their opinions on where the breed is today, and where it is going.

"Move over, Popeye ... When Modern Molosser sent out a call for our "Got Ink?" contest, we were inundated with a dazzling array of body art. Dogue de Bordeaux and Mastiff tattoos seemed to predominate, but no matter the breed, what shone through in all was a deep-seated love for these big, beautiful, boundless dogs."

10 Things to Know in Judging the DDB

"#4. In profile, the bridge of the nose is very slightly concave, and the line from the nose to the mouth outwardly curved. A straight bridge as well as an upturned nose is not ideal.
 
From the front, the upper lip resembles an upside down V, which should not be too acute or too curved like a U. The former would look like a Neapolitan, the latter like a Bulldog."

 
French judge Anne-Marie Class lists 10 things judges should watch for in this complexly constructed breed.

Typing Away

"Tibetan Mastiff breeders all over the world have much in common: We all want to enhance the breed in the direction of stronger bone, bigger size, better coat and more impressive heads.
 
Such a progression is normal development for every Molosser breed, but it can also bring danger. In our search for those qualities, we may sacrifice breed characteristics that are so vital in the Tibetan Mastiff. Many of our goals focus on the dog's appearance, but they can be a cause of concern when they begin to affect movement and health as a consequence.
 
During the last decade of attending shows throughout Europe, I have seen a massive change in direction in the breed. Specific breed types being exhibited, all having certain characteristics: China, Taiwan, Europe and America have all developed certain 'flavors' of Tibetan Mastiffs. There is such diversity in breed type, construction, conformation and color -- worrisome, as we are all supposed to be breeding and exhibiting the same breed."

 
Polish breeder-judge Marta Kowalska discusses the stylistic schisms that she says threaten to render the breed in two -- or three or four.

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