INTRODUCTION

The Neapolitan Mastiff (Italian: Mastino Napoletano) is a large-sized molosser breed of dog originating in Italy. This breed is directly descended from the large Assyrian-Babylonian molossers, which were later spread by the Romans throughout Europe. Because of its strong historicity, the Neapolitan Mastiff represents a true ‘living monument’ of modern cynology.

THE ORIGIN OF THE NEAPOLITAN MASTIFF

The Neapolitan Mastiff of Europe is descended from the Tibetan Mastiff, the oldest exponent of the canine species. Probably the first Asian Mastiffs were brought from India to Greece by Alexander the Great, around 300 B.C. The Greeks introduced them to the Romans, who were enthusiastic about them and used them in circus fights. The word mastiff comes from the Old French mastin6, meaning large guard dog. According to English cynology, on the other hand, the mastiff was brought to Britain by the Phoenicians in 500 BC, from where it would have spread to Europe. The Neapolitan Mastiff was trained to fight against lions, bears, tigers, it was also a dog bred for war and against gladiators.

The Neapolitan Mastiff is in any case a descendant of the ancient Roman Molossus, its cradle is in the south of the Salentine peninsula. In the meantime the breeds became extinct all over Europe. In Campania the breeding continued despite the threats of time and war. The Neapolitan Mastiff has been living in Campania for at least two thousand years, although its second official appearance in dog breeding dates back to 1946 and its standard to 1949.

There are several bloodlines, among the most recognised are di ponzano, del Gheno, del Vittoriale, di Fossombrone, del Castellaccio, Dello Stradone, Dell'Illimani, di ponzo, del sole.

WHAT IS THE NEAPOLITAN MASTIFF LIKE?

GENERAL APPEARANCE: Large, heavy, massive dog with a bulky appearance. The length of the trunk exceeds the height at the withers.

IMPORTANT PROPORTIONS:

• The length of the body is 15% more than the height at the withers.
• The skull to muzzle ratio is 2 to 1.
• The length of the head is approximately 3.8 / 10 of the height at the withers.
• The neck is rather short. Circumference of the chest is broad.
  
  

HEAD: Short and massive, with the skull broad at the level of the zygomatic arches. The skin is abundant and has wrinkles and folds, the most accentuated and characteristic of which starts at the external palpebral angle and descends to the labial angle. The upper longitudinal axes of the skull and muzzle are parallel.

CRANIAL REGION:

SKULL: The skull is broad and flat, particularly between the ears, seen from the front, slightly convex in front. 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 barely visible.

STOP: Well defined.

FACIAL REGION:

TRUFFLE: Set on the prolongation of the bridge of the nose, it should not protrude beyond the vertical line of the lips; it should be voluminous and the large nostrils should be well opened. The colour is according to the colour of the coat: black for black dogs, dark grey for dogs of other colours and chestnut for brown dogs.

EAR: Very broad and deep; its width is approximately equal to the length. Length should be equal to one third of the length of the head. The sides are parallel so that, when viewed from the front, the shape of the muzzle is practically square. The depth of the muzzle is approximately twice its length.

LIPS: Fleshy, thick and full. The upper lip, seen from the front, forms an inverted ‘V’ at its junction. The lower lateral profile of the muzzle is determined by the upper lips, the lower part of which is the corner of the lips, with visible mucous membranes, situated vertically from the outer corner of the eye.

JAWS / TEETH: Powerful with strong jaws and dental arches which fit perfectly together. The lower jaw should be well developed in width. White teeth well developed, regularly aligned and complete in number. Scissor bite, i.e. upper incisors overlapping the lower incisors in close contact, set on the vertical of the jaws; or pincer bite, i.e. upper incisors meeting the lower incisors edge to edge. The outer edge of the upper incisors should be in close contact with the inner edge of the lower incisors. An inverted scissor bite is tolerated.

EYES: Set well apart at the same level in front; rather round in shape, but never protruding or too deep set. The colour of the iris is generally darker than the coat colour, except in coats of dilute shades where the eye colour is lighter. The skin never folds so as to interfere with the eyes.

EARS: Small in relation to the size of the dog, triangular in shape, set above the zygomatic arch, flat and close to the cheeks. Ears are natural.

NECK: The upper profile is slightly convex. Trunk rather short and tapering, well muscled. The lower profile of the neck is well covered with loose skin forming a well separated but not exaggerated double dewlap. The dewlap starts at the level of the lower jaw and does not reach below the middle of the neck.

BODY: The length of the trunk exceeds the height at the withers by 15%.

TOPLINE: The topline of the back is straight.

CROSS: Broad, long and not too prominent.

BACK: Broad and approximately 1/3 of the height at the withers. The lumbar region muscular and well developed in width should be in harmony with the back.

LOIN: Broad, strong and muscular. The hip bones are prominent as they reach the upper lumbar line.

CHEST: Broad, with well developed pectoral muscles. The ribcage is broad, with long, well sprung ribs. The circumference of the chest is broad. The point of the sternum is level with the point of the shoulder.

TAIL: Broad and thick at the root, strong, tapering slightly towards the tip. Its length reaches to the hock joint. In repose it is carried hanging and curved in sabre shape, in action raised horizontally or only slightly above the topline.

LIMBS

FOREQUARTERS:

GENERAL APPEARANCE: The forelegs, 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 to the size of the dog.

Shoulders: Long and well laid back, the muscles are well developed, long and well defined.

ARMS: Well angulated to the shoulder blade and with significant musculature.

ELBOWS: Parallel to the median plane of the body, i.e. turning neither in nor out.

Upper arm: Length almost equal to the length of the upper arm. Set in perfect vertical position. Strong bone structure with lean, well developed muscles.

Pastern: Broad, lean and free from knots, following the vertical line of the forearm.

METACARPUS (Pastern): Continues the vertical line of the forearm. Moderate angulation and length.

HANDS: Round in shape, large, fingers well arched and well knit. The pads are hard and well pigmented. The nails are strong, curved and dark in colour.

HIND LIMBS:

GENERAL APPEARANCE: They should be powerful and robust, in proportion to the size of the dog and capable of giving the required propulsion during movement.

Upper thigh: The length is 1/3 of the height at the withers and the obliquity is about 60°. Broad with thick, prominent and clearly marked muscles. The thigh bone and the hip bone (femur and coccyx) form an angle of 90°.

KNEE: The femur-tibial angle is about 110° -115°.

LEG: The length is slightly less than that of the thigh and of an obliquity of 50° -55°, with a strong bone structure and well visible muscles.

Hock: The tibio-tarsal joint forms an angle of 140° - 145°.

METATARSUS: Strong and slender, almost cylindrical in shape, perfectly straight and parallel and rather low.

FEET: Smaller than the fore feet, round with well knit toes. Pads dry, hard and pigmented. Nails strong, curved and dark in colour.

GAIT / MOVEMENT: This is a typical characteristic of the breed. The movement is of a feline type, like the steps of a lion. It is slow and also resembles that of a bear. The trot is characterised by a strong drive from the rear and a good extension of the front. The dog rarely gallops; the usual gait is the walk and trot. Ambling is tolerated.

SKIN: Thick, abundant and loose all over the body, especially on the head, where it forms numerous folds and wrinkles, and on the lower part of the neck where it forms a double dewlap. Never so abundant as to interfere with the health and well-being of the dogs.

COAT

HAIR: Short, harsh and dense, of equal length throughout. Uniform length of 1.5 cm maximum. Must not show any traces of long hair.

COLOUR: Grey, lead-grey and black are preferred, but also brown, reddish and deep reddish, sometimes with small white patches on forechest and toe-tips. All colours may be brindle. Shades of hazel, soft grey and isabella are acceptable.

SIZE AND WEIGHT:

HEIGHT AT WITHERS:

MALES: 65-75 cm.

FEMALES: 60-68 cm.

WEIGHT:

MALES: 60-70 kg.

FEMALES: 50-60 kg.

FAULTS: Any departure from the foregoing points should be considered a fault and the seriousness with which the fault should be regarded should be in exact proportion to its degree and its effect upon the health and welfare of the dog.

SERIOUS FAULTS:

• Pronounced undershot mouth.
• Tail carriage too high.
• Size greater or less than the permissible limits.
  
  

DISQUALIFYING FAULTS:

• Aggressiveness or extreme shyness.
• Any dog showing clear signs of physical or behavioural abnormalities.
• Accentuated convergence or divergence of the cranio-facial axes.
• Concave or convex top line of muzzle or very aquiline (Roman nose).
• Total depigmentation of the nose
• Upper prognathism
• Entropion / ectropion
• Gaze eyes
• Total depigmentation of both edges of the eyelids; strabismus.
• Absence of wrinkles, folds and dewlap.
• Absence of congenital or artificial tail.
• Extensive white patches; white markings on the head.
  
  

N.B.:

• Male dogs should have two apparently normal appearing testicles fully descended into the scrotum.
• Only functionally and clinically healthy dogs, with breed typical conformation, should be used for breeding.
  
  

HEALTH OF THE NEAPOLITAN MASTIFF

The Neapolitan Mastiff is a dog that suffers from a variety of health problems, so respectful and correct breeding, always in conjunction with health testing, is essential:

• EXCESS SKIN: Incorrect and hypertypical breeding produces excess skin in various areas of the body, especially on the head and face producing different problems. These animals are not correct and no good breeder, committed to the breed, breeds with this type of animals with totally incorrect characteristics.
  
  

• HIP DYSPLASIA: Hip dysplasia is a multigenic and osteoarticular disease which can be hereditary and degenerative. Therefore, there may be different factors with which to try to predict whether the disease can be developed or not. It is necessary to bear in mind that, although it may be a hereditary disease, it does not always have to develop as it is possible that the dog does not transmit it to its descendants.
  
  

• ELBOW DYSPLASIA: Canine elbow dysplasia is a condition consisting of multiple abnormalities of the elbow joint. The elbow joint is a complex joint made up of three bones (the radius, ulna and humerus). If these three bones do not fit together perfectly as a result of growth disturbances, an abnormal distribution of weight on different areas of the joint occurs, causing pain, lameness and leading to the development of arthritis. Elbow dysplasia is a disease comprising several disorders grouped into medial space disease (fragmentation of the coronoid process, osteochondrosis, elbow incongruity and elbow anomalies) and nonunion of the anconeal process. The cause of canine elbow dysplasia is unclear. There are several theories as to the exact cause of the disease, including genetics', cartilage growth defects, trauma, diet and other issues. The most common suspicion is that it is a multifactorial disease causing growth disturbances.
  
  

• ENTROPION: Entropion is a malformation that causes the eyelids to roll inwards and the eyelashes to rub against the cornea, causing irritation and redness. In severe cases, entropion can cause corneal ulcers.
  
  

• ECTROPION: If in the previous case, the eyelid rolled inwards towards the eye, in this case the opposite occurs, which is the eversion of the eyelid. It occurs more frequently in breeds such as the mastiff or the cocker.
  We can tell that a dog has ectropion because the lower eyelid is drooping and separated from the eyeball, which makes the conjunctiva and third eyelid visible to the naked eye. Normally these are animals with red or inflamed conjunctivae, and there may be more or less frequent conjunctivitis.
  If it is mild, no treatment is necessary, although it is advisable to apply physiological saline solution frequently to moisturise the eye and help cleanse the eyeball. If the eyelid eversion is severe, surgical treatment is available to solve the eyelid defect and avoid more serious problems such as keratoconjunctivitis.
  
  

• CHERRY EYE: Prolapse of the gland of the nictitating membrane (GSMN), or better known as ‘cherry eye’, appears as a consequence of a weakness in the connective tissue that holds the gland in the periorbital area, i.e. the area around the orbit.
  Clinically, this pathology is characterised by an oval, smooth, reddish-coloured mass located above the free edge of the nictitating membrane or ‘third eyelid’, which is a physiological characteristic of certain animals. It is a transparent or translucent accessory eyelid that can be closed to protect the eyeball and to moisturise beneath the main eyelids, while maintaining visibility.
  
  

• GLAUCOMA: Glaucoma in dogs, cats and other animals comprises a group of diseases that progressively and irreversibly damage the optic nerve, resulting in decreased vision.
  The optic nerve is a key structure. Through it, the images captured by the retina are transmitted to the brain (converted into nerve impulses) for interpretation and the generation of vision.
  Aqueous humour is a fluid found inside the eye. A healthy eye permanently expels some of this fluid and replaces it with new fluid as it is generated. If the outflow pathways are obstructed, the excess fluid increases intraocular pressure, which can irreversibly damage the optic nerve.
  
  

THE PERSONALITY OF THE NEAPOLITAN MASTIFF

Determined and loyal in character, it is not aggressive and does not bite without reason. As a protector of property and its inhabitants he is always vigilant. Intelligent, noble and majestic. Very strong and good-natured.

The Neapolitan Mastiff has a reputation as a good watchdog. In spite of its surly and even fierce appearance, if trained and socialised from an early age it can be a peaceful, balanced, sweet, faithful dog, very affectionate with its master, a friend of children and friends at home and very quiet. It is a very courageous animal, which knows how to resist physical pain fiercely. Due to its massive structure, its movement is heavy and clumsy, but also if properly trained and exercised it can be showy, elegant and very affectionate with children.

Breeding the Neapolitan Mastiff is laborious and difficult to achieve. His temperament, initially peaceful, can become aggressive if his owner is not able to train and socialise him responsibly and consistently. They require exercise due to their large size and are possessors of great strength. They can suffer from hip dysplasia as they are very heavy, so it is advisable to pay attention to their diet to avoid overweight (a factor that increases the risk of dysplasia), as they can easily weigh up to 100 kilos when the dog is healthy. They require spacious places such as large yards or fenced gardens. It is not advisable to keep them in flats or flats.

CONCLUSION

The Neapolitan Mastiff is a breed that impresses at first sight with its imposing presence and its deep and expressive look. Originally from Italy, this majestic guardian has been valued for centuries for its loyalty, bravery and guarding skills. With its distinctive wrinkled fur and robust build, the Neapolitan Mastiff stands out not only for its unique appearance, but also for its calm and protective character.