FCI BULLMASTIFF STANDARD

GENERAL APPEARANCE :Powerful built, symmetrical, showing great strength, but not cumbersome, sound and active.

CHARACTERISTICS : Powerful, enduring, active and reliable.

TEMPERAMENT : High spirited, alert and faithful.

HEAD AND SCULL : Skull large and square, viewed from every angle, fair wrinkle when interested, but not when in respose. Circumference of skull may equal heigh of dog measured et top of shoulder; broad and deep with well filled cheeks. Pronounced stop. Muzzle short; lenght from tip of nose to stop approximately on third of lenght from tip of nose to centre of occiput, broad under eyes and sustaining nearly same width to the end of nose; blunt and cut off square, forming right angle with upper line of face, and at same time proportionate with skull. Underjaw broad to the end. Nose broad with widely spreading nostrils; flat neither pointed nor turned up in profile. Flews not pendulous, never hanging below level of lower jaw.

EYES :   Dark or hazel, of medium size, set apart the with of muzzle with furrow betweeen. Light or yellow eyes highly undesirable.

EARS : V-shaped, folded back, set wide and high, level of occiput giving square appearance to skull which is most important. Small and deeper in color than body. Point of ear level with eye when alert. Rose ears highly undesirable.

MOUTH : Level desired but slightly undershot allowed but not preferred. Canine teeth large and set wide apart, other teeth strong, even and well placed.

NECK : Well arched, moderate length, very muscular and almost equal to skull in circumference.

FOREQUARTERS : Chest wide and deep, well let down between forelegs, with deep brisket. Shoulder muscular, sloping and powerful, not overloaded. Forelegs powerful and straight, well boned, set wide apart, presenting a straight front. Pasterns straight and strong.

BODY : Back short and straight, giving compact carriage, but mot so short as to interfere with activity. Roach and sway backs highly undesirable.

HINDQUARTERS : Loins wide and muscular with fair depht of flank. Hindlegs strong and muscular, with well developed second thights, denoting poer and activity, not combersome. Hooks moderately bent. Cow hooks highly undesirable.

FEET : Well arched, cat like, with rounded toes, pads hard. Dark toenails desirable. Splayed feet highly undesirable.

TAIL : Set high, strong at root and tapering, reaching to hooks, carried straight or curved, but not hound fashion. Crank tails highly undesirable.

GAIT/MOVEMENT : Movement indicates power and sense of purpose. When moving straight neither front nor hind leg should cross or plait, right front and left rear leg rising and falling at the same time. A firm backline unimpaired by powerful thrust from hindlegs denoting a balanced and harmonious movement.

COAT : Short and hard, weather resistant, lying flat to the body. Long, silky or woolly coats highly undesirable.

COLOR : Any shade of brindle, fawn or red; color to be pure and clear. A slight white marking on chest permissible. Other white markings undesirable. Black muzzle essential, toning off towards eyes, with dark markings around eyes contributing to expression.

SIZE : Heigh at shoulder : dogs 63,4-68,5 cm (25-27 ins) ; bitches 61-66 cm (24-26 ins). Weight : dogs 49,9-59 kg (110-130 lbs) ; bitches 41-49,9 kg (90-110 lbs).

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 it's degree.

N.B. : Male animals should have two apparently normal testicles fully descended into the scrotum.
 

AKC-Standard:

General Appearance

That of a symmetrical animal, showing great strength, endurance, and alertness; powerfully built but active. The foundation breeding was 60% Mastiff and 40% Bulldog. The breed was developed in England by gamekeepers for protection against poachers.

Size, Proportion, Substance

Size-Dogs, 25 to 27 inches at the withers, and 110 to 130 pounds weight. Bitches, 24 to 26 inches at the withers, and 100 to 120 pounds weight. Other things being equal, the more substantial dog within these limits is favored. Proportion-The length from tip of breastbone to rear of thigh exceeds the height from withers to ground only slightly, resulting in a nearly square appearance.

Head

Expression-Keen, alert, and intelligent. Eyes-Dark and of medium size. Ears-V-shaped and carried close to the cheeks, set on wide and high, level with occiput and cheeks, giving a square appearance to the skull; darker in color than the body and medium in size. Skull-Large, with a fair amount of wrinkle when alert; broad, with cheeks well developed. Forehead flat. Stop-Moderate. Muzzle--Broad and deep; its length, in comparison with that of the entire head, approximately as 1 is to 3. Lack of foreface with nostrils set on top of muzzle is a reversion to the Bulldog and is very undesirable. A dark muzzle is preferable. Nose-Black, with nostrils large and broad. Flews-Not too pendulous. Bite-Preferably level or slightly undershot. Canine teeth large and set wide apart.

Neck, Topline, Body

Neck-Slightly arched, of moderate length, very muscular, and almost equal in circumference to the skull. Topline-Straight and level between withers and loin. Body-Compact. Chest wide and deep, with ribs well sprung and well set down between the forelegs. Back-Short, giving the impression of a well balanced dog. Loin-Wide, muscular, and slightly arched, with fair depth of flank. Tail-Set on high, strong at the root, and tapering to the hocks. It may be straight or curved, but never carried hound fashion.

Forequarters

Shoulders-muscular but not loaded, and slightly sloping. Forelegs-straight, well boned, and set well apart; elbows turned neither in nor out. Pasterns -straight, feet of medium size, with round toes well arched. Pads thick and tough, nails black.

Hindquarters

Broad and muscular, with well developed second thigh denoting power, but not cumbersome. Moderate angulation at hocks. Cowhocks and splay feet are serious faults.

Coat

Short and dense, giving good weather protection.

Color

Red, fawn, or brindle. Except for a very small white spot on the chest, white marking is considered a fault.

Gait

Free, smooth, and powerful. When viewed from the side, reach and drive indicate maximum use of the dog's moderate angulation. Back remains level and firm. Coming and going, the dog moves in a straight line. Feet tend to converge under the body, without crossing over, as speed increases. There is no twisting in or out at the joints.

Temperament

Fearless and confident yet docile. The dog combines the reliability, intelligence, and willingness to please required in a dependable family companion and protector.

Approved February 8, 1992
Effective March 31, 1992