NZKC - Breed Standard - Pyrenean Mastiff

Pyrenean Mastiff
Utility

Group:	Utility
Size:	extra large
Lifespan:	10-12 years
Exercise:	medium
Grooming:	medium
Trainability:	medium
Watchdog ability:	very high
Protection ability:	high
Area of Origin:	Spain
Date of Origin:	Middle Ages
Other Names:	Mâtin d’Aragon, Mâtin de Navarre
Original Function:	sheep guardian

History
The Pyrenean Mastiff (PM) was developed on the southern slopes of the Pyrenees Mountains in Spain. It is not to be confused with a closely related French breed, the Great Pyrenees. Some experts believe the Pyrenean Mastiff is the product of a cross between the Great Pyrenees and the Spanish Mastiff. Over the centuries, they guarded flocks during the Transhumante, the formal mass migration of the flocks up and down the mountainside with the change of the seasons. The breed was recognized in the late nineteenth century.

Temperament
This breed is affectionate and calm, and has a noble bearing. He is also courageous and can be formidable with strangers, never backing down if property, owner, or animals under his charge are threatened. The Pyrenean Mastiff has a deep, loud bark.. The Pyrenean Mastiff is a dog that is happy to please his owner and enjoys his owners company. The PM is a breed that is playful and not difficult to train and firm training should start early due to their eventual large size

Upkeep
This breed is well-suited to family life, but because of its size should have plenty of room and exercise to stay in shape. A moderate walk will usually suffice. In comparison to the Great Pyrenees they will not consume food sparingly so care must be taken that they do not get too heavy as this can be hard on their joints! In the warmer weather ensure that the PM has shade and plenty of water. This breed can live outdoors in temperate to cold weather, although it enjoys being with its family indoors. Its coat needs brushing once or twice weekly, daily when shedding and regular grooming in between. A well fenced property is a requirement and an awareness of barking as a dog bred to guard must also be noted.
Official Breed Standard

Effective in New Zealand from 1st January 2005 Country of Origin: Spain

UTILISATION:
Guard and defence. Previously, the Pyrenean Mastiff was used for defence against beasts of prey, in particular against wolf and bear. Nowadays he is an excellent guard for country estates and their owners as he is easily trained.

GENERAL APPEARANCE:
That of a very large dog, above average size and of medium proportions. Harmonious, emphatically strong and muscular. Firm bone structure. Coat not exaggerated in length. In spite of his size, he must not give the impression of being heavy or sluggish.
Important Proportions: Within medium proportions.

Well balanced and harmonious. The length of the body measures barely more than the height at withers.
Length of skull in relation to bridge of nose =5:4.
Breadth of skull: Equal to or slightly larger than the length.
Relationship of height at withers to girth of chest is approximately 7:10.

TEMPERAMENT:
Friendly towards humans, calm, noble, and very intelligent, at the same time courageous and proud towards strangers from whom he never backs away. In his behaviour towards other dogs, he is good natured and aware of his superior strength. Occasionally, he will fight with great skill, an atavistic quality which goes back to hundreds of years of fighting wolves. His dark bark comes from deep within his chest. His expression is alert.

HEAD:
Large, strong, moderately long. Length of skull is 5: 4 in proportion to bridge of nose. Longitudinal axis of skull and muzzle are very slightly diverging to almost parallel. Seen from above, the skull and muzzle must be long and even in shape without marked difference between the width at set-on of muzzle and width at temple. Seen from the side, the head must be deep and not bulging.

Skull:
Broad, strong, slightly convex in profile. Width of skull equal to or slightly broader than length. Occipital bone pronounced.

Stop:
Gentle, barely emphasized, but still visible.

Nose Leather:
Black, moist, large and broad.

Muzzle:
Seen from the side, the bridge of the nose must be straight. Seen from above, the muzzle is slightly triangular, tapering very gradually from its set on to the nose leather, without, however, getting pointed.

Lips:
The upper lip should cover the lower without any hint of slackness. The lower lip forms a marked labial corner. Mucous membranes should be black.

EYES:
Small, almond shaped, hazel coloured. Dark eyes preferred. Expression is alert, noble, sympathetic and intelligent, but can be extraordinarily stern towards an opponent. Eye lids: black pigmented. When the dog is alert, lids fitting close to eyeball are preferred. In repose, a slight slackness of the lower lid, which shows a small stripe of conjunctiva, is typical of the breed.

Hindquarters:
The hindquarters are broad, powerful and muscular, with well developed thighs, stifles moderately turned. Hocks are strong, moderately let down with sufficient bend. When viewed from behind the hind legs from hock to feet are straight and placed neither close nor too wide apart.

EARS:
Medium size, triangular, hanging flat. Set on above the line of the eyes. In repose, hanging close to the cheeks. When the dog is alert, clearly standing away from the cheeks. One third of the upper and rear part should be slightly pricked.

MOUTH:
Scissor bite. Teeth white, strong and healthy. Canines, large, long, pointed and well adapted to each other, so as to be able to catch any prey. Molars, large and strong. Incisors, rather small. All premolars should be present. Gums black with pronounced transverse membraneous ridges.

NECK:
Should be the shape of a blunt cone, broad, strong, muscular and flexible. Skin thick and slightly loose. Distinct double dewlap, well formed, yet not exaggerated.

FOREQUARTERS:
Seen from the front, absolutely vertical, straight and parallel. Muscles and sinews clearly visible. Length of forearm three times the length of the pastern. Good strength of bone, strong pastern.

Shoulders:
Well muscled, Shoulder blade sloping, longer than the forearm. Angle of the shoulder blade to the upper arm approximately 100 degrees.

Upper arm:
Very Strong

Elbows:
Very bony, close fitting to the ribcage. Angle of upper arm to forearm approximately 125 degrees.

Forearm:
Bone sturdy, straight and strong.

Pastern:
Seen from the side, slightly sloping, practically in continuation of the forearm.

BODY:
Rectangular, powerful and robust, giving the impression of great strength, yet supple and agile.

Upperline[Topline]
Straight, horizontal standing and moving.

Withers:
Well pronounced.

Back:
Strong and muscular.

Loins:
Long, broad and strong, gradually getting narrower towards the flanks.

Croup:
Wide and strong. Compared to the horizontal its inclination is 45 degrees. Height at rump is equal to height at withers.

Chest:
Broad, deep, muscular and powerful. Point of the sternum protruding. Ribs spaced widely apart with rounded ribcage, not flat. Proportion of height at withers to girth of chest: approximately 7:10.

Belly and flanks:
Belly moderately tucked up. Groin deep, flanks very broad.

HINDQUARTERS:
Powerful and muscular. Adequate angulations, seen from the side. Seen from the rear and side, limbs are vertical. Hocks straight and vertical. Hindquarters must have the ability to provide forceful drive with ease and elegance.

Upper thigh:
Strong and muscular. Hip joint angle approximately 100 degrees.

Stifle:
Angulation from upper to lower thigh approximately 120 degrees.

Lower thigh:
Long, well muscled and good strength of bone.

Hock:
Angle open, approximately 130 degrees.

Hind pastern:
Well defined with clearly visible Achilles tendon. Dewclaws, either single or double, are either present or missing. Their removal is permitted. In dogs of equal quality, double dewclaws are preferred.

FEET:

Front feet:
Cat feet. Toes tight with strong, well-arched toe bones. Nails and pads strong and robust. Skin between toes moderately developed, hairy.

Hind feet:
Cat feet of light oval shape, slightly longer than the forefeet.

TAIL:
Set on medium high. Thick at root, strong and flexible. The coat on tail is definitely long, soft and forms a beautiful plume. In repose it hangs low and reaches easily to the hocks. The last third is always slightly curved. In movement and when the dog is alert, it is carried in sabre form with a definite hook at the tip but without the entire length being bent or resting over the back.

GAIT / MOVEMENT:
Preferred movement is the trot, which should be harmonious, strong and elegant. No tendency for legs to swing outward. No pacing.

SKIN:
Elastic, thick, pink in colour, with dark pigmented patches. All mucous membranes should be black.

COAT:
Dense, thick and of moderate length. The ideal medium length, measured on middle section of the topline, should be 6 to 9 cm. The coat is longer on the shoulders, neck, under belly, at the back of the legs as well as on the tail. On the plume, the texture is not as bristly as elsewhere on the body. The coat should be bristly, not woolly in texture.

COLOUR:
Basically white and always with a well-defined mask; marks [patches] similar in colour to that of the mask, spread over the body, with irregular but well defined shape. Ears always marked. Totally white or tricoloured animals are undesirables. The most appreciated colours are: snow white with medium grey marks, deep gold yellow, dusk, black, silver grey, light tan, sand or brindle. Red for the marks or yellowish white for the whole bottom are not desired.

Size:
There is no upper height limit. When quality is equal, the bigger dog is always preferred. Lower limit Dogs: 77 cms. Bitches 72 cms. It is however, desirable that all dogs should exceed the lower limit considerably. Dogs should be above 81 cm, bitches 75 cm.

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 the exact proportion to its degree.

Slight faults:

Bridge of nose slightly arched when seen from the side.
Pincer bite. Any missing premolar.
Topline not straight. Wavy, rolling movement at walking pace but not in an exaggerated way.
Coat slightly wavy; coat in the middle section of the topline a little longer than 9 cm.
Very slight shyness.

Serious faults:

Generally weedy or sluggish.
Muzzle too pointed or too blunt.
Slightly overshot mouth.
Absence of several premolars and canines if loss is not caused by an accident.
Slight faults in the occlusion of the incisors.
Saddleback [Swayback].
Height much greater at the croup than at the withers.
Tail carried lying over the croup; lack of plume; lack of hook on the end of the tail, docked tail.
Extremities [Legs] not vertical.
General weakness in pastern, rear pasterns and feet.
Cowhocked, either standing or moving.
Legs swinging out sideways in movement.
Coat very wavy or curly; coat in middle section of the topline slightly shorter than 6 cm and longer than 11 cm.
Lack of patches on ears.
Generally unbalanced temperament.

Very Serious faults

Lack of pigment in nose leather or mucous membranes.
Split nose.
Very marked overshot mouth, undershot mouth.
Coat in middle section of the topline only 4 cm or shorter or longer than 13 cm.
Absence of white colour; absence of white on the tip of the tail and on the lower part of the legs.
Solid white coat colour; lack of mask.
Patches not clearly defined and with little contrast to basic colour which points to a cross with another breed.
Too shy, timorous or aggressive dog.

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