Hindquarters

OVERVIEW THE ESSENCE OF THE MASTINO STANDARD JUDGING MORE INFO HISTORY

THE STANDARD: Hindquarters

The Standard Says:

Hindquarters: As a whole, they must be powerful and strong, in harmony with the forequarters. Thighs: About the same length as the forearms, broad, muscular. Stifles: Moderate angle, strong. Legs: Heavy and thick boned, well-muscled. Slightly shorter than the thigh bones. Hocks: Powerful and long. Rear pasterns (metatarsus): Heavy, thick bones. Viewed from the side, they are perpendicular to the ground. Viewed from the rear, parallel to each other. Rear dewclaws: Any dewclaws must be removed. Hind feet: Same as the front feet, but slightly smaller.

Commentary

Like the Forequarters, the standard description of the Hindquarters is fairly similar to many other working dogs, one might say even mundane. And again, to summarize, we want moderate angulation, we want nice straight bones, we want parallel metatarsals. We want the right proportions of leg: thigh, leg,

It is more important that the forequarters and hindquarters be in balance, be harmonious with each other and with the overall dog than that the angulation be perfect.

We want powerful rears, strong muscular rears. We want bone, muscle, skin. above all...everything must exemplify strength and power.

Some of the biggest, heaviest dogs seem to be pretty straight in the stifle. As long as the dog is sound, and the Wrinkle, Head, and Mass are excellent, we can overlook straight stifles.

Sometimes, although not as often, you will see over-angled dogs. It isn't common, because if the dog is big and heavy and muscular, an overangled rear simply can't propel it properly. We do have problems with cow-hocked dogs, not as bad these days as it used to be. And as with so many other aspects of the dog...we want parallel metatarsels, but more importantly, we want strong, heavy bones. As long as that dog can do its job, a little cow-hockiness isn't too big a deal. Of course, reward the heaviest, wrinkliest, most masisve dog with the best construction, but never never never pick a dog because it has the straightest hocks unless it is also the one with the best WHam!

And just one note about the hocks. Our standard actually says "Hocks: powerful and long." Most "normal" breeds want a short metatarsal bone. (actually, nearly exactly 30% of the standards say "hocks well-let down", nearly exactly 30% say "short hock", and the other 30% or so don't reference it at all...we counted!). So why do we want this "long hock?" Well, the actual reason is probably that the short metatarsal supports a need for endurance. And most 'normal" breeds should be able to run or trot for hours on end. A longer metatarsal supports the need for quick speed but not endurance. And this breed must be constructed so that these hind legs can propel this giantly heavy monstrous beast UP from a lying down position, into a running and active operation. The dog has to be able to run long enough to do its job (repell the intruder) and then return to its "spot" to lie in wait for the next opportunity to work. So a "long hock" makes sense for this breed!

Typically dewclaws in the rear are removed. What do you do if they are not? Well, it doesn't do much to change the look or function of the dog, so we typically don't worry about that.

Being as this is a "head" breed, breeders are only beginning to focus on the "whole dog" and on correct bodies and proportions.

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