Head

OVERVIEW THE ESSENCE OF THE MASTINO STANDARD JUDGING MORE INFO HISTORY

THE STANDARD: The Head

The Standard Says:

Large in comparison to the body. Differentiated from that of other mastiff breeds by more extensive wrinkling and pendulous lips which blend into an ample dewlap. Topline of cranium and the muzzle must be parallel. The face is made up of heavy wrinkles and folds. Required folds are those extending from the outside margin of the eyelids to the dewlap and from under the lower lids to the outer edges of the lips.

Severe Faults: Topline of the cranium and muzzle not parallel.

Disqualifications: Absence of wrinkles and folds

Commentary

The discussion of the head takes up over 1/3 of the standard. Seven of the nine Serious Faults relate to the head. Is this a "head" breed? Yup!

The head is critical to the generation of the emotional impact that this breed must create in the on-looker. Not only is it large, it is covered with wrinkles and folds, which flow into an impressive dewlap. The eyes are deep-set, almost hidden beneath the folds. The total look must be harmonious, awesome, incredible.

The topline of the cranium and muzzle must be parallel. Not converging, like a bulldog or bull-mastiff. Not diverging like a hound.

The whole head should be covered with folds and wrinkles. The skin is loose on the head and body, not tight and rigid, like the folds of a bulldog. At the same time, the skin must be heavy and thick, not thin. It moves about easily, but must not look like water moving over the dog. Some dogs have distinctly more wrinkles than others, and in general we want wrinkles. It is not a case of "the more the better" and we don't count how many wrinkles appear on a dog. It is more a "look." The dog must look correct. It must look as if the wrinkles and folds are an integral part of the dog, not something placed on the dog.


This is a pretty nice head...lots of skin, lots of wrinkle, good dewlap. You can see that the eyes are deep-set, and the wrinkles and folds are very pretty.	Another very nice head...not as extreme in numbers of wrinkles on the face, but good lips, good wrinkles on the brow and good folds. Good expression.	And another example of another nice head.

At a minimum, all Neapolitan Mastiffs must have a significant fold made up of two wrinkles running from the eyes down to join the lip. One wrinkle runs from the outer-edge of the eye, one from the inner-edge of the eye. The fold is deep, and almost looks as if it were cut into a piece of clay by a knife.

NOTE DISQUALIFICATION FOR LACK OF WRINKLE AND FOLDS

It is so important to us that the breed have appropriate wrinkles that a dog without wrinkle is not a proper mastino. A dog without wrinkle should not be in the ring.

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