What does each club give for Height at the withers in the Mastiff?

AKC, Male: over 76.2 cm; UKC, Male: over 76.2 cm; CKC, Male: over 76.3 cm; AKC, Female: over 69.9 cm; UKC, Female: over 69.9 cm; CKC, Female: over 69.8 cm.

Mastiff breed standards compared

Each column is one club's published standard. An empty cell means the club says nothing on that point in our records.

Clubs compared: FCI, AKC, UKC, KC, CKC.

Size

Size
Measure	FCI	AKC	UKC	KC	CKC
Height at the withers, male	No ruling	over 76.2 cmunder 76.2 cmFault	over 76.2 cm	No ruling	over 76.3 cm
Height at the withers, female	No ruling	over 69.9 cmunder 69.9 cmFault	over 69.9 cm	No ruling	over 69.8 cm
Skull to muzzle	No ruling	2	No ruling	No ruling	2

Conformation

Conformation
Form	FCI	AKC	UKC	KC	CKC
BiteScissors bite	No ruling	Standard (“Scissors bite preferred”)	Standard (“meet in a scissors or level bite”)	No ruling	Standard (“Scissors bite preferred”)
BiteLevel bite	Standard (“Incisors level (pincer bite, edge to edge)”)	No ruling	Standard (“meet in a scissors or level bite”)	Standard (“incisors level”)	No ruling
BiteReverse scissors bite	Alternate (“lower projecting beyond upper (reversed scissor bite)”)	No ruling	No ruling	No ruling	No ruling
BiteUndershot	No ruling	Alternate (“a moderately undershot jaw should not be faulted”)	Alternate (“A moderately undershot bite is permissible”)	Alternate (“lower projecting beyond upper but never so much as to become visible”)	Alternate (“a moderately undershot jaw permissible”)
DentitionFull dentition	No ruling	No ruling	Standard (“A full complement of strong, white teeth”)	No ruling	No ruling
Ear carriageDrop (pendant)	Standard (“lying flat and close to cheeks when in repose”)	Standard (“They should lie close to the cheeks when in repose”)	Standard (“The ears lie close to the head”)	Standard (“lying flat and close to cheeks when in repose”)	Standard (“lie close to the cheeks when in repose”)
Ear setHigh	Standard (“set on at highest points of sides of skull”)	Standard (“set widely apart at the highest points on the sides of the skull”)	Standard (“set widely apart at the highest points on the side of the skull”)	Standard (“set on at highest points of sides of skull”)	Standard (“set widely apart at the highest points on the sides of the skull”)
Ear sizeSmall	Standard (“EARS: Small, thin to touch”)	Standard (“Ears small in proportion to the skull”)	Standard (“The ears are small, V-shaped”)	Standard (“Small, thin to touch, wide apart”)	Standard (“Ears: Small, V-shaped, rounded at the tips”)
Eye setWide-set	Standard (“Moderate size, wide apart”)	Standard (“Eyes set wide apart, medium in size”)	Standard (“small, and set wide apart”)	Standard (“Moderate size, wide apart”)	Standard (“Set wide apart, medium in size”)
Muzzle lengthShort	Standard (“Muzzle: Short, broad under eyes”)	Standard (“Muzzle short, broad under the eyes”)	Standard (“The muzzle is short (one-third the length of the entire head)”)	Standard (“Muzzle short, broad under eyes”)	Standard (“Muzzle: Short, broad under the eyes”)
Muzzle shapeBlunt	Standard (“truncated, i.e. blunt and cut off squarely”)	Standard (“Truncated, i.e. blunt and cut off square”)	Standard (“The end of the muzzle is blunt and square”)	Standard (“truncated, i.e. blunt and cut off squarely”)	Standard (“Truncated - i.e., blunt and cut off square”)
Muzzle shapeSquare	Standard (“blunt and cut off squarely”)	Standard (“blunt and cut off square”)	Standard (“The end of the muzzle is blunt and square”)	Standard (“blunt and cut off squarely”)	Standard (“blunt and cut off square”)
Muzzle shapeSnipy	No ruling	Fault (“Fault - snipiness of the muzzle”)	No ruling	No ruling	No ruling
Head shapeSquare	Standard (“giving a square appearance when viewed from any point”)	No ruling	No ruling	Standard (“giving a square appearance when viewed from any point”)	No ruling
ToplineLevel	Standard (“Topline: Level”)	Standard (“the topline should be straight, level, and firm”)	No ruling	Standard (“Topline level and maintained whilst on the move”)	No ruling
Tail setHigh	Standard (“Set on high, and reaching to hocks”)	No ruling	No ruling	Standard (“Set on high, and reaching to hocks”)	No ruling
Tail carriageLow (hanging)	Standard (“hanging straight in repose”)	Standard (“hanging straight in repose”)	No ruling	Standard (“hanging straight in repose”)	Standard (“hanging straight in repose”)
Tail carriageCurled over the back	Fault (“end pointing upwards, but not over back, when dog is excited”)	Fault (“but never over the back when the dog is in motion”)	Fault (“but never carried over the back when dog is in action”)	Fault (“but not over back, when dog is excited”)	Fault (“but never over the back when dog is in action”)
Tail lengthLong	Standard (“reaching to hocks, or a little below them”)	Standard (“reaching to the hocks or a little below”)	Standard (“reaching to or little below the hock”)	Standard (“reaching to hocks, or a little below them”)	Standard (“reaching to the hocks or a little below”)
FeetCat foot	Standard (“Large, round and tight. Toes well arched”)	Standard (“Feet large, round, and compact with well arched toes”)	Standard (“The feet are large, rounded and compact”)	Standard (“Large, round and tight. Toes well arched”)	Standard (“Feet: Heavy, round and compact with well-arched toes”)
HocksCow-hocked	Fault (“cow hocks in mature adults is highly undesirable”)	No ruling	No ruling	Fault (“cow hocks in mature adults highly undesirable”)	No ruling
Neck lengthMedium	No ruling	Standard (“slightly arched, and of medium length”)	Standard (“neck is of medium length”)	No ruling	Standard (“slightly arched, and of medium length”)
ChestBroad	Standard (“Chest: Wide, deep and well let down between forelegs”)	Standard (“Chest wide, deep, rounded”)	Standard (“The chest is well rounded, wide and well let down”)	Standard (“Chest wide, deep and well let down”)	Standard (“Chest: Wide, deep, rounded”)
ChestDeep	Standard (“Chest: Wide, deep and well let down between forelegs”)	Standard (“Chest wide, deep, rounded”)	No ruling	Standard (“Chest wide, deep and well let down”)	Standard (“Chest: Wide, deep, rounded”)
Tuck-upModerate	No ruling	Standard (“a reasonable, but not exaggerated, tuck-up”)	No ruling	No ruling	Standard (“a reasonable, but not exaggerated, cut up”)

Markings

Markings
Marking	FCI	AKC	UKC	KC	CKC
Chest patch	Fault (“Excessive white on body, chest or feet is highly undesirable”)	Alternate (“A small patch of white on the chest is permitted”)	No ruling	Fault (“Excessive white on body, chest or feet highly undesirable”)	No ruling
Socks	Fault (“Excessive white on body, chest or feet is highly undesirable”)	No ruling	No ruling	Fault (“Excessive white on body, chest or feet highly undesirable”)	No ruling

Mastiff colors and patterns

What each club's breed standard says about every Mastiff color and pattern. Point at a ruling to see the club's own wording.

Breed standards describe the Mastiff in Fawn and Apricot. Standard patterns: Brindle and Reverse brindle.

Coat: rulings by club
Color or pattern	FCI	AKC	UKC	KC	KUSA
Fawn	Standard (“fawn”)	Standard (“Fawn”)	Standard (“silver fawn”)	Standard (“fawn”)	Standard (“fawn”)
Apricot	Standard (“Apricot”)	Standard (“Apricot”)	Standard (“apricot”)	Standard (“Apricot”)	Standard (“Apricot”)
Albino	Not recognized	Not recognized	Disqualifying (“Albinism”)	Not recognized	Not recognized
Patterns
Brindle	Standard (“brindle”)	Standard (“Brindle”)	Standard (“dark fawn-brindle”)	Standard (“brindle”)	Standard (“brindle”)
Reverse brindle	Standard (“brindle”)	Standard (“Brindle”)	Standard (“dark fawn-brindle”)	Standard (“brindle”)	Standard (“brindle”)

Eyes: rulings by club
Color or pattern	FCI	AKC	UKC	KC	KUSA
Brown	No ruling	Standard (“brown, the darker the better”)	Standard (“brown in color”)	No ruling	No ruling
Dark brown	Standard (“darker the better”)	Standard (“the darker the better”)	Standard (“the darker being preferred”)	Standard (“darker the better”)	Standard (“the darker the better”)
Hazel	Standard (“hazel brown, darker the better”)	No ruling	No ruling	Standard (“hazel brown, darker the better”)	Standard (“hazel brown, the darker the better”)

Nose: rulings by club
Color or pattern	FCI	AKC	UKC	KC	KUSA
Black	Standard (“Black”)	Standard (“always dark in color, the blacker the better”)	Standard (“always dark, the blacker the better”)	Standard (“muzzle, ears and nose should be black”)	Standard (“Black”)
Pink	No ruling	Fault (“Mask, ears, or nose lacking dark pigment”)	No ruling	No ruling	No ruling

What the rulings mean

Standard: Described by the club's breed standard.
Fault: Named by the club's breed standard as a fault: the animal can be shown but is penalized.
Disqualifying: The club's breed standard disqualifies an animal of this color or pattern.
Not recognized: The club does not accept this color or pattern for the breed.

Color changes

How a Mastiff's colors can change over its life.

Blackchanges toSnow nose
Nose · With the season · can change back
Blackchanges toPink
Nose · With the season · can change back

Sources

Each ruling comes from the club's published breed standard or color list.

Published standards

Back to the Mastiff guide Grooming styles for the Mastiff