General Appearance:

An ancient breed, rediscovered in Italy in the 1940's, the Neapolitan Mastiff is a heavy-boned, massive, awe inspiring dog bred for use as a guard and defender of owner and property.  He is characterized by loose skin, over his entire body, abundant, hanging wrinkles and folds on the head and a voluminous dewlap.  The essence of the Neapolitan is his bestial appearance, astounding head and imposing size and attitude.  Due to his massive structure, his characteristic movement is rolling and lumbering, not elegant or showy.

Head Cont:

Head Cont:

Head Cont:

Neck, Topline and Body:

Neck: Slightly arched,  rather short, stocky and well muscled, the voluminous and well - divided dewlap extends from the lower jaw to the lower neck. Disqualifications: Absence of dewlap.  Body: The length of the dog, measured from the point of the shoulder to the point of buttock is 10 - 15% greater than the hieght of the dog measured from the highest point of the shoulder to the ground. Depth of the ribcage is equal to half the total height of the dog.  Ribs are long and well sprung. Chest: Broad and deep, well muscled.  Underline and Tuckup: The underline of the abdomen in practically horizontal.  There is little or no tuckup.

Neck, Topline and Body Cont.:

Back: Wide and strong.  Highest part of shoulder blade barely rising above the strong, level topline of the back.  Loin: Well muscled, and harmoniously joined to the back.  Croup:  Wide, strong, muscular and slightly sloped.  The top of the croup rises slightly and is level with teh highest part of the shoulder. Tail: Set slightly lower than the topline, wide and thick at the root, tapering gradually towards the tip.  It is docked by 1/3.  At rest, the tail hangs straight or in slight "S" shape.  When in action, it is raised to the horizontal or alittle higher than the back.  Severe Faults: Tail carried straight up or curved over the back. Kinked tail.  Disqualifications:  Lack of tail or short tail.,which is less than 1/3 the length from point of insertation of the tail to the hock-joint.

Forequarters:

Heavily built, muscular, and in balance with the hindquarters.  Shoulder: Long, well muscled, sloping and powerful. Upper Arms:  Strongly muscled, powerful.  In length almost 1/3 the height of the dog.  Elbows: Covered with abundant and loose skin; held parallel to the ribcage, neither tied in nor loose.  Forelegs: Thick, straight, heavy bone, well muscled, exemplifying strength.  About the same length and the upper arms.  Set well apart. Pasterns:  Thick and flattened from to back, moderately sloping forward from the leg.  Dewclaws: Front dewclaws are not removed.  Feet: Round and noticeably large with arched, strong toes. Nails strong, curved and preferrably dark colored. Slight turnout of the front feet is characteristic.

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 thigh bones.  Hocks: Powerful and long. Rear Pasterns:  Heavy thick bones. Viewed from the side, they are perpendicular to the ground. Viewed from the rear, parallel to eachother.  Rear Dewclaws: Any dewclaws must be removed.  Hindfeet: Same as the front feet but slightly smaller. 

Coat:

The Coat is short, dense and of uniform length and smoothness all over the body. The hairs are straight and not longer than one inch.  No fringe anywhere.  Color: Solid coats of Grey(blue), black, mahogany and tawny, and the lighter and darker shades of these colors.  Some brindling allowable in all colors.  When present, brindling must be tan (reverse brindle).  There may be solid white markings on the chest, throat area from chin to chest, underside of the body, penis sheath, backs of the pasterns, and on the toes. there may be white hairs at the back of the wrist. Disqualifications:  White markings on any part of the body not mentioned as allowed. 

Faults:

The foregoing description is that of the ideal Neapolitan mastiff any deviation from the described dog must be penalized to the extent of the deviation.  Disqualifications:  Absence of wrinkles and folds.  Absence of dewlap.  Lack of tail or short tail, which is less than 1/3 the length from the point of insertation of the tail to the hock.  White markings on any part of the body mentioned.