BREED STANDARD

TIBETAN MASTIFF BREED STANDARD


: PLEASE NOTE: THE KC STANDARD USED IN THE UK AND SHOWN BELOW HAS NO CONNECTION WHATSOEVER WITH THE F.C.I STANDARD USED IN EUROPE AND OTHER PARTS OF THE WORLD

KENNEL CLUB BREED STANDARD (INTERIM) -VALID UNTIL 1.11.04

(Click here for new standard effective from 1.11.04)

General Appearance:

Powerful, heavy, well built, with good bone. Impressive; of solemn but kindly appearance.

Characteristics:

A companion, watch and guard dog, slow to mature only reaching its best at 2-3 years in females and at least 4 years in males.

Temperament:

Aloof and protective.

Head and Skull:

Fairly broad, heavy and strong. Skull massive, with strongly defined occiput and stop. Proportions from occiput to stop and stop to end of nose equal, but nose may be a little shorter. Muzzle fairly broad, well filled and square, viewed from all sides. Broad nose, well pigmented, well opened nostrils. Lips well developed with moderate flews. Some wrinkling, in maturity, on head, extends from above eyes, down to corner of mouth.

Eyes:

Very expressive, medium size, any shade of brown. Set well apart, oval and slightly slanting.

Ears:

Medium size, triangular, pendant, carried low, dropping forward and hanging close to head. Raised when alert. Ear leathers covered with soft, short hair.

Mouth:

Scissor bite - Jaws strong, with perfect, regular and complete scissor bite, i.e. Upper teeth closely overlapping the lower teeth and set square to the jaws. Level acceptable. Essential that dentition fits tightly, to maintain square form of muzzle.

Neck:

Strong, well muscled, arched. Not too much dewlap. Shrouded by thick upstanding mane.

Forequarters:

Well laid shoulders, muscular, strongly boned. Straight legs with strong, slightly sloping pasterns, and well covered all over with strong hair.

Body:

Strong, with straight back, muscular, almost imperceptible croup. Chest rather deep of moderate breadth, with reasonable spring of rib, to give heart-shaped ribcage. Brisket reaching to below elbows. Body slightly longer than height at withers.

Hindquarters:

Powerful, muscular, with good angulation from well bent stifle and strong low set hocks. Hindlegs, seen from behind, parallel. Removal of dewclaws optional.

Feet:

Fairly large, strong, compact. Cat-feet having good feathering between toes.

Tail:

Medium to long, but not reaching below hock joint. Set high on line with top of back. Curled over back to one side. Well feathered.

Gait - Movement:

Powerful, free, always light and elastic. At speed will tend to single-track. When walking appears slow and very deliberate.

Coat:

Males carry noticeably more than females. Quality of greater importance than quantity. Mainly fairly long, thick, with heavy undercoat in cold weather which becomes rather sparse in warmer months. Hair fine but hard, straight and stand-off. Never silky, curly or wavy. Heavy undercoat, when present, rather woolly. Neck and shoulders heavily coated, giving mane-like appearance. Tail bushy, densely coated, hindlegs well feathered on upper rear parts.

Colour:

Rich black, black and tan, brown, various shades of gold, grey and blue-grey, blue and tan. Tan ranges from a very rich shade, through to a lighter colour. White star on breast permissible. Minimal white markings on feet acceptable. Tan markings appear above eyes, on chest, lower part of legs, and underside of tail. Tan markings on muzzle; spectacle markings around eyes.

Size:

Dogs : 66cms (26 ins) minimum. Bitches : 61 cms (24 ins).

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 exact proportion to its degree. Male animals should have two apparently normal testicles fully descended into the scrotum.

THE TIBETAN MASTIFF-K.C. INTERIM BREED STANDARD
(as amended 1 Nov. 2004)

This strong, well built dog is found in the foothills of the Himalayas and the borders of Tibet. He is primarily a guard dog, used to protect the flocks from preying wildlife and the home from intruders.

A powerful dog, without the massive frame of the Mastiff, he is well coated with a bushy tail. Usually, black, or black and tan, he can also be found in gold, and shades of grey. In his native environment he is very distrustful of strangers, and can be quite ferocious. However, dogs bred in Europe and America do not generally display these tendencies.

GENERAL APPEARANCE: Large, powerfully built, slightly longer than high. Well boned and muscled, never light but always agile. Impressive head provides a noble, dignified look, enhanced by a mane, which is more pronounced in males, balanced by a well feathered tail carried over the back.

CHARACTERISTICS: A loyal companion, and guardian. Slow to mature.

TEMPERAMENT: Independently minded, aloof and protective. Calm and patient. May be wary of strangers.

HEAD AND SKULL: Broad, heavy and strong. Skull large, with strongly defined occiput and marked stop. Length from nose to stop equal or slightly less than length from stop to occiput. Muzzle fairly broad, well filled, blunt, and square viewed from all sides. Broad, black nose, well opened nostrils. Lips well developed with moderate flews. In maturity, some wrinkling on head extending from above eyes to corner of mouth.

EYES: Very expressive, medium size, dark brown. Set well apart, oval and slightly slanting. Dark, close fitting eye rims.

EARS: Medium size, triangular, pendant, not set too low, hanging close to head. When alert, carried forward. Ear leathers covered with soft, short hair.

MOUTH: Jaws strong with perfect, regular and complete scissor bite, i.e. upper teeth closely overlapping lower teeth and set square to the jaws. Level bite acceptable. Full dentition desirable.

NECK: Strong, well muscled, slightly arched. Not too much dewlap.

FOREQUARTERS: Muscular, well laid shoulders. Strongly boned, straight legs with strong, slightly sloping pasterns.

BODY: From point of shoulder to point of buttock slightly longer than height at withers, as 10 to 9. Strong and straight back. Broad, muscular loins, with very slightly sloping croup. Chest rather deep, of moderate breadth. Ribcage oval, ribs well sprung but not barrelled, carried well back. Brisket reaching to, or just below, elbows.

HINDQUARTERS: Powerful, muscular, with moderate angulation and strong, low-set hocks. Hindlegs, seen from behind, parallel. Single or double dewclaws may be present.

FEET: Fairly large, strong, with thick pads, rounded and compact. Having good feathering between toes.

TAIL: Medium to long. Set on high. Loosely curled over back to one side. Well feathered.

GAIT/MOVEMENT: Powerful and free, with purpose and agility. Measured and deliberate when walking. At speed will tend to single-track.

COAT: Males carry noticeably more than females. Quality of greater importance than quantity. Densely coated, fairly long, thick, with heavy, woolly undercoat in cold weather which becomes rather sparse in warmer months. Hair fine, hard and straight, never silky, curly or wavy. Hair on face short. Neck and shoulders heavily coated, giving mane-like appearance. Tail heavily feathered, hindlegs well feathered on upper rear parts.

COLOUR: Rich black, with or without tan; slate grey, with or without tan; rich golden. The rich tan markings appear above eyes, on muzzle, on chest, the lower part of legs and underside of tail. Spectacle markings around eyes acceptable. White star on breast permissible. Minimal white markings on feet tolerated. Cream, white, chocolate/liver, parti-colour, brindle or flecked are undesirable.

SIZE: A minimum height of 66 cms. (26ins) in dogs and 61 cms. (24ins) in bitches is desirable, but on no account should type be sacrificed to size alone.

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 exact proportion to its degree and its effect upon the health and welfare of the dog.

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