Alternative Sterilization For Those Who Can’t Wait
Is someone recommending you get your Neo spayed or neutered before 18 months?
The earliest you should spay or neuter any giant breed dog is 18 months, but 2 years is preferred. The reason has to do with hormones and their growth. Spaying or neutering before puberty will stop the rise in hormones that closes the growth plates. This causes the long bones to grow longer than they are supposed to, causing issues with how their joints work and instability in their developing joints leading to orthopedic problems. (This will also break your contract and void your health guarantee with many breeders). Waiting until they are finished puberty will guarantee that the growth plates have closed so you can avoid these issues.
Unfortunately, this means dealing with a heat or two of a female and the possibility of roaming for a male.
If this is a deal breaker for you and you really would rather get your Neo fixed early, there is an option. - Hormone Sparing Sterilization aka Ovary Sparing Spay for females or a Vasectomy for males.
These two types of sterilization do not disrupt the hormones being produced no matter what age the procedure is done.
For the ovary sparing spay, females are spayed but leave their ovaries to produce estrogen/progesterone. It does reduce the bleeding during heats, but some discharge still may occur.
For the vasectomy, males have their vas deferens tube clamped, cut, or ligated leaving their testicles to produce testosterone. This procedure is a much more minor procedure compared to neutering.
If this sounds like the best option for you and your pet and you need help finding a veterinarian that offers this type of sterilization, the website below will help.
Most people know the physical changes in dogs during puberty; females have their first heat and males start lifting their legs to pee. It can start as early as 9 months.
But with Neo’s, behavioural changes may be more noticable than other breeds of dogs.
Neo’s sometimes get teenage brain. They forget some of the basic manners you have taught them as a puppy and start pushing boundaries with you. They can become more clingy or more independent. Their behaviour changes with the new way they view things as they become an adult. Occasionally these changes can surface as reactivity or fear of things that never bothered them before. Males can become more competitive and express more dominant behaviours making same sex aggression more likely during this stage. This is due to the surge of testosterone during adolescence. Adolescent males testosterone levels are much higher than adult males.
Nipping bad behaviours and attitudes in the bud is extremely important. The surge in hormones will dissipate, but if the new behaviours they have learned go unchecked, they will stay with them. During this phase Neo owners need to remind their dogs who the leader of the pack is and what will and will not be tolerated. Reinforcing the acceptable behaviours is key. If owners struggle dealing with these behaviours on their own, taking them for training with a trainer who deals with dominant breeds is highly recommended.
Posted 182 weeks ago
Peanut Butter Coconut Supplement Treat Recipe
Neapolitan Mastiffs are the Kings and Queens of refusing pills. That pill you thought they had eaten shows up hours later after being stashed in their pendulous lips. Giving them daily supplements can be VERY challenging.
There are many products that you can sprinkle on their food, but that means combining numerous products that are usually quite a bit more expensive. My solution is to put those supplements in a delicious treat! I haven’t met a dog yet that isn’t a fan of these delicious peanut butter coconut oil bites. These are super easy to make and can be stored in the fridge or freezer for months!
You will need a silicone mold that holds at least 1 tablespoon of liquid in each section. The one I purchased was from amazon, but any mold of that size will work.
I add 3 supplements to these treats. The first two are glucosamine/chondroitin/msm tablets and sodium ascorbate (vitamin c) crystals for joint health. The amount of supplements to support joint health in commercial dog food doesn’t come close to what a dog needs to maintain the resiliency and health of their joints and connective tissue. I purchase my glucosamine tablets at Costco and my Vitamin C from Amazon. The reason I buy sodium ascorbate over other types of vitamin c is because this type is absorbed best.
The third supplement I add is called Nature’s Farmacy Ultimate. This is a fantastic multivitamin for dogs that is made with delicious dried organic coconut. This recipe is at half dose since commercial kibbles have some supplements in them already. In Canada the Nature’s Farmacy products are available at Copperhollow Enterprises and in the USA you can find it on the Nature’s Farmacy website or places like Chewy.
****Important**** Introduce your dogs to the Vitamin C and Ultimate supplements gradually. If given at full dose right away you may be in for some loose stools!
To bind these treats I use peanut butter just for flavour, and cold processed virgin coconut oil for its immune system boosting powers.
RECIPE
ONE TREAT FOR EVERY 50 LBS
Yield: 10 treats Ingredients:
- ½ tsp ultimate supplement
- 1/8 tsp sodium ascorbate (should equal .5g vitamin c)
- ½ pill Glucosamine Chondroitin & MSM 500/400/400 (ground in coffee grinder)
- 35 ml Smooth Peanut Butter
- 100 ml Coconut oil
Add first 4 ingredients (the supplements) right into each section of the mold. In a microwave safe bowl, heat smooth peanut butter in the microwave until it has a more liquid consistency. Add the coconut oil to the peanut butter and mix until fully melted. Fill each section of your mold with the liquid mixture. Take a toothpick and stir each section to make sure the ultimate supplement is saturated with the oil. Refrigerate or freeze to harden.
VARIATIONS
Option #1
BLUEBERRY COCONUT TREATS
Omit Peanut butter.
-Add 30ml more coconut oil (melt very slowly to keep antioxidants).
-Add a couple fresh or frozen blueberries to each section of the mold before filling with oil.
The blueberries in this version add antioxidants to the treats
Option #2
TUMERIC BLUEBERRY TREATS
-Omit Peanut butter.
-Add 25 ml more coconut oil
-Add 1 tbsp tumeric to liquid coconut oil
-Add a couple fresh or frozen blueberries to each section of the mold before filling with oil.
Tumeric is great for arthritis and joint pain due to it’s anti-inflammatory nature.
SHARE IN THE COMMENTS IF YOU HAVE ANY OTHER VARIATIONS THAT YOUR DOGS LOVE!
Posted 227 weeks ago
Let’s Talk Hips
After recently posting an article on the Neapolitan Mastiff Breeders Network that I made on Facebook about hip dysplasia, I realized I should discuss the hips of Neapolitan Mastiffs with my readers as well.
Sherilyn Allen, a long time Neapolitan Mastiff breeder and Veterinarian discussed her thoughts on Neo hips in her book “ The Official Book of the Neapolitan Mastiff”.
In this book she discussed how the laxity in Neos (all laxity including skin and joints) is likely caused by an under active thyroid. She went over the difference between laxity in joints vs hip dysplasia and how often Neos with laxity never go on to develop arthritis. Joint laxity in Neapolitan Mastiffs is not an anomaly, it is a trait of the breed. Now, this isn’t to say that hip dysplasia isn’t a more common issue in Neos, but it does bring up some questions that breeders and Neo owners should be asking, like if there is more to hip dysplasia than genetics.
There are many factors that affect the possibility of developing hip dysplasia. Genetic predisposition is only one small piece of the puzzle.
Like with most things, hip health starts in the whelping box. Making sure pups have a flooring that doesn’t slip is very important. With proper traction a pup can start to build strength in their rears and keep their joints from separating. This tip can be used when pups are also growing. Slippery floors can be rough on a pups joints, with the femoral head moving in the socket, causing damage. Area rugs are a quick fix for slippery floors.
But how do we help with their joint stability? As pups, running on uneven ground like a backyard or field is fantastic for joints, so long as you are following the “5 minutes of exercise per month of age” rule. Swimming or underwater treadmill walking is also an excellent way to build up rear muscles without wear on the joints. By making the rear stronger, the muscles will pull the ball into the joint. Walking on a treadmill can also help build the rear, especially on an incline. It is best to discuss which approach is best for your dog with your veterinarian.
Avoiding certain activities can help as well. Stopping Neapolitan Mastiffs from jumping off of furniture or out of vehicles can help keep the wear and tear of joints down, but stairs can also be a big issue. Not only do they wear on the joints and make many dogs want to leap off of the last few steps, but a growing Neo is not exactly the most coordinated and may lead to a fall, doing some pretty bad damage to their joints. We recommend keeping Neapolitan Mastiff puppies off of stairs until 18 months, but if you can avoid stairs longer, the better. We actually gate our upstairs off so none of our Neos, no matter the age, can go upstairs.
Although we know that certain exercises and environmental factors are very important, none are as important as the weight of your pup. Keeping your puppy lean during growth takes the extra strain off of their joints. As stated in the article below
“obesity could well be the single most significant environmental factor affecting the development of hip dysplasia and osteoarthritis.”
It’s exciting to see that scale moving up as your Neo grows, but bigger is definitely not better while they are growing. An overweight puppy can cause other joint issues as well. A puppy who is down on it’s pasterns is a difficult thing to reverse (if possible at all).
Choosing a breeder that health tests should lessen your odds as well. Breeders do their best to choose dogs that will improve hip scores for their puppies. Unfortunately, even with strict health testing breeders are still fighting the battle of common breed ailments like hip dysplasia. It’s the difficult task of breeding the healthiest puppies you can while keeping their appearance as close to the breed standard as possible. Without laxity, Neos would end up looking like Cane Corso’s.
Even with all of this knowledge, there are still no guarantees when it comes to hip dysplasia. But, hopefully puppy owners will keep these tips in mind so they can give their dogs the best chance they can.
I encourage you to read the full article below for more in-depth information.
Are you wondering how high maintenance these beasts are? We’ve decided to share our basic care routine with our readers so you can see what it takes to keep your Neo happy and healthy.
Daily
Check up
In the morning after breakfast, we check the dogs over for any changes. Eye discharge colour change, rashes, sore toes/feet, ear infections, stinky face etc can pop up pretty quickly.
Eyes
If there are no changes, we will start by wiping any eye discharge with a warm wet cloth. Then, it’s time for eye drops. If your Neapolitan Mastiff has had cherry eye removal, they will need eye drops twice a day or as needed to make sure their eyes stay lubricated. If your Neo has any sign of entropian, a gel lubricant will help stop the cornea from getting scratched until they either grow out of it, or have it fixed.
Ears
We clean out our dogs ears with baby wipes. Never use cotton swabs or anything pointed or you will just push the dirt deeper into your dogs ears. Wiping from the inside out helps remove any dirt or debris without pushing it in deeper. Not all of our dogs need daily wiping, but we do check them daily and clean as needed.
Face
Last, we clean their faces. After eating, their chins and wrinkles can keep food and bacteria trapped in the crevices. Giving them a quick wash up after their meals really helps keep the chin acne away. We have been trying out e- clothes recently since they trap bacteria and they seem to be working really well. Note - I do not recommend Norwex since there is some debate on whether the silver in the clothes harms the skin. I would rather stay on the safe side, especially since dogs skin is much thinner than ours.
Weekly
Nails
Once a week we clip our dogs nails, but when they were puppies we clipped them every other day to get them used to us handling their feet. Now that they are adults they just relax while we give them their manicure.
Teeth
A proper teeth brushing is done once a week. For the rest of the week they are given teeth cleaning toys or bones to help with oral hygiene. If you start this when they are puppies it will be much easier.
Ears
Ears are cleaned once a week with ear cleaning solution. This paired with the daily wiping seems to keep their ears healthy and infection free. Make sure that the ear cleaner that you use is free from hydrogen peroxide or alcohol, since those ingredients can irritate your dogs ear canal.
Fur
A good brushing is done once a week to help with the shedding. We absolutely love the furminator, but I have heard mixed reviews from others.
As needed
Bathing
I know some people bath their Neos weekly, but we don’t. We bath as needed so we aren’t stripping their natural oils from their skin too often.
The old saying “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure” fits perfectly with how we do Neapolitan Mastiff care. Keeping on top of their care and giving them a good once over keeps your neo in good health and often helps reduce vet bills as well.
The unpredictable outcomes of rescuing may not be ideal for many families. Through no fault of their own, the dogs can have some serious baggage and may not be a great option for people with young children. Hidden fears and behaviors can even be dangerous.
The good news is, there is another option! You can buy a dog from a reputable breeder.
The temperament of purebred dogs bred by reputable breeders can be counted on. Breeders put in a lot of effort making the dogs they produce conform to the breed standard as closely as possible, preserving the breed. Dogs are removed from breeding programs if they are producing puppies that are straying from the standard.
By buying from a reputable breeder you are also making an investment towards a more sound dog. Now, to say that you are guaranteed a Neo that will have perfect health for it’s entire lifetime would be a lie. But, if you are buying from a breeder that health tests the parents and tracks litters for hereditary issues, you are less likely to have those issues come out in your dog.
A quick side note: buying a registered purebred dog does not mean the breeder is reputable and has taken the time and effort to breed to standard, better their line or try and decrease the chances of hereditary issues. Check out the end of this post for 8 red flags to watch for when looking for a reputable breeder.
You can feel good about buying from a reputable breeder since they are not adding to the problem of dogs ending up in shelters. They screen potential families and educate them to make sure they know the good and the bad about the breed they are interested in. Breeders also go to great lengths to make sure their puppies do not end up in shelters through microchips, their contracts, and keeping in touch with the adoptive families. While it is hopeful that those buying a puppy do so with the intent of keeping them forever, good breeders will always take back their puppies if the families can’t have them anymore, no matter the reason.
Posted 252 weeks ago
Let’s Talk Colour!
As a breeder, the colour of a litter isn’t nearly as important as choosing a male that compliments the female and will hopefully correct any faults she has in the puppies they produce. But, if I have a few males that equally compliment my female, it’s nice to know what colours they will produce.
If you’re a puppy buyer it’s nice to have an idea of what colours the litter will produce too. Not all breeders will be able to tell you for certain. Even though the colour may not be important to the breeder, we know that it can be for puppy buyers. Neapolitan mastiffs come in 4 colours: Black, Blue, Mahogany and Tawny
Blue is the dilute of black, and tawny is the dilute of mahogany. Any of these colours can come in brindle (see Ness, our black brindle female below).
ALT
ALT
So here are some basics about colour. There are 2 pigments that make up all of the varieties of colours in dogs. They are eumelanin (black) and phaeomelanin (red). A dogs genes can modify these pigments to make different colours. Eumelanin, which is black by default, can be diluted to make blue (grey), liver (brown) and isabella (pale brown). Phaeomelanin, which is red pigment but is yellow or gold by default, can be changed by genes to make a range of colours from deep reds to orange to yellow or tan. You can tell that there is phaeomelanin pigment if a dog has a brown nose and paws, like in Neapolitan Mastiffs that are mahogany and tawny. The genes that change the colour of the pigment is called an allele. The alleles in Neo’s are:
B - black b - brown
D - full colour d - diluted colour
BBDD - black
BBDd - black carrying dilute gene
BbDD - black carrying brown allele
BbDd - black carrying brown and dilution alleles
BBdd - blue
Bbdd - blue carrying brown allele
bbdd - tawny
bbDD - mahogany
bbDd - mahogany carrying dilute allele
Below is a chart that shows you what happens when you breed dogs with different colour genes.
In breeds like dobermans, dilution can cause the health issue colour dilution alopecia. Fortunately, all colours of neapolitan mastiffs seem to be equally healthy.
To crop or not crop, that is the question. In Canada, we still have the right to choose if we crop our dog’s ears in many provinces. At our kennel have both cropped and natural ears. The crop and tail docking was designed to aid in the Neapolitan Mastiffs original purpose - guarding. It was intended to make the Neo look more intimidating, alert and aloof. Cropping and docking make it difficult for intruders to read their body language (They have very expressive natural ears).
Everyone has an opinion, but does everyone have the facts to make an educated decision? Here are some facts that may help you make your decision:
Ear Infections - We have not found that cropping has lessened the chances of ear infections. Cropped ears collect debris, and floppy ears don’t have good air flow, but we have found that chronic ear infections are almost always caused by allergies of some sort.
Ear Rips: When Neo’s play they often grab each others ears, which can lead to tears. If you only have one Neo, that’s not really a concern.
Surgery Complication - Neo’s are sensitive to anesthesia and therefore need about half of what is usually used. If too much is used, they may not wake up. It is imperative that you use a vet with Neo experience or understanding
Hematomas - No ears means no hematomas. They are very painful and are caused by dogs shaking their heads during an ear infection. Sometimes they clear up on their own, but sometimes they need to be drained by a veterinarian.
Stigma - unfortunately if you choose to crop you may get some unwanted opinions about the proceedure.
There is no right or wrong choice, it’s just a matter of taste. The most important thing when choosing to crop your Neo’s ears is to make sure your breeder is using a Veterinarian that has Neapolitan Mastiff experience to reduce the risks of surgery.
To find this out, you can start by looking at the Breed Standard for Neo’s. A breed standard describes the temperament and look of a certain breed in detail. You may think that the breed standard is only important to know if you are showing or breeding dogs, but getting to know the breed standard will also help you choose a breeder since by making you better equipped to identify breeders that are straying from the standard. So why is it important that you choose a breeder that is breeding to standard? Well one of the main reasons people buy a purebred dog is because they want predictability. You want the Neo that is supposed to look and act like a Neo.
A good breeder is supposed to be maintaining the breeds purpose and distinct type, not changing it. Straying too far from the standard may also show that the dog is not a purebred. For example, those merle Neo’s are neat looking right? Neapolitan Mastiffs do not come in the colour merle, so you know that a “Merle Neo” is not a purebred Neo. Since it is not purebred, what it will look and act like when it matures is a gamble.
Below is the CKC’s Breed Standard for the Neapolitan Mastiff, along with some images to clarify some of the terms used:
Neapolitan Mastiff Origin & Purpose: The Neapolitan Mastiff is a descendant of the great Roman mastiff described by Columelle in the first century A.D. In his book “de re rustica”. This breed fought with the Roman legions and was spread throughout the empire during the Roman invasions. He is the ancestor of many mastiff breeds in other European countries. Having survived so for many centuries in the countryside at the foot of Mt.Vesuvius and in the region of Naples, he has been selectively bred since 1947, thanks to the tenacity and devotion of a group of dog lovers
General Appearance: Large, heavy massive and bulky dog, whose length of body exceeds the height at the withers.
Temperament: Steady and loyal, not aggressive or biting without reason, guardian of the property and its inhabitants, always vigilant, intelligent, noble and majestic.
Size
Height at withers:
• Males 25 to 29 inches (65 - 75 cm).
• Females 24 to 28 inches (60 - 68 cm).
Some tolerance of < inch (2 cm) more or less is allowed.
Weight:
• Males 132.3 to 154.3 lbs (60 - 70 kg.)
• Females 110.2 to 132.3 lbs (50 - 60 kg.)
Important Proportions: The length of the body is 10% more than the height at the withers.The ratio skull-muzzle is of 2 to 1.
Coat & Colour
Skin: thick, abundant and loose all over the body, particularly on the
head where it forms numerous folds and wrinkles, and at the lower part
of the neck where it forms a double dewlap.
Coat: short, rough and hard, dense, of the same length all over, uniformly
smooth, fine and measures 1.5 cm maximum. Must not show any trace
of fringing.
Colour: preferred colours are: grey, leaden grey and black, but also
brown, fawn and deep fawn (red deer), with, sometimes, little white
patches on the chest and on the tip of the toes. All these coats may be
brindled; hazel, dove-grey and Isabella shades are tolerated.
Head
Short and massive, with a skull wide at level of zygomatic arches; its
length is about 3/10 of the height at the withers. Ample skin with
wrinkles and folds of which the most typical and the best marked
goes from the outer palpebral angle down to the lip angle. The upper
longitudinal axes of the skull and the muzzle are parallel.
Skull: wide,
flat, particularly between the ears, and, seen from the front, slightly
convex in its fore part. The bizygomatic width is more than half the
length of the head. The zygomatic arches are very prominent, but
with flat muscles. The protuberances of the frontal bones are well
developed; the frontal furrow is marked; the occipital crest is hardly
visible.
Stop: well defined.
Nose: set in the prologation of the muzzle,
must not protrude beyond the outer vertical line of the lips; must be
voluminous with large, well opened nostrils. Its colour is according to
the colour of the coat: black for the black subjects, dark grey brown in
dogs of other colours, and chestnut for brown coats.
Muzzle: it is very
wide and deep; its length corresponds to that of the fore-face and must
be equal to the third of the length of the head. The lateral sides are
parallel (between them), so that, seen from the front, the shape of the
muzzle is practically square.
Lips: fleshy, thick and full; upper lips, seen
from the front, form an inverted “V” at their meeting point. The lower
lateral profile of the muzzle is shaped by the upper lips; their lowest
part is the corner of the lips, with visible mucous membranes, situated
on the vertical from the external angle of the eye.
Jaws: powerful with
strong jaw bones and dental arches joining perfectly. Lower jaw must
be well developed in its width.
Teeth: white, well developed, regularly
aligned and complete in number. Scissor bite, i.e. upper incisors closely
overlapping the lower ones in close contact, set straight to the jaw,
or pincer bite, i.e. upper incisors meet edge to edge with the lower
incisors.
Eyes: set on an equal frontal level, well apart one from the
other; rather round, slightly deep set. Compared with the coat colour,
the colour of the iris is darker. The eye may nevertheless be lighter in
coats of diluted shades.
Ears: small in relation to the size of the dog, triangular shape, set above the zygomatic arch, they are flat and close
to the cheeks. When they are cropped, they have the form of an almost
equilateral angle.
Neck
Profile: the upper profile is slightly convex.
Length: rather short,
measures about 2, 8/10 of the height of the withers.
Shape: conical
trunk shaped, well muscled. At mid-length the perimeter is equal to
about 8/10 of the height at the withers.
Skin: lower edge of the neck
is well endowed with loose skin which forms a double dewlap well
separated, but not exaggerated; starts at level of the lower jaw and does
not go beyond middle of the neck.
Forequarters
On the whole, the forequarters, from the ground to the point of the
elbow, seen in profile and from the front, are vertical with a strong
bone structure in proportion with the size of the dog.
Shoulders:
their length measures about 3/10 of the height at the withers with
an obliqueness of 50°-60° on the horizontal. The muscles are well
developed, long and well defined. The angle of the scapulo-humeral
articulation is of 105°-115°. Arm: measures about 30% of the height
at the withers. Its obliqueness is of 55°-60° furnished with significant
musculature.
Elbows: covered with abundant loose skin, they are not
too close to the body.
Forearms: its length is almost the same as that of
the arm. Placed in perfect vertical position, of a strong bone structure,
with lean and well developed muscles.
Pastern Joint: broad, lean and
without nodosity, continues the vertical line of the forearm.
Pastern:
flat, continues the vertical line of the forearm. Its inclination on the
horizontal towards the front is of about 70° to 75°. Its length is equal
to about 1/6 of the length of the limb from the ground up to the elbow.
Forefeet: of round shape, large, toes well arched and well-knit. The
pads are lean, hard and well pigmented. The nails are strong, curved
and of a dark colour.
Body
The length of the body exceeds by 10% the height at the withers.
Topline: top line of the back is straight; withers are wide, long and not
very prominent.
Back: broad and of a length about 1/3 of the height
at the withers. The lumbar region must be harmoniously united with
the back and muscles well developed in width. The ribcage ample, with
long and well sprung ribs. The circumference of the thorax is about
¼ more than the height at the withers.
Rump: wide, strong and well muscled. Its obliqueness compared with the measured horizontal on
that of the hip bone (coxal) is about 30°. Its length is equal to 3/10 of
the height at the withers. The hip bones are prominent to the extent
of reaching the top lumbar line.
Chest: broad and wide with well
developed chest muscles. Its width is in direct relation with that of the
ribcage and reaches the 40-45% of the height at the withers. The tip of
the sternum is situated at the level of the scarpular-humeral joint.
Hindquarters
On the whole they must be powerful and sturdy, in proportion with the
size of the dog and capable of the required propulsion in movement.
Upper Thigh: in length measuring 1/3 of the height at the withers and
its obliqueness on the horizontal is about 60°. It is broad with thick,
prominent but clearly distinct muscles. The thigh bone and the hip
bone (femur and coxal) form an angle of 90°.
Lower Thigh: length
slightly inferior to that of the thigh and of an obliqueness of 50°-55°,
with strong bone structure and well visible musculature.
Stifle: the
femoral-tibial (hip bone-shin bone) angle is about 110°-115°.
Hock
Joint: very long in relation to the length of the leg, its length is about 2,
5/10 of the height at the withers. The tibial-tarsal articulation forms an
angle of 140°-145°. Hock: strong and lean, its shape almost cylindrical,
perfectly straight and parallel, its length is about 1⁄4 of the height at the
withers; eventual dewclaws may he removed.
Hindfeet: smaller than
the forefeet, round with well-knit toes. Pads dry, hard and pigmented.
Nails strong, curved and of dark colour.
Tail
Broad and thick at its root; strong, tapering slightly towards the tip. In
length it reaches the articulation of the hock, but usually is docked at
about 2/3 of its length. At rest is carried hanging and curved in sabre
fashion, in action lifted horizontally or slightly higher than the top line.
Gait
This constitutes a typical characteristic of the breed. At the walk, the
gait of feline type of lion steps, is slow and resembles that of a bear.
The trot is distinguished by a strong thrust of the hindquarters and a
good extension of the forequarters. The dog rarely gallops; usual gaits:
walk and trot - Pacing is tolerated.
Faults
Any departure from the foregoing points constitutes a fault which must
be penalized in proportion to its degree.
Serious Faults
• pronounced undershot mouth
• gay tail (trumpet tail)
• sizes bigger or smaller than the limits allowed.
Disqualification
• Overshot mouth
• Accentuated convergence or divergence of the facial-cranial axes
• Topline of muzzle concave or convex or very aquiline (Roman nose)
• Total depigmentation of nose
• Wall eye
• Total depigmentation of both rims of eyelids
• Cross eyed
• Absence of wrinkles, folds and dewlap
• Absence of tail whether congenital or artificial
• Extensive white patches; white markings on the head.
Note:
Males should have two apparently normal testicles fully descended into
the scrotum.
For the original document from the Canadian Kennel Club click here
