Page 43 - ShowSight Presents The Bullmastiff

“If you have a healthy nearly-square Bullmastiff, typey, sound with a good attitude and sound movement, it is indeed competitive in the group ring.
BULLMASTIFFS SEEM TO NEED TO WORK HARDER FOR THEIR RECOGNITION IN THE GROUP.”
should be short and dense. Healthy coats with skin free of allergies are ideal for their work and environment. Good condition is a sign of good health, and after all, we are judging breeding stock. Entropic eyes, missing hair, interdigital cysts, thin coats, narrow, restricted nostrils, fat dogs or dogs lacking in muscle development are all signs of poor condition and/or health problems.
Size
“Other things being equal, the more substantial dog within these limits is favored.” The reason for this statement should be clear—a more substantial dog is better equipped to pin and hold the poacher. This is form following func- tion. This does not mean “bigger is bet- ter.” That being said, because the male is more opulent than a female, avoid gender discrimination as an otherwise beautiful bitch should not be rewarded because she is smaller than the male...bitches ARE smaller than males. Some Bullmastiff bitches are petite. If we adhere to form fol- lowing function, a petite bitch could not knock a man down and hold him. Bitches should proportionately have good bone and substance as their male counterparts 196 • SHOWSIGHT MAGAZINE, AUGUST 2014
(bitches 24-26", 100-120 pounds). Although there may be a place in a breed- ing program for a sound, typey small bitch, a truly petite bitch should not be rewarded in the show ring.
Color
As a night dog, brindle certainly would have been the preferred color as camou- flage while at work. However, there is no color preference in the Bullmastiff. Unfortunately the brindle color seems to be discriminated in the show ring, per- haps because of an optical illusion, or lack of attention to detail. Brindling should ideally be evenly distributed. Red color ranges from honey to dark mahogany. The “orange” Dogue de Bordeaux color in incorrect, as is the “brown” color we also see. The coat should be clear, free from smuttiness with two-toning undesirable. A small white patch on the chest is accept- able, but white anywhere else on the body is very undesirable. A dark muzzle is pre- ferred, but obviously breeders like to see the blacker the better. I personally like to see a slight break under and between the eyes, to emphasize the “mask.” Be wary of how pigment can change the overall look
of the head and rely on manual exam to conclude on correct bone structure of the muzzle not visual. And that while a full black mask may be striking, there will always be a natural blending between body color and the mask/muzzle and start of the ear color. Be suspect of masks that appear dyed or artificial.
There is frequent discussion regarding dogs defined as either “breed” or “group” dogs. Theoretically, if you have a quality- dog, there should be no difference. Never- theless, we hear it all the time: “He’s more a group dog” or “He can win in the breed, but he can’t compete in the group.” Why is this? There are many factors going into the decision of a judge at the breed and group level. As a judge of Bullmastiffs and the working group, knowing the nuances of the breed andunderstanding breed type, it would make no difference as long as it is a quality dog. One is judging at the group level against the breed standards, not against each other. If you have a healthy nearly-square Bullmastiff, typey, sound with a good attitude and sound movement, it is indeed competitive in the group ring. Bullmastiffs seem to need to work harder for their recognition in the group.