Mastiff standards seem to excel at providing contrasts while describing their breeds, language that uses a lot of, “but,” “and,” and “yet.”

The Italian standard for the Neapolitan Mastiff calls for a dog of “rustic, but majestic appearance,” while the AKC standard of the Tibetan Mastiff describes a dog that is “noble and impressive,” as well as “solemn but kindly…”

English Mastiff eyes are “alert but kindly,” while the Dogue de Bordeaux has a “muscular body yet retaining a harmonious general outline.”

The Cane Corso‘s gait is “free flowing and powerful, yet effortless,” while the FCI standard for the Fila Brasileiro describes an “unsurpassed guardian of properties” but “also instinctively indulges in big game hunting and cattle herding.”

Far from complaining, we value these descriptive contrasts because many of our breeds are contradictions.The Neapolitan Mastiff is not what one would call “elegant,” but there is no arguing the fact that these dogs are majestic.  A dog that can face down a wild boar is expected to be gentle with children – and is. A breed that typically weighs in excess of 150 turns out to be remarkable agile. We need these vivid portrayals of our breeds if breeders are to understand what they’re aiming for in a breeding program. The rest of us need guidance in understanding the marvelous creatures by our side. We may think we’re looking into the eyes of the dog that just ravaged the kitchen trash, but we must understand that we’re also looking into the eyes of a dog that, depending upon the breed, were the same eyes that guarded the Medicis, or witnessed Henry VIII presenting Charles V of Spain with a gift of 400 other Mastiffs.

We admire the people who toil on breed standards and approach the work not as a way to justify what they, themselves are breeding, but as a means to preserve what breeders have maintained throughout the centuries.

Image: “River King” by Carlee Ojeda is available in various print forms and a phone case here