180 THE MASTIFF 



it is Worth the trouble involved. One has to be 

 careful not to overfeed, and meals must be frequent. 

 Exercise needs to be given with discrimination, not 

 too much to the point of weariness, and yet suf- 

 ficient to prevent the whelp getting gross and soft. 

 Good bone -forming food is a necessity or we shall 

 be but producing a cripple. The adult mastiff is 

 an abnormally heavy creature, sometimes weighing 

 well over 160 lb\ The bone must, therefore, be of 

 great strength and quality to sustain such a weight 

 without forcing the legs out of shape. 



Here is the description drawn up by the Old 

 English Mastiff Club : 



GENERAL CHARACTER AND SYMMETRY. Large, 

 massive, powerful, symmetrical, and well-knit frame. 

 A combination of grandeur and good nature, courage 

 and docility. 



GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF HEAD. In general 

 outline giving a square appearance when viewed from 

 any point. Breadth greatly to be desired, and should 

 be in ratio to length of the whole head and face 

 as 2 to 3. 



GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF BODY "(HEIGHT AND 

 SUBSTANCE). Massive, broad, deep, long, powerfully 

 built, on legs wide apart, and squarely set. Muscles 

 sharply defined. Size a great desideratum, if com- 

 bined with quality. Height and substance important, 

 if both points are proportionately combined. 



SKULL. Broad between the ears, forehead flat, 

 but iwrinkled when attention is excited. Brows 

 (superciliary ridges) slightly raised. Muscles of the 

 temples and cheeks (temporal and masseter) well 

 developed. Arch across the skull of a rounded, 

 flattened .curve, with a depression up the centre of 



