Science is elastic. It shifts and expands and contracts with the infuriating slipperiness of a double-jointed circus performer. One day, you’re applying leaches. The next, you’re ordering an MRI.

In writing the Dogo's inaugural AKC standard, Daniel D'Hulst kept in mind the original standard and philosophy of breed creator Antonio Nores Martinez.
Messing with a breed standard all too often results in just that — a mess. And the reasons are about as numerous as the breeds the American Kennel Club recognizes.

Adalena Serra do Barbanza, a Spanish import owned by Crystal Kaiser.
The Pyrenean Mastiff is a noble and rustic breed traditionally used as a livestock and property guardian that derives from the region of Aragon, Spain.  
Diamonds are a girl’s best friend, the saying goes.
When it comes to the most athletic Molossers — Cane Corsos and Dogo Argentinos, in particular — the word “rusticity” gets used a lot. But what does it mean, exactly?

Dr. Antonio Nores Martinez, right, in 1948.
 
My friend and fellow judge Rafael Malo Alcrudo of Spain says the goal in purebred dogs is to hear 

In writing the Dogo's inaugural AKC standard, Daniel D'Hulst kept in mind the original standard and philosophy of breed creator Antonio Nores Martinez.

Adalena Serra do Barbanza, a Spanish import owned by Crystal Kaiser.

Dr. Antonio Nores Martinez, right, in 1948.

New and Noteworthy

NEW AND NOTEWORTHY

The color schism in this rare breed recently set Facebook ablaze. But all’s well that ends well.

  • Fulvo? Formentino? Frumentino? Don't know what to call this color? Read on.
    If you are a Cane Corso enthusiast, you need to get a grip on this trio of F words.

  • Neapolitan Mastiff fanciers would easily spot their breed's influence in this Dogue de Bordeaux.
    It’s a natural tendency to immerse ourselves in our chosen breed, to the exclusion of all others. But it's important to know what influences from other breeds can bedevil our own.
  • The low-down on that common Molosser fault, “high in the rear.”
  • Though rarely discussed, rearquarter proportions are fundamental in Molosser breeds.
A TikTok video of this impossibly pelted Tibetan Mastiff goes viral. Is it a correct coat for the breed?

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