Please Put Away That Ridiculous Centurion Costume …

I have a problem with Rome.

When seen from the side, a Bullmastiff should give the idea of squareness, like this 2017 Crufts winner, photographed by Karl Donvil.

It’s Hip to Be Square (If You’re a Bullmastiff, That Is)

How important is shape? To a dog breed, I mean. (It’s also relevant when you’re surveying yourself in the mirror in jeans that stubbornly won’t zip, but that’s another discussion entirely.)

Leave the long legs to the ponies, thank you!

How Deep Is Your Love? It’s All in the Ribcage, Baby!

It’s one of those cliches of dog-show judging: Oftentimes, the odd man out in the ring is in fact the correct one. Said another way: If it looks like nothing else, it’s probably the one to point at.

R-E-S-P-E-C-T: That's what you need when judging a Molosser

Houston, we have a problem. Actually, it’s a dilemma we see around the world, wherever and whenever dog shows are being held.

Female Fila Brasileiro being presented at the World Dog Show in Paris in 2011. Photo by Dan Sayers.

The Untouchables: Judging the Fila Brasileiro

File under “Funny/Not Funny”: An American invited to judge at a Mexican dog show for the first time was told by his more experienced fellow judges not to attempt to examine the Fila Brasileiro.

Move over, Godzilla and Kong: It's Cane Corso vs. Neapolitan Mastiff

Chill out, Godzilla and Kong. When it comes to great rivals in the dog world, the historic arm-wrestling match is between the Neapolitan Mastiff and the Cane Corso.

Will My Molosser Go Blind from Canine Multifocal Retinopathy?

Canine multifocal retinopathy, also known as cmr, is a genetic condition that affects the eyes of various dog breeds.

New and Noteworthy

NEW AND NOTEWORTHY

Working It: Or: There’s more to it than heart and bunchy muscles

Contemplating working dogs with a small "w."

Crescent Rowena, born in 1923, had a grandmother who was a Bullmastiff.

Hidden Deep: The Bullmastiff Contribution to the Mastiff

A forgotten letter revives a rarely mentioned ancestor.
How About a Side of Bullmastiff with Your Clumber?

Exploring the Molosser influence in gun-dog breeds, from setters to spaniels.
Cropped and docked Boxers — and 10 other breeds, including Neapolitan Mastiffs and Cane Corsos — can again be shown in countries where the procedures are still legal — for now, at least.

Cropping and Docking in FCI: Now What?

Europe grapples with a maybe-yes, maybe-no approach.
'Monkey Feet’ in the Cane Corso

Extra toes are surprisingly common in the breed, but chances are you won’t ever see them.

Color Disqualification in the Cane Corso

Why is there so much confusion over these 13 words in the AKC standard?

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