Joy! The latest issue of Modern Molosser is here!
Photo by Sanne Södergren
On the Cover: GCh. Maximo's Jack 
ON THE COVER:
Meet national-specialty winner
GCh. Maximo's Jack, TT, CAL1, TDI,
the nation's number-three Cane Corso, owned by Gabriel Rodriquez
and Alexia Fino. 


There's a nip in the air, a crunch of leaves underfoot ... and a crisp new issue of Modern Molosser hitting the presses!
 
If you're a subscriber, look for our fantastic Fall/Winter 2011 issue in your mailbox in the coming weeks.
 
 If you're not a subscriber ... we think you ought to be. You won't find a better, more intelligent dog publication anywhere else. We're as smart as we are beautiful, and nobody comes close to the quality journalism we produce in each and every issue.
 
And now that the American Kennel Club is proposing a new Molosser Group, you can bet that judges and fanciers alike will be hyper-focused on the "M word."

You can subscribe by clicking here!

If you'd like a preview, grab a glass of hot cider -- maybe even something with a little more kick -- and scroll down to see some of the stories in this new is
sue.

See you ringside!

Denise Flaim and Theresa M. Lyons
Publishers, Modern Molosser

 

Like us on Facebook 

 

 

 



AKC proposes Molosser GroupGroup Dynamic   
 

"It's not official. And if it does happen, it won't be overnight.

 

But the idea of an AKC Molosser Group came a step closer to reality this September, when the American Kennel Club's Realignment Committee, which is charged with the task of expanding the registry's seven variety groups, released its new list of proposed groups.

 

Among the 11 is a group called Working-Molosser."

 

What are the 20 breeds slated for the proposed AKC Molosser Group? Which breeds desperately want in -- and which ones want out? When will this all take effect? Our up-to-the-minute story has all those answers -- and more!   
 

 



Ann Rohrer, grande dame of American Tibetan MastiffsForeign Service

"Ann was quite familiar with diplomatic environments on the highest levels, but that didn't hamper her ability to gallivant about in the hinterlands, eating and drinking what most Westerners would have considered unspeakable. She described with relish the famous salted Tibetan tea with yak butter, which she found delicious. She thought nothing was more wonderful than a steaming cup, when coming in from the dry cold of the high plateau, unless it was one of the little potatoes that the Tibetans kept boiling on the stove. She described how delicious they were, when you were tired, cold and dehydrated, and popped one into your mouth.

 

I wanted to know everything about the introduction of the Tibetan Mastiff into the American West. She emphasized the character of the authentic dogs, which she greatly admired. She didn't spare herself during an account of reprimanding her famous Kalu for destroying a bush she had just planted. Despite being an adult male Tibetan Mastiff, Kalu accepted the reproof respectfully, with good-natured dignity, but it became almost immediately clear that another dog was the culprit. Ann threw her arms around Kalu's neck, begging his pardon and asking his forgiveness. She was deeply affected by this incident, when she had misjudged his character. It had been many years before, but she almost cried when she talked about it."

 
The late Ann Rohrer almost singlehandedly nurtured the Tibetan Mastiff breed on American shores, creating its first registry and first parent club. In this in-depth profile, friends like Mary Fischer (above) reminisce about a true icon of the breed.    

 



Meet Dr. William Newman, the Mastiff's biggest boosterPaging Dr. Bill

"To understand 'Dr. Bill,' as his friends and fellow Mastiff fanciers call him, you need only watch him in action at a Mastiff Club of America national specialty, where every few feet someone catches his sleeve or pulls him aside in conversation. But no matter what the humans demand, once Bill Newman meets a Mastiff, there is simply nothing else in the universe.

 

Newman lowers his head for a chat, and soon he is draped in 200 pounds of fawn or apricot or brindle adulation. Massive paws drape his shoulders. A tongue the size of a pastrami coats the side of his face. But Newman just laughs, pulls out a handkerchief and begins to mop. He is, after all a Mastiff man. What is a little drool between friends?

 

'If you love something, you love it with all its faults,' he says. 'The correct head structure, the jowls of the Mastiff, produce drool. If you want perfection, die and go to heaven.'"

 
Meet the Dr. William Newman, the Mastiff's biggest booster, inside the ring and out. An AKC board member, longtime Mastiff club delegate, successful breeder and retired physician, his life goal has been protecting the breed that won his heart a half-century ago. 

 



How much white is too much white in the Dogue de Bordeaux?White Out


"When it comes to white markings in the Dogue de Bordeaux, there are lots of shades of gray.

 

The standard is the standard, of course, and both the FCI and AKC blueprints for the Dogue de Bordeaux have specifics about how much white is acceptable - and where it can and cannot be located. But when it comes to interpreting this language - and balancing it against other important, non-cosmetic qualities, such as structure and movement - things are not quite so clear cut."


A look at an issue that is perplexing some judges (and breeders) of the Dogue de Bordeaux: How much white is too much? 

 


Know Your Roots ... Subscribe to Modern Molosser!


A sneak peek at proposed changes to the Mastino's FCI standardRedrawing the Mastino

 

"Anyone who has followed coverage of the Neapolitan Mastiff in the international dog press over the last few years is aware of concern over how the breed's trademark thick and loose skin has become exaggerated to the point of caricature in some dogs. New language in the standard seeks to remind that this facet of breed type must never compromise functionality. The description of skin - "thick, abundant and loose all over the body" - is qualified with the words "without exaggeration." Under "Eyes," a new sentence warns that "Skin folds must never interfere with sight." And the description of loose skin around the elbows is removed entirely."

 

Italian breeder-judge Michele Palazzo, who has been instrumental in reworking the current FCI standard for the Mastino Napoletano, shares some of the proposed changes -- and the reasoning behind them.  

.

 



Chatting with Ann Colliass of Oldwell KennelsTalking with ...
Anne Colliass 


"I have been to dog shows, on and off, since I was 12 years old, so I can remember many good dogs. In the earlier days, Bullmastiffs ranged from the near Bulldog type to the large Mastiff type. We do not see such a range of type at shows today and there are many nice dogs. I do feel, however, that many people are seeking size and heavy bone, which makes the dog look cumbersome. Real class and quality are being sacrificed, and the dogs are unable to move freely. Unsoundness is creeping in, which is most undesirable. On the whole, temperament has greatly improved and less aggression is apparent. The Bullmastiff should be a great companion and ready to protect its owner, when necessary."

 

Anne Colliass, daughter of the late Harry and Beryl Colliass, has been an integral part of the Oldwell Kennels in the U.K. for much of her life. Here, she talks about her family legacy, setting priorities in breeding programs, and advice she'd give to those starting out in Bullmastiffs today.

 



Taking Note of the Cane Corso StandardTake Note ... of the
Cane Corso standard 


"The nose is an extension of the topline of the muzzle and does not protrude beyond nor recede behind the front plane of the muzzle.This statement is critical to type. The nose should be flush with the anterior face of the muzzle. We see an abundance of both pushed-in 'Pug' noses and pointy Hound noses in the Corso; neither is correct."

 

In this new feature, we ask accomplished fanciers to sit down with "their" AKC standard and "take note" about where they think judges and breeders often go astray. Breeder-judge Shauna DeMoss shares her thoughts on the AKC Cane Corso standard. 

 


Good reads, get 'em while they're hot


10 Things to Know Before Judging the Dogo Argentino10 Things to Know Before
Judging the Dogo 


"The Dogo is born white, and he dies black. But it is not essential to search for perfect pigment in a dog that is still young. Over the years, the Dogo's skin becomes an evolving map - it transforms itself little by little.

 

When I bought my first bitch 20 years ago, the first thing that I counted were the eight little black flecks in her undercoat. I remember that I did not sleep for a week. Today, it is one of the last things I look at.

 

The whiter the Dogo's coat, the happier we are. But for a dog that owes its survival to other functional qualities, the pure aesthetics of the coat are a secondary concern.."

 

Italian breeder-judge Massimo Inzoli offers a 10-point primer for those who would judge this striking white Molosser

 



Eary socialization is key for Molosser babiesWindow of Opportunity 


"When socializing puppies, remember to incorporate all the senses into their regime - new surfaces, grids, grates and gravel; new smells, especially babies, who have a completely different odor than adults, and new sounds - loud crashes and horns, vacuums, trains and thunderstorms. Meeting other animals will play a large part in your adult dog accepting other dogs, and being accepted himself. Garbage day is a wonderful time for training - the truck is loud, the cans crash, the workers have uniforms on, and smells are delightful.."

 

Kay Reil of Bramstoke Bullmastiffs in Canada offers tips on socializing young Molosser puppies -- along with delicious photos!  

 


Read about Sally's Ouch Free ad campaign


Surprising news at the first ever Do Khyi conference in GermanyTibetans in Transition 


"A desire to foster international discussion, coupled with current debates in the breed and dramatic changes taking place in China, prompted the decision to arrange the Congress.

 

Attending as observers were Liu Jinpeng, general secretary of the China Kennel Union, and a colleague who acted as translator. In a major development in the breed, the China Kennel Union was granted full FCI membership in July 2011, and patronage for the Do Khyi and other Tibetan breeds will revert to it. This has led to speculation that the Chinese kennel club will wish to move the breed in the direction of the more mastiff-like variety currently being produced by Chinese breeders. And some have suggested that the breed be split, into the larger Zang Ao being promulgated in China today, and the more moderate Do Khyi reflected in the current FCI standard."

 
An on-the-scene report from the first-ever Do Khyi Congress in Germany, where changes to the FCI standard and a statement regarding splitting the breed were discussed -- and voted on

 



Singular judging procedure at the Bullmastiff nationalSingular Sensation 


"It's a national specialty, and on the morning of Best of Breed, you know the drill:

 

Get up at the crack of dawn. Queue up with the dozens of other specials to do the obligatory check-in and check-off of your armband number. Pay attention as the judge divides you into manageable groups of 10 or 15, then return to the ring with your group when it's your turn.

 

But this year's American Bullmastiff Association National Specialty dispensed with the cattle call. Instead, breeder-judge Helene Nietsch decided to take a new approach with the 90-something champions in her Best of Breed ring. It was one dog at a time - and not just at check-in."

 
The pros and cons of this new approach at this year's Bullmastiff national

 



In-depth specialty cover -- American Neos and Canadian Mastiffs!Show Time! 

  

As always, we have in-depth show coverage, including the American Bullmastiff Association, United States Neapolitan Mastiff Club and Canadian Mastiff national specialties. And judges' comments, too!