The name is pronounced "FEEL—ah" (meaning to hold on to) and "Bra—seal—AIR-oh"
(meaning Brazilian).

The Fila Brasileiro is a Molosser, or Mastiff-type dog, and like all breeds of this family is
expected to have a massive appearance, with large strong bone, deep rib cage and
impressive head.  In other words, substance is a requisite, although the bones are not as
huge and heavy as the Mastiff.

On first impression the Fila may appear more square than other breeds, even though it is to
be 10 percent longer than tall (the Mastiff is commonly about 30 percent longer).  The Fila is
intermediate in height between the Bullmastiff and Mastiff, males being 27 to 29-1/2 inches at the shoulder and females 24 to 27 1/2 inches.  Below minimum height is a disqualification. Above the maximum height should be considered a major fault.

The judge will instantly notice, looking at the dogs in profile, that the Fila is higher at the
croup than at the withers, one of the few breeds that call for this type of conformation.  A
straight topline is a very serious fault, and a topline that slopes downward from the withers
to the croup, desired in so many other breeds, is a disqualification for the Fila.  There is a
palpable space of more than an inch between the scapulas, in order to permit the body to
drop between the shoulders in trailing or crouching.  This allows front-end flexibility as a
useful, even lifesaving, tool when hunting jaguars.

In some breeds such as the Mastiff, where being high in the rear is a fault, this is usually
caused by straight stifles.  However, straight stifles in the Fila is a very serious fault; as a working dog, the Fila shouldhave a moderate rear angulation.  The Fila topline slopes upward in the rear because the Fila has rear legs that are longer, as well as slightly lighter boned, than the front legs.

This conformation contributes to the Fila’s tremendous agility (especially at full gallop, which
alas cannot be seen in the show ring), giving the impression that the Fila should be able to
leap into the air and turn on a dime.  The impression of agility given by conformation is born
out in practice, as Filas are much more agile than the other Molosser breeds.

The agility was necessary for the Fila’s traditional work in Brazil of catching and pinning wild
bulls, as well as hunting jaguars and other big game on Brazilian ranches.  Filas, even big
males of 150 pounds or more, like to stand on their hind legs and put their paws on your
shoulders.  Their conformation makes it comfortable for them to stand up (as they used to
do when treeing jaguars in Brazil), unlike Molossers such as Mastiffs.  Their loose skin,
especially at the throat, was also developed as an aid in jaguar-hunting (a swipe of the cat’s
paw would catch only skin, not bone or the jugular vein).
 
 
 

GAIT
                                                                                                                                                         This unique conformation of being high in the rear also gives the Fila its distinctive "camel
gait"; i.e., it paces when walking.  In thinking of breed origins, the pace was an energy-saving
gait on the cattle ranches.  Filas, which had to travel long distances on the ranches, were
eliminated if they lacked the stamina to keep up with the work.

For these reasons, the Fila must be judged at the walk, in order to observe that it paces by
moving first the legs on one side of the body and then those on the other, giving a swaying
movement to the rear and topline.  This unique walk is absolutely required in the Fila and the
lack of it is a disqualifying-fault.  The "camel gait" is considered one of the essential points
of breed type.  While it walks, it holds it’s head down, in line with or lower than the shoulders.

The Fila should also be judged at the trot.  It should have an efficient ground-covering trot of
the type typical of the working guard dogs, and should be judged similarly in this respect.
 
 

BODY

A major point of breed type is that the Fila’s body is characterized by loose skin, particularly
on the front part, and with pronounced dewlaps.  Lack of loose skin on the body is a
disqualifying fault for the Fila.  The loose skin is a functional aspect of breed type, as its
advantages in hunting jaguars and in chasing wild bulls in the bush is obvious—in their
attacks on the dog they were more likely to grab loose skin than to penetrate it, injuring
muscles and bone.

The very long tail, with the last vertebra reaching to the hocks, is important for balance.

When examining the body, the judge should expect large bone and a deep rib cage
extending to the elbows, as in other Molosser breeds.  There should be little tuck-up,
although there may be slightly more tuck-up in young dogs (Filas, like other Molossers,
aren’t fully mature until three or four years).  The distance from ground to elbows is to be
equal to that of elbows to withers.  The brisket is well pronounced, the chest fairly broad.
Both front and rear legs should be straight when the dog is in motion, although it will single
track when moving rapidly.  Front paws may turn slightly outward when the dog is standing
still, but will straighten when the dog moves.  Extremely east-west feet and cow hocks are
very serious faults, as they will fail to straighten out when the dog moves.

To resume, the disqualifying faults associated with the body are: a croup lower than withers;
lack of the typical camel pace; lack of loose skin; all essential to breed type.

Also cropped ears or a docked tail are disqualifying and below minimum height (24 for
bitches, 27 for dogs).
 
 
 

COAT and COLOR

The Fila has a short coat.  There is no discrimination or preference within the permitted solid
and brindle colors.  All types of brindle and all shades of red from light fawn and yellow to
mahogany are the most common colors.  Black is equally permitted. With or without dark
mask has no significance.  White markings are permitted in the standard; and lack of white
markings is equally desirable.

It is common, and permitted in the standard, for there to be some white on the dogs, on the
feet, chest and tip of tail.  White on the head, or on other parts of the body, is not desirable.
More than 25 percent white is a very serious fault.

An all-white dog is disqualified, as is a solid grey coat (mouse grey, steel blue, and its
various shades).  A patched or dappled (merle) coat is disqualification.

Dilute colors (such as "Isabela" fawn, or a Weimaraner dilute red) are often frowned on by
Brazilian judges, although not directly faulted in the standard.  Equally, although grey brindle
is permitted in the standard as one of the varieties, it is seriously discouraged in Brazil, as
many judges believe it indicates crossbreeding with Neapolitan Mastiffs.  Tricolors and
black-and-tans are apparently never seen in Brazil, and are not mentioned in the standard –
however, they do not fall within the definitions of allowable colors.
 
 
 

HEAD, MUZZLE, and NECK

Although type in the Fila is very dependent on body conformation and movement – with
three disqualifying faults associated with the high croup, camel pace and loose skin – the
Fila head type is also quite unique among Molosser breeds.

It is helpful to remember that the Fila evolved mainly from the English Mastiff and the
Bloodhound.  These were combined with the descendants in Brazil of European war and
hunting dogs brought by the Portuguese conquistadors, and 16th-century bull-baiting dogs
(the old "English Bulldog", brought by the Dutch).  Although those cattle dogs were known in
the 16th century as English Bulldogs, at that time the breed’s body more resembled our
American Staffordshire Terrier than the modern, non-functional Bulldog.

The Fila head, due to the Bloodhound ancestry, is more houndy looking than the other
Molosser breeds, with longer muzzle and longer ears.  The ear set is also characteristically
low and "houndy".  Most Molossers, like the Mastiff, are short-muzzled with the skill to be
twice the length of the muzzle, in a proportion of two to one; or, to put it another way, the
muzzle only half the length of the skull.  Usually the distance between the plane of the
muzzle and the plane of the skull is great, causing a very prominent stop.

Skull: In contrast, the Fila head has a proportion of one-to-one, with the length of muzzle
(from nose to stop) to be equal to that of the skull (stop to occiput), or the muzzle may be
"slightly" (says the standard) shorter than the skull.  The plane of the skull and the plane of
the muzzle should be only a short distance apart, avoiding the deep stop characteristic of
the Mastiff.  A very short muzzle and prominent stop make the Fila look too "mastiffy", a
serious fault of type.  However, a very long, snipey muzzle lacking depth, would be too
"houndy" and also incorrect.

Seen in profile, the skull is relatively flat with the stop formed only by the eyebrow ridges;
the stop is low and curves upwards rather than forming a right angle like the stop of the
mastiff.  Seen from in front, the stop is practically nonexistent, and the median furrow is
slight and runs upward smoothly.

Muzzle: The muzzle is to be broad and deep.  In profile, the upper lips droop over the
lower lips forming a curve, giving a deep and rounded appearance, not square.  The top of
the muzzle is straight, or Roman-nosed, but never turns up.  Looking at the head from
above, the skull is broad but narrows at the beginning of the muzzle, again broadening
slightly at the front.

Neck: The neck is very strong and well muscled, with notable dewlaps at the throat.  The
upper side of the neck is slightly curved, with clear juncture to the skull and a prominent
occiput in younger dogs.  The occiput remains fairly prominent even in some adults, in
others not (a difference in type that is within the standard).

The noticeable dewlaps make the thick neck also appear short, as the lower line of the
muzzle flows into the skin on the lower part of the neck.  This contributes to the massive
appearance of the head.

Especially important to type are the features inherited from the Bloodhound ancestor; long
ears (not as long as the hound but clearly longer than the Mastiff and other Molosser
breeds); low set ears, at the level of the eyes when relaxed, although higher when at
attention; notable dewlap; loose skin on the muzzle and cheeks, with in addition definite
wrinkles on the skull when at attention; eyes often showing the haw.  All these features
contribute to the slightly melancholy, houndy appearance of the expression.  Ears, when
relaxed, may be carried close to the head or folded back (rose ear).  Both are equally
acceptable.

Teeth: Strong teeth and complete dentition are a requisite for this guardian breed.  Lack of
one canine or any molar except the third is a disqualification.  Lack of any other two teeth
except the first pre-molar, is a very serious fault.

The scissors bite is preferred, the level bite is acceptable, slightly undershot is a fault.
However, it is not considered very serious in Brazil, as there is debate (as there is among
Mastiff people) as to whether a slightly undershot bite would be an advantage in grabbing
and holding cattle.  However, if the bite is greatly undershot, so as to show the teeth when
the mouth is closed, it is a disqualification.  Also, an overshot bit is a disqualification.
 

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