Bullmastiff

Bullmastiff

With the power of the Mastiff and the courage of the Bulldog, this dog is a very special breed.

History:

The Bullmastiff was bred in Britain in the late 1800s as a guard dog for large game estates when poaching became rampant and gamekeepers were under constant threat of injury or death. The breed has been recognized in the British Kennel Club since 1924 on condition that the dog has three generations of pure breeding in exact proportions of 60% Mastiff and 40% Bulldog. The breed then contains a combination of the speed, strength, and sense of smell of the Mastiff, with the courage and ferocity of the Bulldog.

Physical characteristics:

The Bullmastiff is a powerful and strong dog of sturdy, symmetrical build. Height: 25 - 27 in (63.5 - 68.6 cm) for the dog and 24 - 26 in (61 - 66 cm) for the bitch. Weight: 110 - 130 lb (50 - 59 kg) for the dog and 100 - 120 lb (45.4 - 54.4 kg) for the bitch. The head of the Bullmastiff is large and square with a wrinkled brow when the dog is attentive, and smooth when at rest. The muzzle is short, the lower jaw is broad. The mask and nose are black with broad, open nostrils. The upper and lower jaws are of equal length. The eyes are dark or hazel, set apart the same width as the muzzle, with a furrow between them.

The ears are v-shaped, set high and folded back, giving a squarish shape to the skull. The ears are darker than the body, with the tips level with the eyes when the dog is alert. The neck is well-muscled and arched, going down to well laid-back shoulders. The body is short in the back with a broad loin. The tail is set high, is long and either straight out or curled up, with a darker tip than the body color. The forequarters are straight and powerful and set wide apart. The hindquarters are strong and muscular, with slightly curved hocks.

The coat of the Bullmastiff is short and dense, and the colours may be any of a uniform red, fawn or brindle. The muzzle area and around the eyes are black with the muzzle color fading towards the eyes.

Behavior:

This huge dog has developed a fearsome reputation. However, this dog is generally very gentle and unassuming. The Bullmastiff is very confident and is scared of only a very few things. It makes an excellent guard dog, as it has the size and courage to act as a deterrent, and the very real power to back up its threats to intruders. Only a foolhardy person would enter the property of a Bullmastiff uninvited.

Despite its size, the Bullmastiff is not overly anxious to exercise and is content to stay within the confines of a normal yard. It takes a lot of persistence to train a Bullmastiff, because although it is very intelligent, it is not easily motivated into activity.