Bullmastiffs are a fairly recent breed, with their ancestry being traced back to 1860. At that time in England, the gamekeepers were having difficulty keeping the estate and game preserves free from poachers. The gamekeepers experimented with different breeds looking to the Old English Mastiff, but he wasn’t aggressive or fast enough; and the Bulldog who was a little too ferocious and small. However, a cross between the two breeds resulted in a dog that had the courage and strength of the Mastiff and the tenacity of the Bulldog. Hence, the noble and fearless Bullmastiff came into being. The dog was trained to attack without biting and would knock over and hold down a trespasser till help arrived.
Dark brindle coloured dogs were preferred for the night work as their coats merged perfectly into the darkness and the dogs were popularly known as ‘the Gamekeeper’s Night Dog’. But when the need for the gamekeeper’s dogs decreased, the dark brindle coats gave way in popularity to the lighter fawn colouration. Nowadays, the Bullmastiff is mainly kept as a watchdog. But the noble and gentle dog’s temperament has become more genial over the years and it is now popular as a family companion with a calm, dependable disposition when properly trained and socialised.
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A Handsome Hunk
The bullmastiff is a powerfully built dog, impressive in stature and strength, with a large broad wrinkled head and massive, muscular body. The short, slightly rough, dense coat is normally red, fawn or brindle, all with a black face mask. On average, a Bullmastiff can weigh between 100 and 130 pounds and males can be as tall as 27 inches at the shoulder. Females are slightly smaller in size. The dog’s large wrinkly black face, keen and alert expression, dark hazel eyes and short, dark muzzle is what endears it most to Bullmastiff fanciers. The V-shaped ears are pendant and normally dark coloured.
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Companion And Protector
The strong powerful dog naturally assumes the role of being the family’s guardian and protector, but unless there is a threat to his family, one may never see that side of the Bullmastiff. Since they were also bred to be silent guard dogs, most Bullmastiffs are not great barkers. The large size does not make it the ideal choice if you have a toddler at home as a playful paw is all it would take to hurt or knock down the child. Sociable by nature, Bullmastiffs love to be included in the daily family routine and enjoy being in close contact with their humans. Many a Bullmastiff will develop behaviour problems if left locked up in a kennel or backyard all day with minimum human contact.
Though Bullmastiffs are most comfortable in a large home that has an accompanying garden or backyard, the breed does just as well in an apartment as long as the owner can provide the required exercise. The breed can also be territorial by nature and often will protect their home, family and car from other people or dogs. Though some dogs are sociable with other dogs, most Bullmastiffs are aggressive toward other dogs and care should be taken when bringing another pet into the home.
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Controlling a 130 pound giant
A strong-willed, but sensitive dog, the Bullmastiff needs firm handling and plenty of early training and socialisation to prevent it from developing problems later down the road. Bullmastiffs are known to back their will with strong physical strength so all training must be done using reward-based methods. The breed is intelligent, eager to learn and responds well to love and praise. Any negative training methods will meet with stiff resistance.
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Caring For Your Bullmastiff
The short, dense Bullmastiff coat requires minimum effort to keep clean – a daily brush is sufficient to remove dead hair and keep the coat shiny. Like all dogs, their ears and teeth must be cleaned regularly, and their toenails should be kept short. Start grooming your pup at an early stage to prevent the dog from struggling or fighting during the grooming routine later when it is a 130 pound giant.
Do not force a Bullmastiff to jog as it can harm the joints. As with all snub-nosed dogs, Bullmastiffs are intolerant of the heat and should preferably be exercised during the cooler parts of the days to prevent the dog from getting overheated. Like most large breeds, the Bullmastiff is prone to hip dysplasia, congenital elbow luxation, gastric torsion and torn anterior cruciate ligaments. The dog is also known to suffer from skin and coat problems, thyroid problems and entropion (turning inward of the eyelid). But overall, the breed tends to be healthy, with a life span of around 8-10 years.
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Is The Bullmastiff For You?
As wonderful and loving the Bullmastiff can be, it is not a breed for everyone. The large, powerful dog is a huge responsibility and can turn your home upside down if you are unprepared. Bullmastiffs love cuddling and will sneak into your bed to give you wet slobbery kisses, roll on you, sit on you and place their paws on you. The breed is also known to slobber and one shake of the head can send the saliva flying all over your home. If you don’t want your furniture or carpets adorned with showers of saliva, think twice before getting one of these gentle giants. As with most large breed dogs, caring and feeding a Bullmastiff is an expensive proposition, consider the costs involved well before you bring home a puppy – not after the dog has grown up. But in spite of all this, if you yet want a Bullmastiff, do go ahead as few other breeds can offer the same quality of love, companionship and devotion as a Bullmastiff!
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