bullmastiff

Bullmastiff
An adult male Bullmastiff
Country of origin
United Kingdom
Classification and breed standards
FCI:	Group 2 Section 2 #157	Stds
AKC:	Working	Stds
ANKC:	Group 6 (Utility)	Stds
CKC:	Group 3 - Working Dogs	Stds
KC (UK):	Working	Stds
NZKC:	Utility	Stds
UKC:	Guardian Dogs	Stds

The Bullmastiff is a powerful dog, said to be a cross between the English Mastiff and the Bulldog. Originally bred to find and immobilise poachers, the breed has proved its value as a family pet.

Appearance

Bullmastiffs grow to be 25 to 28 inches tall (63 to 69 cm) at the withers and 110 to 140 pounds (50 to 60 kg). Females typically reach 24 to 26 inches (61 to 66 cm) at the withers, and 100 to 120 pounds (45 to 55 kg).

Color

Any shade of brindle, fawn, or red is allowed as long as the colour is pure and clear. In the United States, however, there is no mention in the standard of the colour being "pure and clear". The fawn is a light tan or blond colour, while the red is a richer, red-brown. This can range from a deep red to a light red merging with the fawn sometimes described as a red-fawn. A slight white marking on the chest is permissible, but other white markings are undesirable. A black muzzle is essential, toning off towards the eyes, with dark markings around eyes contributing to the expression.

Temperament

The Bullmastiff is courageous, loyal, calm, and loving with those it knows. It has a very strong protective instinct and will defend its owners against anything it perceives as a threat. However, it does not normally attack to protect. Instead, it simply knocks the intruder over with its massive size and pins them to the ground, or, will simply stand in front of the stranger/intruder and refuse to let them pass. Bullmastiffs become intensely attached to their families and do best when they can live inside with them. Their protective instinct combined with their great size and natural wariness of strangers means that early socialization is a must. The Bullmastiff may or may not get along well with other dogs. Often, male Bullmastiffs do not tolerate other males, regardless of breed. Occasionally, females in heat will also not get along with other females. The Bullmastiff gets along well with children and is very loving towards them. Parental supervision should be maintained when they are with children because these dogs are so big that they may accidentally knock smaller children down.

Health

Bullmastiffs are prone to certain hereditary diseases. These include:

• Hip dysplasia
• Elbow dysplasia
• Entropion
• Hypothyroidism
• Lymphoma cancer
• Progressive retinal atrophy, a particular problem since the trait is an autosomal dominant one.

Working life

With its handsome and powerful appearance, along with surprising speed, coupled with incredible strength, Bullmastiffs can overtake and capture intruders without mauling them. These traits make the Bullmastiff appear to be an excellent choice for a guard dog; however, a stubborn streak makes the animal somewhat resistant to obedience training and they can be overly protective of their human family. Due to this, the breed has been overtaken by others, more popular as guard dogs.

Bred to sneak up on poachers, the Bullmastiff barks much less often than other breeds, but when they bark they will make your head turn, as it is dark and hollow sounding. The Bullmastiff was recognized as a pure-bred dog in 1924 by the English Kennel Club. In October, 1933, The American Kennel Club recognized the Bullmastiff. The foundation breeding was 60% Mastiff and 40% Bulldog (which was the Old English Bulldog, not the modern short Bulldog of today).

Bullmastiffs in popular culture

• Agent 11 (Spot) from See Spot Run was a Bullmastiff.
• Butkus from Rocky.
• Paul Sr., the owner of Orange County Choppers, has two Bullmastiffs named Gus and Marty. [1]

See also

• Mastiff

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

Bullmastiff

• Bullmastiff Breed Information
  • Bullmastiffs Online - Comprehensive guide to the Purebred Bullmastiff

• Clubs and associations
  • The Bullmastiff Club of Ireland
  • The American Bullmastiff Association, Inc.
  • Bullmastiff Fanciers of Canada
  • The Bullmastiff Club of Southern Africa
  • The Southern Bullmastiff Society Breed club in the UK
  • The Bullmastiff Association Breed club in the UK
  • The Dominion Bullmastiff Club of New Zealand

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