The origins of the Bullmastiff dog breed, like that of all molossiods, date back centuries; this one in particular is relatively recent and is thought to have originated from the crossbreeding of English Bulldogs and Mastiffs or even Great Danes, in England. These selections were made in the mid-nineteenth century with the intent to obtain a breed that could help gamekeepers defend the game from poachers. Finally in the early twentieth century, a breeder, Sam Mosley, officially originated this breed using only Bulldogs and Mastiffs. The breed was recognized in 1924.
The Bullmastiff is definitely one of the best guardians that can be found, and at the same time a faithful and affectionate dog that has a very close bond with its owner. Far from the fearsome dog it once was, so much so that it was also called a “ban dog” dog to be kept on the chain because of the potential danger it represented. With its selection and crossbreeding, it has been possible to have a sweet and calm breed.
At the same time it is not suitable for an inexperienced owner; it has a strong, dominant character and a predisposition to do its own thing, therefore good training and socialization are fundamental for its education. And his very robust size needs a person who will not be intimidated or overpowered and especially who has enough strength to handle him with the leash during training.
Character of the Bullmastiff dog breed
Despite its strong and imposing appearance the Bullmastiff is very docile, it is a balanced and safe dog even with children and friendly with humans. With the right training it will become a dog that is difficult to frighten or agitate, transmitting this tranquility to those around it. But do not be misled by its goodness, because in case of danger is fully aware of its means and shows no fear to use them.
It fits in well with the family and adores human contact especially with its owner. The Bullmastiff should not be left alone for many hours, it suffers greatly from loneliness, needs to be pampered and receive attention.
It is a dog that loves to live outdoors and for this reason it does not adapt very well to apartment life, unless you can take it out for a walk at least 3 times a day.
It has a very strong protective instinct towards its home and family, for this reason it tends to be very wary of strangers. He tends to study the alleged malicious person who threatens his property or his owner, attacking him by landing him and making him unable to get up without biting him. He has exceptional alertness.
It does not accept attempts to dominate from other dogs, so early socialization is a must, and a cat or other small pet is just prey for it, the female is quieter than the male, less lively and slightly lazier.
Bullmastiff dog breed appearance
The Bullmastiff is a large dog. The height at the withers ranges from 63 to 68 centimeters for a weight ranging from 55 to 60 kilograms. The female is about 8-10 kilograms smaller. Its physical appearance is powerful, with an excellent musculature; it has a powerful and symmetrical structure, with a particularly lively and activity-loving disposition. . The tail is attached high and strong at the base.
Its head is wide, its truffle is black and flattened. The mask on the muzzle is normally black. The ears are V-shaped, the eyes, well spaced apart are generally dark, under the muzzle there are hanging wrinkles.
The hair is very hard, short and resists well to bad weather. The coat can be black, fawn or tiger with various shades. A white patch under the chest is also present in some.
Health and Care of the Bullmastiff Dog Breed
The Bullmastif generally enjoys good health, but like all molossoids does not have a very long life expectancy, on average it is 8 years, but can get up to 10 or 12 years.
In the summer he may have difficulty breathing, like many dogs of the molossoid genus. For this it will be necessary only not to keep him exposed too much to the sun and not to make him move too much during the hottest hours.
A fairly common problem is that of hyperthyroidism, which tends to appear as the dog gets older. Also, as in many large dogs, they can suffer from hip dysplasia. For this reason, Bullmastiff puppies should never be exercised much, so as not to strain their joints.
The diet must be healthy and balanced and also controlled as it has a robust appetite and will tend to eat more than it needs. Movement however is the main thing to overcome his weight problems.
As for the care of the coat, being short-haired, it should be brushed once a week to remove the dead hair. He loses very little hair.
