Bullmastiff - Confident and Brave Molosser Type Dog

April 26, 2018

The Bullmastiff is a large sized dog that hails from United Kingdom. This breed of dog is confident, self-assured and afraid of nothing. Once it has been provoked, it will not back down from attack. The puppies of bull mastiff tend to be rambunctious while they grow up as a serious and mild mannered dog. An adult dog is happy with moderate exercise. This breed of dog is not meant for everyone. Bull Mastiff tends to check their liberty by crossing the rules ad regulation set by master. Only firm and experienced owner can pet this breed. They make splendid companion to owners who have established leadership and have proven their worth in the eyes of dog. Bull mastiff makes imposing guard dog and watch dog. The best quality of this dog is that it will not attack strangers unnecessary. It is intelligent and can differentiate between foes from friends. But it is highly recommended to socialize the dog from starting so that it can be accepting of others.

Bullmastiff Origin

Bull mastiff belongs to United Kingdom. It was developed in mid-80 by game keepers. They wanted a large, fearless, quiet breed with perfect speed to bog down poachers. In order to get their desired breed of dog, bull dog was crossed with mastiff type of dog. The dog developed had the perfect blend of mastiff and bull dog. Gamekeepers used this breed to guard their territory at night. The dark brindle coat of the dog provided camouflage to the dog to perform its duty dedicatedly.

Bullmastiff Characteristics & Facts for Kids

The dog belongs to United Kingdom. It is a guard dog as well as watchdog
The average lifespan of the dog is 8-10 years
It is an alert, calm, reserved and intelligent breed
The height of the dog is 63–69 cm
The weight of the dog is 50–60 kg
The dog comes in fawn, brindle and red color
The average price of the puppy is $1200 - $1500 USD
The dog cannot tolerate extreme temperature. Keep it inside home. You need to have a small sized yard to keep it inside home
It is a quiet breed and it rarely barks
The dog tends to have animal aggression
It is a suitable breed for families with kids but big size of the dog can be threat to toddlers
This breed requires only moderate exercise to stay happy and healthy.
It is not hypoallergenic in nature
The dog sheds moderately. Its grooming need is simple and easy
The bull mastiff is a voice sensitive dog. You must handle it gently but with firmness.

Appearance

It is a large sized powerful dog with perfect blend of strength, endurance and alertness. Despite having solid buildup body, it is not overly heavy. The dog has a broad and wide head with wrinkled face. It has short and dark muzzle with slight underbite teeth. The tail of the dog is carried upwardly and gets tapered towards the end. Generally dogs of this breed sport black mask.

Size and Weight

The ideal height of the male breed is 25 to 27 inches and it weighs around 110 to 130 pounds. The ideal height of the female breed is 24 to 26 inches and it weighs around 100 and 120 pounds. Show dogs should have squarely proportioned body.

Coat and color

The dog has a short and dense coat which lies flat on its body. It comes in fawn, red or brindle color. The muzzle and ears of the dog should be black in color.

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Grooming

The dog is easy to groom. Once a week, brushing is enough to keep its coat tidy and free of debris. Wipe the wrinkles of the dog because moisture leads to fungal infection. The dog has a smelly breath so brush its teeth regularly. Bathing once a month is advisable but you can also use dry shampoo so that it smells nice. Monitor its ears periodically for any signs of redness or infection. Mastiffs wear down their toe nails naturally but if it doesn’t, trim its nails.

Bullmastiff Temperament

Personality- The dog is confident to deal with any challenges thrown at it. This breed of dog is known for its serious and reserved nature. The dog is highly prized for its ability to patrol and guard the territory. The dog was trained to not hurt people and follow the poachers until the master comes. This trait is inhibited in them till now. A well trained dog makes docile and affectionate family pet. It is gentle with kids and tolerable too. However if you want a dog that can play with kids, bull mastiff may not be the right choice for you. These dogs were bred to do serious task like watching predator and not for entertainment purpose.
Behavior- The dog is calm and composed with family members. It cannot tolerate the sight of strange animal in its territory. Being a fearless dog, it will not back down when another dog challenges it. The dog is wary of strangers but will not threaten them unless provoked by them. They are highly territorial in nature and will protect their loved ones at the cost of their own life. The dog is prone to snoring, drooling, and flatulence and snorting.
Activities requirement- The dog is a wanderer. It needs space to roam but not to run and romp. It has moderate exercise needs and suitable for ones who want a dog with not much demanding exercise needs. The dog shouldn’t be overly exercised else it can develop joints problem. Be careful in the summer month because they can get heat strokes if exercised for too long.
Training- It is not a soft hearted dog. You need to be consistent and confident to train them as they tend to be stubborn and willful minded. The dog will test your patience so never bend rules for it.

Feeding

Bull mastiff can be given raw diet or premium quality commercial food. They love bananas, apple and tomatoes. Do not feed them acidic type fruits. It is suggested to feed your dog two small meals instead of one large meal to avoid bloat like situation.

Lifespan

The dog can live up to 8-10 years.

Health Issues

This breed is not hypoallergenic. The dog is prone to number of health issues like allergies, bloat, entropion, hip/elbow dysplasia, lymphoma, hypothyroidism, PRA and mast cell tumor.

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Habitat

The dog cannot survive in extreme cold or extreme hot temperature. It needs to be kept inside home unless the weather is perfect for the dog. The dog is fairly inactive inside home but being a large sized dog it needs space to thrive freely.