Bullmastiff Dog Breed Profile

by Dr. Chris

AKC Group: Working Group

The Bullmastiff was created by crossing the English Mastiff with the English Bulldog. This created a dog smaller then the Mastiff, but much more agile then the Bulldog. A strong and intelligent dog that excels at many activities.

History

The crossbreeding the Bulldog and the Mastiff began in the 1800's, resulting in the Bullmastiff. It was often the preferred guard dog to Englishmen with large estates. On their large lots of land they would keep game. They used this dog to keep away predators and poachers.

They tried lots of different breeds, like Bulldog. But they didn't succeed as they would rip the poacher up. Mastiffs were tested however they were not fast enough and couldn't retain the thief and therefore the thieves would escape. Consequently, the Bullmastiff was created which features 40% Bulldog and 60% Mastiff.

Physical Features

Varying between 24 to 27 inches tall and often weighing 110 to 130 pounds for both females and males. The Bullmastiff is actually a huge strong dog. As huge as are they are, they are still very energetic.

They have strong but sleek shoulders with straight legs. The eyes are dark, with V shaped ears. Their coats is normally short, but very dense, which served them well during English winters. The coat color of the Bullmastiff could be bridle, fawn or red. Any white spots are frowned upon.

Personality

This breed is very loyal and becomes very attached to its owners. An excellent protector of territory and himself. With proper socialization can be a great family dog and great with children.

Common Health Problems

Hip and elbow dysplasia; Entropion, progressive retinal atrophy (PRA); Arthritis, Bloat, and hydothyroidism.

Return to: Complete AKC Dog Breed List

To read more blog posts go here: Veterinary Blog

To sign up for my newsletter go here: Veterinary Newsletter