BULLMASTIF
This breed is officially from Great Britain towards the end of the XIX century and its first standard goes back to the 1924. In the past, the bullmastiff was used in England as a guardian in the large private reserves with the purpose of chasing and capturing furtive hunters, which it did by tackling them with their body weight and throwing themselves at them, in order to pin them down, without using its powerful mouth. Despite this trade, which it still has and is much appreciated, it is very aware of its strength and never attacks indiscriminately. Long before, in the Iberian Peninsula, specimens with similar morphology existed, as proven in Francisco de Goya’s engravings and the large oil painting titled Patio de los Caballos, by Manuel Castellanos, dating 1853, which portray two dogs that could pass as modern bullmastiffs.
PHYSICAL TRAITS of the BULLMASTIF
Imposing and highly deterrent looking, it is a strong boned animal, broad and deep chest and potent back. Its head is square from every angle, with V shaped ears, over which a wide snout predominates and medium length, covered in a black mask extending toward and around the dark eyes; the intense gaze is its primary trademark. Short haired, its coat can be tawny, ranging every tonality from sandy to liver red or tawny. A typical male is between 63.5 and 68.5 cm to the cross with a weight between 49.5 and 59.9 kg, when it completes its physical development, at three or three and a half years old. The adult female weighs around 41 to 49.5 kg and their height was between 61 and 66 cm. It has a formidable body: strong, brawny and powerful. It was used to protect the cattle and catch furtive hunters, whom it stopped without harming them.
The bullmastiff likes to feel useful and prove how essential can become to its masters.
The skull is bulky and square, its circumference can have the same length as the dog’s height.
TEMPERAMENT AND ADAPTATION of the BULLMASTIF
It is a potent and confident dog, but doesn’t display its physical power much, avoiding confrontation when it can. Affectionate with the entire family as long as it feels a part of it, very patient towards the children, who it loves. An intelligent guardian, discreet, effective and without a great discrimination ability, it doesn’t bark much, very domestic and only moderately active, for which it perfectly adapts to a life in a city apartment. It gladly abides to an obedience based education, it has a special predilection for order in everything and permanently seeks pleasing its owners, as much as it needs to feel loved and respected.
EXERCISE AND CARE required for a BULLMASTIF
Its hygiene and maintenance is simple. It is essential that the exercise is very controlled during the critical growth stage (up to 15 – 16 months in males and 10 months in females), to avoid skeletal muscle problems in the adult. For this reason overweight should be avoided in the puppy. Attack training advised against in this dog.
The bullmastiff is usually very patient with children.
