The Bullmastiff is a large English guard dog bred by nineteenth-century gamekeepers from the Mastiff and the Bulldog. It is quiet, steady and loyal.
Its size and strength call for an experienced owner, and its lifespan is short, at seven to nine years.
The Bullmastiff is a large, powerful, short-coated guard dog developed in England by crossing the Mastiff with the Bulldog. It is quiet, steady and devoted to its family.
In the nineteenth century gamekeepers on English estates wanted a dog that could work silently at night, catch a poacher and hold him without mauling him. They found that a cross of roughly sixty per cent Mastiff and forty per cent Bulldog combined the size of the one with the courage and speed of the other. The dogs were known as the gamekeeper's night dog. The Kennel Club recognised the Bullmastiff as a breed in 1924.
Dogs stand 64 to 69 cm at the shoulder and weigh 50 to 59 kg; bitches are somewhat smaller. The build is compact and heavily muscled, with a large square head, a short broad muzzle with a black mask, and a short, hard coat in fawn, red or brindle.
Bullmastiffs are calm and affectionate at home and tolerant of children in their own family. They are natural guards that seldom bark, are reserved with strangers and can be intolerant of other dogs, particularly of the same sex. Their strength and independence make early socialising and consistent training essential, and they are not a breed for an inexperienced owner. About an hour of steady exercise a day suits an adult; puppies' growing joints are protected by limiting exercise.
The coat needs a weekly brush, and many dogs drool. A dog of this size is costly to feed, insure and treat. The typical lifespan is short, at seven to nine years.
Like all short-muzzled dogs, Bullmastiffs cope poorly with heat.
The Bullmastiff is in the Kennel Club's Working group. Registrations have fallen to the point where the Kennel Club monitors it as a native breed at risk of becoming vulnerable.