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Short History of the Breed

The Bullmastiff is a mix of the Mastiff and the Bulldog. It was created in England in the mid-1800s and is the only guard breed to start in England. The Bullmastiffs were bred to help game keepers of large estates catch poachers. These dogs could quietly track people in the forest at night; and knock the man down and hold him there until the dog's master got there. Many Bullmastiffs died at the hands of criminals who were desperate to escape, but they were exactly the kind of dogs that the game keepers needed.

Physical Description and Size

Bullmastiffs are a very large breed, many people consider them to be an extra large or giant breed. Males can be from 110 to 130 lbs. Females can be between 100 to 120 lbs. Bullmastiffs can also be different colors, these colors are fawn, red and brindle;brindle is black striping over a base color of fawn or red. They have short fur.

Temperament

Bullmastiffs are very easygoing and loyal and they can also be very protective. If someone knocks on the door or rings the bell Bullmastiffs with generally follow their owner to the door and see if their owner lets the person in, and if the person is allowed in the Bullmastiff will be ok with the person being there, but if their owner does not willingly let them in and the person tries to come in the Bullmastiff will get in between their owner and the other person and try to stop them from coming in.

Dog Care

Bullmastiffs do not need a great deal of exercise, other than playing with them and taking them for walks. They should not go jogging with their owners because their knees are not built for running for long periods of time.

Health Issues and Life Expectancy

Bullmastiffs live for about 8 to 10 years, some health problems are hip dysplasia; elbow dysplasia; interdigital cysts; entropian and ectropian (eye problems); and early death from cancer.

References

Thompson, Linda. "The History of the Bullmastiff." Bullmastiffs. Gemstone Bullmastiffs. 13 Feb. 2007 <http://www.bullmastiffinfo.org/thebmf.htm>.

Additional Resources

• Bullmastiff - Online Community
• Bullmastiff Online Community - DogBreed.org
• http://www.bullmastiffinfo.org/