Table of Contents:
What do I look for in a breeder/kennel?
Are Bullmastiffs good with children?
Is the Bullmastiff a good Guard Dog?
Do I have to have a huge yard for a Bullmastiff?
How much exercise does the Bullmastiff require?
Does the Bullmastiff drool a lot?
How Destructive is a Bullmastiff?
My Puppy keeps digging, what can I do?
Does the Bullmastiff require a lot of grooming?
What are the major health concerns?
How do I keep my puppy from hurting his toes going in and out of his crate?
My Puppy Chewed up an Ink Pen, What do I Do?
What colors do the Bullmastiff come in
The Bullmastiff is a loving & loyal companion and can usually live with children and other dogs. However they are not for everyone. Before you make a decision to add one of these wonderful creatures to your family please research them carefully. You can do this by reading up on them, talking to Breeders, going to shows, and hopefully meeting a few in people. They do best living indoors with their loved ones and are co-dependant on their human companions. Most Bullmastiffs don't require a lot of exercise. A brief walk or two daily and a few romps around the back yard may be all they need. They are independent thinkers they want to please their owners but can bore easily. I highly recommend obedience classes but it should vary in lessons to keep their attention.
Socialization is very important for your Bullmastiff. The more exposure they get as youngsters the better the chances are of them growing into sound and stable adults.
The average lifespan of a Bullmastiff can vary from 8-12 years old. They have their fair share of health problems such as: Cancer, Hip & Elbow dysphasia, Torn Cruciate ligaments, Bloat, and Thyroid problems.
They are a wash and wear breed. Their short coats don't require much care other than a daily brushing. Keeping their nails trimmed will keep them from getting splayed feet. Cleaning their ears often will help to prevent ear infections.
Please remember they are a Guard Breed and should never be allowed to roam freely unless under your care. Some do fine with other dogs and others don't. You can discuss that with your breeder. I personally do not place males in a home that another male resides, no matter what the breed. They should never be left unattended with small children & should be supervised at all times. I'm not implying they can't do well living with children and aren't great family additions just would not do well being provoked into rough play, or being poked, pulled, or tugged on.
Crate time should be respected. Children should not be allowed to poke the fingers inside their crates, feed them treats through the crates, etc...
What do I look for in a breeder/kennel? Beware of breeders that breed many litters every year, ask for references, will that breeder be there for you years down the road, or will they suddenly have no time for you after your check clears? Talk to as many breeders as you can, not just those in your area. Ask to see proof of health testing, and remember, "Champion Lines" doesn't always mean what you think! How far back are those champions?? Lots of websites are geared to make the unknowing public think its a great kennel, again, ask around!
In the United States if a dog is not registered with the American Kennel Club, United Kennel Club, or Canadian Kennel Club There are now many, many so called "Registries" that people are using for dogs that are not legitimate, but so they can sell them for thousands of dollars as a "pure bred"!
Are the dogs listed as "American Bullmastiffs"? These are Mutts! Basically they are a cross between a pure bred Bullmastiff, and a pure bred American Bulldog, or some other breed, they claim the dogs have no drool, sorry all dogs drool!!! There is no real, respectable registry that has acknowledged them as a "Pure Breed", they are just one of the many mixes out there that people are attempting to create, and all they are doing is adding to the shelter populations!
For more on Dog Registries, go to this wonderful site: http://www.wonderpuppy.net/kc.htm
Are Bullmastiffs good with children? The Bullmastiff loves children, and is very affectionate and loyal to its family. But remember, this is a large breed and toddlers, if bumped can be knocked down so always supervise your children and bullmastiff when interacting.
Never allow children to:
Sneak up and frighten a sleeping bullmastiff
Annoy, tease, hit, smack, pull or jump on a bullmastiff
Encourage rough play or chasing games, this will only result in the child being knocked down and getting hurt
Teach your child to respect the Bullmastiff's right to time alone. Crate train you bullmastiff, and teach the children when he's in his crate, that is HIS place and time alone. This will give your bullmastiff a place to go when he wants to relax and not be bothered.
Is the Bullmastiff a good Guard Dog? Yes, the bullmastiff was bred solely to guard, therefore it is their natural instinct. They typically will not bark, but when they do, it is best to investigate, however, if an intruder comes into the home, he will most likely never hear the bullmastiff coming at him! Early socialization is important to your bullmastiff, as this will teach them to decipher the difference between acceptable people and those will ill intent. We also recommend puppy play groups and/or puppy kindergarten for your puppy so they may learn manners around other dogs as well as people. Remember, this dog was bred to Guard so take nothing for granted.
Do I have to have a huge yard for a Bullmastiff? No, a Bullmastiff can live in a home with a smaller yard, but must be walked several times a day for at least 15 minutes a walk. They may be large, but they are not overly energetic. We do require that all of our Bullmastiffs go to a home with a securely fenced yard.
How much exercise does the Bullmastiff require? Again, an adult Bullmastiff needs a few walks a day. A puppy however, needs to have all exercise kept to a minimum until 1 year old. No running or jumping on or off furniture, or in and out of cars/trucks. It has been proven that over exercising a puppy can result in the bullmastiff being hip dysplastic.
How much do they eat? An adult Bullmastiff will eat up to 2 cups of quality kibble, (we recommend Canidae), 2 times a day. A puppy will consume 2 cups 3 times a day until they are 4 months old. Be sure to feed a food that is low in protein, 24% or less, and NEVER feed a Bullmastiff puppy, Puppy Food. They are weaned onto adult food and should be kept on it.
Does the Bullmastiff drool a lot? Every dog drools, but a Bullmastiff will definitely drool when there is food present, if they are hot or in distress, and of course, after getting a drink of water prepare to get "slobbered". Best solution, keep some drool rags laying around. When your Bullmastiff comes in from getting a drink, wipe his face.
How Destructive is a Bullmastiff? As puppies, Bullmastiffs can and will be very destructive. They will chew on anything, but be warned, anything wood, will most likely be their favorite! A good deterrent for this is spray on deodorant. It may leave a white film on your furniture, but this will wipe off easily with a damp rag, tooth marks won't! The key is to confine your bullmastiff to a crate when ever they cannot be supervised, especially as a puppy. We've even heard stories of bullmastiffs eating holes in walls! Yes, walls, chewed right thru the drywall! If your bullmastiff gets bored or lonely for you, be assured, if it has your scent on it, they will chew it, shoes are a favorite too.
What have our dogs destroyed? Well, the wood feet on our couches are gnawed on, Mamma once found a few dead wires sticking out of a Jacuzzi and de-wired the entire thing, 20 feet of disconnected wires all over the yard! And don't forget trees, we have several potted Ficus trees, all of them show signs of bullmastiffs using them for teething rings!!! Nikki once pulled one all the way over so she could enjoy chewing on it! I've even had my straight pin cushion eaten, that meant a trip to the vet for x-rays to make sure no pins were ingested!!!
Digging is also a favorite activity. Establish a Designated Digging area for your bullmastiff, somewhere in a shady spot, loosen the soil, bury a few toys, treats. This will teach them to dig there, and not in the middle of your lawn! Bullmastiffs will dig in shady areas, especially when it is warm outside, as they are trying to cool off. It is always best to keep your bullmastiff inside during warm weather, so be sure to keep tabs on them!!!
My Puppy keeps digging, what can I do? This is not fool proof, but the one thing I have found that works the best is to bury some of your dogs own stool in the hole, cover it up, and hose down the area. Most dogs will not continue digging in the same spot after their stool has been buried there.
Does the Bullmastiff require a lot of grooming? No, they are a low maintenance grooming dog, but nails are still a weekly task! For more on Grooming (See our Grooming and Care page)
What are the major health concerns? Yes just like any large breed they can suffer from hip Dysplasia. It has now been proven that hip Dysplasia is not entirely hereditary but environment also plays a big part of hip Dysplasia. The breed can also suffer from an eye condition known as entropian and ectropian . Entropion is where the eyelid rolls inwards and the eyelashes irritate the eye causing the dog to eventually go blind. Ectropion is the opposite of entropion where the eyelid turns outward resulting in constant conjunctivitis and inflammation problems. Both eye conditions can be surgically corrected but a responsible breeder would avoid breeding from such a dog with this hereditary problem. Thyroid issues are very common as well, but very easily controlled with medication. Osteocarcoma is another issue that we see a lot of.
How do I keep my puppy
from hurting his toes going in and out of his crate?
This is easy to prevent, of course you
don't want you puppy catching his toes in his wire crate as this can cause a
serious injury. What we do is fold a towel in half, place a portion of it
under the entire crate,
then we fold this remainder up and over the opening,
and drop the crate pan down on top of it,
.
As you can see, this creates a barrier so that toes cannot become caught in the
wires of the crate!
My Puppy Chewed up an Ink Pen, What do I Do? First thing, make sure you find ALL the pieces, if you aren't sure, go to the vet for x-rays! This unfortunately has happened here several times, and I've found the best way to get the ink off a dog, whether its a marker or a ball point, is hairspray! Spray hairspray on the ink, and use a damp wash rag to work it out. Be careful around the eyes, Do NOT spray hairspray near the eyes, spray it onto a Q-tip or rag, the rub the ink. The ink stains will look worse, before its gone, as it will smear during the removal process. Be sure to bath your dog as normal afterwards to remove all traces of hairspray. Here's a picture of one of our babies after chewing on a pen!
So you have your new puppy and you want to take him for a walk and show him off, but puppy has other ideas??? You coax, beg and plead, and still puppy won’t budge? Here’s the method we’ve been using for years, because yes, I was once there too!
By now your puppy should be used to wearing a collar, just a simple buckle collar, no choke chains yet. If he’s not used to a collar, let him wear just a collar for a week and get used to that first.
Day 1-2 MUST be supervised at ALL times during this!
Buy a light weight nylon leash, nothing with a heavy clip, even if the leash is not suited for your puppy, its just for training him for one.
Clip the leash to the collar, and let puppy drag it around everywhere. Do not make a fuss about it, go on about things normally, but only do this when you can supervise him, as the leash can get tangled up in something and endanger your pup.
Do this exercise inside and outside. If your puppy picks up the lead in his mouth, well, get your camera out as it’s as cute as can be!
Day 3-4
Pick up the end of the leash and go where ever puppy wants to go, do not try to guide him at all, this is a new sensation for him, to not have the leash dragging. Do not make a fuss, just talk to him and tell him what a “Good Boy” he is. Do this in 5-10 minute intervals several times a day.
Day 5-6
Start guiding puppy, pat the side of your leg, make “kissy” noises, anything to encourage him to follow you. Do not scold if he balks, but praise heavily when he follows you.
Day 7
By this time, you should be able to take your first very short walk with your puppy. Puppies want to please you, so be sure to praise, praise, praise when he gets it right!!!
What Colors do the Bullmastiff come in??
The Bullmastiff comes in several colors, all having a black mask and darker ears. White is not desired, but does happen. Click here to see the AKC Breed Standard for the Bullmastiff: http://www.akc.org/breeds/bullmastiff/index.cfm
Red
Fawn
Red Fawn
Brindle
Red Fawn's vary in shades, any "fawn" that has a hint of red in its coat is considered a Red Fawn.
Brindle's have a base color of either Red, Fawn or Red Fawn