Bullmastiff

Bullmastiff is a relatively young breed from the Molossian group, bred in England in the 19th century when crossing the English mastiff with the Old English Bulldog . This is a massive, muscular and powerful dog, noble and devoted to its owners.

Bullmastiff was recognized as a full-fledged breed in 1924 by the English Kennel Club . In October 1933, the American Kennel Club recognized the Bullmastiff as a separate breed of dog. The first breed standard was approved in 1935, the standard has been revised several times since then. The latest version is available on the AKC website. ^[one]

The appearance of a bullmastiff inevitably attracts attention. This is a large and powerful dog; a formidable look gives it high growth, well-developed muscles, a large head with a black mask and a wide chest. Despite their awesome appearance, the owners of modern bullmastiffs know how affectionate and loving creatures these dogs are. The coat of the bullmastiffs is short, but thick and shiny, tight-fitting to the body. The color is red, fawn or brindle; small white spots on the chest are allowed. The crossing of the English mastiff and the Old English bulldog gave the bullmastiff not only power and impressive size. With its size, it is a surprisingly agile, agile and fast dog, with constant readiness for work and instant "start" at the command of the owner. Bullmastiff initially did not have signs of purely fighting breeds. Today it is more likely a companion dog and a true friend.

Bullmastiff is not prone to unreasonable aggression, but there have been cases of attacks on people ^[2] , including fatal ones ^[3] . Bullmastiff is infinitely devoted to his masters, neutral in relation to family friends and acquaintances, but often alert to those he does not know. Does not accept familiarity from strangers. A dog of this breed needs space both in the house and in nature. Long walks and workouts are the key to good Bullmastiff fitness.

Training is not particularly difficult. A puppy already at the age of four months easily masters the main commands. Like all molosses, this dog is wayward, but stubbornness, open reluctance to obey, or poor acumen in this breed is a rare exception. Bullmastiff is understanding, disciplined and patient, takes work seriously, although game elements during training help to strengthen learned skills more quickly and more firmly. These dogs have an excellent scent and, in addition to a pedantic search on the trail, trained bullmastiffs even in the most adverse conditions unmistakably find explosives, drugs and people under the rubble.

Bullmastiff gets along well with the children of the owners, as well as with any animals contained in the house - cats are no exception.

The breed was bred in England to protect forest land from poachers. In the XIX century caught in the act of "wild hunters" was waiting for severe punishment. Knowing this, the poachers desperately defended themselves and often even went to the killing of huntsmen, so as not to fall into the hands of justice. To detain a poacher, a strong, courageous dog was required, capable of imperceptibly for a person to find him in the night forest and detain him. Breeding work of breed breeders quickly sorted bullmastiffs with the necessary qualities. Dogs silently, following the trail, found poachers in the forest, knocked them down with a powerful throw, but did not maim, and barked the owner. Therefore, the bullmastiff by nature is not vain, and barks with its deafening bass in exceptional cases. Warning of his presence if an outsider does not see him or does not respond to a formidable growl. Initially, the breed in England was called the "night dog rangers."

• For many years, the bullmastiff nicknamed Ganner was a kind of mascot of the English football team Arsenal ^[4] . Before the start of each match, Ganner was taken to the field and demonstrated to the public. The serious appearance of this worthy representative of the breed reduced the intensity of fan passions and the number of hooligan antics. And the players of his team gave a peculiar charge of vivacity and set them to victory.

• Today, bullmastiffs that have lost their former fighting qualities are considered companion dogs. The only place where the working stock of the breed has been preserved, and where the bullmastiffs still have a guard and security service, is the diamond mines of De Beers in the Republic of South Africa ^[5] .

Growth bullmastiff at the withers:

• males from 63.5 to 68.5 cm
• bitches from 61 to 66 cm

Weight:

• males from 50 to 59 kg
• bitches from 41 to 50 kg

• Patrushev D. Bullmastiff // My friend dog: Magazine. - M .: Animal Press, 2012. - No. 1 . - S. 62-65 .

• Bullmastiff National Club
• Electronic pedigree catalog