The history of the appearance of a bullmastiff, external parameters of the species, behavioral traits and health, nuances of care: walks, nutrition, procedures, interesting facts. Buying a puppy. This animal serves as a watchman, but this "monster" was not created to tear the enemy. He crushes the enemy with his weight, without causing him damage. Representatives of the species served as guards at diamond mines in southern Africa. John Rockefeller used them for the safety of his lands.
But imposing dogs are not really as good on the inside as they are on the outside. All owners as one claim that these are very good-natured animals. The regularity and calmness of such a dog may discourage someone, but nevertheless, those who gave preference to the bullmastiff will no longer be able to fall in love with another breed with the same force.
Nowadays, representatives of the breed no longer catch poachers. They are increasingly lying on the master's sofas and wonderfully harmoniously fit into city landscapes. Dogs are happy to be real family pets. Intelligent and good-natured, yet reliable and well-managed. These animals are ready to devote their whole life to their owners, their interests and family values.
The history of the appearance of the bullmastiff breed
The British have bred more dogs than any other nation. Bullmastiff was created in Great Britain in the 18th century, as an impeccable watchman and a thunderstorm of poachers. The breed originated from the combination of dog species such as the Mastiff and the Old English Bulldog. Bullmastiff inherited all the qualities of his ancestors. Namely, the speed and energy of the bulldog, the massiveness and large size of the mastiff. In another way, it is called the "night huntsman dog".
The main task of this dog was not to hunt animals, but a trained and impeccably armed criminal. They were created to help people protect aristocratic lands from poaching. At that time, this crime was punishable by death, so the dogs had to have certain abilities.
When breeding bullmastiff, preference was given to smart, courageous, courageous, strong and sturdy individuals. The ability of the dog to make the necessary decisions and to remain perfectly calm was extremely important. You will never see a bullmastiff finishing off his victim. If the prey does not resist, this dog sits calmly in place and waits for the owner to come up.
They received official recognition in 1924. At the same time, the standard of these dogs was formed. The bullmastiff was first brought to the Russian Federation in 1989, in the Tula region. The temperament of this breed has become one of the main guarantors of well-being not only in our country, but throughout the world. Many western dog handlers consider dogs of this breed ideal for home keeping.
Characteristics of external parameters of bullmastiff
Bullmastiff is a large, powerful, massive, self-sufficient dog. She is agile, energetic and hardy. With an impressive head and a powerful physique, it has a balanced appearance. Males are always heavier and heavier than females.
It is used for protection and protection, as well as a companion dog. Has a balanced, intelligent disposition. The dog has excellent contact with a person. He is curious and welcoming with the appropriate attitude. Evil and fearful individuals are discarded.
According to the norms, the height at the withers in males is from 63 cm to 68 cm, in bitches from 61 cm to 65 cm. from 49 kg to 57 kg.
They move freely, energetically, balanced - at a trot. The front legs, when moving, are directed forward, rise upward with a good amplitude. The drive of the hindquarters is confident and firm. The body is straight when moving.
- Head looks large against the background of the case, voluminous, has a square format. The frontal part is wide and flat in the upper zone. The furrow on the forehead is deep and wide. The cheekbones are well defined. The brows are not highlighted. With increased attention to something, wrinkles should form on the dog's forehead and muzzle. In a calm state, they are not visible.
- Muzzle widened, shortened, deep, square, parallel to the skull. The bridge of the nose is wide and short. The stop is sharply defined. The lips are full, fleshy, black pigmented. The bite is tick-shaped, but there may be a slight undershot within 0.5 cm. The wings are of good volume, overlap the lower jaw. The jaws are wide and short. The lower jaw is massive, slightly rounded upwards. The teeth are large, white with powerful canines.
- Nose square, wide, flatish with dilated nostrils, curved towards the eyes. The pigmentation of the nose is jet black.
- Eyes bullmastiff wide location. They are of medium size, round oval in shape. Their color ranges from dark brownish to coal black and greenish brown. The eyelids are dark, not dry or loose. Have a smart look.
- Ears have a harmonious placement, emphasizing the format of the head. They are medium in size, triangular in shape, drooping. The cartilage is thick, the ends are slightly rounded. The auricles are directed downward, slightly raised on the cartilage, harmoniously adjacent to the skull and cheekbones with the front edge. When alert, the dog turns them forward slightly.
- Neck - massive, moderately shortened, oval in shape, with strong muscles. Delivered harmoniously to the body, has a smooth bend. The withers stand out perfectly, there is no dewlap.
- Frame balanced-bony, slightly damp, square with mesomorphic muscles. The chest is widened and massive. The back is straight, strong, never sloping or sagging. The loin is widened and voluminous. The croup is slightly sloping. The ribs are harmoniously arched and perfectly lowered. The line of the abdomen is slightly tucked into the groin area.
- Tail high location and over medium in size. It is strong and thick at the beginning of growth, gradually decreasing at the end. There should be no zalomov. When running, the dog can bend it a little, carry it a little higher, or at the level of the spine.
- Front limbs - when judging from different sides, stand parallel, have a strong bone. The legs are wide apart, of medium length with a strong muscular system. The blades are inclined. The shoulders fit perfectly to the body, the forearms are straight. The pasterns are slightly tilted. The hind ones are parallel to each other, even. Strong muscles on the thighs. The knee joints are harmoniously curved and pronounced. Metatarsus are vertical.
- Paws - compressed, rounded-oval, medium. Fingers with curved hard claws, slightly pressed against one another. The nails are dark pigmented. The pads are firm and firm.
- Coat bullmastiff is short, sleek and shiny. The hair is thick and adheres well to the skin. The undercoat is insignificant.
- Leather thick, the dog's body fits loosely enough. In the region of the neck and skull, characteristic small folds are observed when the animal is alerted.
- Color reddish-orange, pale-pastel or with a brindle. Obligatory breed mask on the face. It should only be black. The presence of well-dyed black ears is also required.
Characteristic behavioral traits of a bullmastiff dog
Bulmatsifs are self-sufficient, kind, intelligent, loyal and courageous. They never show aggression unless there is a reason. They love all people until they feel threatened by them. They never show leadership in the family. Perfectly play the role of a professional nanny. This is very unexpected, but a 70-kilogram dog can be the most gentle nanny for children. They endure all children's pranks in silence, but as soon as the child cries, they immediately run to check what happened.
In relation to other animals, they do not show aggressiveness, on the contrary, they are friendly. Many breeders say that bullmastiffs get along well with cats and even take care of their offspring. Imagine a picture when kittens lie around a big dog and he licks them affectionately.
In an apartment or in a dog's house - as an alarm. You don't even need to lock your home because there will be a balanced, formidable and intelligent guard. They are able to give their lives to protect their family members. The massive bullmastiff's appearance attracts attention. With this dog it is not scary to get lost in the forest. Such monumentality will come with a wide chest and developed muscles. The large size and black mask on the face complement the image of a serious animal.
However, amateurs and breeders of the breed know that dogs are very affectionate, friendly and unnecessarily will not use all their power and strength. The voice will only be used in extreme situations. Since the dog is very intelligent, it will not once again disturb the peace and quiet with its barking.
Bullmastiffs are hardy and can play with the owner for a long time. They are immensely loyal to their owner. They are very sensitive to his mood and understand what is being sought from them. If the pets are in the field of view of the owners, then they are able to perform the model of behavior that they want from them. But when they fall out of control, they show their intelligence that they will find a thousand and one ways to achieve their goals and objectives.
Despite the fact that bullmastiffs were originally bred in England to guard large estates, they are true companions. They quickly become attached to all family members and throughout their life give themselves to them without a trace.
For an apartment, such dogs are ideal. If Yorkshire Terriers run everywhere, on the couch, on the table and even on the head of the owners, then these dogs walked and calmly lie in their place. The only thing is that at night you can stumble over such an impressive pet. From other molossians, bullmastiffs are distinguished by less abundant salivation. This happens only after an active run or if the dog has smelled some kind of "tasty".
Bullmastiff health
The average life span of bullmastiffs is eight, nine years. There are also long-livers in the breed. Old age in this type of dog begins at eight years old, and if the dog survives this threshold, it will live for several more years. But the main thing for a healthy dog's life is proper feeding and training.
Bullmastiffs have joint problems, especially if the dog is somewhat sedentary or eats too much food. Obesity makes it harder for the heart muscle to work and shortens life. Also, such flaws are observed during the growth of the puppy due to the heavy skeleton of the breed. Therefore, vitamins, minerals and chondroprotectors with glucosamine and chondroetin, as well as fish oil - Omega-3 are introduced into the diet.
Many large dogs and older animals are prone to bloat. In fact, this is an extremely dangerous problem. To avoid this, try not to feed the bullmastiff liquid food. Necessarily before and after the walk, the pet cannot be fed for two hours. If the dog is active and ran a lot, do not let him drink abundantly right away. That is, the bullmastiff came home, took a few sips of water and the bowl must be removed immediately. When the animal is properly breathed, you can water it.
Signs that your pet does have volvulus include the following. First, if you suddenly saw that the animal, after eating or drinking, has a urge to vomit and white foam comes out. Second, the animal does not find a place for itself and cannot lie down. Third, the dog swells at the sides. With the above clinical symptoms, the bullmastiff must be immediately taken to the veterinary clinic. Statistics indicate that all animals operated on within the first two hours after the onset of signs of volvulus, as a rule, remain alive.
Bullmastiffs can have eye problems due to breed characteristics such as drooping eyelids, third eyelid, and volvulus. Consequently, the quality of life of the pet changes - it becomes difficult for him to see. With such a problem, it is necessary to do plastic surgery - to hem them. Now in nurseries they are trying to avoid this flaw by weeding out such specimens from breeding.
The nuances of caring for a bullmastiff
- Wool does not require much attention. It is short and is usually brushed once a week, but during molting it is brushed almost every day. The coat is short and these dogs do not smell like a dog. "Bath" procedures for dogs are arranged twice a month or as soon as they get dirty. Concentrate for the "bath" should be gentle, so that there is no skin irritation and dandruff. Be sure to rinse off all soap products as thoroughly as possible. After bathing, the pet is thoroughly wiped off and left to dry on a mat in a warm room.
- Teeth bullmastiffs are strong, but to keep them healthy longer, teach your dog to clean them from puppyhood. The procedure can be carried out using zoological pastes and brushes. Such care will protect the dentition from the accumulation of calculus, and the gums from periodontal disease.
- Ears these pets are closed, so they need to be cleaned regularly.
- Eyes must be checked and kept clean to avoid infection, as some individuals have droopy eyelids.
- Claws - be sure to cut with claws so that your dog's gait and fingers are not deformed.
- Feeding bullmastiff is not as voluminous as you might think. During the growth period, the diet requires additional vitamins and minerals. Dogs also need chondroprotectors to strengthen their ligaments. If your pet eats professional, ready-to-use super-premium food, then he will be in wonderful physical shape. They will saturate the animal's body with all the necessary substances.
- Walking should imply physical activity. They didn't just take the dog outside and walk a little. They have to move, run and play. Adult dogs are taken outside twice a day. The morning walk lasts forty minutes, and the evening walk lasts from one and a half to two hours. It is possible to keep a bullmastiff in an open enclosure only in warm climates, since it has short hair. In moderately cold climates, the aviary must be properly insulated.
Features of raising a bullmastiff
After the appearance of a bullmastiff puppy in the house, it is necessary to immediately introduce him to all the household and outline the framework of behavior in the house. The puppy must know what can and cannot be done. Bullmastiffs perfectly feel the mood of the owner. It is necessary to communicate correctly with the pet and the animal itself will understand what they want from it. With purposeful training, it will not be possible to immediately achieve some brilliant result. This will take much more time than, for example, training a shepherd.
Interesting facts about the bullmastiff
Bullmastiffs have late psychological and physical development. Up to two and a half years is still a puppy. Despite the fact that some individuals are not taught, they will still protect, protect you and your family, thanks to natural intelligence.
Purchase and price of bullmastiff puppies
Taking such a dog, you must remember that they grow up late. You need to play and walk a lot with them. If you are not embarrassed by the characteristic breed stubbornness and pleases the bullmastiff's ability to think deeply and reason, perhaps the dog will be an ideal companion for you. He will combine a solid appearance and excellent security qualities. It is not surprising that the owners of this breed, which is still new for us, are most often satisfied with their choice. In order to have a healthy pet, buy it from a professional nursery. The approximate cost per puppy ranges from $ 800 to $ 1300.
For more information on the bullmastiff, see below:
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