Bullmastiffs are known for their loyalty and protective nature, but are they good with babies?
For the most part, yes, Bullmastiffs are fully compatible with young children and babies. These dogs are known as gentle giants and will rarely cause deliberate harm to any human, let alone a baby. However, there is always the risk of accidental injury due to their large size.
In this blog post, we’ll explore the traits of Bullmastiffs that make them great with babies. We’ll also provide some tips on introducing your new baby to your furry companion.
Factors to Consider
Before you and your family can decide whether or not a Bullmastiff is the right choice for your growing family with young children, there are a few essential things that should be considered. Let’s explore what those factors are!
Size
Bullmastiffs are considered a large breed of dog. They can weigh up to 150 pounds and reach up to 30 inches in height. They are gentle giants; however, when they try to move or get excited, this large size can cause them to knock things over or injure small children.
For families with young children living in small homes or apartments, the chances of an accident caused by your dog’s large size are quite likely with this breed.
Temperament
Despite their size and intimidating appearance, they’re known as one of the gentlest dog breeds around. They were initially bred to hunt wild boar and trained not to harm their prey until the hunter arrived. This trait alone makes them perfect for families with small children.
However, while they’re large and powerful dogs that will never intentionally hurt little ones, their size means that they might knock them over by accident.
If you have small children or babies who are always on the move or love to explore, Bullmastiffs may not be the best breed for your family.
When introducing a new baby into the home with a Bullmastiff, it’s important to consider everyone’s safety. You should do everything you can to prevent accidents from happening.
Never leave a child and dog alone together, no matter how well-behaved and gentle your pet is. They could be asleep and then suddenly wake up when a crying baby makes a noise nearby!
Always make sure to keep an eye on them whenever they’re together.
Energy Levels
If you’re considering getting a Bullmastiff as your new pet, make sure that there’s enough space in your home for them to run around.
They’ll love it if they can spend time outdoors too, but make sure their outdoor area is secure. This includes other animals like coyotes which can be a concern. Otherwise, they may end up chasing after prey and get into all sorts of trouble!
The same applies to young children. Therefore, it is essential to teach your young ones how to play with a dog and ensure your dog understands when you are finished playing.
Otherwise, they could potentially chase and knock over a baby, which can be hazardous.
Potential Dangers to Avoid
Because small children still have so much to learn, there may be some dangers that come with owning Bullmastiffs. This is especially the case when babies or toddlers are in the house.
That being said, here are some potential dangers that you should look out for as a parent!
Sneaking Up on a Sleeping Bullmastiff
It is important not to sneak up on a bullmastiff while sleeping. If they notice you approaching them too late, they may feel endangered. This is especially the case if they have not had the time to recognize you as a friend.
Start by getting down on the dog’s level. Slowly and calmly pet him so that he knows you are not a threat. This will help to ensure that your Bullmastiff is always comfortable around you and your children.
Also, when they are sleeping, avoid being too quiet when walking near or by them. You don’t want them to get spooked or startled which could result in them reacting aggressively.
Teasing or Annoying Them
Bullmastiffs are typically very strong and gentle. However, they can hurt you if they are teased or constantly annoyed, which is especially true for babies and children.
“It’s essential always to be respectful of your dog and never provoke them into a fight.”
With that said, they’re also very tolerant of kids who might pull their tails or climb all over them. They’re just happy to have some extra company!
Therefore, as long as nobody is being overly aggressive or mean to the dog, they will likely enjoy any attention they can get. However, it is not a good idea to play with food in front of the dog.
This could be considered teasing and cause the Bullmastiff to become too focused on the food. As mentioned, this can result in rough behavior and potentially an accident.
Approaching a Bullmastiff While They Eat
Bullmastiffs are gentle dogs, but they might accidentally hurt the child if they approach them while eating.
They can become protective of their food and may try to stop a baby from taking it.
If you have a Bullmastiff, make sure you teach your children to wait until the dog is finished eating before trying to take the food away.
With young children around, it’s often a good idea to keep your Bullmastiff in a separate room when they are eating. This will ensure your children do not try to take their food away or approach them while they are eating.
Sometimes, even if you or your children do not plan to touch the food, the Bullmastiff may not understand this and may feel the need to protect their meal, causing aggression in some cases.
Being Too Rough
Another thing to avoid is being rough with a Bullmastiff. While it is great to interact and play with your dog as much as possible, it is essential to keep their energy levels under control at all times.
As explained previously in this article, this breed comes with plenty of energy, which must be handled in the right way.
“Becoming overly rough when playing with your Bullmastiff can cause them to become rough as well. This can lead to injuries, especially when small kids or babies are around.”
That being said, running or playing fetch with a Bullmastiff is a great way to burn their built-up energy without any aggression or roughness involved.
As a parent, if you choose to adopt a Bullmastiff, you should also ensure that the children in your home understand the importance of playing, not attacking the dog.
Helpful Tips
As we explained near the start of this article, there is no doubt that Bullmastiffs can make great family pets, even with small children nearby, as long as there is enough space.
However, for this combo to be a success, there are certain tips that can help smoothen things out. Here they are!
Early Socialization
Bullmastiffs are typically very good with young children, but early socialization in this breed is essential.
Bullmastiffs can be pretty protective and bark and growl when strangers come near the home, but early socialization should help minimize this behavior.
Often, it is recommended to adopt a puppy around the time your child is still a baby. By doing this, the puppy will grow up seeing the child as a member of their pack and will be much more likely to be gentle and tolerant around them.
Older dogs can also be good companions for children, but it is important to carefully screen any dog you’re considering bringing into your home with kids.
By welcoming both a puppy and a baby into your life around the same time, these two can grow up together and build a strong relationship of trust and friendship.
This can be incredibly beneficial for both the dog and the child, as it can help teach them how to interact with and care for another living creature.
Setting Boundaries
When it comes to having such a large dog and such a small child in your home at the same time, the importance of boundaries is immense.
Not only with your Bullmastiff need boundaries to understand what they can and cannot do, but boundaries must also be set for your child.
They need to know not to approach or touch the dog when they’re eating, sleeping or have something precious in their mouth.
As with any breed of dog, it’s important to start socializing your Bullmastiff puppy as early as possible. This will ensure they grow up to be well-adjusted and confident adults.
This includes taking them to the park and meeting new people and other dogs. By exposing them to various environments they will start to feel at ease in any situation. This includes when Bullmastiffs are around babies and small children!
Regular Exercise
While Bullmastiffs are gentle giants that can be calm at times, they still need plenty of it.
A couple of walks a day should be enough to keep them happy and healthy. However, make sure you also give them plenty of time to run around and play in the yard. This will help them burn off some of their excess energy and keep them out of mischief!
“Another great way to burn any energy your dog may have is by playing games such as Tug of War.“
This is a great way to encourage the dog/human bond and also helps strengthen your pet’s muscles. Just be careful not to let the game get too rough, as you don’t want your dog or the person playing with them getting injured.
Constant Supervision
Bullmastiffs should not be left along with babies. Even if your dog is a gentle giant, it could easily knock a child or baby over. You need to always make sure they are supervised.
It is always recommended to keep your dog and young children apart if there is no adult to supervise. This is because children are curious by nature. They might try to take a closer look at the dog, which could result in an accident.
If you have a fenced-in backyard, this will help keep your dog contained while your child plays outside.
Socializing your children and dog with each other is best done outside. Not only will the dog feel less need to protect their territory when outside the home, but it will also have more space to back away from the child should it feel intimidated.
Ensure plenty of space is available during dog-child interactions. This reduces the chance of injuries or accidents.
Final thoughts
As outlined, Bullmastiffs are good with babies but always remember to take precautions and supervise any interactions between the two.
With a little bit of common sense and careful planning, everyone in your home can enjoy life with this wonderful breed of dog!
