By now, you hopefully know that Bullmastiffs are gentle giants with so much to offer! At the same time, you might be wondering how to keep your current or potential Bullmastiff content at home. This can be dealt with once you know the answer to the question: what were Bullmastiffs bred for?
Bullmastiffs were initially bred as guard dogs for land. This origin makes them good working dogs with a docile side. If you want to own or own a Bullmastiff, learn more about their breeding to provide the best care possible. You’d be surprised to learn how these gentle giants operate!
If you want to get educated on the history of Bullmastiff breeding and how this impacts the breed, you’re in luck! Keep reading to find out everything you need to know about the origins of the protective and loving Bullmastiff!
Origins and Breeding History of the Bullmastiff
You might be wondering what origins or breeding history have to do with anything. Why does it matter what the Bullmastiff was bred for? In reality, their origins have a pretty big impact on current personality and general needs!
For example, a dog bred to work will have different exercise and dietary needs than dogs bred to be companions. The origins of the Bullmastiff go back over two hundred years, which isn’t that long compared to other dog breeds! This makes the Bullmastiff a relatively modern dog breed.
Bullmastiffs originated in England and were bred as guardians. We’ll dive into more about what that means later!
Bullmastiffs were created by mating two different types of dogs but became officially recognized as a purebred dog in 1924 thanks to the English Kennel Club.
Now, let’s dive into how exactly the Bullmastiff came to be!
The Bullmastiff is a Cross Between a Bulldog and a Mastiff
As the name suggests, Bullmastiffs were created by breeding the English Mastiff with the popular Old English Bulldog. Gamekeepers in 19th-century England realized that they needed a way to keep poachers off their land, and guard dogs quickly became popular.
Bullmastiffs came into being because these same gamekeepers realized that they needed to combine the traits of the Mastiff and Bulldog respectively to create the perfect guard dog.
The traits of the Mastiff that they sought to recreate were:
– Larger than average size
– Superior strength
– Ability to follow orders
– Reduced aggression
At the same time, they needed to combine these traits with the most desired of the Old English Bulldog. These traits are as follows:
– Toughness
– Aggressive tendencies
– Sturdy and heavy size
By combining the two, gamekeepers were able to create the Bullmastiff, a dog renowned for its size, confidence, and protective (but not outright aggressive) personality.
The Bullmastiff is a Large and Intelligent Dog Breed
The old English gamekeepers were clearly successful in their efforts, and today Bullmastiffs are incredibly popular dogs. Being bred as guardians, they are both intelligent enough to make their own decisions and docile enough to listen to their masters.
The Bullmastiff is not as large as the traditional Mastiff, but it is still considered a big dog! They traditionally weigh between 100 and 130 pounds and reach as high as 27 inches at the shoulder!
This height and weight can be traced back to their origins, combining the size and ability of the Mastiff with the power of the Bulldog.
Since the 1800s, they have functioned well as guard dogs, particularly at night. Gamekeepers in the 1800s bred them for their brindle and fawn coats as ideal camouflage.
They also bred them for intelligence, allowing Bullmastiffs to act aggressively but only under orders from their owners.
Bred in England as a Guard Dog for Estates and Farms
We’ve covered how Bullmastiffs functioned as guard dogs bred by English gamekeepers, but what did that entail? Knowing this will help explain a lot about the personality and actions of the Bullmastiff breed.
In the 19th century, poachers on land were typical. They would wait until nightfall and sneak onto vast estates and farms to steal food or animals. With the breeding of the Bullmastiff, poaching became a much more dangerous sport!
Bullmastiffs were able to effectively sense and hunt poachers, remaining disguised at night due to their coats.
They would alert their owner and pounce on the poacher, keeping them detained but not attacking them unless told to do so by the gamekeeper.
This pouncing ability was essential, as traditional Bulldogs would often attack and injure poachers before they could be detained. By combining them with the loyalty of the Mastiff, Bullmastiffs emerged as the best land guard dogs around!
Influence of the Breed on Personality and Traits
Their origins and original breeding have undoubtedly impacted all modern Bullmastiffs’ well-known personalities. Here are just a few of their most common traits and characteristics:
- A highly protective nature. Bullmastiffs will guard what is theirs! When they sense a threat or stranger approaching their home or family, they will let you know it.
- Being easier to train. Bullmastiffs are meant to follow orders and learn from their owners as guard dogs. Even today, Bullmastiffs have a high trainability compared to other breeds.
- A higher energy level. Bullmastiffs were meant to roam large areas of land, so they might require more exercise or have more energy than other dogs!
- High intelligence. This breed requires lots of mental stimulation and training. They were bred to learn lots of important information and discern between friend and foe, making them intelligent.
- Docility. While they can be pretty threatening to strangers, Bullmastiffs are easy to train to be good with children and other animals. Once they know who is included in their circle, they won’t turn against them.
They Are Known For Their Bravery, Loyalty, and Protective Nature
As we’ve discussed, Bullmastiffs have an excellent reputation as brave, loyal, and protective over their families. You will have a tough time finding a Bullmastiff who doesn’t guard their family fiercely!
These are attractive traits for a dog to have. At the same time, make sure that your Bullmastiff’s protective streak doesn’t result in any incidents.
Remember how they were prone to pouncing on poachers? You’ll often see that a protective Bullmastiff might jump up on a stranger they’re worried about!
They Have a Strong Sense of Smell and Can Detect Danger Before It Happens
Like most dogs, Bullmastiffs have a very keen sense of smell. For this breed, in particular, their hearing, vision, and smell are all excellent due to their origin as a guard dog working primarily at night.
You might notice that your Bullmastiff seems to sense things you cannot see; smell might be why!
This often manifests in Bullmastiffs seeming to “predict” events. Whether they sense an intruder before a sound is made or smell a fire before flames start to rise, Bullmastiffs are always there to alert you to danger.
This Is Why They Make Great Watchdogs
Unsurprisingly, Bullmastiffs make excellent watchdogs! They will protect you when you are out and about and keep watch over their home.
If you’re ever worried about trespassers, trust that your Bullmastiff will let them know they are not welcome.
Many Bullmastiffs function well with a job or task. This can include guarding a family member or area of land!
They need plenty of Mental Stimulation
Along with enjoying having a job or task, Bullmastiffs need plenty of mental stimulation. Avoid leaving them home alone for long periods with nothing to do!
You will quickly find that a bored Bullmastiff is also an unhappy one. Here are some potential games to solve this!
– Hide and seek, with the dog finding you
– A scavenger hunt with treats or scented toys
– Puzzle toys that contain treats
– Additional “silly training” for less essential tasks
With activities like this, you can keep your Bullmastiff from getting bored!
Early Socialisation and Training are Essential for Bullmastiffs
Bullmastiffs’ big hearts and protective attitudes are endearing, but they are also the reason for training and socialization as early as possible!
Begin training and socializing your Bullmastiff puppy in the essentials as early as eight weeks to prevent aggressive reactions later.
When dogs are not socialized or trained to avoid aggressive behaviors, they can attack anything unfamiliar.
One example would be a dog that has never seen a bike running and barking frantically at every cyclist. With early training, you can avoid your protective Bullmastiff from threatening any strangers.
Final thoughts
As outlined, Bullmastiffs were originally bred in 19th-century England to guard the land and remove poachers. This has resulted in a modern breed that is large, intelligent, and above all else, protective!
Now that you know more about the history of the Bullmastiff, you understand their personality, tendencies, and how to best train them. Good luck!
