Bullmastiff Temperament
Considerations in Nurturing the Breed and Raising a Puppy

© 2000 Lynnel Jones for AndalusianBullmastiffs.com

In cities and countries across the world, the breeding and owning of various breeds of dogs have been banned. Why? People and their pets have been injured or killed when proper care has not been exercised by dog owners. Thus it is crucially important – particularly when buying a protection dog – that owners understand the work the breed was created to do and learn how to prevent disasters from occurring.

It is common knowledge that Bullmastiffs were originally bred to help gamekeepers on the large estates of England and Scotland. The dog's job was to search out, knock down and hold poachers until the gamekeeper could take them in hand. In order to do that, if the poacher had a dog, the Bullmastiff must first quickly dispatch it and then take on the poacher. Off duty, the Bullmastiff typically lived with the gamekeeper and his family. So it was bred to treat children gently, guard the house and yard and lay up by the fire when it wasn't doing any of the above.

All of this makes a Bullmastiff the ideal family protection dog… in the right circumstances. Unfortunately many owners are deceived about the enormously strong instincts of the breed. The puppies they bring home from reputable breeders are sweet and gentle — so gentle in fact that they like quiet people and quiet voices. Loud noises and high emotional pitch are anathema. Although active like any toddler – and like a toddler chewing on everything in sight – they are biddable people-lovers, happy and playful - with people and with other animals.

Many people, in fact, report the puppies have no protective instinct. Owners may pride themselves on successfully managing an "open door" and "open yard" policy with neighbors and even distant friends. They "socialize" the pup with neighbor dog or dogs at a nearby play center. Sometimes owners are encouraged to believe they can "tame the beast" by what they read and hear from breed organizations, breed experts and animal behaviorists.

Then – somewhere between seven months and two years – come indications that the puppy is maturing into its original job description: it is becoming a family guard dog. The first clues may be as seemingly innocuous as catching a squirrel, bringing a baby bunny onto the porch or "hackling up" at a stranger or non-family canine playmate.

This is the time to IMMEDIATELY change your living circumstances – if you have ever (foolishly) allowed dangerous situations to arise in the first place. You must do this because the puppy now understands the home territory is his to protect. Family members – wherever they are – are hers to guard. Strangers – animal or human – entering house, yard or the proximity of a loved one without permission of family adults are no longer automatically welcomed. Yard gates and house doors should be locked now. Entrance should be only after permission to enter is given and the dog reassured that the guest is safe. Typically playing with same-sex or "yippy" dogs should no longer be allowed.

It is foolhardy to think that "properly socialized" by obedience specialists or training classes, the Bullmastiff will be reliable in overcoming her genetics. Instincts to do her job are deeply imbedded in the individual. Independent thinking is a hallmark of the breed. Historically, on-the-job survival meant "kill or be killed" as to the poacher's dog. It meant "take down and hold" or be killed by the poacher. These instincts that support this work can no more be "socialized away" than can your instinct to keep your head above water if drowning.

Although we pride ourselves in owning Bullmastiffs who can discern friend from foe, it is unreasonable to be inconsistent in the behaviors we expect from them. In one week during the summer of 2000 a two-year-old male I bred – but do not own – was acclaimed and punished for the same sort of guarding behavior. He illustrates the quandaries facing our dogs when our expectations are unrealistic.

Early in the week the dog – we'll call him Rex –was a hero. A man had broken into a nearby house, beaten and robbed the elderly homeowner and was escaping on foot across the nearby yards. Another neighbor sounded the alarm. "Take him!" Rex's owner directed, loosing the dog (who had never heard this command before). Rex knocked the burglar flat with a quick gallop and a shoulder to the back of the knee. He stood on him until the police came and his owner called him off! A hero!!!

However, I didn't hear this story until several days later – and it's not why the owner called. In fact, the owner called to report "an aggressive incident." Rex, walking on lead with the owner, had been baited and tackled by a testosterone-rich professional football player he hardly knew. Rex, coming into his own testosterone at two years, funnily enough, had tackled back….doing some slight damage to the player in addition to taking him down. The owner had crated Rex for the day as punishment. Until we discussed it, the owner told me he had seen nothing inconsistent about how he responded to the two incidents.

Well-bred Bullmastiffs are fabulous dogs. They are everything they were ever designed to be. But never forget, they ARE what they were bred to be… not couch potatoes, not pack dogs, not blindly compliant. At least into their geriatric years – when Bullmastiffs, like their owners, begin to mellow out – the dogs – again like their owners – have the capacity to be either loving companions or lethal weapons… or both!

SO… if you choose to own, breed or rescue a Bullmastiff, enjoy every minute of it….but STAY ALERT and THINK AHEAD!!!