10 things you need to know about the bullmastiff before you buy one

The bullmastiff is a large and imposing-looking dog of the mastiff type, and certainly a dog to make you think twice if you happened to meet one alone down a dark alley. This strong, very distinctive looking dog breed is one that has a lot of appeal to quite a variety of different types of prospective owners, but they are also a breed that is by no means a good fit for everyone who might aspire to own one either.

This means that if you have your heart set on buying a bullmastiff, it is really important to do plenty of research before you commit to a purchase, so that you can find out for sure what you’ll be getting into, learn the key traits of the breed and ensure that they’re a good fit for your requirements, and provide your new dog with a proper and appropriate home and lifestyle.

With this in mind, this article will tell you ten things you need to know about the bullmastiff dog to get you started with your research and to provide some pointers on the various things that you need to consider if you wish to buy a dog of the breed. Read on to learn more.

1. Bullmastiffs are physically very large and strong

Bullmastiffs are large dogs that are both tall and very muscular, and they are very physically strong. This gives them a somewhat daunting appearance that is matched by significant strength, and so dogs of the breed tend to be better handled with a harness than a collar, and must be trained to display good manners as you would not win a struggle with them based on strength!

2. They are natural guard dogs, and this is not always a good thing!

The bullmastiff is a natural and competent guard dog, and they do not need to be trained to display such a trait; they will naturally define the limits of their home and territory, and patrol it and keep a look out for perceived threats.

However, this does mean they are apt to try to see off legitimate visitors and delivery persons too, and so you must take great care to protect people from meeting your dog on their own territory unexpectedly, as the bullmastiff is not a dog that will back down in most situations!

3. Bullmastiffs are not highly intelligent

The bullmastiff dog is ranked 127th out of 138 different dog breeds in the Coren scale of canine intelligence, which is of course well down towards the very bottom of the list.

This means that dogs of the breed can only learn and execute a limited number of basic commands, and may take longer to train than most – as well as being unlikely to follow any command first time.

4. Bullmastiffs are very loyal

The bullmastiff is a hugely loyal dog breed that looks to trusted handlers for direction, and which can be speculative of strangers and naturally prefers the company of people they know.

It can take a long time to win a bullmastiff’s loyalty, but once you have it, they will be loyal for life.

5. Bullmastiffs are relatively expensive to buy

According to our Pets4Homes statistcis, the average asking price for pedigree bullmastiffs for sale in the UK as of September 2019 is around £894, although non-pedigrees are rather more affordable at around £539 each.

This is also a costly breed to keep as well, in more or less every respect from food to insurance!

6. Bullmastiffs don’t have very long average lifespans

Bullmastiffs have an average lifespan of between around 8-10 years, which is rather lower than the average across the board for dogs of all breeds and types.

7. There are a lot of health challenges within the breed as a whole

The bullmastiff breed as a whole is one that has more than its fair share of hereditary health challenges, and quite a list of testing schemes recommended to bullmastiff breeders. Any prospective buyer should learn about these in more detail before committing to a purchase.

8. They’re not hugely high energy dogs

Bullmastiffs certainly aren’t the most energetic of dog breeds, and they tend to be rather slow moving, with even a slow running pace. They require at least two daily walks of around 30-45 minutes each, but they are not generally overly challenging to keep satisfied in this respect.

9. Bullmastiff coats are low maintenance

The bullmastiff has a short, single-layered coat, which is very low maintenance in terms of its need for brushing and grooming, although all dogs can benefit from being brushed regularly. Bullmastiffs also don’t tend to be particularly heavy shedders either.

10. Bullmastiffs need a confident and experienced owner

Bullmastiffs are large, confident dogs with natural guarding skills and a tendency to be dominant if not provided with clear leadership and direction from a competent handler.

As such, they need to be owned by someone who is experienced with the care and management of dogs of this type, and who can provide the appropriate care, control and lifestyle for them.

An unruly bullmastiff is very hard to control and live with, and whilst this is a very loyal and loving dog breed in the right hands, they are by no means the right fit for all types of homes or owners.