Bullmastiff
Overview
The Bullmastiff is a powerful dog, said to be a cross between the English Mastiff and the Old English Bulldog. Originally bred to find and immobilize poachers, the breed has proved its value as a family pet.
Appearance
Male Bullmastiffs grow to be 25-27 inches tall (63.5-68.5 cm) at the withers and 110-140 lbs. (50 to 60 kg). Females typically reach 24-26 inches (61-66 cm) at the withers, and 100-120 lbs. (45-55 kg).
Color
Any shade of brindle, fawn, or red is allowed as long as the color is pure and clear. In the United States, however, there is no mention in the standard of the color being "pure and clear". The fawn is a light tan or blond color, while the red is a richer, red-brown. This can range from a deep red to a light red merging with the fawn sometimes described as a red-fawn. A slight white marking on the chest is permissible, but other white markings are undesirable. A black muzzle is essential, toning off towards the eyes, with dark markings around eyes contributing to the expression.
The Bullmastiff is courageous, loyal, calm, and loving with those it knows. It has a very strong protective instinct and will defend its owners against anything it perceives as a threat. However, it does not normally attack to protect. Instead, it simply knocks the intruder over with its massive size and pins them to the ground, or, will simply stand in front of the stranger/intruder and refuse to let them pass. Bullmastiffs become intensely attached to their families and do best when they can live inside with them. Their protective instinct combined with their great size and natural wariness of strangers means that early socialization is a must. The Bullmastiff may or may not get along well with other dogs. Occasionally, females in heat will also not get along with other females. The Bullmastiff gets along well with children and is very loving towards them. Parental supervision should be maintained when they are with children because these dogs are so big that they may accidentally knock smaller children down.
Source: All text is available under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License.
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