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This is a composite of Frequently Asked Questions that are sent to
me via email:
Do Bullmastiffs drool?
Do Bullmastiffs get along with children?
Do Bullmastiffs bite?
Do Bullmastiffs eat a lot of food?
Are Bullmastiffs intelligent or easy to train?
How long do Bullmastiffs live?
How big do Bullmastiffs get? What health problems do they have?
How much should my Bullmastiffs weigh?
Do Bullmastiffs shed a lot?
Are Bullmastiffs good guard dogs?
Do Bullmastiffs drool?
Yes. They drool after they drink and eat, during and after physical
activity, while begging for food, when warm or hot, and when stressed. Some drool
more often than others. Some drool more than others. Generally, the longer
the jowls on a Bullmastiff, the more drool you can expect to experience. Experienced
Bullmastiff owners tend to play down the drool factor to those who don't know any better.
I have found inexperienced owners (my vet including) to "gross out"
seconds before their first unavoidable slime experience. As a rule of thumb, always
have drool towels ready to clean up after them and expect to have drool stains and streaks
on all of your belongings.
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Do Bullmastiffs get along with children?
Depends on you and your children. If you take the responsibility to
properly train the Bullmastiff and your children do not terrorize the Bullmastiff - maybe
they will get along fine. Also consider that the Bullmastiff is a large dog that
will bump into, step on, lay on, and if not trained properly, "mouth on" your
child. As a rule of thumb, never leave the Bullmastiff and your children without
parental supervision. Refer to article "Dogs
& Children" for an expert's insight.
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Do Bullmastiffs bite?
Yes - all dogs bite. You may want to review your
litigation
responsibilities in regards to owning this breed.
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Do Bullmastiffs eat a lot of food?
If you feed your Bullmastiff a high quality dog food (Eukanuba, AvoDerm),
then no. Expect to feed a 100 lb Bullmastiff around 3 - 4 cups per day. Refer
to the Bullmastiff Nutrition page for more specific
information.
If you feed your Bullmastiff a low quality dog food (Kibbles-N-Bits), then yes.
Expect to feed a 100 lb Bullmastiff around 6 - 8 cups per day and your vet bill will
probably go up too.
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Are Bullmastiffs intelligent or easy to train?
Bullmastiffs are highly intelligent, stubborn, and think for
themselves. Training this breed requires a patient owner that is more intelligent,
stubborn, and is consistent with the training. In order to get a Bullmastiff to do a
command for you, you have to convince them that it was their idea to do it in the first
place (and a treat always helps). Their basic attitude towards training is:
"What's in it for me?" This breed has no problem with locking limbs
against physical force and yelling at them will only fall on deaf ears.
How long do Bullmastiffs live?
The average seems to range from 8 - 10 years old. Some Bullmastiffs
have lived up to 13 - 14 years old.
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How big to do Bullmastiffs get? What health problems do
they have?
Your male Bullmastiff should not exceed 140 pounds in weight. Your
female Bullmastiff should not exceed 120 pounds in weight. If your Bullmastiff (male
or female) exceeds either of these guidelines - they are either overweight or quite
possibly not a purebred Bullmastiff.
Refer to the Medicine and Genetics page for a specific
listing of health problems and their treatments.
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How much should my Bullmastiff weigh?
Remember a Bullmastiff is not going to be as large as a Mastiff or Great Dane.
Under no circumstances should you expect your Bullmastiff (if he/she is indeed a
purebred Bullmastiff) to weigh much more than 130 -140 lbs for males and 110-120 lbs for
females.
First look and feel your Bullmastiff -
Does he/she look too fat or too skinny?
What does your vet or breeder say about how much your puppy should weigh for
their age?
If the above fails and you are still not sure about your Bullmastiff's weight -
consider the following examples:
- As a general rule, add 10 pounds for each month of age for the female. For
example, a six (6) month old female will generally weigh 60 lbs. - give or take 10 lbs.
At full size, a female will generally weigh 90 - 110 lbs standard weight.
Give or take 10 lbs if your female is not exactly within the defined standard.
- For males, add 10 pounds for each month of age for the male - plus 10 more pounds.
For example, a six (6) month old male will generally weigh 70 lbs. (6 x 10 = 60 +
10 = 70 lbs.) - give or take 10 lbs. At full size, a male will generally weigh 110 -
130 lbs standard weight. Give or take 10 lbs if your male is not exactly within the
defined standard.
Please keep in mind that it is NOT how much your Bullmastiff weighs, but how your
Bullmastiff LOOKS that matters. If you Bullmastiff is too fat - or heavy for their
size, problems will arise in the proper formation of the skeletal structure. And
people will look at your Bullmastiff and think "Man, that's a fat dog." If
your Bullmastiff is slightly thin - that is "ok", but too thin means that they
may not be getting enough nutrition which will also result in health problems.
Again - consult with your vet and/or breeder for definitive answers as to
what your Bullmastiff should currently weigh in at.
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Do Bullmastiffs shed a lot?
Yes. Everything you own will be covered with Bullmastiff hair.
Even at the office - where your Bullmastiff may have never been - will have Bullmastiff
hair that followed you there. Because their hair is short and stiff - it easily
sticks and stays stuck to anything. It is suggested that you buy the same colored
clothes as your Bullmastiff's coat - then maybe the fur won't be as noticeable to
others when you go out. Expect to vacuum at least every other day.
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Are Bullmastiffs good guard dogs?
As two Bullmastiff Breeders once stated (and they've been responsible
breeders for over 30 years, so they would know):
"Bullmastiffs are not property protectors - they are personal
protectors."
That means - If someone breaks into your house while you are NOT home,
your Bullmastiff may or may not do something about it. Depends on what kind of mood
they are in. However, if someone breaks into your house while you ARE home and the
Bullmastiff is in the house WITH you - they will usually take care of business. On
the other hand, if you leave your Bullmastiff in the backyard expecting him or her to
protect you while "you" are inside the house and they are outside of the house -
you might want to rethink your logic. If you are looking for a dog that is fit for
top quality protection of "property and person" - consider
researching a
breed bred to do such a task, such as a Fila.
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