The Bullmastiff is an English breed of dog of mastiff type and large size, with a solid build and a short muzzle. It was developed as a guard dog in the nineteenth century by cross-breeding the English Mastiff with the now-extinct Old English Bulldog. It was recognised as a breed by The Kennel Club in 1924.
| Bullmastiff Dog | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Origin | England | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Dog (domestic dog) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
History
The origins of the Bullmastiff are unclear. In the 18th century, in some regions of England, the English Mastiff and Old English Bulldog were commonly inter-bred to produce dogs suitable for guarding people and their property. By the beginning of the 20th century, this cross-breed was in widespread use as an aid to gamekeepers in the control of poaching.[2] They were bred for strength, size and speed using a cross of the tough, heavy and aggressive 19th century Bulldog with the large, strong, less aggressive Mastiff.[3] As a result, the Bullmastiff is known as the Gamekeeper's Night Dog.
The Bullmastiff was recognised as a breed by The Kennel Club in 1924. Dogs had to have a minimum of four generations of descent from Bullmastiff stock without input from either Bulldog or Mastiff; cross-bred animals could not be registered.[2] The American Kennel Club recognised it in 1934.[4]
It was definitively accepted by the Fédération Cynologique Internationale in 1955.[5]
In 1928, the De Beers diamond mining company imported Bullmastiffs to South Africa to guard the mines.[6]
Appearance
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The Bullmastiff is a large dog. Bitches stand some 61–66 cm at the withers, and usually weigh 41–50 kg; on average, dogs stand about 3 cm taller and weigh 9 kg more.[1]
The coat may be fawn, red, or brindle, in any shade; some limited white marking on the chest is allowed. The muzzle is black, becoming paler towards the eyes.[1]
The Bullmastiff is brachycephalic, flat-faced and short-muzzled, but this does not affect its breathing.[7][failed verification]
Health
A 2024 UK study found a life expectancy of 10.2 years for the breed compared to an average of 12.7 for purebreeds and 12 for crossbreeds.[8]
Health concerns within the breed include hip and elbow dysplasia, progressive retinal atrophy, bloat, and cancer, with a relatively high incidence of lymphoma and mast cell tumours.[9][10][11] Bullmastiffs are prone to certain hereditary diseases, including:
- Hip dysplasia, affecting 24.5% of individuals [12]
- Elbow dysplasia, affecting 13.8% of individuals,[13]
- Entropion, hypothyroidism affecting 2.8% of individuals,[14]
- Lymphoma
An autosomal dominant form of progressive retinal atrophy is common in the breed. A mutation to the RHO gene is responsible.[15]
Bullmastiffs also are prone to ear infections. [16]
See also
References
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