You all must be aware that there are different breeds of dogs. The Bullmastiff is also a breed of dogs that are very large in size and grows at a very slow pace. It is a breed of domestic dogs with a solid build and a small muzzle. This breed basically originated from United Kingdom. The Bullmastiff is highly protective, reliable, loyal, reserved, alert, docile, calm, powerful, loving and courageous by nature.
The Characteristic Qualities of a Bullmastiff are:
- Highly adaptable
- Not friendly with other pets, whether dog or a cat
- Moderate barks tendency
- Very intelligent
- Not very much playful
- Have a lot of health issues
- Grooming is easy
- Moderate hair shedding
- Not so easy to train, but also not difficult
- Gets friendly with strangers easily.
A Bullmastiff can be aggressive if he feels something wrong with itself or its family. If it has been properly trained as to how interact with new people, then it remains calm and dependable. It should be given consistent training to have exposure to strangers. In this way it becomes easy to make a Bullmastiff friendly with strangers. This training must begin at its early childhood age. As soon as it reaches its adulthood a Bullmastiff gets dangerous if not well trained. But still it is a good companion for you.
Quality feeding for a Bullmastiff: nutritional health concerns of a bullmastiff. Meat should be the first component of its diet. Few Bullmastiffs do well on a rice diet. As Bullmastiffs are very large in size so must be provided with a healthy diet and for details click the link mentioned above to know the best nutritional concerns for a Bullmastiff.
Grooming needs: As per the study of veterinarians, generally, a Bullmastiff requires a grooming or brushing up in 4-8 weeks interval to clean up all its body parts and keep its coat and skin in healthy condition. There are different grooming products available for its different body parts. So, we will get to know about all of them separately.
The Bullmastiff is highly prone to allergies and are basically caused due to food given to them. There are a number of diseases from which it suffers. So, all of them are presented below in a tabular form.
| Disease | Description | Causes | Symptoms | Prevention | Cure |
| Bloat | In this the dog’s stomach is full of gas and expands. Also, there can be a twist in the stomach. | Overeating, drinking water at once, eating very fast and exercising on a full stomach | Gas in the stomach, vomit , expansion of the stomach, and gas | It can sometimes be prevented on its own and sometimes required to be taken to a veterinarian | The limited proportion of food should be given fresh water should be given.The restriction must be put on exercising for at least an hour after eating. |
| Cancer | This is basically an effect on the immune system due to an abnormal cell type present within the body | Exact causes unknown | As it happens, in the internal organs of the body, so no outward symptoms have been seen | It is not preventable | Surgery and chemotherapy are the best treatments recommended for any type of cancer |
| Entropion | A condition in which eyelid rotates inward, causes redness, irritation, and abrasions on eye cornea | Eye Muscle weakness, Eye infection | Decreased vision,Excessive tearing,Eye pain,Eye irritation,Redness | It is not “preventable,” as it is a conformational defect | It is corrected surgically |
| Cardiac | Kind of heart problem found in this breed | Caused due to valvular disorders | Weakness, lethargy, stunted growth, fainting, abnormal heartbeats, etc | It can be prevented, but its progress cannot be detected until death | EKG’s and cardiac ultrasound tests and consultation with a veterinary doctor |
Bullmastiff acts as the true guard for your home. It is very protective by nature. You should take your Bullmastiff in a regular workout or for jogging every day. You should spend some time with your dog to make him happy. You should also organize trips or drives with your dog and your family so as to increase its interaction and socialization skills.