The Breed

Temperament

Bullmastiffs are high spirited and active. They are friendly and outgoing   and all have their own personality,  although  they can be strong willed and stubborn at times. Despite their size, bullmastiffs are extremely alert and are generally protective of their surroundings.  When brought up in a loving and secure environment with the right training they become an extremely loyal family pet. 

Training

Bullmastiffs definitely need some basic training. Particularly when being taken on by a novice owner. They can be extremely stubborn and head strong and laying down the ground rules early on is a must.  However, if you have a mental picture of competing in obedience trials, forget it. Bullmastiffs can be trained but will never be as quick on the up take as your average Border Collie. They also have the outstanding ability to "throw a deaf one" just as you think you are getting somewhere.

Feeding

All our dogs are fed on a premium complete dog food and cost us approximately 45p per dog per day to feed.  Other breeders feed a completely natural diet of raw meat, bones and vegetables and have excellent results.. Either way is successful and it is purely down to preference as to which way you would like to feed your dog.

Exercise

Bullmastiffs should not have a huge amount of exercise before they are a year old.  This is because their bones are still soft and can be damaged by excessive walking or play.  After twelve months the dog should be exercised for a minimum of 30 minutes each day but will gladly go for five mile hikes provided that they are walked regularly and the distance is built up gradually.

Children

Bullmastiffs as a general rule are excellent with children but it is important  that  children are taught to respect the animal.   We would never be irresponsible enough to leave a child alone with any dog,  but our Bullmastiffs are definitely at their happiest when curled up in their basket with a Son or Niece laid beside them.  They have even been known to share the odd bowl of breakfast cereal with each other whilst watching Saturday morning TV!  Bullmastiffs are extremely powerful and can be boistrous and clumsy,  children should not be allowed to exercise or play with the dog without an adult in control.  

Slobber

As with all soft mouthed dogs, Bullmastiffs do slobber!  It is difficult to remove from clothes as it takes on a spectacularly adhesive quality.  However, this is usually only after exercise, drinking or when food is detected. Well, who's mouth doesn't water when they smell something tasty cooking in the oven! 

Other Animals

Bullmastiffs will accept other animals including cats if they are brought up with them from an early age and are taught that teasing or chasing is not acceptable. If you have ever been to a dog show you will witness in excess of 100 bullmastiffs paying  very little attention to each other! However, as with any breed of dog, adult males do not generally welcome other males in their immediate space. Bitches are usually welcomed by an adult male with open arms!