The Bullmastiff: A Wonderful Family Dog

Have you been constantly hearing "Can we get a dog?" from the little mouths of your children? Maybe you are newly married but not quite ready to have children. Perhaps you live alone and are looking for some companionship. In all of these cases, it might be time to add a furry friend to your family.

Once you have decided to get a dog, the options are endless. There are countless purebred and mixed breeds out there. From a 3 pound Chihuaua, to a 250 pound St. Bernard, dogs come in all shapes and sizes. From a long haired Afghan hound, to the tightly curled hair of a Standard Poodle, to the short smooth coat of a Dalmation, the fur coats of dogs vary greatly and require different amounts of grooming. From the hyper playful demeanor of a Jack Russel Terrier, to the laid back laziness of a Basset hound, it is important to consider what dog personality would fit into your family's lifestyle.

The breed I would like to highlight in this article is for a family that would like a big, lazy, teddy bear of a dog. This breed is great for families, even with small children. This breed has one of the most expressive and loveable faces of any dog out there. This breed is the Bullmastiff.

According to the description on dogbreedslists.com, the Bullmastiff was originally bred in England, combining 60% English Mastiff, and 40% English Bulldog. The original purpose of this breed was to chase down poachers. However, upon reaching a poacher, the Bullmastiff was not meant to bite them, just to knock them over and stand on them until the authorites arrived. The domestic Bullmastiff house dog is known for his gentle nature and extreme loyalty. I have heard of Bullmastiffs making excellent guard dogs because their bark can sound rather fierce.

Oh, did I mention that Bullmastiffs are big? They certainly are! A female may be anywhere from 70-100 pounds, and a male may be anywhere from 80-120 pounds or more. All the more dog to love!

I have found Bullmastiffs to be rather easy to train and housebreak. This is great, especially if you don't have a ton of time to devote to training. Also, because of their lazy tendencies, they don't need a lot of excercise, and are usually happy and content to be inside most of the day. Just a short walk each day is plenty for this breed.

As much as I love Bullmastiffs, I realize that this breed is not for everyone. There are some things that you would have to be willing to "put up with." First, there's the drooling. This breed is a drooler, and it is not uncommon that a Bullmastiff will try to greet you and wipe his drooly face on your pants. Nothing that having a rag handy can't fix.:) Then there's the shedding. Yes, Bullmastiffs shed quite a bit. Using a rubber brush on them regularly, and vacuuming your house frequently will really help with this. Also, Bullmastiffs sometimes suffer from flatulence. If you're in a room with him when he has this problem, you will certainly know it! Finally, Bullmastiffs love their comfort. If he makes his way onto your leather couch, recliner or bed, it may be hard to pry him off. You wil have to be willing to share. :)

Having said all of that, Bullmastiff owners agree that their beloved dogs are worth all of those things. The friendship and love and general cuteness that you will receive in return for owning a Bullmastiff outweighs any of the draw backs. I must say from experience, once you own a Bullmastiff, you will want another. It's just so comforting to have my big, loveable "Henry" laying at my feet.