theBullmastiff

Brave, Affectionate, Loyal
Working Group Working Group

meet theBullmastiff

Did you know?

The known history of the Bullmastiff begins about 1860 in England.

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at aGlance

Energy & Size

medium ENERGY &
large size

AKC Dog Ranking

45th
Most Popular Dog Breed

Personality

  • Check Affectionate
  • Check Brave
  • Check Loyal
Brave, affectionate, and loyal, the Bullmastiff will always have your back.

theBreed Standard

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Bullmastiff Breed Standard Illustration 01 02 03 04 05 06

  • General Appearance

    That of a symmetrical animal, showing great strength, endurance, and alertness; powerfully built but active. The foundation breeding was 60 percent Mastiff and 40 percent Bulldog. The breed was developed in England by gamekeepers for protection against poachers. 

  • Head

     Expression - Keen, alert, and intelligent. Eyes - Dark and of medium size. Ears - V-shaped and carried close to the cheeks, set on wide and high, level with occiput and cheeks, giving a square appearance to the skull; darker in color than the body and medium in size. Skull - Large, with a fair amount of wrinkle when alert; broad, with cheeks well developed. Forehead flat. Stop-Moderate. Muzzle - Broad and deep; its length, in comparison with that of the entire head, approximately as 1 is to 3. Lack of foreface with nostrils set on top of muzzle is a reversion to the Bulldog and is very undesirable. A dark muzzle is preferable. Nose - Black, with nostrils large and broad. Flews - Not too pendulous. Bite - Preferably level or slightly undershot. Canine teeth large and set wide apart.

  • Body

    Neck - Slightly arched, of moderate length, very muscular, and almost equal in circumference to the skull. Topline - Straight and level between withers and loin. Body - Compact. Chest wide and deep, with ribs well sprung and well set down between the forelegs. Back-Short, giving the impression of a well balanced dog. Loin-Wide, muscular, and slightly arched, with fair depth of flank. Tail - Set on high, strong at the root, and tapering to the hocks. It may be straight or curved, but never carried hound fashion.

  • Forequarters

    Shoulders - muscular but not loaded, and slightly sloping. Forelegs-straight, well boned, and set well apart; elbows turned neither in nor out. Pasterns straight, feet of medium size, with round toes well arched. Pads thick and tough, nails black.
     

  • Coat

    Short and dense, giving good weather protection.

  • Hindquarters

    Broad and muscular, with well developed second thigh denoting power, but not cumbersome. Moderate angulation at hocks. Cowhocks and splay feet are serious faults. 

A Bullmastiff
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theBullmastiffs of AKC

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get involved inClubs & Events

National Breed Club

theAmerican Bullmastiff Association, Inc.

Local Breed
Club

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Meetups

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