The Bullmastiffs are not well known at his home country, England. Even there, as in Brazil and USA, he is often mistaken with others similar breeds. This happens because the Bullmastiffs dogs seems like some of the famous breeds like the Boxer and Brazilian “Fila”. This mistake is for a reason. All of this breeds come from a group called Molossoid, known by its robust physic, compact, muscles, large chest bigger than the hindquarters, large head and the muzzle bigger than the skull. Alan Rostron, an experienced breeder, who lives in Manchester, a big english town, says that only a few recognizes his dogs as Bullmastiff, they're always recognized as Boxers. The same situation happened with other breeder, PhD Veterinarian and vice president of the Northwest Bull Mastiff Society, in Washington, USA, Barbara Brooks-Worrel when she went to the Post Office to buy some stamps with her Bullmastiff. A man approached her and explained that he raised Boxers for 15 years and never seen a beautiful one like the one she had. In Brazil the breed is also unfamiliar.

MUSCULAR

Even though Bullmastiff is always mistaken with others molossoid breeds, it has some particulars physical characteristics which defines its breed. His is more powerful than the Boxer. His physical structure is enduring, strength and muscular. It can have 29 kilos more than the Boxer maximum weight and 5,5 centimeters higher. As Barbara well compared, “he is a Boxer that took some steroids”, referred to the chemical used by athletes to increase the muscles. The most similar characteristics between them are the color and the head though bullmastiff's wrinkles makes him seem more angry. The brazilian Fila is bigger. Till 6,5 cm higher, with the typical backside higher that the Bullmastiff doesn't have. He has a straight body from the neck till the tail. The unpopularity of the breed is not because of absence of qualities or practical uses. This dog has many skills and can be a watch dog and a companion dog with efficiency. And though it is not well known and it's not part of the most popular breeds in England, in the past 10 years the numbers of registers are tree times bigger. The reason for that, according to the secretary of the Bullmastiff Society, in Scotland, Robert Taylor, is because of the violent less and faithful temperament, that “ensures safety, reducing fatal accidents”. This is an actual matter in England which is trying to eradicate extremely angry and violent dogs that hurts or kills people. After all where the english people who turn the dogs fight so popular, which cost them severe critics from some organizations that protects the animals.

ANGRY FACE

The intention was to raise a breed that could be a watch dog and protect the thieves from poach, so they were caught and hanged in public places. Different from the cattle dogs that were used as watch dogs latter. For that reason the Bullmastiff has its characteristics well defined to realize its purpose. Its first strength is the intimidation. Strong, powerful, confident and a huge angry face it shows respect. The angry face comes from the penetrant expression, of a violent dog, made by the wrinkles in his head and a deep between his eyes and a black face isolating the eyes. Those details gives him a violent appeal that is not what this dog really is. A typical Bullmastiff has to be reliable. “he doesn't attack without a reason and when he does, tries to encurralate his victim till the owner shows. He uses not only his teeth to hold, but his weight and muscles and the feet to make the victim fall”, explained the breeder Carlos Rangel, from Sao Paulo, SP.

PRECISE REACTION

At the beginning, the intruders of the hunt reserve could not be mangled or killed by the dog. The president of The Bullmastiff Association and breeder for 27 years in Texas, USA, Peter Aczel, says that the Bullmastiff never overreacts. He remembers a friend which was saved by a dog when a crazy man holding a baseball stick tried to hit him. "at the moment the person was going to hit me, the dog jumped and hold the aggressor's arm". To hold a person right, with his mouth, the dog needs a strong jaw that holds tight. Bullmastiffs has a big muzzle and the lower incisive teeth bigger than the superior ones that helps them to hold with great power. Other important thing is to have stability at the floor, firm, hard to fall. To do that, Bullmastiffs has a large muscular body that makes them solid at the floor. They also has a great hearing which can locate precisely the intruders specially at night and also a great view. His scent is not as good as the others skills. According to Peduti Neto, veterinarian professor, the cause for that is that the small muzzle diminishes the system that receipt the odor. But for Hilda Drumond, director of ABC, the problem is the long distance between the nose and the olphatic nerve. He also needed to be silent. To act silently and catch the thief surprisely. Because of that he rarely bark – only with eminent danger or invasion of his territory. This breed doesn't like strangers. He gets suspicious but doesn't attack, specially in the presence of his owner. The attack happens only at his territory.

AFFECTIONATE

The breed gets very stuck to the owners. He needs to stay and contact with the owners to be happy and be a good watch dog, on the contrary he feels indifferent and aloof. Its not good to live isolate at the backyard. He does whatever he can to stay close to the ones he loves. "if we let they get stick to you and wants to stay in you lap, but he doesn't have any idea of his size. Forthcoming, he show love and affect for his owner. With children they are patience, protector and playful, but he doesn't know his weight and size, so children under 9 shouldn't be left alone with them because he could hurt them with his heavy body. He will never attack, but a kick could fall down a child and hurt them, specially when they are frequently grounded. He stays to active. To get well with other animals and other dogs he has to grow with them.

STYLE

Thoughtful owners can grow a dog that can adapt to any lifestyle. He can live in a small or big environment, he can be a good companion to an elderly to watch TV, or do sports with his owner. The only problem is that till he's three years old he likes to destroy things, biting them. After that, as a grown up dog, he stop with this little things and behave himself. He became careful though his weigh and size are always something to be ware of. Smart he learns everything very fast. He can live in small place since you take him to a 30 minutes daily walk. His nails should be always cut to avoid hurting people. He should take monthly baths and weekly brush, with plastic gloves and a brush. Weekly inspection at the ears and clean up in case they're dirty to avoid little infections. The choose of a dog should be made when he's 60 day old, when he seems like an adult, after that they get messy. You can also observe if the head is big and the superior line is firm (you can gently force it down with your hand). The brazilian judge of all breeds Werner Degenhardt, thinks that brazilian Bullmastiffs still has a light head compared to the Bullmastiffs from other countries, "which can cause an eventual larger prognathism" (that should be small according to the breed standards). Some dogs can have allergies caused by bugs and this allergies are hereditary. The breed, as in most of the molossoids, has a tendency for cancer. The treatment used in this cases are chemotherapy. It is also frequent some cases of dysplasia (alteration on the hip's joint). Try to avoid that dogs with dysplasia to have puppies because then could inherited the disease. These breed can live approximately 9 years. When they're born it is strongly recommended that you keep special attention to the puppies. Remember: this breed doesn't have any idea of its size and weight, if you pay no attention the mother can crush her puppies involuntarily.

NIGHT WATCHER

The Bullmastiffs were grown around 1860, in England, to watch the hunt fields from thieves, specially at night. The breeds used to built Bullmastiff was Bulldog an Mastiff and both didn't have desired characteristics for that function. Mastiff was lazy and not enough aggressive. Bulldog was too aggressive but small. With the participation of Samuel E. Moseley, from Staffordshire, in England, they come with the ideal formula: 60% of Mastiff and 40% of Bulldog. His original name was Gamekeeper's Night Dog. The firsts Bullmastiffs were introduced at the Crystal Palace Exhibition, in London, in 1871. The Kennel Club recognition came only in 1924. The AKC one, in 1933.