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TEMPERAMENT
AND CHARACTER OF THE BREED
©Carol
Beans
Editor’s Choice: The following is a chapter from the
handbook Carol wrote on the breed. We think it is an excellent article for those
who are interesting in owning a Bullmastiff.
Most
people choose a dog because they like its appearance. Far more important than
appearance in day-to-day living with an animal is it's temperament and
behavioral tendencies.
The
Bullmastiff came into existence as a companion and coworker with the British
gamekeeper. As previously mentioned, at the time of the development of the
breed, poaching game was a capital offense. The gamekeeper needed a strong,
agile, intelligent, and obedient dog to assist him in his work and for his own
protection. The Gamekeeper's Night Dog, the forerunner of the Bullmastiff as we
know it today was just right for the job.
Not
only does the Bullmastiff have all these characteristics, but he is also
possessive and strong willed. He is not the dog for a person who will not
combine affection with consistency and discipline. Remember in purchasing a
Bullmastiff that this breed was developed as a GUARD dog. While a proper
Bullmastiff is loving and friendly, he still has a strong instinct to try to
control a situation. A dog is a pack animal. The family he lives with, and any
other animals he lives with are his pack. In every pack there must be a leader,
and there is a hierarchy, or pecking order. The dog must know his place to be
comfortable in his surroundings and mentally secure in his status in life. The
dog must ALWAYS defer to all the members of the household and accept any friends
welcomed by the family. The exception to this is that no dog should be subjected
to teasing and ill treatment. Children and guests should be clearly educated to
the fact that the dog is a living, feeling creature, and not some sort of toy.
The
Bullmastiff's combination of power, intelligence, and strong will, and devotion
make him wonderful companion for someone looking for a dog with character. Life
with a Bullmastiff is seldom dull. Control must be established by the owner from
the SECOND one takes possession of the dog.
Bullmastiffs
make excellent companions and guards because in their minds THEY OWN YOU. They
will try anything to get their own way. Males will generally try to force the
issue or pout; females usually try the coy approach.
Be forewarned. Once you have
given a command or correction, stick to it. IF you give in once, these dogs
remember and will try to get away with the same thing a dozen times more.
Corrections need only be as strong as the dog's behavior dictates. With some
Bullmastiffs a strong "no" is sufficient. Others need firmer methods.
Start with the least severe correction. The Bullmastiff only needs to know you
mean what you say. ALWAYS BE CONSISTENT. Another warning; when you correct your
dog, you may find you have a budding Hamlet on your hands. The Bullmastiff has a
very expressive face and will use this expressiveness to make you feel just
terrible for breaking his little heart by disciplining him. Keep looking into
those eyes and you will find yourself driven to begging forgiveness to doing
exactly what you should have done.
The
Bullmastiff with a proper temperament should not be aggressive and guardy all
the time. The lovely thing about this breed is that the dogs have a "live
and let live" attitude. Unless something is wrong, you should not see these
dogs in their working mode. The Bullmastiff is perfectly content to watch TV
with the children, sleep on his back with his feet in the air, play with family
members or other family dogs, or just find his favorite spot to lie down where
he can get a clear view of the goings-on in the house or yard. The Bullmastiff
can go from lying perfectly still, completely at ease, to moving full speed in a
matter of seconds. If something needs his attention he'll be there. The
Bullmastiff is very discriminating. He can tell who is legitimately on your
property and who is trespassing. He knows the difference between someone you let
into your house and someone trying to come in through a window or over a fence.
The
Bullmastiff is a working dog, and as such should have good muscle tone and an
alert mind. Mental stability is extremely important in a breed of this size. In
choosing a puppy for the average family situation do not choose the most
dominant and certainly not one that is shy. Since the breed as a whole is strong
willed, the puppy with the middle of the road approach to life will be the most
trainable and adaptable.
Speaking
of training, consistent, firm, and kind training is a necessity. The Bullmastiff
may have a mind of his own, and he is far from stupid. You just need to convince
him that even though he thinks his way of doing things is better than yours, you
are paying for the dog food so he's just going to have to humor you and do what
you say.
The
Bullmastiff is loyal and loving. He will give everything for those he loves. In
return it is only fair for him to receive respect and love from those he lives
with.
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