A Guide to Bullmastiffs – Breed Information and Advice

Because people often overestimate the effort required for owning a dog of this size, you’ll often find bullmastiffs at a local rescue centre. At Gumtree, we always recommend you consider adopting before you start contacting breeders since you could help an animal in need. Whatever route you go down, you should always diligently research before buying or adopting any breed, to make sure they’re right for your life situation. We also recommend checking the Pet Advertising Advisory Group (PAAG) website to learn how to buy pets responsibly. We’ve also put together a guide to buying a puppy or dog online to help you safely and sensibly assess your options. Once you’ve done your homework, you might like to check out the bullmastiffs page on Gumtree.

A bullmastiff can make a great family pet if you have time to train and care for them. It does mean a fair amount of consideration beforehand as to whether they’re an appropriate choice for your family set-up, especially if you have young children or other pets. A bullmastiff would certainly love a garden to run around in. But it will need to be quite well dog-proofed with sufficiently high garden fencing, as they can jump. The garden is ideal for allowing them free reign while you’re busy. However, it should be noted that, like many breeds, most bullmastiffs don’t enjoy being left alone and require plenty of time commitment, both for training and ongoing care.

It’s a good idea not to be too precious about things getting knocked over, or drooled on, either. Bullmastiffs can be prone to bloating if they exercise too soon after eating. Therefore it’s a good idea to wait for their food to go down before heading out for a walk. It’s also recommended that you split a bullmastiff’s daily ration of meals up into two (or three) smaller meals, or perhaps try using a slow feeder dog bowl. If you’ve any questions about the type or quantity of food to feed a bullmastiff, it’s a good idea to consult your vet.

You might think with such large legs that a bullmastiff needs hours of walks every day, but they can be surprisingly lazy. Of course, every dog is individual, so some will be more energetic while others might be quite reluctant to take their daily exercise. An adult dog should be taken out at least once a day for between one and two hours (however much they might prefer to stay put on the sofa). Regular exercise will stop them getting overweight, something that puts strain on their joints. You’ll want to take special care with puppies, however, as over-exercising very young dogs can cause joint problems later in life, too. Your vet will be able to tell you the proper amount of exercise for your young bull mastiff.

With their short coats, bullmastiffs are fairly low-maintenance in terms of grooming. You should expect to get the dog brush out several times a week (ideally outdoors to minimise the fur flying around your home), which should keep their shedding in check. They’ll probably shed a little more at the turn of the seasons. Grooming them is also a good opportunity to check if their coat and skin are excessively dry, irritated, or if they’re losing an unexpected amount of hair. All of which could require a check-up with the vet. Like most breeds, their claws will also need trimming every few months.

Bullmastiffs were originally bred for guarding, and that instinct tends to stay with them. Generally speaking, this means they’re loyal but somewhat prone to barking at or being wary of strangers on their family’s territory. That, and their strong-willed nature, means good training from a young age is essential. It’s also important to firmly establish the pecking order – with you as boss. Train this breed both in training classes and at home so they get used to following commands in a range of spaces. With plenty of socialising from puppyhood, they should be friendly, docile and good with other dogs and people.

Like many pure breeds, bullmastiffs can suffer from a number of health issues, including:

Many genetic health issues can be screened for, including heart problems. If you buy a puppy, you can check your breeder has proper proof of screening. Or if you rescue, it’s recommended that you take them to a vet for a full assessment.

Thinking of buying a puppy? Take a look at what to expect in your puppy’s first year and the lifelong cost of owning a dog.