Bullmastiffs were bred to be gamekeeper's guard dogs that could track quietly, cover short distances quickly, and pin and hold poachers.  They are now primarily family companions with calm and dependable dispositions.

To have a better understanding of Bullmastiffs, one must understand the history of the breed.  The history of the breed is probably centuries old, but proof is difficult.  As early as 1785 there were written references to large working dogs of the Bullmastiff kind.  “Working dogs” included not only the Mastiff and Bulldog, but Great Danes, St. Bernards, Bloodhounds, Boxers and Doggies de Bordeaux.  The known history of the Bullmastiff begins in the 1860’s in England.  The Bullmastiff breed, as its name suggests, is a combination of the Mastiff and the Bulldog.  The exact make of this breed is debatable by some, due to the inconsistency that we see in Bullmastiffs today.  In most history, genetics of the Bullmastiff is 40% Regency Bulldog (not today's bulldog) and 60% Mastiff.  But what is the exact percentage?  Is it possible that in some lines of Bullmastiffs one or two of these other working breeds were also introduced?  Those who look at enough Bullmastiffs around the world today will see individual dogs resembling the other breeds mentioned above.  Those who have an interest in Bullmastiffs should look until they find a breeder with the type of Bullmastiff that suits them personally.

The Bullmastiff came into being in the 19th century when poaching on large British estates and game reserves was an acute problem which seemed impossible to stop through the legal system.  At the time of the Bullmastiff creation in the mid-1800s, there were many large estates and owners frowned on their game being poached.  They employed gamekeepers to oversee and protect the game in the estates for their own needs.  The gamekeepers required a large, agile, silent, brave, powerful, loyal, and trainable dog not only to protect the game and gamekeeper but also apprehend and hold the poacher.  Mastiffs were tried but were slow and did not have the drive necessary to knock and hold a man down.  Bulldogs of that era were very ferocious and tended to tear the poacher up too much.  The English Bulldog from which the Bullmastiff was bred was a fierce animal and bore little resemblance to the squat, rolling animal seen today.  The temperament of these early dogs was much more aggressive than is now necessary or tolerated.  Since not all required traits could be found in one breed of dog, a man-made breed was initiated.  English gamekeepers created Bullmastiffs by crossing the courageous, speedier and more agile Mastiff with the tenacious Bulldog to create fleet-footed, powerful dogs for protection against poachers.  The preferred color for the Bullmastiff was Brindle, due to its camouflaging ability.  The tenacity of the earlier bulldogs and the size of the mastiff proved to be a good combinationresulting in a silent, powerful dog, capable of handling the physical abuse a desperate poacher might inflict.  The Bullmastiff had to be very brave and tenacious and more than one suffered death at the hands of a desperate criminal.  Poachers used every trick at their disposal to escape, knowing penalties were high.  Being caught was a crime punishable by death, or being sent abroad to Colonial Australia for seven years, or brutal whippings.  So why do the crime?  Life was hard for the “common man” who needed food and money to support himself.  Stealing game from estates for easy profit was often too tempting to resist.  To some, poaching was the only way to support a family, for others poaching was a way to gather a fortune.  Poachers used dogs called”Lurches” (Greyhound / Shepard combinations) to assist them chase and retrieve the game into snares on Gamekeepers properties.  Lurchers were also trained to attack on command and could be a problem to the gamekeeper. 

The new breed, the Bullmastiff, was exactly what the gamekeeper needed.  They did their job well.  The Bullmastiff earned the respect of the Gamekeeper not just as a guard dog but as a family dog as well.  They showed an affectionate disposition and devotion to their master.  Since estates were patrolled by a night watchman and their Bullmastiff, the dog obtained the name "Gamekeepers Night Dog" or just "Night Dog".  Bullmastiffs were used mostly by gamekeepers, but the Police also found them invaluable and used them to guard warehouses and the dockland areas.  Although not as active as some other guard breeds, they remain a natural, capable, guard dog.  They quickly pick up who is a welcome guest and who is not. 

Even though records show a Mastiff Bulldog type as early as 1795, it wasn't until 1924 that the type became sufficiently distinct for the English Kennel Club to grant recognition to the Bullmastiff.  Three generations of breeding and judging of Bullmastiffs was required for them to be registered as purebreds.  Thanks to the dedication of Mr. J. Biggs (Osmaston Kennels), Mr. J. Barrowcliffe, Mr. J. Barnard, Mr. S.E. Mosley (Farcroft Kennels) and Mr. V. Smith (Pridzor Kennels), Bullmastiffs attained full registration in 1927.  Challenge certificates were issued in 1928 to make up the title of Champion.  The first show where challenge certificates were issued was the 1928 Crufts Show judged by H.R. Brown Jr.  Mr. V.J. Smith’s Tiger Prince and Mr. S. E. Mosley's Farcoft Silvo were titled Champions.  Mr. Moseley is seen as the father of the breed and all Bullmastiffs today would be able to trace their pedigrees back to his Farcroft kennels.  One of the most influential stud dogs was Ch Roger of the Fens, who sired 10 UK Champions.  The dog most written about in the early 1900's as an outstanding example of a "nightdog” was one owned by Mr. W. Burton of Thorneywoods.  He had a brindle named Terror used for demonstrations of what the Bullmastiff could do.  Mr. Burton offered prize money to anyone who could stand up against the muzzled dog.  Terror made a reputation for itself and for what the breed could do. 

The name "bullmastiff" was two words until 1939 when a one word description of the breed became generally used and accepted.

Those interested in Mastiffs should a look at the standards because bullmastiff breeders do their best to produce dogs that adhere to them.  Standards are “ideals” that provide guidelines for breed expectations.  Bullmastiffs are powerfully built, symmetrical dogs with a foundation breeding of 60% Mastiff and 40% Bulldog.  They show great strength and activity, are upstanding and compact in appearance, with both breadth and depth of head and body, the latter set in strong, sturdy well boned legs.  US and English standards differ in wording.  Bullmastiffs are large, but not giant, dogs.  The body is compact with a wide chest, with ribs well sprung and well set down between the forelegs.  Its tail is set on high, strong at the root and tapering to the hocks, may be carried straight or curved.  The gait is balanced and vigorous, but free.  The AKC Standard of the breed calls for males to be between 25 and 27 inches at the withers and 110 and 130 lbs, and females to be between 24 and 26 inches at the withers and 100 to 120 lbs.  The height measured vertically from the ground to the highest point of the withers should nearly equal the length measured horizontally from the fore chest to the rear part of the upper thigh, and should slightly exceed the height at the hips.  Bitches are feminine in appearance, of somewhat lighter bone structure than the male, but should still convey strength.

Their coat is short, smooth and dense, providing good weather protection.  Regular brushing a few times a week keeps the loose hairs away.  Brindle (black striping over a base color of fawn or red) was the original color of the dogs used in England.  It was desirous because it was “camouflage” in a forest at night.  As the large estates broke up and the need for the services of Bullmastiffs dwindled, they were bred for home and family companions.  The brindle color fell out of favor to the fawns, reds and red-fawns.  Color is a personal preference, but all good Bullmastiffs are a joy to own.  In show dogs a small white marking on chest is permissible but not desirable.  All colors have a black mask that covers the muzzle and extends up over the eyes.  The muzzle is short, broad and deep, in the same proportion as the head.

Today, the Bullmastiff is a family pet.  They require only moderate exercise to maintain muscle structure and good health and are easy to train for conformation, obedience, and/or search and rescue.  They are classified as a Working Dog.  Their tenaciousness (or stubbornness, if you will) remains a trait of the breed and makes them a challenge for the novice owner.  Owners must not let them “take an inch” or for they will surely “make it a mile!”  They are intelligent, easy-going, loyal, devoted to their family and accepting of strangers welcomed by their owners.  Bullmastiffs have definite minds of their own.  Their independent spirit makes a relationship more of a working partnership than the conventional dog/master association some people expect.  Bullmastiffs provide boundless love and devotion for family and property, but retain part of themselves as free spirits, capable of making and acting on their own decisions.  Children are theirs to protect and to love, but must respect them and not tease them.  Bullmastiffs tend to be domineering animals wanting to take control.  To minimize any potential behavior problems it is essential that from day one they learn who the master is.  The breed should be socialized with people and other animals from an early age.