The Bullmastiff is a strong looking dog at first glance – and first impressions are correct. With a sold body frame and a powerful stance, this breed can be quite intimidating to the everyday person that encounters it. However, while this stocky build appears to be awkward, the overall frame of the Bullmastiff can be quite agile.

Loyal is not strong enough of a word to use to describe the Bullmastiff. This dog breed is often called courageous for its ability and desire to protect those it feels it needs to protect. This protective instinct not punctuated by a fierce attacking stance, but rather an action to divert the danger away from the person that is being threatened. While the Bullmastiff will attack if it feels that is the only option, generally speaking, it will simply just stand between the stranger/intruder and the person the dog is protecting.

The usual response in highly threatening situations is for the dog to physically stop the danger, but if that does not work, the dog will catch the intruder and knock them down, holding them until they are told to let them go. Often, this dog will simply ‘mouth’ on the intruder and not bite them, making them a great watchdog or companion when you are out at night. However, just like any other dog that’s fearful for its life, in certain situations, it will bite and attack more aggressively.

What should be noted about its protective nature is that the Bullmastiff is protective of PEOPLE, and not necessarily ‘things.’ Therefore, they are not necessarily a good choice if you want to protect your home when you’re not around, as they may not feel the draw to protect ‘things.’

The Bullmastiff is a dog that will become attached to its family quite quickly. Moreover, in the presence of these people it trusts, it will be docile and loving. Calm by nature, this dog breed is fearless and willful at the same time. If you begin dog obedience training when they are young, they can be the perfect dog for a family, even with children. Nevertheless, the dog will need to be trained to not act out with children. In any case, even with obedience training, leaving a child alone in the room with the dog is not advised, especially when a child is young. The dog can accidentally run or bump into a child, causing injuries.

Depending on the Bullmastiff, it may or may not get along with other dogs. This largely depends on whether he or she is well socialized with other dogs when it was young. In many cases, the male Bullmastiff will not do well with other male dogs, so this can be problematic. In addition, in even rarer cases, female Bullmastiffs can be intolerant of other females.

Overall the Bullmastiff is a wonderful family dog. With his innate protective instinct toward his family and ease of training when young this dog is a great choice. One last issue is exercise; although he/she will seem like they want to run and play, they can be quite lazy if left on their own. A healthy walk around the neighborhood a couple of times a day will keep their weight under control; it is wise to keep them on a dog leash with such an imposing stance.