Breed History !
Animal Planet's "Breed All About It" Documentary
Animal Planet's "Dogs 101" Documentary
The Bullmastiff is a large breed of domestic dog. It has a solid build and a short muzzle. The Bullmastiff shares the characteristics of Molosser dogs, and was originally developed by 19th-century gamekeepers in England to guard estates and immobilize poachers. The breed's bloodlines are drawn from the English Mastiff and Old English Bulldog. It was recognized as a purebred dog by the English Kennel Club in 1924. They are a very quiet dog; they very rarely bark.
Color:
A bullmastiff coat may appear in fawn, red, or brindle. These are the only acceptable colors in the AKC standard. The fawn can range from a very light brown to a reddish brown. Red can range from a light red-fawn to a dark rich red. Brindles are a striped overlay of the fawn or red. A Bullmastiff should have no white markings, except for on the chest where a little white is allowed.
Health:
A Bullmastiff usually lives to be eight to ten years old. A Bullmastiff will not stop growing until it is about three and a half years of age. Bullmastiffs are prone to certain hereditary diseases including:
•Hip dysplasia, affecting 24.5% of specimens
•Elbow dysplasia, affecting 13.8% of specimens
•Entropion
•Hypothyroidism affecting 2.8% of specimens
•Lymphoma cancer
•Arthritis
•Bloat
Cosmetic genetic problems include longhairs and "Dudleys"; both are recessives and not common. The Dudley, named after a notable Bulldog breeder of the 19th century, the Earl of Dudley, is a lack of pigment in the mask. It can be liver colored or simply not present.
References:
Youtube (2012), Breed All About It - Bullmastiff, Retrieved on January 31, 2012 from: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZiiG3eBwfdk
Youtube (2012), Dogs 101 - Bullmastiff, Retrieved on January 31, 2012 from: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bRiAFBuOf2E
Wikipedia (2012), Bullmastiff, Retrieved on January 31, 2012 from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bullmastiff