Bullmastiff Breed Standard
General Appearance
- Strong, powerful, alert, active and capable of great
endurance. The foundation breeding was 60% Mastiff and 40%
Bulldog. The breed was created in England by gamekeepers for
protection against poachers.
Size, Proportion, Substance
- Size - Dogs, 25 to 27
inches at the withers, and 110 to 130 pounds weight. Females, 24
to 26 inches at the withers, and 100 to 120 pounds weight.
- Proportion - The
length from tip of breastbone to rear of thigh exceeds the
height from withers to ground only slightly, resulting in a
nearly square appearance.
Head
- Expression - Keen,
alert, and intelligent.
- Eyes - Dark and of
medium size.
- Ears -V-shaped and
carried close to the cheeks, set on wide and high, level with
occiput and cheeks, giving a square appearance to the skull;
darker in color than the body and medium in size.
- Skull - Large, with a
fair amount of wrinkle when alert; broad, with cheeks well
developed.
- Forehead - flat.
- Stop - Moderate
- Muzzle - Broad and
deep; its length, in comparison with that of the entire head,
approximately as 1 is to 3. Lack of foreface with nostrils set
on top of muzzle is a reversion to the Bulldog and is very
undesirable. A dark muzzle is preferable.
- Nose - Black, with
nostrils large and broad.
- Flews - Not too
pendulous.
- Bite - Preferably
level or slightly undershot. Canine teeth large and set wide
apart.
Neck, Topline, Body
- Neck - Slightly
arched, of moderate length, very muscular, and almost equal in
circumference to the skull.
- Topline - Straight
and level between withers and loin.
- Body - Compact. Chest
wide and deep, with ribs well sprung and well set down between
the forelegs.
- Back - Short, giving
the impression of a well balanced dog.
- Loin -Wide,
muscular, and slightly arched, with fair depth of flank.
- Tail - Set on high,
strong at the root, and tapering to the hocks. It may be
straight or curved, but never carried hound fashion.
Forequarters
- Shoulders - muscular
but not loaded, and slightly sloping.
- Forelegs - straight,
well boned, and set well apart; elbows turned neither in nor
out.
- Pasterns straight,
feet of medium size, with round toes well arched. Pads thick and
tough, nails black.
Hindquarters
- Broad and muscular, with well developed second thigh denoting
power, but not cumbersome. Moderate angulation at hocks.
Cowhocks and splay feet are serious faults.
Coat
- Short and dense, giving good weather protection.
Color
- Red, fawn, or brindle. Except for a very small white spot on
the chest, white marking is considered a fault.
Gait
- Free, smooth, and powerful. When viewed from the side, reach
and drive indicate maximum use of the dog's moderate angulation.
Back remains level and firm. Coming and going, the dog moves in
a straight line. Feet tend to converge under the body, without
crossing over, as speed increases. There is no twisting in or
out at the joints.
Temperament
- Fearless and confident yet docile. The dog combines the
reliability, intelligence, and willingness to please required in
a dependable family companion and protector.
