‘sexy’ breed, the Bullmastiff might be less understood and not as flashy as oth- er dogs in the final lineup. As a serious working breed, although their silhou- ette would suggest a “look of eagles” their gait is not and should not be flashy but rather a more powerful, deliberate breed-appropriate gait, not tremen- dous reach and drive. With their breed- appropriate side gait, many lack the showy attitude of other working breeds and with correct head type might be less commonly understood, which in turn can shake a judge’s confidence in awarding the prestigious honor. A rectangular Bullmastiff, with heavy pigment and a level bite does not make a great Bullmastiff, only a generic dog. Perhaps these dogs may achieve their championship, but they should not be winning groups and bests in show! While we applaud judges that reward soundness, it should not come at the expense of incorrect body proportion, length of back, or head type. Many judg- es also seem to focus on cosmetic flaws rather than structure, which includes correct nearly square proportion, prop- er shoulder layback (difficult to find in this breed) and moderate front and rear angulation, as well, of course, correct head type.
hole in the fence, would you absolutely identify it as a Bullmastiff? If you don’t, it is the most serious fault of all. If there is a Mastiff and Bullmastiff stand- ing on a hillside in the distance, one is rectangular the other square, which is the Bullmastiff? If a Bullmastiff needs to look like a Bullmastiff, it must be nearly square. You need to read and study the standard and engage in other means of education to best understand Bullmastiff breed type. The most frequently mentioned con- cept in the Bullmastiff standard has to do with proportion. The standard alternatively refers to the Bullmastiff as “symmetrical, nearly square, com- pact, short backed, and well balanced.” This suggests that an essential Bull- mastiff characteristic is a nearly square appearance. It is important to keep in mind that it is not only size, but also proportion that distinguishes the Bullmastiff from the larger and longer Mastiff. In profile, and from all angles, the Bullmastiff should appear square. Thus when considering the Bullmastiff, an important point to remember is that long is always wrong. Nearly square proportion every bit defines breed type as the squareness of the head and muzzle. Proportion and size is what
Type is misunderstood, and we can have a variety of types in the ring, which include Bullmastiffs that look like Mas- tiffs (too big, too much flew), Shar Pei (too heavily wrinkled), Rhodesian Ridgebacks (too refined and snipey), Staffy Bulls (short) and Dogue de Bor- deaux (round heads, incorrect topline, red color and coat texture). Bullmastiffs are a compact, deep, square dog. A long, rectangular Bullmastiff is incorrect. SILHOUETTE From the Bullmastiff Standard: “That of a symmetrical animal, showing great strength, endurance, and alert- ness; powerfully built but active. “Body should be compact. Back—short, giv- ing the impression of a well-balanced dog. “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.” These are some of the most important words defining type in the Bullmastiff Standard. The “general appearance” in our standard gives one a good sense of Bullmastiff type—“symmetrical (nearly square/ balanced), great strength (sound), pow- erfully built (substantial).” But if any Bullmastiff sticks his head through a
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