Why? Fate, heaven, history. In the mid-80's I read an article in British History Illustrated about Bull Mastiffs. I was very impressed by their calm nature, their dis-inclination towards biting, their ability to help Warders catch and capture poachers, how they would hold the poachers by laying on them. I remember the Lord that was promoting the breed took one of his dogs to a kennel club meeting and won a bet of, I think, 500 pounds, daring anyone that they couldn't bring his dog to bite.
There were some pictures of the dogs with later Royals, one in particular showed a young prince leaning on the large dog his elbow on the dog's head. It seemed like the type of dog that fit the bill for me. Brave, calm, protective, smart, large and guaranteed to provoke a fear response in any trespasser. Perfect!
So, I talked my then husband into us getting one. We located a breeder in Tillsonburg, Ontario and we went to visit AND be interrogated by the breeder. I was smitten, but the timing was off, and other issues soon forced the end of the marriage and any idea of getting a dog.
Years past, many years, and I remained furless except for one extraordinary black cat. When her great spirit departed I was despondent and couldn't face replacing her. Life Without Fur Is Painful!
Now, fast forward thirty years...still no dog. I'm everyone else's dog sitter/walker/spoiler, but it isn't enough. My husband and I keep visiting the humane society (making pests of ourselves with the staff) but we could never agree on a dog. My grand-puppy Bella the Rottie soothes my soul, but I was still dogless. Then it happened, my sister and I were at Trails End, a weekend market here, and I wandered up to where the animals are kept. A couple were showing their 13 pups. They were Cane Corsos. I started talking to them about the Bullmastiffs history and started hearing the same things - Mild, calm, loving, family orientated, stubborn, playful, good with children, great family pets and fierce family guardians. I was sold. My husband and I went back the following week and he fell in love with a little girl named Lucky, but we didn't close the deal. We went through a deep soul searching and we started reading up on the breed. Two weeks past, we called the breeder and Lucky was gone. He only had one girl left. We told him we'd think about it. Two days later he called us back and made us a deal we couldn't refuse. We went to meet the puppy.
The day we met Bailey, she was playing in the yard with her brother and sister - the breeder was keeping them - she ran to the gate and when they gate was opened she all but jumped in my son's arms. She kissed us all and was so wonderfully squirmmy and lovable.
It was fate. Heaven, because my prayers were answered. History because of that long ago history article that first got me thinking about getting a Mastiff. Fate, Heaven, History.
