Bullmastiff puppy as my first dog.

[MiniBK]

Hi all.

We want our first family dog and I've done so much reading and come to the Bullmastiff as the choice that best suits us. From its size, level of exercise, how it's with children as well as other things.

I am looking to purchase the bullmastiff as a puppy from a reputable breeder in the UK. I will be enrolling in training and obedience classes at the earliest possible time.

I'm married 42 with three kids 12, 10 and 8.

I've read a lot of mixed messages about getting a bullmastiff as a first dog. But I think the ones that have adviced me against have never owned one themselves. So I thought I would ask here where I'll have a more hands opinion from people with experience.

Am I crazy?


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[2Bullmastiffs&aCaneCorso]

I have owned 3 Bullmastiffs and presently own a female Bullmastiff, Male Cane Corso and male French Bulldog.
Bullmastiffs can be amazing family dogs. CAN being the key word lol.
If you are willing to put in the time and work required to train a bullheaded dominant breed like the bullmastiff then they can definately be a first dog.
Your puppy will require socialization socialization socialization... expose your puppy to every scenario you can think of. Dogs, people, different noises, walking surfaces, elevators, strollers, bikes, wheelchairs, anything you want them to accept and approach with confidence.
Everyone in the family will have to participate in the training. With kids it's super important to let the puppy know they are higher on the totem pole than he/she is. Having the kids participate in walking and making sure the puppy is always walking beside them is key.
Also don't be deceived... when buying a bullmastiff from a reputable breeder they are far from the couch potato that many people say they are. All of our bullmastiffs have been very athletic and require daily walking.
All that being said Bullmastiffs are by FAR my absolute favorite breed and as long as you spend the time needed for training a well balanced dog you will have the most devoted family pet you could ever ask for.

 

[MiniBK]

I have owned 3 Bullmastiffs and presently own a female Bullmastiff, Male Cane Corso and male French Bulldog.
Bullmastiffs can be amazing family dogs. CAN being the key word lol.
If you are willing to put in the time and work required to train a bullheaded dominant breed like the bullmastiff then they can definately be a first dog.
Your puppy will require socialization socialization socialization... expose your puppy to every scenario you can think of. Dogs, people, different noises, walking surfaces, elevators, strollers, bikes, wheelchairs, anything you want them to accept and approach with confidence.
Everyone in the family will have to participate in the training. With kids it's super important to let the puppy know they are higher on the totem pole than he/she is. Having the kids participate in walking and making sure the puppy is always walking beside them is key.
Also don't be deceived... when buying a bullmastiff from a reputable breeder they are far from the couch potato that many people say they are. All of our bullmastiffs have been very athletic and require daily walking.
All that being said Bullmastiffs are by FAR my absolute favorite breed and as long as you spend the time needed for training a well balanced dog you will have the most devoted family pet you could ever ask for.

I hear you about the kids who I intend to be involved in his training too. I work from home so will always be around with the dog. Fully aware of making sure the BM understands the humans come first.

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[2Bullmastiffs&aCaneCorso]

Sounds like you have done your research and plan to do everything that you should.
I would say that the two most IMPORTANT aspects of training are obedience and socialization.
You will also have to be careful when your kids have friends over. If there is any rough housing etc your bullmastiff will protect your children. Strictly from a liability standpoint I would keep your dog in a different area when friends are at your house playing.
Don't listen to the haters there's a lot of people who will tell you not to get one based on prejudice etc.
When they say not for the first time dog owner it is because Bulastiffs are more dog than a lot of people can handle. That doesn't mean that there aren't exceptions to this rule of thumb as well
Good luck! I hope your puppy is everything you hope for him to be!

 

[Yamizuma]

Good for you! It does sound like you have done your homework. They aren't as easy as Cavalier King Charles Spaniels, or Golden Labs as a first family dog, and they also don't live as long, but they truly are an amazing breed overall. Wish you all the very best!


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[Joao M]

Lot´s of good advise above.
In my opinion the definition of "first dog" has more to do with the owner than with the dog... Some breeds are more forgiving of our mistakes as owners and some are less. The key issue is to try our best to be a good first time owner

As regards the BM (I am currently raising a pupp myself - well.... two most of the times because my pupps sister spends a lot of time with me) I also agree that the most importance aspects are boundaries and socialization. As long as you create good boundaries (and stick with them - consistency is of utmost importance) and socialize your puppy to everything you can imagine from as early as possible you will have a wonderful "family dog".

 

[MiniBK]

Lot´s of good advise above.
In my opinion the definition of "first dog" has more to do with the owner than with the dog... Some breeds are more forgiving of our mistakes as owners and some are less. The key issue is to try our best to be a good first time owner

As regards the BM (I am currently raising a pupp myself - well.... two most of the times because my pupps sister spends a lot of time with me) I also agree that the most importance aspects are boundaries and socialization. As long as you create good boundaries (and stick with them - consistency is of utmost importance) and socialize your puppy to everything you can imagine from as early as possible you will have a wonderful "family dog".

Can you please give me some examples of Boundaries.

For me, I wouldn't want him on the couch, bed, running to the front door when someone knocks. But equally be a part of the family all be it second to the humans.

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[Joao M]

Those you mentioned are excellent examples of boundaries. Let me elaborate on those, that are very similar to my own

a) Couch: My dogs are not allowed on the couch so if/when they try to go up (they all do that a certain age) I just use a firm "no" and put him down on the floor.
Once he has learned this, if I sit on the couch he sits/lays down on his pillow/bed right next to the couch. When I sit on the floor he knows its time to play or cuddle and he comes right to me. The boundary is there.
Every single member of my family and friends that visit me know this is the rule and have to go by it. The rule is consistent. The dogs learn it. IF one of your kids or visitor starts doing differently.... you will not be able to set the rule and the boundary is lost.

b) Bed(rooms): same as couch.

c) Front door: I let them go to the front door but they have to sit before I open it. If they don´t sit and calm down, they go to their bed and wait to be greeted. If they fail to wait, they go to the kitchen and I close the kitchen door. After 3 - 4 times (10 for the stubborn/excited ones), they get the idea. Again, everybody has to do the same...: d) Dinner/cooking: I don´t let them beg for food when we are eating or cooking. So when I am having dinner, they have to be laying down/sitting in their bed (I believe people here call it the "place" command; I use "bed" but it´s the same). In the beginning/training I put his pillow closer to the dinner table (say 10 feet or so) so they can be close and see us. Than progressively it is moved towards its normal place.

Please note this are just a couple of examples of how I do it. Other people will do it differently. The important is to be consistent so they learn how YOU define the boundaries. And you should start teaching the day you bring them home (not 2-3 weeks after that because "first the need to adjust"...)

And rest assured. They are always part of the family even with boundaries. But I always prefer having a nice educated one instead of a "spoiled brat".

 

[Joao M]

sorry for the typos.. we can´t edit to correct them

 

[MiniBK]

Those you mentioned are excellent examples of boundaries. Let me elaborate on those, that are very similar to my own

a) Couch: My dogs are not allowed on the couch so if/when they try to go up (they all do that a certain age) I just use a firm "no" and put him down on the floor.
Once he has learned this, if I sit on the couch he sits/lays down on his pillow/bed right next to the couch. When I sit on the floor he knows its time to play or cuddle and he comes right to me. The boundary is there.
Every single member of my family and friends that visit me know this is the rule and have to go by it. The rule is consistent. The dogs learn it. IF one of your kids or visitor starts doing differently.... you will not be able to set the rule and the boundary is lost.

b) Bed(rooms): same as couch.

c) Front door: I let them go to the front door but they have to sit before I open it. If they don´t sit and calm down, they go to their bed and wait to be greeted. If they fail to wait, they go to the kitchen and I close the kitchen door. After 3 - 4 times (10 for the stubborn/excited ones), they get the idea. Again, everybody has to do the same...: d) Dinner/cooking: I don´t let them beg for food when we are eating or cooking. So when I am having dinner, they have to be laying down/sitting in their bed (I believe people here call it the "place" command; I use "bed" but it´s the same). In the beginning/training I put his pillow closer to the dinner table (say 10 feet or so) so they can be close and see us. Than progressively it is moved towards its normal place.

Please note this are just a couple of examples of how I do it. Other people will do it differently. The important is to be consistent so they learn how YOU define the boundaries. And you should start teaching the day you bring them home (not 2-3 weeks after that because "first the need to adjust"...)

And rest $#@!ured. They are always part of the family even with boundaries. But I always prefer having a nice educated one instead of a "spoiled brat".

This is brilliant stuff. That was one of my questions. So I will start the obedience/boundary training from day one. I m looking to buy one that's 8/10 weeks old. So will they understand at this early age?

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[Joao M]

They will "start to understand". The more they grow and mature, the more they understand.

There is one funny thing though: they ALWAYS understand when you allow something...

 

[MiniBK]

They will "start to understand". The more they grow and mature, the more they understand.

There is one funny thing though: they ALWAYS understand when you allow something...

Treats

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[tmricciuto]

I also set the boundary with my girls that they can't just rush through a door. When they come in from the back they have to wait for me to allow them to come through the door. And mine aren't allowed on the couch unless they are invited up. They also have to sit and wait patiently for their food. I put the bowl down and they have to stay in sit, look at me and wait for the release.

 

[MiniBK]

I also set the boundary with my girls that they can't just rush through a door. When they come in from the back they have to wait for me to allow them to come through the door. And mine aren't allowed on the couch unless they are invited up. They also have to sit and wait patiently for their food. I put the bowl down and they have to stay in sit, look at me and wait for the release.

Brilliant stuff. I am having big bifolding doors put on the back and was thinking of allowing the dog to freely walk in and out when it's all open? But have the boundary for the front door? Do you think that would work?

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[tmricciuto]

I think it would if it's easy for them to distinguish which is which. I have two 1 year old EM girls and my mom lives with us so I don't want them to ever come bounding in the door and knock her over. Sometimes she is the one to let them in also, so there have to be rules. We also have a rule that no dogs are allowed in the kitchen when cooking or cleaning up. I've heard of dogs getting very sick from licking items being placed in the dishwasher so that is a no go for me.

 

[season]

Regardless of breed it will come down to how u choose to live with it. What u do or don't do will determine if it's the "right dog for your family."


Carpe Diem

 

[DennasMom]

Remembering back to our first dog as a couple, we brought home a 3 month old puppy from the pound, described as a "large mixed breed (~60lb), Rott-X"... he became a 180lb adult dog... best guess was a Rott-Shepherd-Pyrenees-X. As part of our adoption process, we were told we WOULD be crate training (adoption requirement, and the best advice EVER!). We were also told he WOULD sleep with us in the bedroom [crate or floor recommended] (again, best advice). They also sent us to a puppy obedience class (provided at the shelter), and then we went on to more classes after that on our own.

Having had a few dogs since then - two from puppies and one adopted as a 1-yr-old. The biggest thing that helped our next puppy (not being the first) was CONSISTENCY IN VOCABULARY. Once us Humans got our vocabulary down, it was MUCH easier to teach the dog what the words meant... "come" versus "come-here" and "stay" versus "wait"... if you can nail down EXACTLY what they mean, and be consistent, the puppy will do a LOT better with training.

So, I'd recommend you write down the vocabulary you want to teach your dog - words and hand-signals (hand signals are a HUGE help)... and makes sure EVERYONE in the house teaches it the same way. If you find a book you like, and can use all the definitions and hand-signals they use, that might be helpful.

Some words to define early:
Come
Wait (don't move, but you can get comfortable... wait for a release cue or next command)
Stay (do not move a hair... if you're in a sit, stay in a sit, if you're standing, stay standing... do not move until someone comes to get you)
Sit
Down (lay down)
Off (put all four feet on floor)
Quiet (versus "no bark")
Gentle (versus "no bite"... a lot of friends use "no bite"... I'd rather not use the scary word [bite] in the command, personally... and minimizing the use of the word "no" is a good thing, too IMHO)
OK! (this is our release word, but it can be problematic... other options "free" or "done" or "bingo" or "break" or any other cue word that you all agree means "we're done here, at ease... carry on... have fun")

There are probably more... but I think you get the gist...

As for a bullmastiff being your first dog - you have to start somewhere, right? And just remember "stubborn" is sometimes used to described "independent"... if your pup isn't doing what you asked... ask in a different way. Find out what motivates them, and use that (play, treat, praise, etc.). Labs are deemed "easy" first dogs, because they NEED you to tell them what to do... Mastiffs would rather you ask them to do things only when necessary, ask nicely, and provide incentives.

At least ... that's the way I've come to see it. Denna is our first full mastiff.

 

[MiniBK]

Remembering back to our first dog as a couple, we brought home a 3 month old puppy from the pound, described as a "large mixed breed (~60lb), Rott-X"... he became a 180lb adult dog... best guess was a Rott-Shepherd-Pyrenees-X. As part of our adoption process, we were told we WOULD be crate training (adoption requirement, and the best advice EVER!). We were also told he WOULD sleep with us in the bedroom [crate or floor recommended] (again, best advice). They also sent us to a puppy obedience cl$#@! (provided at the shelter), and then we went on to more cl$#@! after that on our own.

Having had a few dogs since then - two from puppies and one adopted as a 1-yr-old. The biggest thing that helped our next puppy (not being the first) was CONSISTENCY IN VOCABULARY. Once us Humans got our vocabulary down, it was MUCH easier to teach the dog what the words meant... "come" versus "come-here" and "stay" versus "wait"... if you can nail down EXACTLY what they mean, and be consistent, the puppy will do a LOT better with training.

So, I'd recommend you write down the vocabulary you want to teach your dog - words and hand-signals (hand signals are a HUGE help)... and makes sure EVERYONE in the house teaches it the same way. If you find a book you like, and can use all the definitions and hand-signals they use, that might be helpful.

Some words to define early:
Come
Wait (don't move, but you can get comfortable... wait for a release cue or next command)
Stay (do not move a hair... if you're in a sit, stay in a sit, if you're standing, stay standing... do not move until someone comes to get you)
Sit
Down (lay down)
Off (put all four feet on floor)
Quiet (versus "no bark")
Gentle (versus "no bite"... a lot of friends use "no bite"... I'd rather not use the scary word [bite] in the command, personally... and minimizing the use of the word "no" is a good thing, too IMHO)
OK! (this is our release word, but it can be problematic... other options "free" or "done" or "bingo" or "break" or any other cue word that you all agree means "we're done here, at ease... carry on... have fun")

There are probably more... but I think you get the gist...

As for a bullmastiff being your first dog - you have to start somewhere, right? And just remember "stubborn" is sometimes used to described "independent"... if your pup isn't doing what you asked... ask in a different way. Find out what motivates them, and use that (play, treat, praise, etc.). Labs are deemed "easy" first dogs, because they NEED you to tell them what to do... Mastiffs would rather you ask them to do things only when necessary, ask nicely, and provide incentives.

At least ... that's the way I've come to see it. Denna is our first full mastiff.

Great Advice and something I can work on now with the family (consistent words for certain actions)

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[glen]

Hi from the uk also,i have 3 cc's and the boundaries were set from day 1 we don't have them on the couch cuddle time was on a bean bag, just always look ahead what you might find a cute little puppy doing might not be what you want a 100lb+ adult dog doing ie jumping up. We use very similar to dennasmum,our 3 are well mannered. Some people frown on the crate in the uk but iv used one for all 3 its a great tool for training and a must for time out,reat time and for those times you can't watch him during potty training. Welcome to the forum its a great place to learn and get advise can't wait to see pics of your new pup.

 

[AR-HICK]

OK, looks like you have done your homework. Your new family member will be great with the kids, your wife and you! You have seen dog aggression listed with the bullmasitiff it is real. Training and socolization will help, but you will have to deal with it. Just don't be surprised when it happens. They are so cute as pups and good, but when they get older they get better. Great dogs, now just to find a breeder!