Recommendations on the care of your Bullmastiff
By: Virginia Rowland, Blackslate Reg'd
When I first started writing these recommendations twenty five
years ago, they were a couple pages long. Since then these recommendations which were
designed to answer the questions that the owner of a new puppy might have have grown
significantly and now include recommendations on the care of the teenage
and adult Bullmastiff.
VACCINATIONS
A puppy has to get a series of vaccinations - instead of just one
shot - because it is impossible to safely predict when the puppy will lose the immunity he
acquired from his mothers colostrum. The youngest age at which the vaccination may be
effective is six weeks. Some puppies will not develop an immunity from the vaccine until
they are twenty weeks old. As long as the puppy has some of the immunity he got from his
mother, the shots will not be effective. The last one to two weeks, the puppy has a slight
immunity that is strong enough to make the shots ineffective but not strong enough to
fight off the parvovirus. For that reason, until the puppy is at least four months old,
you should be very cautious about allowing him to interact with other dogs (except for
dogs that are family members) or taking him to places where other dogs have been because
he may be exposed to parvo or other viruses he has not yet developed an immunity against.
When you take your puppy to the vet, carry him, dont let him walk on the floor where
he may pick up viruses from other sick dogs and keep him in the car until your vet is
ready to examine him because if he spends a lot of time hanging out in the waiting room he
may be exposed to other viruses some of which
are airborn.
For the puppies first two shots, at six and nine weeks, we now give Vanguard brand
vaccine which does not contain lepto factor; it contains a type of parvo vaccine which is
supposed to override the parvo titer the puppy has received from his dam. Despite the
manufacturers assurances on the efficacy of the Vanguard, it is still wise to follow my
recommendations for not exposing the young dog to parvo and other viruses.
When we have a litter that did not receive colostrum from the dam, we start the
immunization program at four weeks with a measles shot; two weeks later they get a DHPP
shot. Many experts think that if puppies (and adult dogs) get too many vaccinations with a
lot of different ingredients this can compromise their immune systems so we wait for the
puppys third shot at 12 weeks of age to use a vaccine that contains lepto.
Rabies vaccine is licensed for use in dogs over the age of three months. (For this
reason, if a puppy is shipped at under three months of age, the vet will write on the
health certificate too young for rabies vaccination.) If you live in an area where rabies
is epidemic, like Massachusetts, it is important to get your puppy vaccinated for rabies
right after his three month birthday.
As a general rule, if your Bullmastiff spends most of his time at home and doesnt
go to places where there are lots of other dogs, he only needs to get an annual DHLPP. The
first rabies shot is only effective for a year so your puppy will need his second rabies
shot between 15 and 18 months of age. This second rabies vaccination can be given nine
months after the first shot; do not wait any longer than 364 days for this second rabies
vaccination. Check the regulations in your state to see what is required for rabies
protection. In Massachusetts, for example, if a dog or cat has the first two rabies shots
more than 365 days apart and he is exposed to a rabid animal, the quarantine requirements
are much more stringent than if his first two rabies vaccinations were administered
correctly less than a year apart. Rabies is serious business for you and your dog: all you
have to do to be exposed to it is to come in contact with the saliva of a rabid animal.
This can happen in the country or in the city wherever there are raccoons, foxes, or bats;
don't fool yourself
into thinking that such wildlife does not exist in large cities.
After the Bullmastiff gets these first two rabies vaccinations, he should be vaccinated
every three years for rabies. Parvo and distemper shots are given once a year. In areas
where rabies is epidemic, vets may recommend giving a rabies shot once a year because of
the possibility that the dog may come in contact with a rabid animal. Most of the vets I
have talked to about giving yearly rabies shots feel that this is gilding the lily.
There are new strains of leptospirosis in certain parts of the US so if you plan to
show your dog or take him out a lot in public areas, consult with your vet on vaccines
that will protect the dog against the new strain of leptospirosis. The one we use is made
by Fort Dodge.
There is a new type of high titer modified parvo vaccine being marketed by the various
drug companies. I do not recommend you use these vaccines on Bullmastiff puppies as
Bullmastiffs may like Dobermans and Rottweilers be more susceptible to contracting parvo
from these high titer vaccines.
Most veterinarians agree that vaccinating against corona virus is unnecessary and may
interfere with the distemper vaccine if it is given as part of a multivaccine. Corona
virus only causes disease in very young puppies that have not received colostrum from
their mothers.
If you plan on showing your puppy or adult Bullmastiff or taking him to obedience or
handling classes, you may want to consider giving him an intra-trac II infusion (check
with your vet to see youngest at which he recommends doing this); this is given
intranasally and protects the dog against bordatella and parainfluenza. Bordatella and
parainfluenza are viruses that cause coughing and runny noses. Severe cases can lead to
rapid weight loss and pneumonia. This infusion wont protect your dog against all
respiratory viruses.
Your veterinarian may recommend that you vaccinate your dog for Lyme disease. The
vaccinations arent 100% effective and if the vaccinated dog gets the disease it can
make diagnosing it with a blood test much more difficult. An option to vaccinating the dog
for Lyme is to treat him with Frontline which protects the dog from tick (and flea)
infestation. The best prevention against Lyme disease for you and your dog is keeping out
of areas where you or the dog may pick up an affected tick. You should check your dog and
yourself carefully for ticks whenever you go for walks in the woods or along the beach or
anywhere you think you may come in contact with ticks. Lyme disease can be carried by deer
ticks and the brown dog tick. If you live in an area where there are lots of ticks, the
Frontline treatment will protect him against other tick born disease like Rocky Mountain
Spotted Fever.
It is important to remember that vaccines can vary significantly in the amount of
immunity they convey. Drug companies that produce vaccines for animals are not required to
test their products annually. They are not required by the USDA to prove the duration of
the vaccine immunity. Until the USDA adopts new regulations, veterinarians will recommend
vaccinating your dog more often than may be necessary to be on the safe side. If you
dont want to vaccinate your dog unless it is necessary, your vet can have your
dogs blood tested to see what the titers are for various diseases such as parvo and
rabies. As long as the dog has a high titer he won't need to be revaccinated.
WORMING
We usually worm our puppies for the first time at three weeks of
age with strongid-t and reworm them every other week until they are seven weeks old. The
puppy could still have worms when he goes to his new home so he should be checked when the
new owner takes him to the vet for his 9 or 12 week vaccination. Some puppies when they
are introduced to a new brand of food at their new home may have soft stools or diarrhea
from coccidia. Coccidia is normal to the dogs intestinal tract. When he gets
stressed by being introduced to a new diet, there may be a flare up which causes diarrhea.
You can treat the puppy with Albon or Prior for five days. Albon, a liquid, and Prior, a
pill, are both sulfa drugs. Prior is considered a new generation of medication and has
another antibiotic included with the sulfa. I think the Prior is slightly more effective.
Another good drug for diarrhea in puppies (and adults) is flagyl. Flagyl would be
effective for coccidia or giardia.
As a general rule, it is a good idea to have a stool sample
checked once a year particularly if you show your dog, take him to class, leave him at a
pet day care center, or walk him in areas where he may come in contact with other dogs.
HEARTWORM PREVENTION
We do not put our little puppies on heartworm preventative until they are three months
old because the preventative we use works retroactively and they are indoors most of the
time under eight weeks of age and dont come in contact with mosquitoes.
We recommend that when you pick up your puppy and take him to the veterinarian for the
first time, talk to the vet about putting the puppy on heartworm preventative. If you live
in a warm part of the country, you will have to put him on heartworm preventative right
away . If you buy a puppy in the winter and live in a colder climate like New England, you
wont have to put the puppy on preventative until the spring and you won't have to
test him ahead of time for the presence of microfilaria. Generally, dogs have to be tested
first to see if they have heartworm before they are put on the preventative. You can buy
the heartworm preventative from your veterinarian; the medication you get should include
information on the dosage. Dosage is based on weight so be sure and check your dogs
weight frequently to see if it is necessary to increase the amount of preventative he is
getting.
In New England, dogs are kept on their heartworm medication through December 1 or
January 1. In other parts of the country where the dog may come in contact with mosquitoes
all year long, it is necessary to give the dog heartworm preventative all year long. Check
with your vet to see what he recommends. To be properly protected during the heartworm
season, a dog can be given decacide/nemacide every other day, or Heartgard 3C which is
given once a month. I think the once a month preventative is preferable. Heartgard's
active ingredient is ivermectin. If your dog ever has anything that resembles a seizure,
do not give him anything containing ivermectin. There is another once a month preventative
called Interceptor that does not contain ivermectin that is just as effective.
If your dog is negative for roundworm and hookworm at the time you put him on the
preventative, it will prevent him from getting infested with these parasites for as long
as you have him on the preventative.
DIET AND NUTRITION
When we give puppies their first meal of dog food at four weeks of age, we use the food
that we feed our adult dogs, Solid Gold formula, which is 23% protein. Solid Gold is not
available in grocery stores. You can get it at some pet supply stores, and you can order
it on line by going to their website and finding the closest local dealer. Other good
brands are Canidae, Back to Basics, Natural Life, Natures Recipe and Nutromax. These are
all good dry foods because they are as natural as possible and do not contain dyes and a
lot of preservatives. Solid Gold, Back to Basics and Canidae use organic and USDA approved
ingredients The question of how much to give and how many times a day can vary with the
puppy. Be sure to buy your dog food from a dealer who has a rapid turnover of food and
does not keep it in the warehouse so long that it is old by the time you get it - and gets
moldy etc. before you can finish the bag.
Puppies usually prefer to have a little warm water added to their dog food dry just
before they are fed, but some may continue to like it softened. You will have to
experiment to see exactly how much your puppy needs. At eight weeks of age, we feed the
puppies three times a day and they eat between ¾ to 1 cup a time. The puppy should be fed
three times a day until he is six months old when he can be cut back to two feedings a
day. The typical puppy at this time would be getting a total of six cups of dry food a
day. Feeding the puppy free choice dry food is acceptable provided the pup maintains the
correct weight. You will find that at six months of age your puppy will probably be eating
as much as he will as an adult, between four to eight cups of food a day. The amount can
vary with the exercise the dog gets, his size and metabolism. Please note: we do not
recommend feeding puppies a high protein puppy food. The higher the protein count of the
food you feed your puppy, the faster he will grow. If you feed a food that is between 22%
and 24% protein you will prolong the growth period and reduce the risk of the Bullmastiff
puppy developing skeletal problems. I have known some young Bullmastiffs that were growing
so fast on the 22% protein dry food that they had to be put on a Senior Diet - 18%
protein. Whatever you do, do not feed your puppy any food that is over 26% protein.
Orthopedic specialists will tell you that the dogs they see with skeletal problems like
osteochondritis dissecans (OCD) are typically dogs that have been fed a high protein diet.
Disregard the advice of your veterinarian if he contradicts this suggestion. If your
veterinarian were to talk to specialists in nutrition or orthopedics, they would agree
with my recommendation that puppies from large and giant breeds be fed a low protein diet.
Unfortunately some vets that are general practitioners spend more time listening to the
salesmen selling the food and vitamin and calcium supplements.
A well balanced diet consisting mainly of a good dry food with a little water and
canned added to enhance the tastes usually does not need to supplemented with extra
vitamins. Too much supplementation can lead to structural problems such as OCD. No vet
should encourage you to buy Pet Tabs or Pet Cal or their equivalents unless the dog is
showing some sign of skeletal breakdown - such as being down in the pasterns or very cow
hocked. If your puppy shows these symptoms it is best to take him to specialist for advice
on how to correct the problem. It may be possible to help him by increasing the protein or
he may require special vitamin supplements. If you do find it necessary to give your puppy
a calcium supplement, make sure the calcium is in the form of calcium lactate; this type
of calcium is excreted in the urine if you give the dog too much. Other forms of calcium
stay in the body and form calcium deposits, something which you definitely dont
want.
We give Fresh Factors or Glyco-Flex to our puppies at least through the first year of
age and if they are males throughout their life. Fresh Factors and Glyco-Flex are orally
administered GAGs
(glucosaminoglycan) that is a chondro (relating to the cartilage) protective lubricant.
Evidence suggests that GAGs help prevent joint problems such as hip dysplasia and
osteochondritis dissecans and are a great treatment for arthritis. Glyco-Flex is made from
the green lipped mussel and the source of GAGs in Fresh Factors is bovine cartilage. The
proteins in it are identical to the dog's cartilage and joint fluid components, and when
they are ingested they migrate to the joints via the bloodstream, with the greatest
amounts
entering the most inflamed joints. Glyco-Flex and Fresh Factors are also thought to
help with the
manufacture of prostatic fluid and that is why we give it to our adult males.
Products containing GAGS are considered neutraceuticals, they are not sold by
prescription so the quality can vary greatly between products. Fresh Factors, Glyco Flex,
or Cosequin are excellent GAG products. Some of the other ones are less effective. GAGS
can take as long as a month to start taking effect so be patient when you put your dog on
them for some type of joint pain.
Another excellent joint lubricant - probably the best, but also the most expensive - is
shark cartilage. It is also helpful to dogs and human with skin problems brought on by
problems with the immune system. The dosage is one capsule per 15 pounds - the total
divided so that it would be administered three times a day - for a total of 21 days after
which time the dog would need 3 to 4 pills a day depending on the weight. This would mean
that a 130 pound Bullmastiff would get three pills three times a day (for a total of 9
pills) for three weeks, and 1 pill three times a day for the rest of his life if his
condition warranted it. Scientists have recently isolated a component of shark cartilage,
known as squalamine, which appears to be effective in fighting cancer; it attacks tumors
by suppressing the formation of new blood vessels.
Your Bullmastiff will enjoy and may benefit from nontraditional types of foods. Raw
broccoli is high in vitamin C . Other raw vegetables like carrots and string beans are
high in vitamins and make good between meal snacks for puppies or the overweight adult.
Table scraps in moderation are fine and a little bit of canned food will help make the dry
food more appetizing. Canned food and scraps have little nutritional value so dont
get your dog so dependent on them that he wont eat the dry food, which is the most
important part of his diet.
Every dog requires a different amount of food to maintain the correct weight. Adult
dogs need less food than they did as puppies. It is important to always measure what you
give your Bullmastiff. Do not necessarily follow the recommendations on the bag of dry
food if you notice he is gaining weight, then cut back on what you give him. The typical
active adult males should be fed three to four cups of dry food, twice a day; active
bitches usually need two to three cups twice a day. The amount depends on the activity and
metabolism of the dog. As the dog ages the amount of food he needs decreases, an older
male may only need two cups of dry food twice a day (senior or lamb and rice) and an older
bitch one and a half cups twice a day. They should always get a minimum of two meals a
day. A Bullmastiff that only gets one large meal is not a happy dog and runs a greater
risk of getting gastric dilatation (bloat).
EXERCISE
Most puppies will exercise themselves running around the yard or playing with other
dogs. They can be leash trained at three months of age - a flexi lead is a good way to
begin. Once the puppy gets used to the collar and leash he can go for short walks. It is
important not to allow your puppy to overdo it. Bullmastiffs grow very fast. Until they
reach their adult size, their joints are not fully mature. Excessive exercise, pounding,
and strenuous activity can sometimes do serious damage to their soft, growing bones.
A lot of puppies, some as young as three months old, will teach themselves to go
upstairs. They are not as quick to learn to go downstairs, and you should discourage them
from doing so until they are at least ten months old. When the puppy gets too big for you
to carry him downstairs, and your living arrangement is such that he has to go up and down
stairs, guide him down the stairs holding him firmly by the collar so that he does not
slip and fall. Puppies that fall down stairs at a young age sometimes get elbow problems
so take special care.
Encouraging or training the Bullmastiff to jump over things is not a good idea until
the dog is an
adult. Anyone interested in training their dog for an advanced obedience degree which
requires that the dog jump over a high jump and a broad jump should first have the dog's
elbows and shoulders and hips x-rayed to make sure that he does not have an orthopedic
problem that would be aggravated by a lot of jumping.
Adult Bullmastiffs love exercise and enjoy being taken for walks. Remember to use
caution in the summer when it is hot. If you exercise your dog in really hot temperatures
you risk him going down with heat prostration. If it is really cold, be careful about ice
or salt on the sidewalk that may hurt the dogs feet. In a pinch, you can put
sandwich bags on the paws as impromptu galoshes.
FENCING
Hearken to the advice of Robert Frost, "Good fences make good neighbors."
Part of being a responsible dog owner is providing adequately for your
Bullmastiffs recreation and making sure that your yard is properly fenced or the dog
run is big enough and high enough so that the dog cannot escape or jump over. Bullmastiffs
cannot be trained to stay alone within an unfenced area. Your neighbors, guests, or a
stranger walking outside your property may be scared of dogs. It is not fair to allow your
dog to chase or jump at someone trying to walk past your property. If someone walks past
your property with a dog on the leash, your Bullmastiff is likely to want to join the
expedition. Chaining the dog up or putting him on a runner (because your property is not
fenced) does not work with a Bullmastiff; most Bullmastiffs are big and strong enough to
break a chain or cable. A dog that is chained is likely to become more aggressive and
defensive than is natural. Invisible fencing does not work well either. For those of you
who do not know what it is, it basically it is an underground electric fence. The doghas
to wear a special collar and if he tries to cross the underground wiring, he gets zapped.
The invisible fencing is only effective for dogs wearing the special collar. Part of the
point of having fencing is to keep your dog and your children within the confines of your
property and to keep strange animals and people out of your yard. Invisible
fencing does not accomplish this - a dog or other animal can wander in your yard
without a problem, particularly if you have a male Bullmastiff, he may not appreciate a
strange dog or animal in your yard and the consequences could be serious. Another problem
with invisible fencing is that in some models the collars that the dog has to wear are so
sensitive that radios, microwave ovens and cell phones can set the collar off and give the
dog a shock. Dogs that are prone to seizures can be set off by the stimulus of the shock
collar around his neck.
Bullmastiffs do not normally try to jump fences or dig their way out. There are
exceptions, however. Five feet is the highest type of fence or chain link you should have
to install. My big corrals are made out of pressure treated four by fours as fence posts
and keystone fencing. You can buy keystone fencing at most farm supply stores. It is
intended for horse fencing and is long lasting because it is not welded; the wire is of a
heavier gauge also than most of the welded fencing. If you notice your dog digging at the
edge of the fence, put hardware cloth underneath - half on the inside of the fence and
half on the outside - so that when the dog starts to dig he will hit the hardware cloth.
In every one of my corrals and runs, I have a platform for the dogs to lie on that is
made out of pressure treated lumber. This keeps the dog off the dirt in the summer and the
snow and frozen ground in the winter.
COMMON SENSE PRECAUTIONS
Some Bullmastiffs like to dig. I have never found a totally satisfactory solution to
this. Dont expect the dog pen to look perfectly manicured. If you are concerned that
your dog may dig his way out of the pen you can put hardware cloth under the fencing or if
the pen is small enough you can cement it. Most of my pens that are smaller than 20 by 20
are cemented. I prefer not to use stone because some dogs will eat stones and it can also
cut their feet; I have not found a way of training dogs not to eat stones except to move
them away from a place where they will have access to them. I try to keep grass growing
and healthy in my larger pens and keep them mowed weekly in the summer. If they start to
smell of urine, which usually is not a problem, I sprinkle the area with lime and water it
down (or do it just before I know it will rain).
Some Bullmastiffs do not like the noise of lawn mowers, snow blowers and other noisy
motors such as motor cycles. Particularly after your dog has eaten, be careful that you do
not put him outside without watching to make sure he is not being agitated by the noise of
the neighbors lawn mower or snow blower. If you do not exercise the proper
precautions you may discover that your dog has got gastric dilatation - bloat - from
running up and down the fence barking at the neighbor while he is mowing the lawn. Bloat
can lead to death if you do not do surgery immediately.
Dog owners have to be concerned about what to do with their dogs when they are at work
or not at home. If your dog likes to chew on the furniture; he is better off left in a
large crate when you are gone. He can have his toys with him and a pail of water and you
wont have to worry about coming home and finding the piano with a missing leg. It is
better to leave him inside where you know the dog cant get too hot , too cold, or
too wet, particularly if you live in the city where you also have to worry about dogs
getting stolen or poisoned when they are outside. When I am away, I do not leave my dogs
outside in pens where they are visible from the street. Bullmastiffs do not normally bark
a lot. They are most likely to be noisy when they are left alone outside. Most often they
bark when they hear other dogs or animals. They are less likely to bark at people. You
should not allow your dog to do a lot of barking; your neighbors will not appreciate it.
To be on the safe side, it may be best to take your dogs collar off when you are not
around.
Dogs can get their collars caught on their crates, furniture etc. and if you are not at
home, the dog may strangle. If you leave two dogs together, it is best to take their
collars off when you are not around because often dogs like to play by grabbing on to the
others collar. Sometimes they can get their teeth caught in their buddys
collar and this can lead to disastrous results if you are not home to cut the collar off.
Inside or outside, your dog should always have access to water.
Bullmastiffs can experience severe allergic reactions to spider bites and bee bites.
Their body becomes covered with hives and their head swell and their breathing may be
compromised. It is a good idea to have Benadryl on hand in case of such reactions. If you
give the dog Benadryl right away, the hives and swelling wont become so severe as to
cause respiratory failure.
The idea of walking your dogs in the woods far away from the smoke and pollution of the
city may seem idyllic but it is important to take precautions before you and your dog go
off trekking. Number one you would never do it in hot weather and you would have to
remember to take plenty of water for yourself - and your dog. Most streams and rivers are
polluted with acid rain and are not good for your dog. Many parts of the country have Lyme
disease and it is really important to avoid woods where you and your dog could be bitten
by a tick carrying Lyme disease. If you find a deer tick on your dog and you live or have
been in an area with Lyme disease, the best thing to do is to remove the tick and put the
dog on a short course of antibiotics such as tetracycline. Do not give tetracycline,
however, to a dog that does not have all his adult teeth. Your dog can also get a severe
skin problem - scabies aka sarcoptic mange - by coming in contact with an effected fox or
by eating the scat of a fox or coyote with scabies. So try to keep your dog from eating or
sniffing scat in the woods or anywhere you may walk with your dog where foxes may have
been.
TEETHING AND CHEWING
Puppies get their baby teeth between three and four weeks of age. Their adult teeth
start to come in around four months of age, starting with the incisors. The canines break
through around five months of age followed by the premolars and molars. Teething is very
painful for the puppy. You usually can tell a puppy is teething by his behavior because it
usually coincides with his wanting to chew on bones - and other things you don't want him
gnaw on. It is important to check the puppys mouth frequently when he is teething.
Sometimes the adult teeth will come in before the baby teeth have fallen out. When this
happens, the baby teeth will keep their place and the adult teeth, particularly the
incisors and canines, will come in out alignment or crooked. If you notice this occurring,
have your vet pull out the baby teeth. If you dont do this in addition to the
cosmetic problems of having misaligned teeth the puppy may get abscesses if the baby
canine doesnt fall out soon enough. When the Bullmastiff puppy teethe, he frequently
will carry his ears in a folded or flying ear carriage. If he does this, you may have to
tape his ears so that they stay flat.
Sometimes if the ears are not taped, they will stay folded for the rest of the dogs
life. A dog with folded ears cannot be shown.
Do not give your Bullmastiff - whether he is a puppy or adult - any animal bones. The
Bullmastiff has such powerful jaws that he can pulverize even the largest steers
knuckle. In doing so, he may swallow a bone splinter that can perforate his stomach wall
or become lodged in his throat. I do NOT recommend raw hide bones (except possibly for
puppies only - adult dogs can strangle on them); chew hooves (actual cows hooves that are
much harder than raw hides and I think much better), and pigs ears are OK for puppies not
adult Bullmastiffs. Raw hide bones can be very dangerous if your adult Bullmastiff chews
them quickly, softens them, and then tries to swallow them. Our bitch, Sarah - just before
going into the group at Westminster - swallowed a raw hide bone we had given her as a
reward for going BOB; in the group ring, her handler noticed that she was having trouble
breathing and had to stick his hand down her throat and pull out the bone which had become
lodged in her larynx. Without the prompt attention of her handler, she might have
suffocated to death. Some adult dogs become very possessive when chewing on rawhides
and may snap at anyone trying to disturb them when they are chewing on them which is
another good reason for not giving rawhides to adult Bullmastiffs. I give Galileo bones to
my adult Bullmastiffs. They are made by nylabone and are available from RCSteele and most
pet supply stores.
If you have trouble with your dog chewing on furniture, bedding or any other objects
you think inappropriate for such use, get Bitter Apple. This is a terrible tasting liquid
which you can spray on furniture, rugs, bedding etc. and discourage the puppy from
chewing. You should always check your dogs mouth whatever age he is to see if he
teeth are clean and in tact. If there teeth have plaque on them you should have your vet
clean them. If a dog breaks one of his teeth, usually it is one of the canines, he still
can be shown as long as you dont do anything to correct the injury. If the vet does
a root canal or makes a cap for the broken tooth, this is considered the type of
corrective surgery that disqualifies a dog from being shown in breed conformation.
EAR TAPING
Breeders all have the favorite ways of taping Bullmastiffs ears. I have found
that duct tape works very well; elastoplast adhesive tape, an expensive type of adhesive
that you usually have to special order through your pharmacist also is good. Be sure to
use tape that is at least two inches wide. Make a pattern of the dogs ear on a piece of
paper and use it to cut two pieces of tape in the shape of the dogs ear, one to put
on the inside and the other on the outside of the ear so that the ear is made to lie
V-shaped and cannot be folded. You may need to attach a strap of duct tape to each ear,
making the two straps long enough so that you can tie them together under the dogs
chin. This will discourage the puppy from shaking his ears or scratching the tape off his
ears.
Some breeders like to glue a weight to the inside of the taped ear; I dont
recommend this because if the weight comes off and you are not around to pick it up, the
puppy may swallow it. The advantage of using duct tape is that is very sticky and usually
stays on long enough to correct the ear carriage.
Some breeders prefer to use Dr. Scholls callus pads instead of tape. The callus
pads are tear shaped and fit perfectly inside the ear. If you spray ether (car starter) on
the adhesive before you put it on the ear, it will make it even stickier.
HOUSEBREAKING AND SOCIALIZATION
There is a wonderful booklet on Bringing up a Bullmastiff Puppy by Mona Lindau Webb
that I urge every
prospective puppy owner to memorize before he gets his new dog. If you have done this,
you can disregard this section on housebreaking and socialization. If you follow
Monas recommendations you cant go wrong. For what they are worth, these are my
recommendations as far as housebreaking and socialization are concerned.
The best way to housebreak your puppy is to start putting him outside to go to the
bathroom as soon as you get him. Paper training him first is a big mistake, it confuses
the puppy to be taught first that he should go to the bathroom on newspapers and then
taught to go outside. Newspapers are dirty (from printers ink) and arent much fun to
pick up when they are all wet and shredded. (I never use newspapers in raising a litter. I
use towels and the fake lambskin blankets because they are very easy to wash with bleach.)
Housebreaking is always more effective when it is done in a positive way - praise the
puppy when he does the right thing, dont punish him for going to the bathroom
inside. Often the puppy urinates inside because you have not taken him out soon enough.
When you punish the puppy for defecating inside, he may interpret that as meaning that he
is being punished for going to the bathroom - not for where he goes. If you are having
problems with frequent urination or defecation - in the house, the problem can sometimes
be aggravated by the fact that the dog has worms or a urinary tract infection. Dont
allow the housebreaking process to be come such a big deal that the puppy figures out that
this is a way he can get a rise out of you.
Remember also that a dog does not have the musculature around his bladder to hold his
urine until he is six months of age. Before this there is no way to stop him from going to
the bathroom when he has to go unless you are around to take him outside.
Once your Bullmastiff puppy has finished getting the vaccinations he requires, between
four and five months of age get him out as much as possible for rides in the car,
introductions to new people and places. This is also a good time to take him for beginners
obedience.
There are a variety of ways to locate a good obedience class. If you have a friend with
a young dog, ask if the dog attended training class. There may be information on your
vets bulletin board. You can also telephone the American Kennel Club and get
information on the licensed and member obedience clubs in your area.
Puppy kindergartens are good for you and your puppy if you have not had a puppy in a
long time. They are usually designed to teach new owners about crate training and
housebreaking and don't do all that much training of the puppies themselves. The puppies
spend most of the time playing while their owners learn. Puppy kindergartens can be really
good for puppies that come from single puppy litters.
Try to check out the obedience class before you enroll your dog in the class. You may
not like the training methods of the instructors or decide that a particular trainer is
very heavy handed. Some trainers do not like working with large dogs. I recommend trainers
and classes that use positive methods of training the dog.
When you and your puppy start the class, your Bullmastiff may not have the endurance to
keep up for the entire session. Dont be embarrassed to stop when you think your dog
is tired and not able to concentrate or enjoy the class. If your Bullmastiff is hard to
control on a regular choker collar, a pinch collar is effective and humane and will make
it a lot easier to control and teach the dog.
Bullmastiffs are a very intelligent breed. Each individual dog will have a slightly
different aptitude, but as a general rule, Bullmastiffs dont like lot of repetition.
Try and make the training interesting and varied. Your dog will be much a better worker if
he enjoys the class and the training you do at home. As a general rule, only give your dog
a command once, and enforce the command if the dog does not do what you tell him. I
dont think it is a good idea to allow your children to give the dog obedience
commands and get the dog to sit or down or any of the other instructions they may have
seen you giving. A child is likely to be very repetitive - saying sit over and over again
- and they are not physically able to follow through on getting the dog to do what he is
told.
When you take your Bullmastiff to beginners obedience, you will see how he relates to
other dogs. If you have a male puppy, dont introduce him to older males. He should
get along with the other bitches in the class. In tact males do not get along as adults
and adult males may not like young male puppies. Dont ever think that your male
Bullmastiff could be an exception. Bitches usually get along with other dog - males and
females - but some bitches that have an alpha type personality may not like other bitches
and will try and boss the males. Most males are willing to be bossed by a bitch. When you
are out in public with your dog, it is better to avoid contact with strange dogs. You
dont know what their temperaments are or if they have some infectious disease or
parasite.
In addition to the obedience class, make an effort to introduce the young dog to
different people and different situations. Some Bullmastiffs are particularly sound
sensitive and others seem to notice things much more keenly than the average dog. If your
puppy appears a little sound sensitive, expose him to noise, loud noise, so he get used to
it. Airports, malls (that allow dogs) or any place with a loud speaker system are good
places to take your dog so that he can get used to noise. Sit with the puppy and reassure
him if he is anxious about the noise.
Some Bullmastiffs are very sensitive to what is going around them visually. They may be
scared of things at eye level such as hydrants or garbage cans. If your Bullmastiff is
"sight sensitive", try walking him up to whatever concerns him and have him sit
or stand in front of it, praise and reassure him, and he will realize that what he sees
wont hurt him.
Many people are afraid of dogs, and the larger the dog the more afraid they usually
get. Your Bullmastiff should not take advantage of this fear, but he may sense it right
away. If you want to introduce your dog to the postman, your in-laws etc. it is wise to
ask first if they like dogs. It is better for you and your dog if you do not make the
effort to introduce him to someone who is afraid of him and does not appreciate or want
his company.
No matter how well trained your dog may be, how beautifully he does the recall in class
or in your backyard, we recommend that you never allow him to run loose in the street or a
public park. You have no way of anticipating if your dog is off leash when he is going to
meet an unfriendly dog or car. The best outdoor set up for a Bullmastiff is a fenced-in
yard. Tying any dog up is a very bad idea and not recommended at all, except for emergency
situations where the dog needs to go to the bathroom, and in such emergencies the dog is
much better off being exercised on a leash. If you cant fence in all or part of your
yard, a free standing chainlink pen works well and if you move you can take it with you.
You can have these pens made to order by a fence company, or buy the pens at pet supply
stores, Home Depot, etc.
SIZE AND GROWTH
No breeder can accurately predict the adult size of a seven-week-old puppy. He
cant tell with any certainty if he will be the size of the parents or one of his
grandparents. The puppy that is the largest one in a six week old litter of eight puppies
wont necessarily be the largest at one or two years of age. The owner of a puppy
should do everything he can safely do to prolong the growth period of the dog. The most
effective way to do this is to use a low protein (22%) diet and to keep the puppy lean.
His ribs should not show
and he should not have any extra puppy fat. Excess weight puts unnecessary stress on
the growing dog who is already experiencing the normal stress of growth and teething. The
dogs adult size - his height and his bone structure - is programmed by the
dogs genes. A dog on a high protein food that promotes rapid growth may be slightly
taller at six and nine months of age than he would be on a lower protein food. He will
probably be heavier at these ages on the higher protein diet and he is more likely to have
skeletal problems. Whether or not he gets OCD because he has grown so fast, this dog will
not be taller as an adult than he would have been if he had been fed a lower protein food.
By the time the puppy is six months of age, depending on how he is being fed, he should
be at least 60% of his adult weight. By nine months of age he should be within an inch and
a half of his adult height. He will continue to grow in height until he is between fifteen
and eighteen months old. When a dog gets his
preliminary hip evaluation done between 12 and 18 months of age, the radiologist should
be able to tell if his growth plates have closed or if he will continue to get more length
to his long bones and more heights.
A Bullmastiff may take up to three years to get his adult body - the substance, depth
of chest, spring of rib that typifies a Bullmastiff. His head will take almost as long to
mature. The dogs head at a year will be a lot narrower than it will be at two years,
and at two years of age with more width to the back skull, the muzzle will appear shorter
and the stop may be more defined.
GROOMING SUGGESTIONS
Bullmastiffs are a shorthair breed so they are relatively easy to keep clean and nicely
groomed. They should be bathed regularly, their nails should be trimmed, and their ears
and teeth checked to see if they need attention.
Every dog should have a bath at least once a year depending how dirty they are allowed
to get. Some dogs love to roll around in the grass or sand and will get dirty quicker than
a Bullmastiff couch potato.
You can buy dog shampoo at the vet, hardware store, or pet supply store. Do not use
human shampoo! The pH of a dogs skin is different from ours and human shampoo may give the
dog dermatitis. If you do not have any shampoo designed for dogs, you can use a mild dish
washing soap such as Ivory or El. It is best to be cautious about using products that are
not specifically designed for use by dogs. Some dishwasher detergents contain ethanol,
which can cause problems when absorbed through the skin. If you notice that your dog has
dry skin when you give him a bath put a teaspoonful of vegetable oil in his food. If he
has callouses, put hemorrhoidal ointment on them to keep them soft.
During the winter, some dogs will get a "snow" nose. Their nose and the
pigment in their mouth turns pink. The best way to treat this is to add kelp to the
dogs diet or to give him Silica which will darken the pigment.
If your dog should be sprayed by a skunk the thing to use is either vinegar (diluted in
water), or Massengils douche solution. Any one of these acidic products will effectively
get rid of the odor though it may require a couple of bathes before the smell goes away
completely.
It is important to keep your dogs ears clean. Use mineral oil or witchhazel and a
cotton swab. Do not use a q-tip since you might puncture the dogs eardrum. Some
Bullmastiffs produce an excessive amount of wax. In that case your vet may provide you
with a special solution to use to keep his ears clean. Quite a few Bullmastiffs have
chronic ear problems. You should check your dogs ears regularly. Inflammations or
infections can usually be successfully treated either with panta or gentocin drops.
Some Bullmastiffs will wear their nails down somewhat walking on cement. Others
dont. If you want to show your dog, it is crucial that he have short nails, the
better to show off their cat feet, no dog should be allowed to have excessively long nails
which will cause the feet to splay. If you let the nails grow very long without ever
cutting them the quick will grow as well, and the only way to get the nails back to their
proper length is to have the vet anesthetize the dog and cut/saw the nails - and quick -
back to the correct length, cauterize the tips, and put the dog on antibiotics to prevent
the nails from getting infected. This is a drastic solution to a problem that can easily
be prevented.
We recommend that the dogs nails be clipped or filed at least once a week,
starting when you get him as an eight week old puppy. A guillotine type nail clipper or a
Big Dog Nail Clipper works well; the nice thing about the Big Dog Nail clipper is that the
blade stays sharp and does not have to be changed. Buy some Quick Stop at the same time
you get the clippers to use if you accidentally cut the dogs quick. If you do make one of
the nails bleed and there is no Quick Stop handy, cornstarch or softened hand soap can
usually stop the bleeding. I find filing the dogs nails with a bastard file is just
as effective. and you are much less likely to cut the quick I start filing the
puppysnails when the pup is three months old and do it at least twice a week. This
way he gets used to having his paws handled as well as his nails manicured. If you start
trimming your dogs nails when he is young and easy to immobilize, he will become
used to having it done and wont fight it as an adult.
VETERINARY CARE
It is really important to keep a record of every trip your dog makes to the doctor. The
form at the back of this handbook will help you keep track of when the dog has been
vaccinated and wormed. Whenever you are at the veterinarians for a routine visit or the
diagnosis of a special problem, dont hesitate to ask him what he is doing, what lab
tests he is having done, what medicine he is prescribing, and what is the exact name and
nature of what he is diagnosing. If it is your local vet, ask him in a gentle way how
often he has seen the problem. If this is the first time he has diagnosed this particular
problem, you may decide you need a second opinion. Write down what the veterinarian says,
so if you want to discuss it with another vet or with me you will have the specifics.
The adult Bullmastiff should only have go to the vets once a year for his
heartworm check and distemper and parvo booster if he is otherwise healthy. If you live in
an area where parvo is a problem or if you show the dog, your vet may recommend
vaccinating the dog twice a year and check the dog at least this often for parasites. It
behooves you to take the trouble to locate a vet who if not experienced with Bullmastiffs
knows about large and giant breeds.
When your dog gets his second rabies shot, between 12 and 18 months of age, you should
schedule him for a preliminary hip and elbow evaluation. When you have these x-rays done
be sure to have a copy of the dogs AKC registration papers which can be kept with
his records at the animal hospital. The veterinarian will need the dogs AKC registration
number to put on the plate and the dogs registered name as well as his AKC number to
fill out the OFA application. Getting a preliminary evaluation done by the OFA is very
worthwhile. It takes less time than when you submit them at two years of age for
certification and the OFAs evaluation of the x-rays is likely to be more expert than
the one you get from the veterinarian who took the X-rays. Sometimes the OFA will return
the x-rays and say that the dog has not been properly positioned. The vet should be
willing to reoccur the dog for little or no charge. When the hips and elbows are x-rayed,
the dog is sedated, not anesthetized. He will only be knocked out
for a few minutes and should be able to walk out to the car within minutes of the
x-ray. If you have trouble clipping his nails, you should get the vet to do this when the
dog is sedated. If these is any problem with the preliminary x-rays, when the dog is old
enough to have his hips certified (two years old), find a Board certified radiologist who
is an expert and correctly positioning the dog. The positioning of the dog is crucial.
When it is done by an expert, it usually will mean that the dog will get a rating of good
instead of fair or may mean the difference between getting a passing evaluation instead of
failing to be certified.
As I mentioned earlier, if you bought your puppy as a pet and do not intend to breed or
show him, neutering him will prolong his life and will not affect his temperament (he or
she will be just as good a guard dog and companion neutered). Neutering can make dogs more
stable and should prolong their life. A bitch can be spayed at six months of age before
she comes into heat. Bitches that are neutered at a young age do not get breast cancer. It
is a good idea to neuter male at eight months or younger because he will not have
testosterone in his system yet - and will never get it. Such a male usually will not be a
problem with other in tact males. A neutered male will not develop prostate problems,
which can be a problem in intact males starting around five years of age. If you suspect
your adult intact male Bullmastiff has prostate problems - you may notice blood in the
dogs urine - ultrasounding the prostate is the best way to diagnose a problem. The
only truly effective treatment of an enlarged prostate is castration.
A spayed bitch is likely to have fewer health problems. If you do not spay your
Bullmastiff, she risks they chance of getting pyometra a month to two months after every
heat. The older she gets, the greater the risk becomes. An unspayed bitch should also be
routinely checked for lumps in her breasts.
HEALTH PROBLEMS
It is important to read and learn about health problems in dogs
and Bullmastiffs, in particular. There are some problems that if detected early are simple
to treat at home without going to the vet, such as taking care of a hot spot. As a general
rule, however, do not think that you know more than the vet and decide that you can
diagnose and medicate your Bullmastiff without consulting your veterinarian. It could have
disastrous results. If you dogs coat is dull, for example, and you think he may be
hypothyroid, do not put him on synthroid for the hypothyroidism without having the
necessary testing done to confirm his thyroid levels. If you medicate your dog without
getting him properly diagnosed, you may make it more difficult for the vet to come up with
the correct diagnosis and in some cases you may do serious damage to your dogs
prospects for recovery. Hypothyroidism sometimes can contribute to cardiac
arrhythmias; if the dog has both conditions, he has to be put on an extremely low
dose of synthroid because it may make the heart arrhythmias worse instead of better.
A normal dose might kill the dog. If you think your dog has an infection, dont put
him on leftover antibiotics that you may have at home. They may not be sensitive to what
is causing the infection and once the dog is on the antibiotics the blood testing to
determine what the infection is being caused by will be compromised.
I do not intend to list in this section all the health problems your Bullmastiff might
develop. I am not a veterinarian and your veterinarian should be able to help your
Bullmastiff with minor problems. As a general rule I would urge you to follow the advice
you would follow for yourself. If your dog appears to have something more than a minor
health problem, go to a specialist. Veterinarians can be certified as specialists in
orthopedics, dermatology, ophthalmology, cardiology/internal medicine, oncology and
neurology. These specialists have received special training in their area of expertise,
training and diagnostic skills your local veterinarian is unlikely to have; these
specialists also have access to much more sophisticated equipment with which to make their
diagnoses and have knowledge of the newest treatment methods. Typically they are to be
found at veterinary schools or large animal hospitals like the Angell Memorial in Boston
or the Animal Medical Center in New York City. In the long run, you will probably not pay
much more to go to a specialist than to see if your local veterinarian can come up with
the correct diagnosis because the specialist will be quicker to recognize the symptoms and
may not have to do as much testing to determine what is wrong with the dog.
The most common problem that Bullmastiffs experience between six months and a year
experience is lameness. Dont ever wait more than a couple of days to talk to your
vet and make an appointment to have it diagnosed. If possible have the dog - or his x-rays
- evaluated by a Board certified orthopedic surgeon. I cant tell you how many horror
stories I have heard about dogs (not all of them bred by me, mind you) who have been
misdiagnosed by a veterinary general practitioner or by the breeder. Some vets who I
describe as general practitioners may not even be able to figure out what is the correct
joint or bone to x-ray. If and when your Bullmastiff becomes lame, the best advice to
follow until you see the vet is not to let him get a lot of exercise - do not take him for
walks or allow him to play with another dog; check to see the per cent of protein in the
dry food you are feeding him. Consider switching him to something lower (18%) to try and
slow down the growth process if the dog is young (under a year)
Some breeders and some owners try to avoid x-raying their dogs when they are lame and
too often attribute lameness to panosteitis. Panosteitis is a long bone lameness and
typically affects the forearms, upper arms, shinbone and thighbones. The disease has a
tendency to reoccur, either in the same leg or in different legs. It is a self-limiting
disease of varying duration that does not require surgery. Most dogs do not get it after
18 months of age. Generally the more severe the lameness the longer the time period during
which the dog is lame. It can be tricky to diagnose with x-rays since unless they are
taken at the right time, the increased, mottled density in the bone medullary canal cannot
be seen. Vets typically prescribe buffered aspirins (not coated since dogs do not digest
the coatings, which are designed to be dissolved by the acid in a humans stomach
which has a different pH from the dogs stomach), phenylbutazone, steroids, and
Adequan. None of these work very well, and some vets have found that treating dogs with
Albon or Bactrovet which are sulfadimethoxines eliminated the clinical signs within two
days. These are antibacterial drugs which suggest that the disease is infectious.
When a dog first develops an orthopedic problem you are most likely to notice it when
he is trotting. As the problem develops, you will see it at all speeds including walking.
If you notice lameness in the dogs front, particularly at six months of age, have
the dogs elbows and shoulders x-rayed. Six months is the age when a puppy will
develop ununited anchoneal process or ununited coronoid process in one or both elbows.
These processes are small chips of bone, which are supposed to fuse with the elbow when
the dog is about six months old. If they fail to unite for some reason, then they have to
be removed. Surgery is the only treatment and should be done as soon as possible so that
the joint does not develop a lot of arthritis. Have it done by a specialist. Ask him ahead
of time where he is going to make the incision, how long it is going to be and if there
will be any stitches. A good surgeon may be able to glue the incision instead of stitching
it up, and he may be able to make it from the back of the leg so the scar is not as
obvious.
If the puppy is lame in the front after seven months of age it is more likely to be a
problem of OCD in the shoulder. It is really important to get this checked out right away.
OCD starts as an inflammation of the cartilage. If OCD in the shoulder is diagnosed at the
initial stages, the dog can be treated with crate rest and a lower protein food (18%
senior diet). If you wait a month or two the piece of affected cartilage will get bigger,
it will start to break away from the end of the scapula like a lid to a toilet seat, and
eventually the piece of cartilage will totally break off. The only treatment at this stage
is surgery. Again it is best to go to a specialist for the diagnosis and surgery if
necessary. A good surgeon will not use a lot of stitches and wont make a huge
incision.
Dogs can also get OCD in the hock. Orthopedic specialists disagree on whether surgery
actually helps.
There are other orthopedic problems the young dog can get including hypertrophic
osteodystrophy which is uncommon in dogs and requires the diagnosis of an expert who has
seen the symptoms before. HOD usually develops when the dog is four months of age and is
characterized by overwhelming pain and an elevated temperature; it is usually accompanied
by some sort of infection. Rimadyl, a newly approved nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory sold
by Pfizer, has been found to be a good way of treating HOD. Steroids previously were the
only option and Rimadyl is more effective and doesnt have the side effects of
steroids.
Rimadyl has also been used very effectively to treat OCD and arthritis caused by elbow
and hip dysplasia, ruptured cruciates, etc.
If your teenage or adult Bullmastiff becomes completely lame in the rear all of a
sudden, he may have a ruptured cruciate. The cruciate is a ligament of the knee. Initially
the dog may tear only a few of the fibers and he may be slightly lame. The fibers may heal
if the dog is rested. If the dog is not rested and if he is given medication to mask the
pain, he most likely will tear the entire cruciate. When the cruciate tears, synovial
fluid is released which encourages arthritic changes. It is really important if your dog
does have a torn cruciate that he have the surgery done to repair it as soon as possible.
There are different types of procedures that surgeons can do to repair ruptured cruciates.
There can be a tremendous variation in cost depending on the type of procedure. The most
expensive involves putting a metal plate in the knee. I personally think that this type
procedure is not absolutely necessary for a Bullmastiff. It is recommended for giant
breeds. Bullmastiffs are a large breed, not a giant breed. Orthopedists prefer to do only
one type procedure so if the first vet you consult insists on doing the more expensive
procedure with the metal plate (cost $1200 and up) you will probably have to find another
surgeon to do the simpler old fashioned (and much less expensive) procedure. Dont be
surprised if the vet tries to talk you into the more expensive one with the argument that
the "old fashioned" procedure may not be effective. I dont have that much
experience with dogs that have had cruciate surgery, but what I have had suggests that the
simpler procedure works fine as long as you do the post surgical rehab as the surgeon
prescribes and do not allow the dog to get overweight. Dogs who have had cruciate surgery
can be shown but the surgery should be done immediately so that the dog doesnt get
arthritis.
There are lots of new medications that help treat pain caused by osteoarthritis. Arudis
KT is now available without a prescription and can help ease the pain of arthritis from
OCD, torn or partially torn cruciates etc. Rimadyl is really effective at treating
arthritis and joint pain. Bear in mind, it is not always appropriate to mask pain. When a
dog has a partially torn cruciate and you give him something - such as Arudis KT. This is
not necessarily a good idea as it will mask the pain so the dog may over exercise and
rupture the ligament completely. Arudis KT can only be given for two weeks in a row and
then has to be discontinued for a certain period of time. Rimadyl can have side effects
which you should test the dog for at your vets recommendation.
One of the big killers of dogs is cancer. Bullmastiffs commonly get mast cell tumors.
These are cancerous skin tumors that can be removed successfully by your local vet. The
tumor should be sent to a lab to see if it has been completely removed. If it has not been
completely removed, the oncologist may recommend chemotherapy. I personally feel that any
form of chemotherapy over and above the administration of prednisone does nothing to
improve the quality of the dogs life. The dog may become so sick from the
chemotherapy that he will not enjoy the few extra months of life it may be giving him. One
natural supplement that is supposed to slow the course of cancer is shark cartilage and is
the only type of chemotherapy I would try.
Bullmastiffs can also get cancer of the bone and connective tissue, lymphoma, and other
types I dont even know about. Usually by the time they are diagnosed the cancer has
metastasized and it is too late to cut the cancer out.
If your dog has something that seems like a seizure, try and locate a veterinary
cardiologist or neurologist. Some seizures may really be tachycardias, caused by heart
arrhythmias. These can be regulated with medicine. If the dogs seizure is
caused by a neurological problems there are new treatment methods that may be better than
the Phenobarbitall your local vet most likely would prescribe.
Bullmastiffs can have skin problems. One of the most common of these is hot spots, a
type of moist eczema which Bullmastiffs usually get in the summer. If you notice a hot
spot right away, you can treat it at home by cleaning it thoroughly with hydrogen peroxide
or witch hazel and then putting Gold Bond powder on it. One of the places a hot spot can
start is under the ear flap and if you dont check there, you may not discover the
hot spot until it so large that the hair around it has to be shaved and the dog may
require a shot of prednisone.
As youngsters, Bullmastiffs may get pustules on their muzzles, it is like teenage acne.
If you put your dog on Fresh Factors or shark cartilage these should disappear. Sometimes
the feet of the Bullmastiff will become inflamed either from licking or a finagle
infection. A good way of treating their feet is to clean them thoroughly with Tucks
medicated hemorrhoidal pads and then putting Gold Bond powder on the feet, particularly
between the toes, so that the inflammation will go away. If the dog has sores on his feet,
Hydro Plus, a solution that you have to get from your veterinarian, is wonderful at drying
up and healing the sores; it is a combination of Domboro, gentocin, and banamine.
Occasionally a Bullmastiff will develop sores or pustules on his body that will not
respond to the antibiotic therapy your vet may prescribe. Such dogs most typically have a
staph allergy. It is easy to treat - and relatively inexpensive - with injections of staph
lysase. Once the allergy is treated the antibiotics will clear up any skin problems and
usually the problems go away completely. If you do not treat the allergy the skin
condition will worsen and sometimes the infection will go into the blood or bone with
disastrous results. This should never happen because the allergy is so easy to take care
of.
If your dogs get fleas he may develop an allergic reaction to the flea bites. He might
get open sours on his body, experience some hair loss, and his skin will look pink and
irritated. The way to treat this is to get rid of the fleas. If you live in an area where
fleas are a problem, you should put your dogs and cats on Program, a once a month
treatment that can be started as soon as your animals are clean of fleas (and your house
and possibly your car has been sprayed or bombed to kill the fleas). The only dog that
cannot be given Program is a nursing bitch because the medication will concentrate in her
milk.
Some dogs have allergies to dust, fungus, pollen etc. They will lose the hair on their
legs and other parts of the body and be in tremendous discomfort if the allergy is not
treated. There is a blood test that can be done that will diagnose what the dog is
allergic to and then a bactrin can be made especially for your dog, which will treat the
dogs allergy. Diagnosing the allergy with the blood (eliza) test is just as
effective as the alternate procedure where the dog has to have a portion of his coat
shaved.
Allergies usually have to be treated for the lifetime of the dog. If you do not keep
the dog clear of fleas or if you are not conscientious about giving him the bactrin, the
skin problems will return. One thing you should do with any Bullmastiffs with skin
problems or allergies is have them tested to see if they are hypothyroid.
Some Bullmastiffs have food allergies. The symptoms would be dry or scaly skin, ear and
feet problems. The most common food they can be allergic to are chicken and wheat. There
are special diets that are great for dogs with food allergies. They are prescription diets
that you have to get from your vet - either fish and potatoes, duck and potatoes or
venison and potatoes. If you think your dog has food allergies and you put him on one of
these special diets, dont give him treats such as milkbones that may contain
ingredients that he is allergic too.
SPECIAL GUIDELINES FOR RAISING
BULLMASTIFFS WITH CHILDREN
Virtually all the inquiries I get about Bullmastiffs include questions such as how are
Bullmastiffs with children? or Isnt it true Bullmastiffs will take a lot of nonsense
from children? Usually my answer to such questions is something to the effect that
Bullmastiffs are usually fine with children, provided the children are good with them.
When I get an inquiry from someone who wants to buy a puppy, I prefer to interview the
entire family at my home if it is at all possible. This is the best way to see how the
whole family interacts with dogs and each other. If one of the children appears to be
overly afraid of dogs or will not obey the instructions of the parents, I will not sell
the family a puppy. This is the type of family situation in which problems can develop
down the road.
It has been my experience that parents whose children have no manners including no
manners around dogs, are the type of adults who also dont teach manners to the
family pet. In such an environment, you cannot expect the dog to be well behaved around
the children and via versa. If parents do not teach their children how to act around their
own dog and allow them do whatever they want to the dog - interfere with the dog while
eating, throw things at the animal or do any of the things listed below - then the child -
and his family - may have to deal with the consequences. It may not be the consequences of
how the familys dog reacts, but the neighbor dog or a friends dog who is not
used to being challenged by a child.
Some children are too young to accept responsibility for their actions and to be
trusted around pets. Such children should be supervised around pets - otherwise they may
get into trouble.
There has been a number of highly publicized cases of children getting hurt or killed
by dogs and wolf- hybrids. Many of these incidents occurred when these young children were
unsupervised. If the child had been properly supervised by his parents, baby-sitter,
teacher or whoever was supposed to have been responsible for him at the, the incident
might never have occurred.
These are my recommendations on how to handle the issue of Bullmastiffs and children.
If you take the trouble to teach your child how to behave around your dog, then you will
know that when your child is visiting the neighbor, he should know how to deal with the
neighbors Rottweiler or his friends Chihuahua. If you havent taught your
child how to behave around your own dog, you wont be able to trust him around
someone elses dog who may be highly unpredictable and not used to being around
children.
I sometimes get calls from people saying they want to get a Bullmastiff puppy for their
son or daughter. Little Mary has been so good at home or done so well at school that they
want to reward her by giving her the new puppy she has requested. If you are planning to
get a Bullmastiff for your child, dont get a dog if you expect your child to assume
total responsibility for taking total care of the new puppy. An adult Bullmastiff will
probably going to weigh more than your child, and a child is physically and intellectually
too immature to assume responsibility for the care of a dog. It is highly unlikely that
any teenager that is given total responsibility for the new puppy is going to be able to
pay for the dogs veterinary care, particularly if he needs some kind of surgery,
like neutering or spaying. The teenager should be encouraged to save his money for
college, not for the dogs vet bills or show expenses. It is great if you decide to
get a Bullmastiff for your family, but the parents are the ones who must assume
responsibility for the dog. You must explain to your child that the dog is a new member of
the family and, as would be the case with any other new member of the family, the parents
are the ones who make the final decisions affecting the dog. Obviously you will listen to
the childs recommendations about the dogs care or training but you need your
ultimate approval.
A well socialized Bullmastiff will generally not care if he is disturbed or interfered
with when he is being fed - he will not be insecure around food because he should know
that when he is being fed it is not going to be his last meal. However, I think children
should be taught not to disturb the dog when he is eating. When you give the puppy/dog his
dinner, you want him to concentrate on eating. If your kids are allowed to tease or
distract him when he is supposed to be eating, he may not finish his meal and he may not
want a child interfering with him as he is trying to find every kernel of food that have
escaped from his bowl as a result of his eating so fast and feverishly. If a parent
teaches his child to leave the family dog along while he is eating his dinner, then he can
feel reasonably confident that when his son or daughter is visiting a friend, he will
remember that it is not proper etiquette to disturb the friends dog when he is eating.
It is important that parents and their children understand that the parents are the
ones who make the following rules: when to let the dog in or out of the house (the child
should not open the front door to allow someone in if that means that the dog will have
the opportunity to run outside where he can either escape from your property or interfere
with some activity in the back yard that you dont want him to be around); when to
let the dog out of his crate (if he sleeps or eats in his crate); who is allowed to take
the dog for walks; who handles or trains the dog.
Children are usually physically too small to reinforce a command such as sit or down.
To train a dog correctly, a command should only be given once and then enforced if not
obeyed. A command is only given when necessary and if the dog is told to sit he must be
made to sit. If a dog has been naughty, it may be appropriate to put him in a down and
make him stay down for ten minutes. If the puppy/dog does not do what is asked, the
command should not be repeated over and over again, as children typically like to do, as
this may give the puppy/dog the impression he is getting away with something.
Most Bullmastiffs know that the child cannot make them do what they want and probably
wont obey a childs instructions. It teaches the dog bad habits - of getting
away with a command they should obey - if you tolerate your childs repeatedly
telling the pet to do something that the pet wont do at least initially until he
gets the proper reinforcement. Besides, there are lots of occasions when a child may think
its appropriate for the dog to sit, when its really not necessary. If a person
really wants to involve his child in obedience training the family pet, he probably
should invest in a breed that is not as independent a thinker as the Bullmastiff.
Children usually do not like it when the dog chews on their toys. Parents and children
should all learn to keep the toys away from the dog. Do not allow the dog access to the
play areas where the toys are scattered around on the floor. Likewise, children should
learn that the dog has his toys - his bones and other chewies. Parents should be very firm
with their children in explaining to the that they should never try to take the dogs
toy away from him when he is playing with it and that they should not jump on the dog,
grab at him or put their head on the dogs shoulders when the dog is chewing his
bone. In all probability the dog (any dog) wont do anything if the are disturbed
while chewing on a bone, but sometimes they are so absorbed in enjoying the toy or like it
so much (such as a rawhide chewy which I think is a BIG mistake to give any dog - and not
just for this reason) that they may snap at the child as if to tell them, leave me alone.
In cases where the dog snaps at a child who is disturbing him while he is chewing on a
bone, the dog is always the one blamed, and the child may end up with a temporary or
permanent fear of the dog. In a situation such as this, blame should be divided equally,
but unfortunately some of the time the reaction of the child, and the dogs verbal
inability to defend himself, create an untenable situation.
Children should not get at eye level with the dog to play at seeing who will blink
first. Direct eye contact is very threatening to some dogs who will feel challenged.
It should not have to be reiterated, perhaps, but you should remind kids (and adults!!)
not to blow air in a dogs face (the dogs reaction most likely will be to snap
back), to run away from a dog (the dogs instinct will be to chase and immobilize),
to spray water at the dog, throw things at him, or ride him like hes a pony. Do not
tease or interfere with a dog that is tied/chained up.
It is unwise for parents to allow their children to play unsupervised with their
friends around the family dog. Parents cannot be sure if these friends are afraid of the
dog or will tease him. They cannot be sure if the friends will poke the dog in the eye,
pinch his testicles, jump on him unexpectedly etc. etc. If something happens to one of
your childrens friends when the parents are not around, the dog is going to be
blamed, even though he may not be totally at fault.
Parents of a new baby/young child use common sense in supervising the introduction and
resulting relationship between their two babies (the human one and the canine one). Some
dogs get very attached to the baby and will not like it if you attempt to correct the
child or spank him when the dog is around, he may try to get between you and the baby and
take your arm in his mouth to prevent you from spanking the baby.
There is nothing more frustrating as a breeder and someone who is the ultimate
Bullmastiff lover to hear of a situation where a Bullmastiff has been punished because a
rule that seems so logical has not been followed. I was involved in a rescue case of a
four-year-old Bullmastiff male. He was adopted by a family that had had a Bullmastiff in
the past and I was assured that the children who were young teenagers were very good with
dogs. They were really excited about getting this new Bullmastiff and bought him a lot of
new toys. The second day the dog was in his new home, the teenage son decided to put his
head on the shoulder of the dog while he was munching on the rawhide chew toy. This may
have been the first time the dog had ever had his own bone or his own rawhide bone - even
better! The teenager made no noise as he approached the dog and when the dog felt the
weight of the kids head on his shoulders, he turned his head and snapped - scraping
the skin on the boys forehead - nothing very serious, nothing that required stitches
or hospital care. The laws of the state in which this occurred were that whenever there
was an incident in which a dog bite occurred, the dog had to be put to sleep right away
and his head necropsied to see if he had rabies - it did not matter what the history of
rabies vaccinations was. This incident should never have happened. The kid should have
been taught to leave the dog alone while he was enjoying his bone.
Bullmastiffs love to be hugged and petted by children - provided they do not interfere
with him when he is eating or chewing on his toy. Bullmastiffs love to play with children.
Some Bullmastiffs will play fetch with children. All love to give kisses and get kisses
and hugs back. Bullmastiffs love to snuggle and go for walks and rides in the car. If your
child is allowed to be rough with the dog, he probably will display the same manners with
his friends and his friends dog, neither of which are desirable - in my opinion. The
properly trained Bullmastiff is proud and respectful of his family and will willingly put
his life on the line to protect those he loves. The profits of a childs relationship
with the family pet should far outweigh the responsibility of teaching these special rules
that the child must observe when he is around the dog.
SHOWING YOUR BULLMASTIFF IN
CONFORMATION
When I first start writing these Recommendations, my advice/suggestions were based on
my experience as a breeder/exhibitor. This has been enhanced by my experience as a judge
of Bullmastiffs and other working and non sporting breeds. I have had the thrill of
judging Bullmastiffs all over the world. Bullmastiffs are successful whatever their
homeland because their exhibitors/owners follow commonsense guidelines.
A lot of advance preparation and training is required to show your Bullmastiff in
conformation. It is critical that you check him carefully as he is maturing from a puppy
into an adult. The bite is important. If you do not insure that the baby canines have
fallen out before the adult canines broken through the gums, then the adult teeth may end
up in the wrong position - permanently, and he may end up with a wry bite or with a canine
out of position.
It is also important to tape his ears if necessary. Not all puppies have to have this
done, but if he folds one or both ears for more than a few days, take action. If the dogs
ears are folded and you wait too long - until he is more than six months of age - the
cartilage in his ears may stiffen, and it may be impossible to get rid of the fold.
You should make sure your dog is used to having his nails trimmed, and keep them short.
You should not have trouble locating a class that teaches breed handling. Some all
breed clubs offer such instruction. If there are none in your area, you should start by
doing beginning obedience. Putting your dog through beginners obedience will not
ruin him as far as his behavior in the show ring is concerned. If your dog is familiar
with the verbal or hand signal for stand, you should not have too much trouble keeping him
standing in the breed ring as required. This will also get your dog used to being around
other dogs and other breeds. Sometimes it works better if one person works the dog in
obedience and another shows him for conformation points.
Classes that teach attention training can be really helpful, plus going to shows and
watch what is being done.
You may want to enter your puppy in a match to give him a taste of the dog show
experience. All breed clubs put these on at least once a year, and in some parts of the
country, there are match show bulletins which list the dates, locations, and judging
panels for the matches. Matches are a good way for you to perfect your handling skills and
to get some experience in a show situation. Most of the judges are novices so take what
the judge says about your puppy with a grain of salt since this may be the first time the
judge has ever examined a Bullmastiff.
To be successful in the show ring, the more serious you are about it, the more likely
you are to achieve your goal which presumably is for your Bullmastiff to get his
championship title (or obedience degree.) I am really only qualified to what I think can
be done to insure your dogs success in the show ring.
Some Bullmastiffs are ready for the show ring as young as seven or eight months. There
is no experience equivalent to being at an all breed show so you are better off entering
your puppy when you feel he is almost ready to win. If he is almost ready win, it may be
he can win, if you have done your homework ahead of time. If he doesnt win, taking
him to the dog show will help you see what problems you still have to work on inside and
outside the show ring. Outside the ring, you may have to spend time getting him used to
walking under the tent or teaching him to disregard the noise of the public address
system. Inside the ring, you may find you are not quite as fast at setting him up or
attentive at listening to the judges instructions as you can be with more practice.
The best way to learn about upcoming shows is by subscribing to the AKC Gazette. Its
Events Magazine lists all the information you need to know about the shows and also
includes the names, address, and phone numbers of the dog show superintendents from whom
you can request a premium list for the show. If you have access to the internet, you can
get detailed show schedules through the AKC website and the websites for the different
show superintendents.
Before you take you Bullmastiff to any show or match, be sure your dog is clean.
Sometimes if the show grounds are dusty you will have to wipe the dog off with a damp
cloth just before he goes in the ring. Bullmastiffs are shown with their whiskers trimmed
or in tact. Whether you cut the whiskers off, I think depends on what the whiskers are
like and how they may affect the appearance of this muzzle. If they are short and curly, I
recommend cutting them off. If they are long and you dont really notice them when
you look at the dog, then leave them. The Bullmastiff should not be faulted one way or the
other for presence or absence of whiskers. Use the lightest choker collar you can on the
dog but make sure the collar is strong enough that you can control him. Pinch collars are
not allowed at dog shows, nor can dogs be shown shaved (from some kind of surgery or hot
spot) with or without sutures.
As a breeder and a judge, I think it is really important that anyone interested in
showing his Bullmastiff be familiar with the Bullmastiff standard. This standard is more
general than many breed standards. If you familiarize yourself with it, you will
understand what the standard describes as ideal and can try to exhibit your dog in the
most "ideal" fashion possible. It will also help you understand any comments the
judge makes to you about your dog. You should also familiarize yourself with the AKC Rules
and Regulations for Dogs Shows. There are certain surgical procedures that make you dog
ineligible to be shown. Dogs that have surgery to correct entropion or dental surgery
cannot be shown, and neutered dogs can only be entered in the veterans classes at
independent specialties. Dogs that have had some kinds of orthopedic surgery, including
cruciate surgery, can be shown, but other types of surgery disqualify the dog. If you have
any questions, call the AKC. Judges do not like to be put in the position of being
veterinarians trying to figure out if an exhibit has had some kind of "illegal"
procedure. The best thing is not to put the judge in that position.
The day of the show, it is best to get to the show well before the Bullmastiffs are
scheduled to be judged. Some shows have delays in getting dogs into the grounds or the
parking area so you have to make allowances for this. It may take a while to walk with
your dog to the show ring. If possible you should allow for enough time to watch the judge
judging other breeds so you can see what ring procedure he use. The best thing to do is to
leave the dog in the car while you do this. If possible leave him in a crate so you can
roll down the windows to keep the dog cool, have a pail of water clipped to his crate, and
if its really hot, you can clip solar blankets over your car windows and put one or
two of the battery run fans on his crate to keep the dog comfortable.
As far as the actual judging goes, these are a lot of things that can contribute to the
judges final selections.
When the judges starts to judge a class, he usually will ask that the dogs be brought
into the ring and set up in front to back. The ring steward will tell the exhibitor where
the dogs are to be set up and if they are to do it in catalog order. A lot of judges
(myself included) feel the dogs silhouette/profile is the best angle to assess the
balance and structure of the dog and a good way to evaluate the head in profile, making
sure its size compliments the body and that the relationship between muzzle length to
overall length of head form occiput to nose is correct. This initial evaluation can be
really critical. A judge often sees things he likes or dislikes about the dog when he
watches the dogs being brought into the ring so that the judge can check off the armband.
You should pay attention that when you bring your dog in the ring he looks at his best.
When you bring the dog into the ring and set him up, bear in mind that the standard
requires that the dog be slightly longer than square because a Bullmastiff that is truly
square - height at shoulder equal to distance from sternum to the pin bone - would have
trouble moving because at the trot the back feet would interfere too much with the front
feet. The Bullmastiff standard (unlike the standards for most working breeds) says nothing
about the relationship between the length of leg - foot to elbow - to the distance between
the elbow and withers at its highest point. In my opinion these distances should be equal.
A male Bullmastiff can look particularly attractive if the distance foot to elbow is
slightly longer than distance elbow to highest point of withers. Some dogs are able to set
themselves up without your help but others need to be set by the exhibitor, first the
front at the elbow (not at the pasterns) and then the rear by manipulating the dog at the
knees. It is really important that you learn to do this quickly so that the dog is always
properly set up when the judge may be looking at him. If the dog wont hold his head
up on his own, either free bait the dog so he keeps the head up and focused or hold the
collar and if necessary the dogs muzzle from the side to make the overall silhouette of
the dog look as attractive as possible. It is a courtesy to the judge that you and the dog
are sufficiently trained that you do not keep the judging waiting- and- watching while you
try to get the dog set up and ready for the judge to go over.
Once I (and most judges) assess the dog from the side, I will approach the dog from the
front to inspect his head more carefully. Many breeders feel that the Bullmastiff head is
the critical contributor to the overall type and quality of the dog. Bullmastiff Judges
Education tries to get that message across to prospective judges. The ideal Bullmastiff
head should be blocky (the back skull the larger block, the muzzle the smaller block) with
good pigment and expression. Most Bullmastiff judges get used to examining the dogs
bite themselves but really appreciate the exhibitor who can do this himself. The standard
says that the bite should be even to slightly undershot. Most judges will tolerate a dog
that is more than slightly undershot if the Bullmastiff is otherwise pleasing. Some judges
will put up dogs with scissors bites because that is what the standard for their breed
calls for. The scissors bite is not mentioned in the Bullmastiff standard so I personally
consider this unacceptable. A dog with a scissors bite usually doesnt have a strong
underjaw which is important in a brachycepahic breed. I also pay particular attention to
eye color, expression, ears, pigmentation, wrinkle etc.
After that I (the judge) would proceed to inspect the body of the dog more closely.
For me it is a real help if the exhibitor has the dog trained to focus on bait or a toy
so that he will stand still why I go over the body. If the dog is young and not attention
trained yet, it is a courtesy to the judge to lightly hold onto the dogs muzzle so
he doesnt turn around to see what the judge is doing once he start to go over his
body. If the dog turns around or wont stand still it makes it much harder to see if
the dog has the appropriate depth of chest, level topline, slight arch over the loin,
correct tail set, two testicles etc. If the judge cant examine the testicles, the
dog has to be excused.
Once the judge has gone over the dog, he should ask to see the dog to move. I ask for a
pattern that will allow me to see the dog move from the side, front and rear. When looking
at the Bullmastiffs side
movement, his topline should remain level as he moves and the tail should be level or
lower than the topline, it should not be carried in hound fashion. If the Bullmastiff is
entered in the puppy class a puppy that is a little high in the rear the judge may forgive
this, but he will not forgive it in an adult dog. When the judge asks you to move the dog,
you should move him at a slow trot. If you race the dog around the ring, a lot of judges -
myself included - will suspect you are trying to mask something in the dogs
movement. When you are moving the dog away from the judge or back to the judge, move
directly from where he is standing in a straight line away or back to the judge. The judge
cannot evaluate the dogs front and rear action if you dont do that.
Once the judge has examined and gaited the class of dogs, reexamined some if necessary
to help make up his mind, he will make his placements. If your dog is not first, its
not the end of the world. When you exhibit your dog at a show, all you are paying for one
man or womans opinion. If you lose, do so graciously. Make a note of what the judge
or the dog did so that ultimately it is not a total loss. You are entitled to ask the
judge for his opinion of your dog, but I dont really encourage it. You can do this
when he is giving you the ribbon - and he probably will say just a few words - or you can
ask after he is through judging the breed. If the judge is a breeder judge the critique is
going to be more valuable than the evaluation of someone who is not a specialist.
To increase your chance of winning, remember no dog is perfect. Dont get so hung
up about some particular thing about your dog that you cannot appreciate his overall
quality. You should try to present your dog as if you have the dog that is going to win
Best in Show.
Lots of times you will be competing against dogs that are professionally handled. You
must feel confident in the ring, listen to what the judge asks, and pay attention the
entire time you are in the ring with your dog; you never know when the judge is going to
glance over at the dog. Dont be so busy talking to or watching another exhibitor or
dog that you dont notice the judge looking over at your dog when he is not at his
best. Make sure that the dogs mouth is clean. Theres not a judge alive who
appreciates slobber. There may be times when your dog deserves to win but doesnt.
You may have been out handled by a professional handler. The judge may decide to put up an
older dog or he may have his own prejudices - like certain color preferences - that may
interfere with him making a truly objective decision. Just remember there is always
another dog show and as long as you treat this as something you and your dog can enjoy
together, you will.
Copywritten 2001 by Virginia Rowland, Blackslate Reg'd; and may be downloaded for
personal use only
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