The Dudley Bullmastiff is a mutation of the normal
colored animal. There are two color variations of Dudleys. One is a gray or gray and beige
dog with a dark gray masks, gray nose and yellow eyes. The second variety is a fawn to
reddish fawn dog with a red masks, pink to liver nose, and yellow eyes.
Some breeders put to sleep Dudley pups when they are born. They are fairly easy to detect
even at birth. Although many pups are born with pink noses, the normal pup’s nose
turns black within approximately a week of birth. A red or brown mask at birth is the sign
of a Dudley. In the gray Dudley the coat color is a give-away to the future color of the
dog. There are fawn pups born with a heavy overlay of black hair, which the novice might
suspect of being gray Dudleys. However, these pups are almost always born with strong
black masks which mark them as being of normal pigmentation.
The Dudley need not be destroyed at birth if the breeder will sell or give away the puppy
strictly as a pet ; explaining the Dudley fault to the future owner and having a written
understanding with the new owner that registration papers will be furnished for the dog as
soon as the breeder receives proof that the dog has been altered.
If your puppy has a small mask, a pale one, or none at all, this is a fault, but does not
make the puppy a Dudley.
Yellow eyes are very unattractive in a Bullmastiff and a serious fault. They, alone do not
make a dog a Dudley. All pups’ eyes are some shade of blue in infancy. Pups who will
have dark eyes have very deep blue eyes in infancy. Puppies who will have yellow eyes have
ice or sky blue eyes at this time. Dudleys always have off-color nose leathers in
conjunction with the light eyes.
A puppy who has a pink nose at two months of age is definitely a Dudley. It will never
have normal pigmentation. DO NOT buy one for breeding or showing under any condition. The
puppy is useless except strictly as a pet. The Dudley should NEVER be used for breeding
stock. As for showing, it is not worth the time it takes you to get to the show.
At this time our Standard has no disqualifying faults listed. Many novices read the
Standard before buying a Bullmastiff to familiarize themselves with the factors that make
a desirable puppy. They are not made aware of the seriousness of Dudleyism because no
mention is made of it.
If the discussed Standard revision is accomplished, Dudleyism should be listed as a
disqualifying fault for the protection of prospective Bullmastiff purchasers.
This article was written and is Copyrighted by Carol H. Beans