| There have been bulldogs in Britain since the l3th
Century, but the Bullmastiff was developed some
200-300 years ago. It is the result of a cross between
the Mastiff, an ancient breed hat fought in the arenas
of ancient Rome, and the British Bulldog. Like the
Bulldog, it was used in bull-baiting until this "sport"
was outlawed, and was a brave fighting dog that
could bear pain without flinching. It also had a
considerable reputation for ferocity. Later breeders
worked toward a type that was 60 percent Mastiff
and 40 percent Bulldog.
Despite its ferocious past, the Bullmastiff of today is
a playful, loyal, and gentle animal, an excellent guard,
and usually very dependable with children. However,
it is too powerful for a child or slight adult to control,
and should only be kept by experienced dog owners.
It needs grooming every few days.
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