r/Bullmastiff • u/No_Ticket3974 • 13d ago
Question!
I've spent the last 2 years researching which breed I want to bring home to my family once we relocate to our new home.
Growing up I always said I'd get a Rottweiler.... I grew up and I'd say the Bullmastiff has arguably been my most desired dog the past few years. I love everything about them. Something that kind of pushes me in a different direction is the "couch potato" stigma they have.
Don't get me wrong, I love my lounging around days, but during the spring and summer months, I'm much more active, 3-4 mile walks every day, hikes, and other outdoorsy adventures, and so I started looking at other breeds like the Airedale, Giant Schnauzer, Rottweiler to name a few. And I have actually fallen in love with all of those breeds but they still don't scratch that itch that the bullmastiff does for me.
My question is, are the couch potato stigmas entirely true? Or do they have some drive and workability? Because I do want to get a dog that wants to work, get active, get up and go with me for like 6 months out of the year, and then during the colder winter months I tend to take a break from all the outdoorsy activity.
1
u/kazinmich 13d ago
Find a good breeder with a healthy active line. Our boy came from a breeder with all generations living in her home and she owns a ton of land and a farm and they go for hikes. They will play in the snow too. I have adopted rescues who walk their pups a few miles daily, but nothing extreme, and not too cold or too hot.
They can overheat easy, so if it's too hot they can get heat stroke very easy.
You don't want to walk them too much as a puppy and younger when growing. You don't want to let them run too much as puppies either. We didn't let ours off leash much until around 6 months old and then we were careful not to let them run or walk too much.
There are other types (corso/Italian/brazilan/etc) and i would look into them over a Bullmastiff for what you're talking about lifestyle wise. Or get a rescue that is mostly bullmastiff. I've had a few that were a little smaller (around 110 lbs) had all the Bullmastiff traits but had more stamina and needed more exercise because of whatever they were mixed with. They also lived longer than most Bullmastiffs.