Bullmasador Dog Breed

Bullmasadors were probably produced for the Labrador temperament to weed out some of the potential for aggression that had long ago been bred into Bull Mastiffs. It could be that while these make great guard dogs, they may have a tendency to attack rather than prevent things from happening, and the happy-go-lucky Lab is well-known for being good for this. Still, these are not recommended for first-time dog owners or homes with very young or small kids. They can do well enough in apartments and small homes so long as they are exercised outside daily for a fair amount of time.

Here are some of the good and bad traits of the Bullmasador:

There is plenty of Bullmasador information available for someone who wants to adopt one of these often very large dogs. If you choose to adopt an older Bullmasador, there should be a slightly longer period of the getting-to-know-you phase. Just be aware that as with any crossbred dog, he might have any combination of Lab and Bullmastiff, from a balanced half-and-half, to much more Lab, to much more Bullmastiff, or somewhere between.

These dogs are intelligent enough, and they are trainable. Between the Lab's legendary ease of training and the Bullmastiff's "bull"-headedness, it might be anywhere from fairly easy to somewhat difficult. In any case, both parent breeds mature slowly, so it will take some time.

Bullmasadors tend to be very big dogs, and they typically know their size as it's this that allows them to be fearsome when in protection mode without having to resort to violence. Properly socialized, they will love playing with kids, but they should be closely supervised around young and small kids.

Your Bullmasador might choose to be lazy if allowed to do so. These dogs can be active — and the key word is "can." They will exercise if led to do so. You should set aside an hour or two daily for activity time to make sure they exercise. They are extremely strong, so don't be afraid to give them work too!

The Bullmasador temperament is one that is that, if proper breeding is carried and the luck is good, can be gentle and easily trainable — and yet highly protective of his master. Of course, even a loving dog can be turned vicious, and if that happens, there's no one to blame but a human. It's best to not let the protection aspect get out of hand, especially with a big dog like this. Fortunately, the Lab inheritance can also help this aspect from getting exploited too quickly or easily.

It should also be stated that, adopted as an adult, you should either know and verify his history or be prepared to be very careful. Too often, Bullmastiff mixes are abandoned because of bad behavior caused by human cruelty, neglect, or worse. Such dogs can be turned around, but it is best that only people who are very experienced with not only dogs but Bully breeds adopt them.

Both Labs and Bull Mastiffs have lots of problems due to their breeds having heritable diseases as well as the fact they are big dogs, especially with the Mastiffs. Fortunately, hybrid vigor can help to prevent and lessen many of the problems. Still, you should be sure to have all the basic health tests and papers if you plan to adopt an older Bullmasador. Some concerns, however, can't be helped as they tend to happen to very large dogs later in life.

Here are some of the problems that can happen in a typical Bullmasador:

• Bloat
• Cancer
• Obesity
• Allergies
• Hip dysplasia
• Skin problems
• Elbow dysplasia
• Cardiomyopathy

The average lifespan of the Bullmasador is around 10 to 12 years.