Step 1:
Have your bullmastiff
vaccinated when you first
get her/him, and have them get
yearly booster vaccinations
to maintain her immunity to
disease. Consult your
veterinarian about flea
control products, heartworm,
and lepto vaccinations too.
If your dog has a bowel
problem, or excessive gas,
have your veterinarian test
a fecal sample, and then
administer appropriate
medications if necessary. If
gas is a problem try
changing the dog's diet.
Typically with the
Bullmastiff breed we have
found over time that high
quality foods yield less
gas, less food to feed, and
a happy bully.
Step 2:
Read the
labels of the cans or dry
dog foods you are feeding
your Bullmastiff. Try
not to purchase your dog
food from a supermarket or
large retail chain.
These foods are not the best
for your dogs. Do not
play on the emotional
advertisements you see on TV
for dog foods. Quality
food manufacturers don't
need to advertise!
Word of mouth is the best
advertisement they have!
Look for meat as the first
ingredient. Avoid fillers
such as CORN, SOY, WHEAT
your Bullmastiff will love
you even more for it!
Step 3:
Train your bullmastiff at an
early age to be around
people, especially children
and other animals. The
bullmastiff puppy needs
early socialization to
people and different
locations. This breed can be
aggressive and needs to be
reminded who is in charge.
You will find in time that
patience with this breed is
a must. A little
training 10 to 15 minutes a
day goes a long long way.
Step 4:
Walk your bullmastiff daily.
As a puppy though, long
walks are not recommended
till after 1 year.
Restrict the movements of
running. As an
adult 18 months and beyond a
good run or fast paced walk
is great. This breed
is not very active, if we
could rename the breed we
would ... C.K.C. Couch
Potatoes, Bed Hogs, and can
gain weight easily.
Step 5:
Bathe your bullmastiff
regularly. In times past
there were not developed
proper shampoos for bathing
dogs. Today's lines of
shampoos leave the essential
oils on your dog's coats.
Grooming is an ESSENTIAL
need of ANY DOG! It
will help you discover any
skin problems or other
abnormalities. The
dog's shorthaired coat tends
to stay clean and sheds very
little. Yet, you will find
when your Bullmastiff is out
and about they will roll
around and other playful
things.
Step 6:
Brush your dog's coat
occasionally. All dogs
shed! Bullmastiffs
shed very little, yet as
with all dogs they
occasionally "blow" their
coats in Spring and Fall.
We utilize flat pumous
stones, or a good rubber
brush!
Step 7:
Trim the nails frequently,
(usually every two weeks),
and check the foot pads
often for wear and tear,
(about every month), as
this breed carries a lot of
weight.
Step 8:
Feed your bullmastiff two or
three small meals a day
instead of one large meal,
as this breed is prone to
bloat. We have experimented
over the years and find that
2 good meals a day with a
quiet period after eating is
really the best. When
changing foods or brands of
foods expect to see results
6-8 weeks later ... NOT
IMMEDIATELY. Typically
you will see the best
results within 2-3 months.
Step 9:
Understand the health
problems associated with
bullmastiffs, such as hip
dysplasia, bloat and eyelid
problems. Many bullmastiffs
also have thyroid problems,
so check for this when your
dog is over 3 years of age.
If your Bullmastiff is NOT
EATING ... SEE A VET
IMMEDIATELY. These
dogs LOVE FOOD and we do
mean ANY FOOD!
Step 10:
Expect your bullmastiff to
live for less than 10 years;
this is the breed's average
life expectancy. If you
properly feed your
Bullmastiff good high
quality food, supplement it,
have your Bullmastiff
properly groomed expect your
Bullmastiff to live a bit
longer. We believe
that nutrition is the
foundation for any dog to
live it's life to the
fullest. Love is next.
And a great home to live in.
