T & M Bullmastiffs

Bullmastiffs

T & M Bullmastiffs is located in Southwest Arkansas between Umpire and Dierks near the Ouachita mountains. We are about two hours from Shreveport, Louisiania and two hours from Little Rock, Arkansas. From the larger cities we are about four hours from Dallas, Texas and four hours from Memphis, Tennessee. We have two bullmastiffs Thunder (Male) and Lightning (Female) which were born January 4, 2009. We could not ask for a better pet, companion, or protector. These dogs are the definition of LOYAL, and would give their life for you if the situation called for it. At the same time, they are very loving and caring, Thunder our male helps Lightning with the puppies every day by helping clean them, and checking on them often to make sure they are alright. They are very good with people and children as well. When they see that you are welcoming of people, they will welcome them as well. We decided to start raising puppies because we are committed to this breed and would like to share the blessings that we have received with others.

HISTORY

The Bullmastiff breed as its name suggests, is a combination of the English Mastiff and the Bulldog. It was created in England in the mid-1800s; the only guarding breed to originate in England.

At the time of its creation, there were many large estates in England, the owners of which frowned upon the game in their estates being poached. Gamekeepers were employed to oversee and protect the game in the estates and they needed an able assistant; the poachers being a rather dangerous lot since punishment for poaching was hanging. English Mastiffs were tried but found to be somewhat slow and to not have the drive necessary to down and hold a man. Bulldogs (quite different than we see today) were tried, but the bulldog of that era was very ferocious and tended to tear the poacher up too much.

So, crosses were made of the Bulldog and English Mastiff until a ratio of 60% English Mastiff/40% Bulldog was achieved. This type of dog, eventually called the Bullmastiff, served the needs of the gamekeeper very well. The dog could track a man in the forest at night; work quietly; and when close enough spring to a hard charge, knocking the man down and holding him there until the gamekeeper arrived. This was no mean feat since the poachers used every trick and tool at their disposal to escape knowing that they faced hanging. The Bullmastiff had to be very brave and tenacious and more than one suffered death at the hands of a desperate criminal.