16-619: The Broholmer , also called the Danish Mastiff , is a large mastiff breed of dog from Denmark , recognized by the Danish Kennel Club and the Fédération Cynologique Internationale . It has been employed as a guard dog in the homes of the wealthy. The breed's numbers dwindled severely during World War II, but the dog made a successful return in the 1970s. The Danish Broholmer is a dog that strongly resembles
32-418: A Mastiff . It is large and powerful, with a loud, impressive bark and dominant walk. A well trained Broholmer should be calm, good tempered, and friendly, yet watchful towards strangers. Females stand about 27.5 inches (70 cm) and weigh in at 90–130 pounds (41–59 kg). Males stand about 29.5 inches (75 cm) and weigh in at 110–150 pounds (50–68 kg). The body is built square and rectangular with
48-403: A large and massive head. The width and length of the skull and the length of the nose should be of equal length. The head is generally not carried very high. The coat is short and harsh, and the color can be light or brownish yellow, or black. Some white markings on the coat are permitted, and a black mask may be found. The average life span is around 7–12 years. The breed was imported to
64-434: A life expectancy of 10.2 years for the breed compared to an average of 12.7 for purebreeds and 12 for crossbreeds . Health concerns within the breed include hip and elbow dysplasia, progressive retinal atrophy, bloat, and cancer, with a relatively high incidence of lymphoma and mast cell tumours. Bullmastiffs are prone to certain hereditary diseases, including: An autosomal dominant form of progressive retinal atrophy
80-469: A minimum of four generations of descent from Bullmastiff stock without input from either Bulldog or Mastiff; cross-bred animals could not be registered. The American Kennel Club recognised it in 1934. It was definitively accepted by the Fédération Cynologique Internationale in 1955. In 1928, the De Beers diamond mining company imported Bullmastiffs to South Africa to guard the mines. The Bullmastiff
96-648: A short coat , a long low-set tail and large feet; the skull is large and bulky, the muzzle broad and short ( brachycephalic ) and the ears drooping and pendant-shaped. European and Asian records dating back 3,000 years show dogs of the mastiff type. Mastiffs have historically been guard dogs , protecting homes and property, although throughout history they have been used as hunting dogs , war dogs and for blood sports , such as fighting each other and other animals, including bulls , bears and even lions . Historical and archaeological evidence suggests that mastiffs have long been distinct in both form and function from
112-457: Is a large dog. Bitches stand some 61–66 cm at the withers , and usually weigh 41–50 kg ; on average, dogs stand about 3 cm taller and weigh 9 kg more. The coat may be fawn, red, or brindle, in any shade; some limited white marking on the chest is allowed. The muzzle is black, becoming paler towards the eyes. The Bullmastiff is brachycephalic , flat-faced and short-muzzled, but this does not affect its breathing. A 2024 UK study found
128-557: Is degeneration of the “white matter” of the spinal cord and the peripheral nerves. The white matter tracts of the spinal cord contain fibers that transmit movement commands from the brain to the limbs and sensory information from the limbs to the brain. The first Broholmer ever to be imported into the United States with the intent to breed it, died in 2018 due to DM, and all other dogs imported have DM as well. These dogs were never presented and therefore never accepted by Broholmer Selskabet,
144-532: The Belgian Mastiff , have the word "mastiff" in their name, but are not considered true mastiffs. Many older English sources refer to mastiffs as bandogs or bandogges, although technically the term "bandog" meant a dog that was tethered by a chain (or "bande") that would be released at night; the terms "mastiff" and "bandog" were often used interchangeably. One of the most famous "bandog" programs in England, led to
160-525: The English Mastiff with the now-extinct Old English Bulldog . It was recognised as a breed by The Kennel Club in 1924. The origins of the Bullmastiff are unclear. In the 18th century, in some regions of England, the English Mastiff and Old English Bulldog were commonly inter-bred to produce dogs suitable for guarding people and their property. By the beginning of the 20th century, this cross-breed
176-399: The "bandog" breeds. In the twentieth century the term "bandog" was revived to describe some large fighting mastiff type dogs crossed with any bulldog in the United States. Bull Mastiff The Bullmastiff is an English breed of dog of mastiff type and large size, with a solid build and a short muzzle. It was developed as a guard dog in the nineteenth century by cross-breeding
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#1732851065494192-564: The Danish main organization for the protection and the breeding of healthy Broholmers. One completely healthy male Broholmer, Bodholdts Bedste Bergthor, approved for breeding by the Broholmer Selskab, was imported into the US in 2010. He was, however, never bred in the US. Mastiff A mastiff is a large and powerful type of dog . Mastiffs are among the largest dogs, and typically have
208-567: The UK in 2009 with a view to being put on the UK kennel clubs import list. It was discovered in the recent years (2016) that the Broholmers that were imported into the United States were all afflicted with degenerative myelopathy (DM), a spontaneously occurring, adult-onset spinal cord disorder that affects dogs, and is similar to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) or Lou Gehrig's disease in humans (1). With DM, there
224-516: The establishment of a recognized "bandog" breed known today as the Bull Mastiff . The least common "bandog" program in England was funded by Sir Nathanael Dieu-est-Mon'plaisir, the St. Louis Vincent Mastiff or South American Mastiff was named after Vincent Louis who reared plantation dogs originating from St. Louis and other parts of South America. This rare breed is the most expensive mastiff-type dog amongst
240-584: The similarly large livestock guardian dogs from which they were most likely developed; they also form separate genetic populations . The Fédération Cynologique Internationale and some kennel clubs group the two types together as molossoid dogs; some modern livestock guardian breeds, such as the Pyrenean Mastiff , the Spanish Mastiff and the Tibetan Mastiff , and an extinct draught dog called
256-460: Was in widespread use as an aid to gamekeepers in the control of poaching . They were bred for strength, size and speed using a cross of the tough, heavy and aggressive 19th century Bulldog with the large, strong, less aggressive Mastiff . As a result, the Bullmastiff is known as the Gamekeeper's Night Dog. The Bullmastiff was recognised as a breed by The Kennel Club in 1924. Dogs had to have
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