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Most Bullmastiff Breeders try to place their puppies in appropriate homes. Homes that show the true intention of taking proper care of the puppy for it’s entire life - Good Homes. Initially, the new owners are thrilled at the arrival of their new Bullmastiff puppy. Images of long walks and wrestling matches run through a new owner’s mind. The “ooohhhs” and “aaahhhs” of all their friends and families are addictive. And they take their cute little “purebred” Bullmastiff puppy every where to show off. Remember rushing home from work just to be with your Bullmastiff buddy? The excitement of being able to come home and enjoy the company of someone that really appreciates you? But, then somehow, that initial excitement begins to fade. The little potty accidents in the house become frustrating fits of anger for you. After all, this “dog” is one (1) year old – he/she should know by now to not use the bathroom in the house, right?! Remember that cute little tactic you used to laugh at when he/she whacked you with their paw or nipped at your arm when they wanted some attention? Kinda hurts when they do it now, huh? You cannot frequent those after work parties because you have to hurry home to feed the dog and let him/her out in order to avoid “the mess”. And by the time all that is taken care of, well, everyone would have gone home for the evening and you would have missed out on all the fun. What about those on-the-fly weekend trips you used to take all the time? Now you have to find someone to take care of your Bullmastiff while you are gone. And well, those kenneling fees and kennel shots sure are not cheap! Not to mention, it is hard finding a kennel that can accommodate kenneling a dog the size of a Bullmastiff. So, lately, you have been turning down those trips because – no one will be home to watch the dog. You don’t take your Bullmastiff out for walks anymore. You barely acknowledge his/her existence in the house unless something gets destroyed. And somehow, this inside dog you used to enjoy the company of so much, has become another permanent landscaping fixture in your backyard. And to your neighbors’ demise, not a quiet fixture at that. Your Bullmastiff is a little over two (2) years old, and now how do you feel about him/her? Are you still excited to come home and be with your best buddy? Or has this become a necessary chore that inhibits you from enjoying the rest of your life? Do you feel it? Resentment. No matter how many excuses you want to blame on your Bullmastiff – this is what it comes down to. You are tired of living your life around the restrictions of owning a dog. Now I mentioned that initially, you presented yourself as a Good Home to the Bullmastiff Breeder. You bought the crate, you feed him/her decent food, got him/her their yearly shots, and maybe even took your Bullmastiff through basic obedience training. This all seemed so easy in the beginning – before you actually owned the dog for an extended amount of time. After all, you would think that after spending around $1000 for this puppy, you would keep him/her forever and beyond. But, that does not matter now. What matters is getting rid of this restriction on your life. And the most convenient option – put him/her in the local shelter or open the gate and let him/her run off into the night. You are sure that someone else will pick them up and take them home right? After all, this is a purebred! They really won’t be put to sleep or get hit by a car or shot – that won’t happen to “your” Bullmastiff, right? After all, you “just don’t have time” for him/her anymore and it “wouldn’t be fair to the dog”. Or his/her habits are “beyond your control” and you are “scared of your own pet”. And of course, you are way too embarrassed to simply return your Bullmastiff back to the breeder from which you bought him/her originally from. There are hundreds of other excuses you can make up to justify your means of escaping your Bullmastiff pet. This is exactly what it comes down to – escaping your responsibility of being a Bullmastiff Owner. But, there should have only been one solution to this whole ordeal – you – as a presumably mature adult(s) – should have put a bit more thought into adopting this Bullmastiff BEFORE you exchanged money, took the puppy, and walked out of that breeder’s house. This is a typically Good Home, Gone Bad. Could this be you in the future? Has this been you in the past? Set your ego aside and take this to heart…. A Bullmastiff is not a toy that you can turn on or off at your convenience. This breed requires time, money, patience, and understanding beyond what you will ever be able to achieve or tolerate from another human being or even another animal. Once you accept ownership of this breed, this is for the life of the Bullmastiff – not for the convenience of yours. You believe the Bullmastiff is the Right Breed for you. Now, are you sure you are the Right Owner for the Bullmastiff? - written by Sophie Picture Contributions
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