Neo Bullmastiff

The Neo Bullmastiff is a giant dog of the molosser type, a category of canines that are characterized by massive heads, thicker bone structure, and short, powerful necks. The Neo Bullmastiff is a cross between the Bullmastiff and the Neapolitan Mastiff, two giant molosser breeds from different regions and with slightly different purposes.

The Bullmastiff is an English molosser breed that was used to guard vast English estates and the wildlife living on them. An intentional mix between the English Mastiff and the English Bulldog, the Bullmastiff was a designer dog long before the term was coined in the late 20^th century. Prior to the development of the Bullmastiff in the late 1800s, English Mastiffs were guard dogs, but they proved to be too slow-moving to be fully effective on larger estates. When the Bulldog of the 1800s was given this task, they were a little too aggressive and tenacious for the job. The combination of the two resulted in the Bullmastiff, a giant dog with the energy and athleticism to chase thieves and poachers, but with enough restraint not to maul them.

The Neapolitan Mastiff hails from Italy, where it is known as the Mastino Napolitano, and was originally employed as the guardian of livestock. These dogs were known for bonding strongly with their families but being more distrustful and guarded around others. It wasn’t until World War II ended that Neapolitan Mastiff fanciers began to concentrate on improving the breed. In 1948, the first Neapolitan Mastiff breed standard was created.