Bull mastiff puppies grow up to be some of the fearless and most confident dogs that anyone can ever have. Born with a strong protective instinct, they can ease in naturally to a defender role – seeking to protect their masters from anyone or anything that might pose as a threat.
However, while they can be docile around their masters, their protective instinct might make them too wary of strangers and other animals. They might not easily get along with your neighbors or with other animals you keep as your pets.
Knowing this, training and socialization are very important if you are to raise your bull mastiff puppies into proper family dogs. Remember, that while your puppies can grow up to be a great family protector, all they have right now is potential. And it is up to you to hone this potential.
1. Train with Care
Proper training is necessary for your bull mastiff puppies to grow up healthy. As young pups, they need enough exercise. Notice that the word ‘enough’ was used instead of ‘a lot’. This is an important detail to remember since bullmastiffs are prone to some injuries related to their bones, joints, and ligaments. Because they will grow to be massive dogs, you must limit their exercise so that their bodies do not receive too much stress.
Now, because you have to limit the amount of exercise that your bull mastiff puppies will get, they might dislike the lack of activity and become somewhat hyperactive around your house. To deal with this, substitute some of their exercise time just by keeping them company so they don’t get bored. You hit two birds with one stone with this, since you’ll also get to spend some quality time with your pet.
2. Socialize, Socialize, Socialize
You must also socialize your bull mastiff puppies as early as possible. Allow them to get familiarized with the sights, sounds, and presence of people and other animals that they will probably encounter on a daily basis. These puppies will grow up to be large dogs with massive strength, so if they are not trained properly they are fully capable of causing injury to your other pets – or worse, some people.
So, the less scared they are of new things as pups, the less aggressive they will be of strangers and other animals when they grow up (but that will not make them any less protective of you and their territory, of course.)
3. Be the Master
Bull mastiff puppies are as proud as their adult counterparts. However, they are still immature and have not yet fully established their relationship with you. You must show them your authority and dominance so they will learn to respect you. They are not easily convinced, however. And they will not listen to you if you are too meek in training them. The trick here is to be confident – make your commands heard loud and clear, and be consistent in the rules that you set on them – make them know that you really mean it when you say commands like ‘No.’
photo by (M.E) Morgan
