If the nature of the Bullmastiff reflects a positive behavior and the nurturing aspect that mainly comes from his owner reinforces his nature, the dog will likely be good with other dogs. Other more cases will exhibit a variety of outcomes. Nevertheless, the Bullmastiff is generally teachable in interacting nicely with others.
Learn more about him when it comes to approaching other canines through this article. In one way or another, this can aid you in encouraging your buddy to be friendly for his social health.
4 Benefits of Exposing Your Bullmastiff to Other Dogs
One of the responsibilities carried out by the owner once he brings home a puppy is to ensure that his dog gets enough exposure to others. There are several benefits he could get out of this experience and you’ll also get to feel the by-product of letting him make friends with other canines.
Take note, the Bullmastiff has low tolerance toward other dogs more so if it’s of the same sex. If his aggression level keeps on soaring and nothing is done about it, this can result badly once he gets the chance to meet another new dog.
This is why socialization needs to be incorporated into a Bullmastiff’s life early on. Some of the benefits of this training include the following:
Your Bullmastiff’s Loneliness Will Be Reduced
Let’s face it. It’s not all the time that you’re at home bonding with your pet. If you resort to having only one Bullmastiff and he’s left alone at your home with no one to interact with, he’ll develop bad behaviors due to separation anxiety. Thankfully, doggy daycare centers exist. You can opt to bring him there where he can form meaningful bonds with other dogs. Not only is he preoccupied, but this also keeps him from showing undesirable behaviors due to boredom.
You Can Bring a Second Dog Home
Having two or even more dogs at home will transform the atmosphere in your place! If your Bullmastiff grew up being okay around other four-legged buddies, it won’t be too much of a challenge for you to bring a new family addition to your home. If you want them to get along so well, raising them together as puppies is more preferable.
Your Bullmastiff Will Have a Playmate
Bullmastiffs tend to be lazy and unmotivated when kept indoors. To encourage him to continue being physically and mentally stimulated, you can let him play with other dogs. Of course, this is only possible if he has been taught how to behave and not show hostility toward other canines.
Your Bullmastiff Can Teach the New Dog Many Things
This is an advantage if you have adopted a second dog. A socially exposed Bullmastiff can teach the new dog what he has learned from you during his crate training sessions, potty training, or mealtime routine. He can be your helping paw that could speed things up in instilling valuable dog lessons for the new family recruit!
5 Reasons That Would Make Your Bullmastiff Unfriendly
Even though Bullmastiffs are hailed to be unpleasant toward other dogs, socialization can still work wonders. This will mellow down his uncongeniality and if this goes on, he’ll eventually accept the fact that being good friends with other canines is good for him.
However, if despite your effort to introduce new dogs to him and he still shows inhospitality, you have to know why and determine the reasons so you can promptly deal with his unfriendly behavior. With that, here are a few reasons which trigger his disagreeableness:
- He wasn’t socialized as a puppy. During his early years, the Bullmastiff naturally has a thirst to explore his surroundings. If he never got this sort of exposure hindering him from identifying which dogs to trust, he will grow up seeing other canines as a threat or feel unsure how to act toward them.
- He got traumatized by another dog. Bullmastiffs, despite their powerful aura, are sensitive dogs. If during his puppy years, he experienced getting snapped on by an aggressive dog, this might have created a sense of fear within him, thus making him shy away from other canines.
- He has an overly protective nature. Bullmastiffs are protective, but if he wasn’t trained when this nature should come out, he’ll find everybody a threat. This will likely happen if a dog gets near his food bowl, toys, or area. These are some of the primary things he values.
- He has been reinforced to behave that way. Dogs are simple creatures most of the time. Anything that you do to him, he will subconsciously learn a few things from it. If he has shown unfriendliness to other dogs and you have, at one point, reinforced this behavior, he will think that he did the right thing.
- Overpowering nature. Bullmastiffs are generally observed to be less tolerant of other dogs. Even though you can do something about it, if his nature as an individual truly overshadows the training you gave him, he will keep on exhibiting the same personality.
5 Tips on How to Get Him to Like Other Dogs
The Bullmastiff is a teachable breed. If you happen to own one who’s aggressive and constantly snaps at other canines that get near him, there are some things you can do to eliminate this unwanted behavior and eventually like other dogs.
Tip #1: Train Him for Obedience
You can either enroll him in an obedience class, hire a professional dog trainer, or do this by yourself as long as you’re experienced. Getting your Bullmastiff to obey your every command is a huge stepping stone toward making him get fond of other dogs. Once he respects your authority, you won’t have many worries if another dog approaches him.
Tip #2: Give Him Challenging Activities
A Bullmastiff who gets to release pent-up energy is a happy dog. The contrary of this is a pet who will show undesirable behaviors such as snarling at others due to frustration. Let him experience the world with his own feet. You can play a game of fetch with him or let him run around with other dogs.
Tip #3: Research Before Getting a New Dog
Not all dogs are a match to your Bullmastiff. If you are eyeing a new breed, see through it if their personalities would match. The size could also be a factor as well as the gender. Although the thought of having a new addition is exciting, always research beforehand.
Tip #4: Let Your Bullmastiff Choose Which Dog
Just like us, humans, dogs could sense which ones they’ll most likely get along with. Let your Bullmastiff determine which dog might be the perfect addition to your expanding family!
Tip #5: Go For Dogs Who Have the Same Energy Level as Your Bullmastiff
A Bullmastiff who enjoys playing with a certain type of dog will most likely perceive him as a great playmate. This gives you the cue of which kind of canine to go for should you get a new one.
