Bullmastiff

The Dogue de Bordeaux is a French breed, bred to guard, hunt, and fight. Early on, it was common to see the Dogue de Bordeaux guarding a wealthy Frenchman’s home, or dominating in the fighting ring. Today, these powerful dogs have loyal and affectionate personalities, and are considered “gentle giants.” They are patient and calm, do very well with children and have fairly low exercise requirements. The Dogue de Bordeaux is an excellent sweet-natured, companion who is eager to please and loves to be around his family.

Unlike what their name suggests, Great Danes originated in Germany, where they were initially bred mainly to hunt large prey. They are powerful, athletic dogs, but have calm, kind dispositions. These gentle giants are known as “couch potatoes” and are dependable, family-friendly dogs. Due to their size – they tend to weigh 100-200 lbs. when grown – Great Danes do best in larger living spaces, and are easy to train.

A Mastiff named Zorba is considered to have been the heaviest dog in the world, weighing in at 343 lbs., and is listed as such in the 1989 Guinness Book of World Records.

The Cane Corso is an intimidating breed at first glance, with a muscular body and large head. Corsi come from Italy, where they were employed largely as guard and hunting dogs because of their power, courage and willingness to work. A very intelligent breed, these dogs are easily trained and versatile, and at the same time are intensely loyal to their humans. Corsi are great with children, make excellent family pets and tend to be protective of their families. Despite the Cane Corso’s size and strength, Corsi have a medium energy level.

The Victorian Bulldog is a modern breed developed by crossbreeding the Bulldog and the Olde English Bulldogge. They were bred to be a healthier and lower maintenance version of the Bulldog. The Victorian Bulldog is medium in size and thick-boned with a muscular body, wide chest, and a large head that is proportionate in size. Their wide nostrils, broad muzzle, rose or button ears, and loose-hanging skin gives them the typical appearance of the Bulldog. Although they might look tough, they tend to have a gentle and friendly personality. With proper socialization, they often do well in a home with children and other pets. Even though the Victorian is a hybrid and has yet to be recognized by AKC, they’re often treated as a purebred and are recognized with ACA, ICA, and DRA registries.

American Staffordshire Terrier, also known as Amstaff, is a very smart, confident, loyal, and trustworthy four-legged friend. This breed is very muscular, yet loving with their family. They enjoy being around their humans when they are out for jogging, or playing fetches in the yard, or just cuddling on the couch; also, they are very friendly with children. Amstaff may not have a high-energy level, but everything they do, they do with vigor; therefore, they require lots of training to learn good manners.