Sing: Is Bullmastiff compatible with a Shih Tzu?
Currently, we are living in an apartment and have a 5-year-old male Shih Tzu, my family will be moving to a terrace house soon and I am thinking of getting a Bullmastiff as a guard dog. Just like to find out if a Bullmastiff mix around with my Shih Tzu. Many thanks for all your comments or sharing experience.
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Answer by moof
How well socialized is your Shih Tzu? If he hasn't been properly exposed to many different types of dogs (especially large or giant breed dogs), then he might be the problem here. If he gets along well with all other dogs, then he probably won't be an issue.
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Bullmastiffs have a somewhat assertive temperament, so they do sometimes clash with other dogs. If you obtain this dog from a quality breeder and socialize and train her thoroughly, however, she should be fine with your Shih Tzu. (Note that I specified that you should get a female Bullmastiff. Dogs of the same gender can absolutely get along, but same-sex aggression is considerably more common than opposite-sex aggression. For the best likelihood of peace between them, you should get a Bullmastiff that is the opposite gender of your current dog.) Of course, you WOULD always need to be careful with the two, regardless of how wonderfully they get along.
Bullmastiffs are usually fairly gentle dogs, but they can be rambunctious as puppies, and it's quite easy for a big, dorky Bullmastiff to accidentally injure a toy breed like a Shih Tzu. I know MANY households in which giant and toy dogs coexist happily (and, in fact, the toy dogs usually rule the roost), but in all of these homes, the owners still use their common sense and are careful with their combination of dogs.
You'd have to be careful to separate them if you're leaving, to supervise them when they're together, and to keep the Shih Tzu's little toys away from the Bullmastiff (since it's exceedingly easy for such a large dog to swallow a tiny toy and either choke to death or experience an intestinal obstruction).
- Can a Bullmastiff or mastiff mix be a jogging companion?
- Do Bullmastiff dogs drool a lot?
- Is Bullmastiff a good dog breed to have with children?
You're looking for a reputable, experienced breeder, not a backyard breeder, puppy mill or commercial breeder. (A reputable, experienced breeder is preferable, but someone who fits what this chart calls a "hobby breeder" would be acceptable.)
Here's some more general info about Bullmastiffs:
http://www.bullmastiffinfo.org/breed.htm
Good luck with your potential new addition! Hopefully you'll take care in extensively socializing the Bullmastiff with both humans and dogs of all shapes, sizes and colors; you want a "guard dog," but the Bullmastiff is a natural guardian and if properly socialized, will be friendly to everyone who deserves that treatment while being wary of anyone who seems fishy. They don't need to be trained to be suspicious and aggressive, that's just dangerous and foolish.
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