courtesy of Dan UK

The Dog

Captain James Dickie

Hutchinson & Co Limited, 1933

The Mastiff

In ancient days there existed a dog called a Molossus, or Dog of Molosiss in Greece, and from this dog both the bulldog and the mastiff, possibly also the pug, descend. Edmund de Langley, writing in the fourteenth century, mentions the Molossus (mastiff) and the Aluant (bulldog). This appears to be the first occasion when the breeds were mentioned separately. Dr. Caius, on the other hand, mentions only one breed “ the Mastive or Bandogge ” in a book written about 1570, so we presume that, in the Middle Ages, the breeds were frequently cross. I suggest that in future bull-mastiffs be called Bandogges – surely a more attractive name!

The present-day mastiff is an excellent dog from every point of view. He is dignified and is not given to barking, except when necessary, intelligent and very courageous. His traditional job is to act as a guard and companion, and this he does extremely well. In these hard times big dogs which are expensive to keep and do not work for their living (as, for instance, do gun-dogs) are in danger of losing ground as they did during the war. The mastiff is one of our oldest British breeds, a dog possessing the traditional virtues of the Englishman, and it is to be hoped that this breed will not be allowed to suffer.

The Bull-Mastiff (Bandogge or Bandog)

When the Bull-mastiff Club was formed, to standardize a small handy mastiff or large old-fashioned bulldog, there was a dispute as to the name: some wished to call them night-dogs, some bull-mastiffs, some bandogs. Queen Elizabeth or her physician, Doctor Caius, would have been in no doubt at all : bandog is the traditional name.

Though earlier writers distinguished between the Alaunt or Canis Anglicus (bulldog) and the Canis Molossus (mastiff) Caius fails to mention the smaller variety: the “ mastive of bandogge ” was “ An huge dogge, stubborne, eager, burthenous of body and therefore of but little swift-nesse, terrible and fearful to behold and more fierce and fell than any Archadian curre. ”

In Vero Shaw’s opinion this description refers to the bulldog rather than to the Canis Molossus or “mastive” of Edmund de Langley which, being supposed to be of Greek origin, was doubtless the “Arcadian cur.”

In any event, the bulldog and the mastiff were freely interbred between the fourteeth and the nineteenth centuries; the hard and fast line of demarcation appears to be of fairly recent date.

The present-day bull-mastiff, considered simply as a dog, is a magnificent beast.



















He was evolved by crossing the old type bulldog (not the toad-like variety) with the mastiff. The result was a dog similar to the Dogue de Bordeaux and the Spanish bulldog (both, it is believed, descended from English bulldogs of the old type).

Some have “ crank ” tails, but the majority of tails are straight.

The dog has enormously powerful jaws, the more so because they are short (the “punishing jaw” business is nonsense from the purely mechanical as well as the practical point of view), an excellent nose and plenty of brain room. For his size he is active. He has a sense of property and is game
without being quarrelsome.

His only fault as a guard might be over-friendliness.


The Bulldog


THREE varieties of “ Alauntz ” are mentioned in The Mayster of Game, written in the fourteen century: “ The which men clepyn Alauntz gentil. Other there byn that men clepyn Alauntz ventreres. Other byn Alauntz of the bocherie.”

The first variety is so “gentil ” that Edmund de Langley, in giving a list of the animals which it would attack, mentions oxen, sheep and swine, “ or to men or to other hounds, for men have seen Alauntz sle her mayster.”

Evidently a nice pet to leave with the children. This variety was shaped like a “ greyhounde ” except the head, “ which shuld be greet and short.”

The second and third varieties were evidently more heavily built, and “ Thei holde fast of here nature.”

They were used for bull-baiting and boar-hunting in company with greyhounds.
Edmund de Langley alludes to mastiffs in addition, but it is fairly clear that they and bulldogs descend from the same parent strain.

Bull- and bear-baiting continued up till about 1850, and it was believed that to bait a bull before slaughtering improved his flesh : to this day many people believe that the flesh of a coursed hare is better than that of a shot one. It may be so.

In old pictures of bull- and bear-baiting the dogs shown are like small, active mastiffs. They were magnificent specimens physically and, necessarily, brave to a fault.



















When bull-baiting became unfashionable the dogs were kept only by the lowest classes until, about 1860, they first appeared at shows.

The shows did the dogs more harm than the bulls, bears of Bill Sikes. Lest I be accused of prejudice, I will quote the Natural History Museum : “ Other characteristics are the short, wide skull, the small loins and hind limbs and the strength of the forequarters. These features are exaggerated in the present breed, which is useless for fighting. The skull for instance (as shown by the specimen in the table case), is so broad and underhung as to be a monstrosity, while the outward bending of the legs is excessive.”

It may be noted that the specimen alluded to (a show champion whelped in 1901) is far less of a monstrosity than present-day champions.

The present-day bulldog is born old ; he is a wheezy amiable creature, useless for any purpose, but, usually still retains the indomitable courage of his ancestors.




Doubtless, if a club were formed to revive the old breed it could be done. It would only be necessary to pick out and breed from the least deformed puppies produced by parents themselves not too inbred.

The rapidity with which dogs will throw back to ancestral and natural type is proved by the Brancaster Basset hounds Q. V.

Revive the National Dog

I HAVE been accused by no less a person than the secretary of the London Bulldog Society: he said that I had tried to discredit the National Dog.

I replied that my regret was that the national dog is extinct, or almost so, and has been replaced by a useless, wheezing monstrosity. Underslinging of chassis may improve motor-cars, but it does not improve dogs.

Meanwhile, a correspondent wants a mate for a bull-terrier bitch which is a throw-back to the old bulldog, and there seem to be no bulldogs of the authentic type. Here is a head study of a typical bulldog of seventy years ago : the fact that his ears are cropped gives him a somewhat ferocious appearance, but he has a kind, intelligent eye and plenty of brain-room ; he has a powerful jaw (none of your useless “punishing” length), and terrific muscles to work it.

He has a good nose, too: the flews are not too tight and the nose itself is big, with wide-open nostrils, rather like a Gordon setter’s.

Altogether a magnificent head for a companion dog. His body was equally good.

His courage was proverbial : such dogs attached and were killed by lions and bears in the “good old” cruel days.

This is the Alaunt of old days – the real National Dog of England.

Above is a picture of a bulldog from Jesse’s Anecdotes of dogs (1846). The accompanying text says : “ The bull-dog has been called the most courageous animal in the world …His strength is so great that, in pinning a bull, one of these breed …has been known, by giving a strong muscular twist of his body, to bring the bull flat on his side.

“In consequence also of his high courage and perseverance, a bulldog has gone a greater distance in swimming than any other dog has been known to do. In a match that was made for the purpose, one of these animals fought and beat two powerful Newfoundland dogs.”

All of these statements may be true. The body of the dog has enormous power and heart room for his size ; his build shows speed and agility, only his poor broken face is ugly.

The “ smashed-in face ” was produced by methods that would not be tolerated to-day (cutting of ligaments and beating with a mallet) and has been exaggerated and perpetuated by “ the fancy.” The correct head was illustrated in my last article.

Is this magnificent breed of dog to be allowed to become extinct?


Breeding

UNFORTUNATELY for the whole race of dogs, nearly all breeders want to sell their puppies as expensively as possible.

The public will give more money for the progeny of a show champion than for an ordinary dog. Naturally, therefore, the breeder caters for the demand regardless of other matters.

Actually it is the sire of the champion who has proved a success, from the breeding point of view, not the champion himself, whose stock may be of indifferent quality.

Logically, therefore, if one wants champions, one should breed from the sires and dams of champions rather than from champions.

Whether from the show or the working point of view, there are many factors, other than the actual parents and their history, to be considered. In race-horses, where pedigrees are more carefully kept than is normally the case with dogs, many horses, themselves big winners, have failed at the stud.


Points to Consider

Presuming, for the moment, that we are breeding for points (in my opinion an undesirable proceeding if carried to excess), we should first consider the dam’s faults.

Suppose we find that our Labrador is long in the back and flat-sided, but has an excellent head and an exceptionally strong foreface, it would appear obvious that she should be mated to a short-coupled, well-ribbed up dog.

Not only that, but the sire should come of a family of strong-bodied dogs.

If his head is faulty, the question arises whether the ugly head is a family trait ; above all, whether he is inbred to an ugly-headed dog. If so, the ugly head will be a pre-potent trait, which will certainly show itself in the pups.

If his ugly head is purely a personal affair, and his good body a family matter, we have our perfect sire, all else being equal, a great deal a better sire than a champion who happened to be the only strong-bodied dog of a weak family.

Once in twice out, is the traditional rule in breeding dogs and horses ; breeding out and out tends to cause reversion to original type. Inbreeding in fact, accentuates peculiarities, outbreeding tends to eliminate them.

It must be remembered, however, that inbreeding tends to accentuate and fix bad points as well as good ones. Physical or nervous weakness, especially the latter, may become dominant and ineradicable from future generations.

In Scottish terriers, for instance, there is a nervous strain ; they are charming and plucky little dogs as a rule, but many years ago someone inbred to a nervous dog and his characteristics still keep cropping up.

From the breeding point of view mental characteristics are more important than appearance. Scientific selective breeding will alter the appearance of a race of dogs in a few generations, but disposition is far more difficult to influence. There are, for instance, untrainable strains of show gun-dogs, which breed true-all useless and untrainable.


A Case in Point

Generally speaking, the sire is the stronger influence as regards type ; the dam influences size and disposition. Remember the mule and the jennet. The mule is big, like his dam, but otherwise like his donkey sire; the jennet is in every way more like a pony than a donkey, but is small, like his donkey dam. The same principle applies to dogs.

Do not worry, therefore, if the sire is on the small side ; a big dam will usually compensate.

When it is desired to breed from an old dog the mate should be young. I once mated a Labrador aged eight to her own great-great-grand-nephew ; she had a large and healthy litter. If I had mated her to a dog of her own age she would probably have had fewer and less healthy pups.



Breeding for Type

MOST breeders breed for appearance, some for qualities combined with “correct” type, a few –the wise ones- bother little about appearance and breed for qualities.

Except, however, in the case of working dogs, this last category is almost non-existent. For this reason a pup from a working strain usually makes the best companion.

It is this point which is forgotten by a correspondent who suggest reviving the old English bulldog by crossing in the German “boxer” instead of breeding out and out from those available puppies which are anatomically sound and so “worst” from a show point of view.

Doubtless the boxer cross would be a short cut as regards appearance, but if the idea is to revive the national dog, why introduce outside blood?

Especially is this so when it is the dog’s courage and tenacity which we wish to preserve; any outside blood might bring in a change of disposition which would persist in the breed long after all appearance of the foreign blood had been bred out.

Many gun-dog breeders have found out this fact to their cost by crossing into a working strain useless show blood, with the idea of improving the appearance of their dogs; the result in such vases has frequently been to spoil the strain from both points of view.

Beware, in gun-dogs, of the holder of many challenge certificates who is not a champion ; there is only one reason-he is untrainable.


Telegony

TELEGONY is “ The (hypothetical) influence of a previous sire seen in the progeny of a subsequent sire from the same mother” (Oxford Dictionary), and is widely believed in by dog breeders.

It is, in fact, a very ancient belief, but scientists (who do not deny its possibility) have, so far, failed to trace a single indubitable case of it in any animal.

An example, quoted in the Encyclopaedia Britannica, is that of the Baron de Parana, who breeds thousands of mules.

In hundreds of cases mares (dams of mules) subsequently produce pure-bred foals with no trace whatever of mule about them.

Sir Everard Millais experimented for thirty years with cats, rabbits, mice, sheep, cattle, fowls and pigeons, and never saw a certain case of telegony.


My Own Experience

Many cases are, of course, duly vouched for. I bred a litter of Gordon setters myself; two of twelve were all tan, the remainder black and tan. Both parents were in the Kennel Club Stud Book. Had the dam ever been mated to an Irish setter here would have been a clear case of telegony, but she never had been so mated and had never had a tan or red pup in her life!

The tan pups, in fact, were either sports or throw-backs: the probable explanation is that, as Gordons were very scarce in war-time, an Irish dog had been crossed in and that this dog was an ancestor of both sire and dam.

All unknowingly, I was probably inbreeding to an Irish dog seven or eight generations back.

The incident, in fact, was not a case of telegony but a warning against crossing outside blood into any breed.


Breeding – Some Theories and Facts

MANY scientists deny the possibility that acquired characteristics can be transmitted to puppies by parents: docked dogs for instance, do not produce ready-docked puppies: mental characteristics, however, seem to be different and to be transmissible. Thus a trained retriever dog will sire more easily trained puppies than his untrained litter brother –this, at least, is the opinion of every breeder I have ever consulted. Scientifically minded readers (if any) will find that Weissman admits the possibility of modification of the germ plasm in the body of the individual host.

Another point: purely female characteristics are transmitted through the sire: thus, a cock from a good laying strain sires prolific hens, a bull from a good milking strain, sires cows which give a lot of milk. Similarly, a dog from a prolific strain will sire bitches which will have big litters.

Bandogges History A Breed in Progress by Martin J. Leiberman

**With New Commentary Below**

Bandogges History A Breed in Progress
by: Martin J. Leiberman

In the middle nineteen sixties John Bayard Swinford, VMD began crossing American Pit Bull Terriers with English Mastiffs. I had a similar ideology and we were eventually introduced by a mutual acquaintance. John and I remained friendly for over three years. During that time we combined ideas and collaborated on a number of breed specific issues. Our goal was to breed a large super Mastiff, "a dog fearing nothing made of flesh." Our work began by crossing English Mastiffs with Pit Bulls. However, over time it became apparent that garnering English Mastiffs for this project was increasingly difficult. We needed to bring in an infusion of outside blood. We looked at our options and came up with the Italian Bull Dog, an ancient European Mastiff.

We liked the primitive over done appearance of the dog. We liked the natural suspicion exhibited by the breed. In addition, we liked the hard bonding characteristic of the breed. We didn't like the differential in skull size between the bitches and dogs. We also had a problem with the breed's lack of (prominent) dentition. Plus, many of the Italian Bull Dog bitches have a condition called cat face. These dogs lack length of muzzle (often times) and it impedes endurance and the ability to bite. The late Luigi Forina bred Italian Bull dogs, as they were affectionately called in those days. That was well before folks called them Neapolitan Mastiffs. Senior Forino lived on Logan Street in Brooklyn, not far from the queen's border. Luigi, allowed us to harvest blood from a well-made 240-pound stud dog. This blood was crossed back into our (existing) brood bitches.

We now had the fresh blood our project needed. The impact of the hybrid-vigor factor surfaced immediately. Without question we had created a superior mastiff. This being the first responsibility of the Bandogge project. Conversely, we also created an inferior American Pit Bull Terrier. However, the goal of the Bandogge breeder should not be to improve the Pit Bull Terrier, as this would prove to be futile. However, to improve the mastiff, with their many faults would be a reasonable challenge. Our primary focus would be to improve motor skills, to thicken nerves and capture a higher degree of gameness. One must never loose sight of an important historical fact. It took three hundred years to create the perfect bull and terrier cross. Having said this, it is also safe to assume the larger the dog the longer the journey to perfection.

One must view the Bandogge as an ongoing work in progress of a breed in progress. It is my opinion that our first generation breeding produced pups that were vastly superior to their Mastiff parents. This is not arrogance, but fact. Ergo, I am comfortable stating that the first segment of our genetic journey was a success. The breeding that followed continued to demonstrate reasonable gains. John Swinford died in the fall of 1972. I continued to breed and promote our project well into the next decade. I guess I became distracted by responsibility. I have not put pups on the ground for many years. In truth, I no longer have the temperament to deal with the voluminous numbers of un-coachable puppy buyers. Today's breeding environment has endless options. The modern breeder of Bandogges has a wealth of outside blood to infuse into his or her kennel. Rare breeds are no longer rare! The world has become smaller, more transparent and less mysterious.

In terms of the Bandogge project, I feel the best has yet to come! It is nice to see young people like Mario and Vicki Governale realize the true potential of the Bandogge. More importantly they are willing to run with the torch and tackle (endless daily) kennel chores. Mario and Vicki own the Thunder Dome facility. The kennel is spacious; the atmosphere is feral and clean. I am pleased that folks like Mario and Vicki are so passionate about the development of the Bandogge. I am certain it would please John Swinford as well.



















Comments/Commentary

"John and I remained friendly for over three years" - This shows that Mr. Leiberman's efforts occurred both independent of, concurrently to and thereafter Dr. Swinford's. It shows that whilst they did indeed collaborate, it was for a relatively brief period of time (certainly by dog breeding standards in respect to the fixing of a line(s)) in view of common perceptions and that whilst there were shared elements in terms of standards, Mr. Leiberman's views should be treated as both distinct to and equal of Dr. Swinford's, yet Swinford is seemingly attributed with a disproportionate degree of credit as a result of fame garnered through the books released by one Carl Semenic.

The entire "Swinford concept" was embraced to varying degrees by a number of individuals both in terms of breeding the actual 'Swinford' dogs (Swinford, Leiberman, the Grimm family etc.) and in terms of furnishing the component breeds (Kelly, Ashton, the Sottile family). With Swinford's passing, the concept continued on as it had done for hundreds of years beforehand in Europe, Africa, Asia and beyond, yet the specific Swinford program itself was not sustained, despite the fact others maintained an affinity toward the concept. There will no doubt be opinions as to why this might be, but one part of the explanation must be that insufficient progress had been made to produce a consistent, worthwhile line to preserve or even to play a significant role within the continuing programs of others:

The Sottile family were one of the earliest to import numbers of rare breed mastiff and continued to own and breed these dogs; Neapolitans and Cane Corso amongst them.

The Pitbull fraternity continued along their path as before, with the concept holding little to no interest for 'serious dog men'

The Grimm family were never sufficiently happy with the Swinford dogs and later gave them up upon discovery of the American Bulldog, which was described as being that which the Swinford was always meant to be; so much so that this sentiment was conveyed by the family through David Putnam's popular publication, "The Working American Bulldog".

Mr. Leiberman's efforts continued on for a period after Swinford's death; "I continued to breed and promote our project well into the next decade" and he also went on to set-up a very successful business within the pet/working dog industry, which in part may explain in part how he "became distracted by responsibility".

As pertains to the use of the Neapolitan, Mr. Leiberman makes quite clear his likes and dislikes in the aforementioned article. He also clearly states the the majority of issues pertained to the females of the breed and that they made use of a male for purposes of their breeding. The effect of this infusion of Neapolitan into the existing EM and APBT combinations was that "Without question we had created a superior mastiff."

Whilst it is mentioned that "Conversely, we also created an inferior American Pit Bull Terrier" it must be remembered that at this time, dog fighting was by and large a "tolerated activity" by the authorities and still a persistent albeit small part of 'popular male culture'. The only context in which this comment holds any pertinence is in the context of the 'box' or fighting dog. However, as Leiberman clearly goes on to state, "the goal of the Bandogge breeder should not be to improve the Pit Bull Terrier" instead it is to "...improve the mastiff".

This returns to the point of breeding in the modern age. Thunderdome Bandogges made use of the very same combinations of breeds employed by Dr. Swinford and Mr. Leiberman; indeed the EM, Neo, Bull & Terrier and also the American Bulldog combined to produce the very dogs that Mr. Lieberman referred directly to in his glowing endorsement of the Thunderdome programme with owners "so passionate about the development of the Bandogge" producing dogs to such a standard that, as Mr. Leiberman himself puts it "I am certain it would please John Swinford as well."

Mr. Leiberman's thoughts clearly were not in isolation, as the dogs Mr. Leibermans comments were based upon (amongst them Thunderdome's Silver Belle, Bodacious Bo, Hurricane Rosie and Mad Max) and their descendants (Gator, Harden's CJ, Blockbuster's Porsche, Taboo, Atlas, Lara, Zara and through cooperation with DK9; Storm Bruin, Richie's Hondo etc.) have actively been sought out and used to provide foundation stock for numerous programs around N. America (Blockbuster, Jim Harden, DK9 to name but three) and around the world (for example: Bandog Farm and On/Off Bandogges in Greece).



WORKING CLASS KENNELS DUDE













Whilst other kennels have enjoyed relative success, only two other programs from N. America have exerted such an influence over quite literally, "the Bandogge world", these are:

Working Class Kennels (WCK9) of California, who have also shipped dogs internationally (Canada, Peurto Rico, America) for commercial and personal security applications. In addition, to along with Hardball Kennels, WCK9 also provided the foundation stock for Elite Kennels and also coincidentally, has more recently contributed fresh blood to the Thunderdome program not to mention gained notoriety for the abilities of its foundation stock to perform in the entertainment industry for Movies such as 'Hulk' and TV including 'Fear Factor'.























Mr. James Walsh, who has seen demand for his dogs as far afield as Denmark, Holland and Italy where they have proven themselves useful not only for security, but also in the arena of weightpull competitions.

Bandog from Wikipedia

This is the Wikipedia Bandog article. Below the article is some input from Dan Balderson (DanUK) on the validity of the text.

Bandog (also known as Bandogge) is a name derived from early English and refers to a dog that was bound by a chain until it was released at night in order to guard property. The fact that the modern day Bandog is also large, is a guard dog, and is composed of some Mastiff and some Bulldog, as was the original Bandog, is all that the Bandog of old and the modern Bandog have in common.

History of the bandog

Most writers are of the opinion that all dogs (Canis lupus familiaris) originated from the wolf (Canis lupus); however, the exact development of the original Bandogs still remains a mystery. Although, it is impossible to say exactly how the Bandog originated, it is certain the original Bandogs were bred with a functional purpose, as were all working breeds, and for the Bandog this purpose revolved around guarding and protecting. ^{[citation needed]}

Early incarnations of the Bandog probably had bloodlines from bull baiting dogs and the Guardian Mastiffs or the cross of both like the war dogs used in the Crusades.

William Harrison, in his description of England during 1586, first mentions the breed in his statement, "Bandogge which is a huge dog, stubborn, uglier, eager, burthenouse of bodie, terrible and fearful to behold and often more fierce and fell than any Archadian or Corsican cur." It is assumed that the word "Bandogge" originated from the use of strong bonds and chains to secure the dogs.^{[citation needed]}

In 1576, Dr. Caius states that, among others characteristics, the "Mastiff or Bandogge is serviceable against the fox and the badger, to drive wild and tame swine out of meadows, and pastures, to bite and take the bull by the ears, when occasion so required."^{[citation needed]}

The Bandogs of old were strictly working dogs, often of various crosses and various sizes. Usually these dogs were coarse-haired hunters, fighters and property protectors without a strictly set type, developed from eastern shepherds and mastiffs crossed with western Bullenbeissers and hounds, with a few local bloodlines eventually being established as specific types in some regions, such as Britain, Spain, Germany, Poland and elsewhere in Europe. One of the most famous Bandog programs in England led to the establishment of a recognized breed, the Bullmastiff.

Modern Breed Description

When describing Bandogs, it should be noted there have been many variations of such programs under a variety of names, but the breed commonly accepted as the Bandog today was developed in the 1960's by American veterinarian John Swinford, who set out to create a guardian dog superior to all others. Though many breeders of Bandogs today disagree on just what breeds went into Swinford's original breeding scheme, it has been proven that the basis of his program was largely derived from 50% American Pit Bull Terrier and 50% English Mastiff. Unfortunately, Swinford died in October of 1971 at an early age and his version of the Bandog, although very successful, was never perfected or recognized as a purebred during Swinford's time. Eventually, all the original Swinford dogs died out. .

—Dogwork 02:06, 13 October 2007 (UTC)Another notable developer of working class Bandogs is Joe Lucero. Lucero refers to his dogs as American Bandogge Mastiff. There are other bandog strains in existence under different names, but the Swinford and Lucero lines are the most famous celebrated for their stable temperaments and outstanding working qualities. Many people believe these dogs to be the perfect protection and working class guard dogs.

Many programs have used American Pit Bull Terrier (American Staffordshire Terrier) and Neapolitan Mastiff crosses, as has been the case with the Lucero program. Other programs, such as the Swinford program, developed primarily founded upon American Pit Bull Terrier and English Mastiff crosses. A few programs have also used other bully type breeds as well as other mastiff type breeds. Regardless however of which program a breeder selected, if they were breeding dogs true to guarding purposes it has been essential to select dogs suitable for such work. Dogs were bred from strains that have temperament, phenotype, to do home guardian or personal protection. The Bandog is a rugged dog, heavily boned and muscled, intimidating when seen and is ferocious when provoked. The Bandog, any variety, is strictly a working breed and should be a result of serious and dedicated planning, starting from careful selection of parent breeds and more importantly, appropriate representatives of those breeds, with the health and temperament testing being on the top of the list of priorities, while the uniformity in appearance is the last of the breeders' concerns. The intention in each case is to combine the courage and tenacity of an American Pit Bull Terrier with the large size and guarding instinct of a Mastiff.

Broad skull, strong muzzle that is medium to long muzzle depending on the strain, wide shoulder, powerful chest, great agility, intelligence and very well controlled dog.

Future

The hope is that the breeding of these dogs will finally be perfected; however, the Bandog is being bred by many breeders who range from the very serious and knowledgeable to the very amateurish and inexperienced, sometimes called backyard breeders. Like with all dogs, the Bandog can display either the best or the worst characteristics of the parents (or the parent breeds), depending on the knowledge of the breeder and the randomness of genetics. Therefore, a purchaser of a Bandog must do a good deal of investigation to avoid the risk of buying a puppy from a breeder that doesn't understand the necessity of proper selection.

[edit] Appearance

It should be noted that appearance is of least concern to serious bandog breeders, as the purpose of such dogs is first and foremost function. It should also be noted that not all groups currently agree on a universal standard. While some breeders share a general standard, the SSDA has kept their standard for the Swinford type dogs private and for this reason the general standard seen below will vary significantly from their adopted version.

Size: Males and females: Height: 25" or greater. Weight: 100 lbs or greater.

Drives: Natural guardian ability is required. The dog should display prey drive with enthusiasm. Defensive drive should be bold and confident when stimulated. Weakness in any form should be selected against.

Specials characteristic: Effectionate with the family, intelligent, loyal and devoted to their master.

Temperament: Effectionate, loving, and submissive to the master and family (including children), yet fearless adversary to anyone who threatens the Bandog's master or property. Although accepting to welcomed guests, the Bandog should present a guarding disposition towards visitors if his master is not at present.

Disposition: The Bandog protects their master against any danger, even to give their own life to protect him.

Body: Large, but compact. Powerful, but agile. Should represent an athlete.

Color: Different mixes of colors are acceptable, but most common colors are: any brindle color, black, golden fawn, fawn and red. Other colors are allowed too, as is red and black on their noses. Large amounts of white has been frowned upon by some programs due to its lack of being a natural color, inability to camouflage the dog well, and because it is often associated with various genetic defects.

Coat: Short, close and medium fine.

Ears: Cropped or natural.

Neck: Very strong, muscular and robust.

Eyes: Dark preferable, but should bear some relation to coat color.

Tail: Docked or natural.

Faults: Failure to be worked, failure to work successfully, producer of genetic problems in pups, poor immune system, affected by hip and elbow dysplasia. Excessively undershot.

Foundation Breeding

What is reported here is just an estimated expected average range of various foundations breeds commonly seen in various Bandog programs.

The Primary Group , approximate average of 25-75% from American Pit Bull Terrier and/or American Staffordshire Terrier.

The Secondary Group ,approximate average of 25-75% from Mastiff and/or Neapolitan Mastiff.

A Tertiary Group (used in some programs) approximate average of 0-75%: American Bulldog, Boerboel, Bullmastiff, Bulldog Campeiro, Bull Terrier, Cane Corso, Dogue de Bordeaux, Fila Brasileiro, Great Dane, Perro de Presa Canario, and/or the Tosa Inu.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bandog

Below by Dan Balderson:

The Wikipedia article still seems a bit off. Bandogges are mentioned by Geoffrey Chaucer over a 100 years before William Harrison wrote his works for example. Likewise, the Bandogge pre-dates the ‘sports’ of Bull baiting’ and such like. Bandogges pre-date the Normans, given that it was an Anglo Saxon term that eventually fell foul of the Norman (French) influence that led to the eventual word of ‘mastiff’. A wolfhound / Azores Griffon type dog was employed by the ‘Celts’ and was likely one of the forebears of the earliest Bandogge types. These dogs and the esteem with which they, along with boar and other key elements to that lifestyle are still seen today in the highly stylized forms of traditional ‘Celtic’ works of art, particularly as incorporated into knot work.

There is truth to the point of securing the dog, but the origins, at least as so far back as can be traced to Chaucer, suggest that Bandogge’s were in fact catch dogs that were kept tied whilst on the hunt until the game was in clear view / and at bay upon which time they were released, much akin to many modern hunters employing ‘Bulldogs’ today.

In terms of modern origin, the Bandog / Bandogge still originates from the British Empire; the term was used along with Game Keeper’s Night dog, Bull and Mastiff, and of course Bullmastiff with equal regularity until such time as an official breed was recognised under the latter term. However, Bandog, was also one of the proposed breed names (as they were regularly referred to as such in Print, certainly from around the 1930’s) at the time of acceptance and determination of a modern breed standard. The Bandogge concept was widely employed across the empire, notably in Southern Africa, but also in India where the term ‘Seizers’ came to the fore. These dogs were often mixes of English and German hounds with Bull, Mastiff and (Bull) Terrier breeds, or the latter combined with indigenous dogs, notably hounds such as the Rampur hound for the express purpose of big game hunting.

The Swinford stuff is also not wholly accurate. He worked with a great number of people to achieve his ends, of course Liebermann is known, but the likes of Grimm’s and a few others were equally involved, they simply chose not to gain the same degree of notoriety, nor had the exceptionally privileged background as to be able to conduct themselves as he did. His program was not entirely based on APBT to Neo, as Lee and others are correct to point out, that just happened to be at around the time he was most well-known prior to his death. His program was not successful or long lasting. Families such as the Grimm’s would encounter the American Bulldog and pursue it as everything the combined Swinford program was hoped to be, but was not. This point was even recorded in print when the family was interviewed about their involvement with both types of dog.

The current breeding section is a load of old tosh and frankly dangerously provocative “to combine the courage and tenacity of an American Pit Bull Terrier with the large size and guarding instinct of a Mastiff”. This is not strictly true and as such should not be presented in this context. It is a fallacy perpetuated by the limited and hence poor research of the author Carl Semenic whose primary research early on was gained during his exposure to the illicit world of dog fighting that existed and thrived in his region of the USA .

More accurately, the infusion of the Pitbull terrier is to correct the many structural, biological and temperamental flaws inherent in today’s mastiff breeds, to create a tighter, more functionally sound and active dog without the type of ‘tenacity’ that many folks would associate with the word when used in conjunction with the term ‘pitbull’ …it is not dog fighting aggression or tenacity …which is in many ways anathema to the purpose of a working mastiff. The Pitbull, when selected carefully, contributes a greater degree of bid ability and tolerance even, around people, creating a more fun-loving, less sharp, but very human-focused dog. Equally, inappropriate selection of the Pitbull can cause no end of problems; shyness, fearfulness (toward people) are inherent issues with some lines of these dogs, not specifically avoided because for other purposes (i.e. fighting) such traits were an acceptable hindrance, when they didn’t otherwise impede performance in the illicit world of dog fighting. It is also true that the Pitbull is far from the only breed used or necessary to be used in the development of Bandogs. Staffordshire Bull Terriers are equally employed, though do not produce the same degree of size in the F1 progeny as many lines of Pitbull might, but still develop the same positive qualities. Indeed, the Stafford is documented as having been used in the re(-construction) of the Perro de Presa Canario among other breeds. In sport/pp working bandogs, AmStaff blood is also heavily employed, in part because these dogs are not only bigger, but because many lines have already been bred to perform in avenues such as Schutzhunde for many generations. In animal catching Bandogges, both English Bull Terrier and American Bulldog have also been employed, in particular in regions such as Australia where non-indigenous hogs have reached epidemic proportions and are otherwise prey only to the Saltwater Crocodile once mature.

Not only is the assertion that “why don't breeders simply cross Bandogs with other Bandogs. The answer is at the current stage of Bandog development, when one crosses a Bandog with another of its breed, the final product is not a Bandog. Bandogs do not breed true yet and it seems that Bandog breeders are far from having perfected a purebred dog.” Yet another poor attempt at research by drawing upon the opinion of a frankly unqualified author such as Semenic, it is patently false and in keeping with the ignorance presented prior; the Bandog is most often a tight mastiff/bull mastiff not a large pitbull (petbull/pulldog). The primary breeding practice in the initial generations is to backcross the first filial generation to the mastiff component of the breed, rather than to another F1 or the parent bull & terrier; because again, the effort is to produce a balanced, functional working mastiff, not a large pitbull. This is exactly the same type of process employed in the creation of all breeds and is no different in bandogs. The primary differentiator is the employment of traditional, rather than modern Kennel Club breeding practices that do not preclude selective line and even out-crossing to maintain both performance and health, even if it does sacrifice a degree of type.

I really don’t like the use of the word aggressive in the piece either, it is thrown around without care or attention to the readership, or the effects it might have upon them. In short and without wanting to sound too callous, critical or offensive, it is quite an amateurish piece in many regards when actually scrutinised, and I find it to be lacking. However, having seen the pieces on other breeds, such as the Presa Canario, which I’m reliably told is petitioned regularly by Dogo Canario breeders to ensure it states a view akin with their beliefs, this is one area in which Wikipedia falls down, given a lack of quality references to support submissions.

FRANKIE, Sch. III, Demo Dog for training and Demo Dog in schools, TV Star, Owned by Chris Carr in Pennsylvania

Frankie, Home Invasion http://stronghaus.com/homein.html

Obedience Demo http://stronghaus.com/basic.html

http://www.stronghaus.com

SCRAPPY GIRL aka "Girl", FR Brevet & FR I , owned by Leri Hanson, California. Sire, Lucero's Mako; Neo x Pit, Dam, AB

http://www.ca-k9services.com

More Pictures & Video














Brevet, Out Guard





















Brevet, Recall from Bite





















Brevet, Muzzle Heal






























Brevet, Face Attack
















Brevet, Defense of Handler
















Brevet, Food Refusal
















Brevet, Defense of Handler


























































































































































Girl with Ron Marshall
























































Baby Girl with John Tuuri's Mae










Girls Littermates

Combat's Kismet, GDT, IDT3, CGC, FR Brevet & ACD, Winner of Hardest Hitting, owned by Becky In BC Canada,

mailto:bc_bandogge@telus.net?subject=Bandogs

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

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Pictures from the French Ring Brevet trial and pics of training for it

Eric S aka "E-Dog's", Debo, Sch. BH, Training for PSA & Sch. Southern California

"E is too blessed humble. If you could see the OB he has on Debo you'd flip! It's da shiznito fo' sho. I could

black market you some footie J/K. I got shotz n' I know he does too. I'll say this..Outta all the dogs I seen on

my last visit besides Wonder Womans(Leri's) dogs, Eric had the tightest OB outta all them. I visited anotha camp

where it's all GSD's and Debo woulda even shown a handful of them what was up!

Even with the helper suited up on the field..the dog has some fo'real CLARITY!

Try n' talk him into it cause not only is the dog VERY well trained.. He's got the most of the fundamental traits

for working LOCKED IN!

I mean Structure, Temp, Nerves, Drives, Character.. and BOND to top it off. The guy really rubs of on his dog.

Don't take that wrong.

FOr as much as E hails up everybody else he RARELY boast his own queso but IMO he's TOP NOTCH all da way." ~MaTi,

Hawaii



Manson Family Bandogs owned by Calvin and Antoine

Kimbo, Sch. BH









Leo, Sch. BH


















Leo Sch. BH with Kimbo Sch. BH in the background above, and Leo and Kimbo below.







Max, Sch. BH






















Southern Cross Tzu, owned by Ryan Hand, K9PS Australia, 1st place PP Division































Return to Heel in the Off Leash portion

Trublue's Shooter, owned by Maria Brian, 3rd Place K9PS Australia

Trublue Bandogs & Neos

Southern Cross Fat Mick, owned by Katrina Hartwell of Southern Cross Kennels, K9PS Australia, 1st place DD

Southern Cross Kennels

Lucero's Ajax, IDPL

"The IPDL title goes to AJAX a very fine dog in his own right. I was the videographer for that event. His Call off was inches from the decoy after about a 50 yard send, and his hold bark was very intimidating, grips were only surpassed by his OB. Joe Lucero happens to be a VERY good trainer as well." ~Eric S. aka E-Dog, California


AJAX earning his IPDL TITLE:

MaTi's Hana Cane Corso x APBT, training for Schutzhund, Hawaii

Tony the Bull's Atilla, bred by TTB, F1 Fila Brasiliero x APBT training for Iron Dog and other sporting events

Philippe Roy's, Voodoo F1 Rott x AB, FR Brevet Training, RIP Voodoo. Montreal, Canada

Vader, owned by Antione Freeman, bred by Jason Gayle and David Merryman, Maryland, was training for PSA BST, RIP Vader

Angus owned by Corey Tuhaka, 1st Place PP Division, K9PS Australia,

Cognac, CGC, owned by Lindsay, training for Rally O Obedience

Cognac is

(50%) Neo

(12.5%) Olde English Bulldog

(12.5%) Boxer

(12.5%) Dogue De Bordeaux

(12.5%) American Bulldog

and will possibly go on to do Therapy Work.

Diesel owned by Lindsay, training for Sch., will go for his BH in the spring.

He is (50%) AB

(25%) Neo

(12.5%) Boxer

(12.5%) pit

Bailey, owned by Lindsay, training for Rally O Obedience

Bailey is (50%) American Bulldog

(25%) Neo mastiff

(25%) Boxer

and she'll also do Therapy Work.

Bandogge as defined by Thunderdome:

We use the term Bandogge to describe a dog made up of Bulldog and Mastiff blood. In our 15 years experience with the Bandogge breed, it is our opinion that more important than the breeds used to create a Bandogge, are the individual dogs you use. We have not limited ourselves to one particular cross, but have utilized excellent dogs from different mastiff breeds. The fact that we are not tied down by a breed standard allows us to breed dogs that will add the most to our breeding program. We are not breeding dogs for economics, this is our passion.

Bandogges History A Breed In Progress
by: Martin J. Leiberman

In the middle nineteen sixties John Bayard Swinford, VMD. Began crossing American Pit Bull Terriers with English Mastiffs. I had a similar ideology and we eventually introduced by a mutual acquaintance. John and I remained friendly for over three years. During that time we combined ideas and collaborated on a number of breed specific issues. Our goal was to breed a large super Mastiff, "a dog fearing nothing made of flesh." Our work began by crossing English Mastiffs with Pit Bulls. However, over time it became apparent that garnering English Mastiffs for this project was increasingly difficult. We needed to bring in an infusion of outside blood. We looked at our options and came up with the Italian Bull Dog, an ancient European Mastiff.

We liked the primitive over done appearance of the dog. We liked the natural suspicion exhibited by the breed. In addition, we liked the hard bonding characteristic of the breed. We didn't like the differential in skull size between the bitches and dogs. We also had a problem with the breed's lack of (prominent) dentition. Plus, many of the Italian Bull Dog bitches have a condition called cat face. These dogs lack length of muzzle (often times) impedes endurance and the ability to bite. The late Luigi Forina bred Italian Bull dogs, as they were affectionately called in those days. That was well before folks called them Neapolitan Mastiffs. Senior Forino lived on Logan Street in Brooklyn, not far from the queen's border. Luigi, allowed us to harvest blood from a well-made 240-pound stud dog. This blood was crossed back into our (existing) brood bitches.

We now had the fresh blood our project needed. The impact of the hybrid-vigor factor surfaced immediately. Without question we had created a superior mastiff. This being the first responsibility of the Bandogge project. Conversely, we also created an inferior American Pit Bull Terrier. However, the goal of the Bandogge breeder should not be to improve the Pit Bull Terrier, as this would prove to be futile. However, to improve the mastiff, with their many faults would be a reasonable challenge. Our primary focus would be to improve motor skills, to thicken nerves and capture a higher degree of gameness. One must never loose sight of an important historical fact. It took three hundred years to create the perfect bull and terrier cross. Having said this, it is also safe to assume the larger the dog the longer the journey to perfection.

One must view the Bandogge as an ongoing work in progress of a breed in progress. It is my opinion that our first generation breeding produced pups that were vastly superior to their Mastiff parents. This is not arrogance, but fact. Ergo, I am comfortable stating that the first segment of our genetic journey was a success. The breeding that followed continued to demonstrate reasonable gains. John Swinford died in the fall of 1972. I continued to breed and promote our project well into the next decade. I guess I became distracted by responsibility. I have not put pups on the ground for many years. In truth, I no longer have the temperament to deal with the voluminous numbers of un-coachable puppy buyers. Today's breeding environment has endless options. The modern breeder of Bandogges has a wealth of outside blood to infuse into his or her kennel. Rare breeds are no longer rare! The world has become smaller, more transparent and less mysterious.

In terms of the Bandogge project, I feel the best has yet to come! It is nice to see young people like Mario and Vicki Governale realize the true potential of the Bandogge. More importantly they are willing to run with the torch, and tackle (endless daily) kennel chores. Mario and Vicki own the Thunder Dome facility. The kennel is spacious, the atmosphere is feral and clean. I am pleased that folks like Mario and Vicki are so passionate about the development of the Bandogge. I am certain it would please John Swinford as well.

http://martinsk9formula.com/

Thunderdome Bandogs (click picture to go to picture gallery)

~Originally posted on Thunderdome Bandogs previous website

Modern History of the Neapolitan Mastiff by Maria Bryan

Most people are at least vaguely aware of the ancient history of all Mastiffs. You will find many books on the subject, though how correct the information is, one often wonders, as there are frequently long gaps in the history or lineage of most breeds. Neapolitan Mastiffs are no exception. When you see things like; 'It is thought' or 'It is believed' or 'Most likely', you can be sure that in reality; It is not known.

What one author writes, many others will simply copy without a clue as to the facts. I have seen articles referring to Neos as 'Teddy Bears' or 'Gentle giants'. True a well reared dog is gentle toward his family and often even their guests. Regardless of this, he should NEVER be taken lightly, for that 'Teddy Bear' will turn in a second into a raging beast if his family or home is threatened.

It is CERTAIN that the Neapolitan Mastiff does belong to the family of dogs known of Old as the Molosser, and that these were dogs of war. It also stands as common sense that those dogs of Old were far fitter and tougher dogs than the romantic re-creation which is the Neapolitan of today.

We know roughly what those dogs of war looked like from artefacts, and paintings. These suggest that the larger of these dogs were left at home to guard, while the more active dogs were used to hunt or bring down large game, as well as march into battle.

We know that by the 1940's there were still a few dogs who bore more than a passing resemblance to the old Molosser as he used to be depicted. There were at that time no written records of lineage, nor were the dogs openly traded. They were bred and kept by both wealthy Italian landowners and poor farmers alike.

It was not until Piero Scanziani, a writer and journalist discovered them and brought them to the attention of the outside world, along with other fanciers of the breed, that the forerunners of the dogs we see today were promoted and records of lineage kept.

The dogs who were to be used in the reconstruction of this breed were gathered mainly from farms and estates around Naples.

Mario Queci was without doubt one of the most prolific and well known breeders from the early 1950s until he died in 1990. His kennel name, Di Ponzano, is in the pedigrees of most of the dogs we now have.


















Two Old Style Neos above


In this last 50 odd years the appearance of the Neapolitan Mastiff has been changed considerably from the large but still functional animals the Italians had kept to themselves for so long. He has been taken to the extremes we see today, through becoming 'fashionable' his health has suffered considerably, for the traits that have been bred for mean that he often suffers from low thyroid function. This gives the huge bones, thickened skin which give the masses of wrinkle, and often shorted leg bones which is a form of dwarfism. He has been likened to people and other animals which suffer from Ehlos-Danlos Syndrome. These recessive traits which have been bred in often lead to health problems such as low immune system, low energy, sparse hair growth, skin conditions, bone deformities, cartilage and ligament problems, and bad hearts.

If this trend for breeding overblown dogs which can barely trot around the show ring, let alone follow his master to war as the Molosser of old often did, continues, I fear the breed will soon be bred into extinction.

Photos show us just how much the appearance has been changed in less than 50 years of breeding by those more concerned with fashion than with preserving this ancient dog for his marvellous temperament, guarding abilities, and character, which is like that of no other dog.

For the Neapolitan Mastiff to march forward into the future as fearlessly as he once marched off to war, his health problems must be addressed. The usual tests and x rays for hips etc. mean little in selecting for health in this breed. Although he does have loose joints, these seldom bother him. It would be more appropriate to test for Ehlos-Danlos syndrome, or at least to select the less typy dogs for breeding and stop the push for ever larger and more grotesque looking dogs.

This will mean getting back to the type of dog he was before the followers of fashion took him and made him an unfit icon to what they see as a romantic resurrection of the Old Molosser; albeit minus that ancient dogs abilities.

It is not too late. Nature has a marvelous way of fighting back. If given the opportunity these dogs can continue as the mighty guards and companions that those old Italians so wisely kept from the outside world for so long.

We need to start selecting for dogs which are still functional in size, and for the less typy dogs with some, but not excessive wrinkle. Dogs which have legs of appropriate length for their bulk. In doing this we will also automatically be selecting for the dogs less likely to have the symptoms of Ehlos- Danlos Syndrome. Such dogs will then have far better health, yet keep their instincts for guarding their home and owner intact, as they have done for centuries. Unlike many of the Mastiff types, the Neo remains as good a guard as ever he was. His courage and loyalty to his family unswerving.





























Two fine examples of Neapolitan Mastiffs, prior to the dogs being selected for too many recessive genes which have led to many of the problems some lines have today.








Toto 1951




















Don't know the history of this dog, but of working Neo type... This dog could have followed his master off to war! Far thinner than one would have for the household, but in fine working condition. Those muscles have come from exercise, not just starvation.













This is the famous Leone, a fine old type. We have a grandson of this dog at stud now. Neomostro Bambino.





















Two fine dogs, on top from 1960's, on bottom from late 1970's. If you fancy the Neo, you should try to obtain the book by Mario Zacchi, "The Neapolitan Mastiff" first published in 1983. It is very hard to obtain now, but well worth the effort and cost if you can get a copy. Mr Zacchi mentions a few dogs getting up to 80kg. which was considered very big for a Neo back then. He says he can see no point whatsoever in breeding the Mastini any bigger than 80 kg. I believe that today's breeders have gone way too far, striving for ever larger and more typy animals at the cost of function and general health.



Abcalert, going back to the good old days!













Abcalert Fenrir has his Championship now, and is not yet a mature dog. He won Best of Breed and Best in Show at Perth 2004. His owner was told by the judge that he is the best moving Neo she has seen in years and she considered him an outstanding dog. He is not over sized or over typy. This goes to show that there is no need to be a follower of fashion to breed good dogs and yet still have dogs capable of winning in the show ring as well as having correct Neo temperament.


















Abcalert Fenrir just a few points to go to get his Australian Championship.DONE, HE IS NOW AN AUSTRALIAN CHAMPION.













Some of Fenrir's show ribbons; which go to show that the fitter type of dog is well liked by many judges. This dog will mature into a very nice Neo.

















Abcalert Murello, better known as Murphy, shown at around 7 months. I had half heartedly offered this dog for sale, but have withdrawn him from sale. He is typical of the old style of Neapolitan Mastiff which I admire and will be staying right here. Like most of our dogs, Murphy won't see the inside of the showring.



















Murphy at one year old, not typy and at this age not a lot of wrinkle. Enough will return as he matures. This is usual in a good dog. They can get quite plain as they go through their 'teenage' stage. His temperament is all I could want; stable yet fearless and protective. Murphy also has a most engaging nature, he 'talks' to me and often also argues with me. Of sturdy build, yet not too large. He will mature by three into a great looking dog of what I feel is correct in a true Old type of Neapolitan Mastiff, unlike the unfortunate bitch in the photo below.















This bitch would be considered the epitome of the breed by most show breeders. Said to be a fit dog, but one would wonder, fit by what standards? She would certainly never follow an army to war, and I very much doubt she will live a long life. I do not believe that to take a breed and change it's appearance to the extent which these photos show in just over 50 years, is at all what those old Italian breeders would have approved of. They had kept these dogs safe and sound for centuries only to have a few enthusiasts inbreed the hell out of a very few individuals until this type of Neo came to be what many now see as the 'true Italian' type of Mastino.

I do not believe this to be the case, as this type of Neo can no longer function as the Molloser of Old did any more than the modern day British Bulldog can pull down and hold a bull as his forebears could. Abcalert will therefore continue to breed for what we see as the 'true' type of Neapolitan Mastiff. We are not followers of fashion, but leaders in keeping alive dogs bred with correct temperament and style as they were before a very small percentage of people decided to take the breed and turn them into what they see as an Icon, or some sort of romantic re creation of something which never did exist in the form they have given it today.


















Abcalert Mario, this, I call a Neo. Fearless, protective, and fit as an athlete. He is as a draught horse is to a race horse, or a Greyhound to a Bulldog, but as Neos go, he's far more athletic than any lowslung over typy Neo can ever be.

Link to an interesting site in Germany, check out the agility page.

http://www.mastino-napoletano.de/agility.htm

Article Written by Maria Bryan of ABC Alert Trublue Bandogs
http://abcalert.com/

Bandog article written by Katrina Hartwell, Australia

~Article first published in Boar it up Ya Magazine Australia~















Despite what some people may advertise, a Bandog is not a pure bred breed; it is a purpose bred, mixed breed working dog. The concept of the Bandog, a cross between Bull breeds and Mastiffs, is not a new. These types of dogs have been hunting boar, guarding homes, and being used as police and security dogs for thousands of years. Many breeds such as the Bullmastiff, Dogue De Bordeaux, and the Boerboel have been developed from careful selection of Bandog types.

Earliest written mention of them is from tribal Britain. They were big game hunters, guardians of property, person and livestock, and dogs of war. These dogs probably looked much like a lot of the heavier types of pig dogs being used in Australia today.

During the middle ages, Bandogs were used throughout Europe for their original purposes and also became participants in blood sports and were baited against man and beast. In England during this period the Bandog was solely owned by Nobleman. It was illegal for lower class people to own dogs of this type, an offense which was punishable by death. It was feared they would be able to successfully poach the Kings beasts should they have one.

The greatest influence to Bandog breeding came during the 1800's in the way of the Gamekeepers Night Dog, from which the Bull Mastiff breed emerged. These dogs were used to catch poachers and were powerful and agile. I think they are best described by W. Burton of Thorneywood Kennels:

"The typical Thornywood night dog should be no less than 80 lbs and if it be 100 lbs and fit and agile, all the better. It should be dark with a clean close coat with little in the way of markings for easy concealment at night. It should fear no man or group of men, no matter how sinister their intention. It should be able to face whip cudgel and shotgun with equal enthusiasm and show no shyness or fear of the aforementioned. Once engaged with its tormentor it should grip like a vice and fight like a lion and never relinquish its hold of its own accord, even if it comes to serious mischief and takes its death. In my charge he should be obedient and faithful. In my home or in his kennel he should be quiet and good tempered. There is no better or hardier dog than a good nightdog."

It's interesting to note that they were once Police dogs par excellence. The National Bull and Mastiff Police Registry was founded in 1926. The requirements for the registry were that dogs must pass all phases of police training to be accepted. Here's an extract from a letter to the club from Sgt. Cordy of the Walsingham Police Station:

"I want no better dog than a good Bullmastiff for police work and I am ready to back it against any breed. It may interest you to know that I have made an offer to one of my comrades who is an Alsationist, to train a Bullmastiff along side an Alsation to track and be more steady on the trail. The quarry will be a pretended fugitive and at the end of the trail the dog must close and catch the fugitive. A Gamekeeper friend recommended this breed to me and told me I would have no better breed. His words were true."

Sadly, in modern times most people have heard of the Bandog and relate them to the dog fighter John Swinford. Had he not had his name published in print he would have faded into obscurity, just as his dogs did. It is commonly believed that a Neapolitan Mastiff cross Pit bull is a true Swinford Bandog, however Dr. Swinford found the Neo to be lacking for his needs, and his best dog Bantu was actually from an English Mastiff bitch by a Pit bull.

A modern Bandog is only as good as its breeding. There are many different breeders with different goals, using different foundation breeds, so if you are looking for one of these dogs, it's important to find somebody who is breeding the type of dog you are looking for. It's also vital not to confuse aggression with protective nature, they are very different qualities. Savage dogs of any breed have no place in today's society.

For me a good Bandog is very similar to the dogs Mr. Burton describes above. An athletic yet powerful dog, capable of finding and catching pigs, obedient and faithful, laid back and problem free around the house, good with children, stable in all situations yet protective of his home and family when push comes to shove. Health is also very important, as although it's rare, these dogs can unfortunately inherit genetic health problems such as hip and elbow problems, cherry eye and immune system problems. They can also suffer from the heat a bit more than some other types and like to be part of the family. Dog and animal aggression should not be a problem in these dogs, but early and positive socialization is certainly necessary. Another draw back is they are late maturing dogs and for many, the closer they get to adulthood before they are started, the better.

If you can only have one dog and you are after a dog that will be protective of your family that you can also hunt on the weekend, or you just like square headed hunting dogs, then a Bandog may just be for you.

~Written by Katrina Hartwell, Australia
You can email her at pa11975@bigpond.net.au

Australian Bandog pics from Katrina Hartwell pa11975@bigpond.net.au

Pig dogs, Therapy dogs, & Guardians