Sulimov vs Bullmastiff - Breed Comparison | Petzlover

The Old English Mastiff as well as the Bulldog are the breeds behind the Bull Mastiff. The Bullmastiff was originally developed in England around the 1860’s. Gamekeepers in England wanted a large, brave, robust dog which could help with keeping poachers away from their large estates which kept game.

As these large estates dwindled, so did the need for the services of the Bullmastiff and later they were simply bred to be family companions. As more Old English Mastiffs were bred, the dog became lighter, so that light tan or fawn became the preferred color.

The breed was officially recognized by the English Kennel Club in 1924, and the American Kennel Club in 1933.

Another name for the Sulimov dog is Shalaika.

This Russian jackal-dog-hybrid is thought to have developed from golden jackals and Lapponian Herders. In fact the dog was developed by a certain Klim Sulimov to be a robust security- and sniffer dog at Aeroflot, a Russian airline.

Jackals were used because it is believed that they have a better sense of smell than any domesticated dog there is. The Jackal can also perceive things at a distance. Later on, other dogs were also bred into the line, making it an intelligent dog with an excellent sense of smell.

There aren't many of these dogs available.

Bullmastiffs are large, brachycephalic dogs, and heights are between 61 and 68cm and the dog weight anything between 41 – 59kg. While it isn’t particularly tall, the dog is thickly set with a deep chest and strong, muscular legs. The Bull Mastiff has a powerful build and plenty of strength with an imposing look on his face. He is a powerful, active breed with a short coat which is also weather resistant and can be any shade of fawn, red or brindle.

The dog has a black muzzle and the skull is large and square. The ears are set high and are short and floppy. The tail was once docked, giving the dog an even more distinctive, powerful appearance, but these days, due to regulations, the tail is left long.

Temperament

The Bullmastiff is a loyal, devoted, fearless, protective dog. When he belongs to a human family, he becomes a companion but a fierce protector too, being a territorial dog. They love being with their family and can be good with children too, and even other pets, but proper training and socialization will be important. They aren’t aggressive around strangers, though he does make a wonderful guard dog.

He is intelligent and stubborn and if you don’t want him becoming destructive, even though he is a low-energy dog, you will need to exercise him and walk him every day.

Th Sulimov looks like, and also has characteristics of jackals and huskies. The body is large, the ears are triangular and erect, the eyes bright, alert and enquiring and the muzzle is long.

The legs of the dog are slim but strong, like the Jackal and the tail is long and bushy. The coat is fairly long, smooth and thick and can be in a range of colors such as tan, fawn, grey, white and black.

The Sulimov is a medium sized dog and stands at between 40 and 50cm in height and weighs between 12 to 15kg.

Temperament:

This hybrid dog is brave, confident, wily, robust, loving, affectionate and loyal. They are intelligent too and you won’t have any trouble training him.

The truth is, there isn’t much information on the personality of this breed, but they are eager to please, are full of energy and can be cheerful and feisty, even in extreme temperatures.

They’ve been bred for work and aren’t a typical family pet. Because of their wild side, they aren’t recommended for the first time dog owner or for a family pet where there are children.

If you were to keep one, it would be far better suited to life on a farm where it could have a role to play. Life in the city for this active hybrid is out of the question.

Contrary to his formidable looks, the Bullmastiff is a gentle, affectionate pet when he has been properly socialized. He is a great pet for families and will guard them with his life. He is loyal and devoted but can be somewhat aloof, particularly with strangers.

He isn’t a highly energetic dog and he is more or less low maintenance and easy-going. Feed him correctly, give him a nice, warm sleeping spot to call his own and give him attention like he deserves as a family member. The Bullmastiff will reward you by being a solid and devoted companion.

The Sulimov makes an excellent working dog and in fact he loves to be busy. They've got an unusual feature - their tails, which are normally curled up and over the back like a husky, hang down limply when tired. Their handler know when these dogs are ready to call it a day.

They are essentially working dogs, being loyal and devoted to their handlers, but wouldn't be considered as an ideal family pet.

The Bullmastiff is a generally healthy breed, but even so, the breed is known for having to contend with certain health issues. He doesn’t have a particularly long life span either and can live to be about 10, ll or 12 years of age. Some of the more common illnesses to look out for include -

Hip Dysplasia:

This is a condition where the thighbone doesn’t fit properly into the hip joint. The troublesome part is that it can lead to arthritis, pain and lameness for your pet.

Bloat:

This is a worrisome, life-threatening condition for a dog, particularly for large, deep-chested dogs such as your Bullmastiff. Instead of feeding your Mastiff one large meal, it is recommended to feed him 2 smaller meals. Bloat occurs when the stomach is distended with gas or air and twists, restricting the normal return of blood to the heart.

There is ongoing debate about the health of hybrid dogs against that of purebred dogs. Hybrids inherit genetic dispositions that their parents would have, including certain heath issues.

Parasites:

Parasites are a huge cause of disease in dogs. Apart from ticks and fleas, internal parasites live inside the gastrointestinal tract and can be things like hookworms, tapewarms and roundwarms among others.

Parasites are usually transmitted when the dog ingests parasite eggs in contaminated water, food, feces or soil.

It’s important to get your dog treated as these parasites can cause weight loss, swollen abdomen, malnutrition, diarrhea, vomiting and anemia. Apart from this, they can affect people too. Fortunately these parasites are treatable and easy to prevent.

Other common dog ailments to look out for include bloat, obesity, cancer and hip dysplasia.

Grooming for Health and Happiness

The Bullmastiff has a short dense coat which is looked upon as low-maintenance. He will require a brushing twice a week, being a light to average shedder. He is a dog that tends to drool quite a bit so you may need to wipe away slobber from time to time. Because his face has wrinkles, check the creases to ensure they remain free of dirt and food particles to ward off infection.

Check his ears at the same time, brush his teeth at least twice a week with special dog-toothpaste and brush and keep the nails trimmed.

Diet:

Your large Bullmastiff will require high-quality commercial dog food but he will also need some home-made food in between such as rice, vegetables and meat. He is a large dog and will have to get an intake of raw meat too. Dogs denied raw meat can end up with skin problems as well as other health issues.It is better to feel your Bullmastiff smaller meals than to give him one large meal which he scoffs down quickly. Smaller meals will help prevent the most dangerous illness known as Bloat.

Ensure he has a steady supply of fresh, cool water.

▪ Diet:

This is a medium sized dog so you can buy a high quality dry kibble for him manufactured for medium sized energetic dogs.

Try and avoid the low quality dog foods which come with lots of ingredients that are plain ordinary bad for your dog, and can jeopardize his health.

Try and feed him some home-made food too – boiled chicken, brown rice or pasta and some nutritious vegetables such as spinach,sweet potatoes and carrots. Chop it all up and add some of it to the dry kibble twice a week.

You can also provide him with some raw fish and raw red meat occasionally as this keeps the skin and coat healthy. Make sure he always has fresh, cool water available.

▪ General

Provide your Sulimov with a nice, warm, dry place to sleep.

Brush him twice a week to keep the fair shiny and free of loose hair.

Keep his vaccines up to date. Get him to the vet if he is sick.

Have him trained and socialized. As it is, for the job he does as a security dog, he is trained and socialized.

Provide him with lots of exercise – walks, ball games, exercises that stimulate mind and body.