Sadly that's entirely possible. Which is why I've all's opted to bring mine home and find a nice spot in the garden.
Don’t be fooled by his nerdy pretty boy looks, as he can be defensively aggressive towards some male dogs and will take on anything up to and including a local Boerbel who weighs over 100kg. That was a scary moment, as I thought I might need to intervene and the beast could have probably swallowed Iggy whole and still had room for my leg, but thankfully he’s is a big softie and he just waddled off, unbothered.
That photo doesn’t really do his size justice as it’s taken from above and in front, so he’s foreshortened. Thankfuckfulky for everyone, the dog is pretty chilled. His owner (whose legs are in shot) is a huge bloke himself, 6’3” and about 18-19st, but he has trouble holding onto him sometimes and last year he got pulled headlong across the ground for about 20m when the dog took off suddenly.
They’re a South African breed, originally used for guarding cattle against lions, leopards and hyenas. He’s about the same size as the dogs in those pics. Apparently the males are usually between 80kg - 90kg, but he is over 100kg, although the owner doesn’t know exactly because the vet’s scales only go up to 99kg.
I’ve had a couple of Bullmastiff dogs. Although they’re beautiful big teddy bears around the house, we’ll not be having another. A bitch perhaps, but not a dog. They’re fucking mental on a walk. My last one hated children and got triggered by their high pitched voices- not good. In addition to mental instability between the ears, they’re massively strong. I’m a strong man and I was yanked off my feet countless times. And of course the Mrs was too even more so. Tractors, trucks, a falling leaf- you name it- he’d unexpectedly lunge at it with all his strength… We live in a gated secure property but in a built up area. I always dreaded auld Hector getting out. He’d have wreaked havoc on the Main Street thankfully he never got out otherwise I’d possibly be doing time… If you live on a farm smack bang in the middle of Australia then a Bullmastiff makes sense, otherwise forget em.
