Xerxes de Castro-Castalia

I’ve been around Bullmastiffs, one way or the other, since childhood just like I have been around other dogs, small or big, with or without a pedigree, and around other animals, particularly cats, horses and donkeys. In fact throughout my almost 50 years I have had many chances to be related with hundreds of own and foreign dogs and learn a lot from them all.

One thing I am sure of is that Bullmastiffs if my kind of breed. And I like them to be healthy, balanced and good looking.

Nabucco de Castro-Castalia

This breed has been historically “designed” to satisfy the needs and taste of men, especially during the past 200 years, to serve and cover some very specific needs. I indeed speak plentifully about all this in my two books on the Breed, EL BULLMASTIFF and EL GRAN LIBRO DE LOS BULLMASTIFF Y MASTIFF.

We only have to keep their official standard set in 1924 in mind to understand why the Bullmastiff has to be what it is and nothing else; because the Breed was intended to be resistant, strong, fierce, and last but not least, perfectly functional. And functionality is still a must and will always be simply because if forgotten, the dog would be incapable of performing all the things he was meant for from the very start!

Herminia de Castro-Castalia

Therefore I cannot and will not accept those fashions that impose a different type of dog, no matter how good looking and appealing it may be to the eyes of some, with the intention to accommodate some people’s taste or demands. It makes no sense, because while departing from the original standard and its functionality you will be breeding dogs that will look and act like a Dogue de Bordeaux or a Neapolitan Mastiff or any other prey dogs. It is absolutely ridiculous!

I honestly want to keep the Bullmastiffs the way they are, the way they’ve traditionally been to serve the purpose they were initially meant for. And thus I personally keep breeding agile and resistant hardwearing dogs that remain functional. By doing this I keep faithful to what the standard requests. And forget about fashion and marketing, thank you!

Strike de Castro-Castalia

This explains why the CASTRO-CASTALIA Bullmastiffs are not as spectacular as others. They do not have those huge immense heads set up on short necks, nor those tremendously thick short legs and barrelled bodies with straight angulations. They are not obese, to look sturdy nor are they given hormones to grow fast and develop unnecessarily early.

No, you won’t find anything like that here at home. On the contrary you will find dogs that have the right proportions, according to the standard; dogs that can easily jump, dogs that can trot and gallop, and walk fast for endless hours; dogs that will follow the scent of a rabbit or a fox for as long as they want, without the slightest symptom of fatigue. Dogs that will happily go out swimming on the creeks nearby and will effortlessly climb a hill or cross over fallen trees and big logs without dismay. What you will see here is a bunch of healthy, happy, responsive, alert and reactive dogs, who will follow you anywhere you want them to! Dogs that breath easily and lungful. Dogs that are healthy in every possible way.

And because that is what makes them a joy to live with and share so many things day after day, that is what I will keep breeding, in spite of those who would rather have a huge and hyper-typical dog incapable of performing any doggy tasks, deformed, weary, unfit and bored stiff.

Han Solo de Castro-Castalia

Sorry if that hurts some mentalities or looks little fashionable, but that’s the way it goes around here, folks!  I will never impose an absurd aesthetics to any of my dogs, as I feel that would inevitably limit their future, their living.

Camadas O y C de Castro-Castalia

Needless to say that in these 18 years She have done a lot more than this, but without ever staying too much away from these three pillars and She am pretty conscious that thanks to the words and opinions of “Doggie” Hubbard, and the very many opinions and teachings of other people such as Douglas B. Oliff, who wrote the prologue for my second book on the Breed, EL GRAN LIBRO DE LOS BULLMASTIFF Y MASTIFF, Colonel David Hancock, Riitta Maaniemi, Rita Benner (who left us, unfortunately, too early), Christopher Habig, Anne Marie Class, Bay Rowland, Muriel Bisatt and many other dear friends and breeders, She have come to make my dream come true and She have managed to set up a Breeding Programme of reference in the World.

(Original text written by Christina of Lima-Netto and Federico Baudin specifically for this web page and protected with Copyright. Not even whole can be reproduced not partially by any way, without Castro-Castalia's express assent in writing).