10 Things You Didn’t Know about the American Bandogge

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The American Bandogge can be a rather confusing term. This is because the term is sometimes used to refer to a cross between an American Pit Bull Terrier and a Neapolitan Mastiff. Other times, it encompasses all crosses between all Bulldogs and all Mastiffs. Due to this, it is important for interested individuals to find out exactly what other people mean when they use the term, lest they be caught by surprise because of something unexpected. Here are 10 things that you may or may not have known about the American Bandogge:

1. Assumptions Can Be Misleading

Crossbreeds tend to be more unpredictable than their purebred counterparts. This is because they tend to inherit a combination of characteristics from both sides of their heritage, which can produce a fair amount of variation from dog to dog. In the case of the American Bandogge, this is made even more so because the term can refer to more than one crossbreed.

2. Bandogge Comes from the Middle Ages

Bandog or bandogge is believed to have come from the England of the Middle Ages. In short, a Bandogge is supposed to be a Molosser that has been bred to be either a guard dog, a watch dog, or some other kind of protector. Unfortunately, there is no universal set of standards for what is and isn’t a Bandogge, meaning that interested individuals might want to be careful about assuming that a particular Bandogge from a particular breeder will be good for protection work.

3. Crossbred from the American Pit Bull Terrier

Like its name suggests, the American Pit Bull Terrier was created by crossbreeding the Old English Bulldog and the Old English Terrier to create a new breed with the strength of the first and the fighting spirit of the second. Since its creation, the breed has seen a wide range of uses. Unfortunately, the American Pit Bull Terrier is often used in illegal dog fighting in the United States, which has contributed to a very poor reputation.

4. Crossbred from the Neapolitan Mastiff

Mastiffs being Mastiffs, it should come as no surprise to learn that the Neapolitan Mastiff is a big, powerful breed that can be rather fearsome under certain circumstances. In particular, it is famous for a couple of traits. First, the Neapolitan Mastiff tends to be very tolerant of pain, which can be a huge problem because this makes it difficult for the dog owner to tell when it is either sick or otherwise unwell. Second, the Neapolitan Mastiff doesn’t bark but will instead sneak up behind strangers that it finds suspicious.

5. Smart

Guard dogs tend to be smart because they need to be able to make their own decisions. The American Bandogge tends to have some measure of intelligence, though it won’t be able to match the smartest breeds that can be found out there.

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6. Stubborn

Unfortunately, the need for guard dogs to make their own decisions means that the American Bandogge can be rather stubborn as well. This is a huge problem because a dog owner who can’t control their American Bandogge can expect a wide range of problems in the long run.

7. Protective

When trained well, the American Bandogge tends to be a loyal member of the household that is very protective of its family members. Should it see something that it regards as a threat, it is prepared to take aggressive action.

8. Needs Socialization

On a related note, this is why socialization for the American Bandogge is so important. When it has been properly socialized, it can get along well with both humans and other animals. In contrast, if it hasn’t been properly socialized, it can perceive other dogs and other animals as intruders in its territory with predictable results.

9. Not a Good First Dog

Due to this, the American Bandogge isn’t a good choice for someone’s first dog. Instead, it is best-entrusted to those who know what they are doing so that it can see its full potential realized rather than squandered.

10. Needs Regular Exercise

Perhaps unsurprisingly, the American Bandogge will do its best when it gets regular exercise. Fortunately, the American Bandogge isn’t one of those dogs that are so energetic that they need entire yards for their use, meaning that it is capable of adapting to apartment living under optimal conditions.