The Bandog is not a true breed, but a cross between different breeds developed in America to produce a large guard dog.
Temperament
Friendly with other animals and dogs, very attached to its family, including children, but not very sociable with strangers, and it is a breed that fearlessly confronts anyone who threatens its owner or property.
Appearance
There is no official standard defining its characteristics, only guidelines created by breeders. Height and weight vary according to the lineage, which includes different breeds; for this reason, Bandogs are divided into groups with their own distinctive characteristics. The first group consists of crosses containing at least 25% to 50% of: American Pit Bull Terrier APBT, American Staffordshire Terrier AST, Staffordshire Bull Terrier SBT, Staffordshire Terrier ST. The second group consists of crosses containing at least 25% to 50% of: AKC Mastiff, Boerbell, bullmastiff, Fila Brasileiro, Neapolitan Mastiff, Rotweiler and Tosa. The third group must contain less than 25%% of: American Bulldog, Dogo Argentino, Dogue de Bordeaux, Great Dane, Olde English Bulldog and Campeiro Bulldog. The fourth group must contain less than 12.5% of: Boxer, Cane Corso and Presa Canario. In general, it should have the build of a giant Pit Bull, with a good degree of agility. The most common colors are: yellowish gray or sand, brindle of any color, black, golden fawn, fawn and red with a red or black nose. The coat is short, dense and moderately fine. The neck must be very strong, muscular and robust. The eyes should preferably be black, but may vary according to the coat color.
Historical Notes
The American Bandog is not a breed in the strict sense of the word, but a cross between several breeds. They usually descend from the American Pit Bull Terrier and the Neapolitan Mastiff. Some breeders have successfully produced Bandogs for many generations without adding blood from other breeds, creating a very uniform type. At the end of 1960, a veterinarian named Swinford began a breeding program aimed at producing the largest of all protection dogs. Although today’s Bandog breeders do not agree with the breeding regimen created by Swinford, the general consensus is that the starting point is still a cross between an American Pit Bull Terrier and a large mastiff-type dog. The most common method used to produce a Bandog is to mate a large male American Pit Bull Terrier with a large, strong female Neapolitan Mastiff. Another less common method used in Bandog breeding is to mate an English Mastiff with an American Pit Bull Terrier. The name Bandog, however, was used in old England by the Saxons and derives from the word “banda,” meaning chain, since it was common practice to tie the dog up during the day and release it at night so it could perform its guarding duties.
Lifestyle
Territorial and energetic dog, not suited to apartment living.
Conditions
It does not suffer from any specific conditions.
Fun Facts
None in particular
Gait
Strong and agile
Ideal Owner
The ideal owner must be a true leader, with a personality capable of standing up to a strong-willed dog that tends to take control.