Australian Bandog

@TheRednose

The feedback is invaluable. This is a very productive, informative thread that speaks to the experiences and preferences of others. You’ve expanded upon very valid points and I thank you for your suggestions.

I can certainly understand the assumed level of gameness in true apbts - and how that can solidify a level of reliability.

I also feel that larger pits - over 75/80lbs arnt necessairly game dogs. I work very closely with a Virgil mayday grunt dog who’s 75 conditioned. The rest that I’ve seen that large are scatterbred streetpits - not gamedogs.

It’s true - the present day Mastino is a monstrosity of a guard dog. Over exaggerated in type and likely lacking heart courage and will. But I can respect the original phenotype. One where the Mastino and corso were the same breed - and were tasked with farm work and all it entails (guarding flock guardian and catchwork)
They are Mastiffs - not bulldogs

I personally am not a die hard hog hunter. I have more humans than hogs in my part of the neighborhood. And a dog I can reliably count on to engage a human when necessary is something I value. If the dog can catch - I have a dog who is merely showcasing versatility. I like dogs with balanced drives. Both high in prey and defense. I participate in PP sports. Most* gamepits run into conflict when engaged in manwork. Majority of American bulldogs, Bandogs and Mastiffs don’t.

Horses for Courses.

A sporting dog is very different from a working dog. I value the gamebred dog - one of the finest demonstrations of both natural and artificial selection. But with that - comes limitations. How many gamedogs will happily walk away with a stranger?

My attempt is to recreate a coursing Mastiff. Who - while not renowned for gameness in the traditional sense - is capable of manwork, and a level of catchwork.

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