If you feel that the Bullmastiff is the right breed for you, and that HappyLegs may be the right breeder for you, we ask that you take the time to answer the questions below. You may address them in an email sent to HappyLegs, or you can download the form below and send it via email or regular mail to HappyLegs Bullmastiffs, 6283 Hellner Road, Ann Arbor, MI 48105. If you have further questions about the breed, or about HappyLegs Bullmastiffs, feel free to contact us by phone at (734) 741-7326 or through email.

Pictured: Ch. HappyLegs Boomerang CD, aka "Boomer."

Name:

Address:

Phone:

Email:

Type of Bullmastiff: (circle preference)

Male Female No Preference

Pet Show No Preference

Color: (circle preference) Fawn Red Red/Fawn Brindle No Preference

1. Why do you want a Bullmastiff? Have you done any research on the breed? Explain.

 

2. Have you had dogs before? What breeds have you owned? What happened to them?

 

3. Do you presently have any pets? What are they? If you have a dog(s), what is the breed, age and sex, and is it spayed or neutered?

 

4. Do you work? What is the normal daily schedule of adults in your home?

 

5. Do you have children? What are their ages? If you do not have children but are planning on having them in the near future, will you make a commitment to continue caring for the dog once the new child arrives?

 

6. Do you plan on using a crate for housebreaking? (circle that which applies) Yes No

7. Would you like information on crate training? (circle that which applies) Yes No

8. Do you have a fenced in yard? Yes No
If no, please explain how you will be exercising your dog.

 

9. If you are requesting a show puppy, do you have any experience in the show ring? If not, would you be willing to attend handling classes, hire a professional handler, or allow us to handle the dog for you?

 

10. If you are requesting a pet quality puppy, will you accept the puppy on an AKC limited registration, which means the dog cannot be shown in conformation nor can it be bred?

 

11. If you have requested a pet quality puppy and there is only a show prospect available, would you be willing to purchase a show pup and allow us to show it for you at our expense?

Yes No Not Applicable

12. Are you willing to spend at least eight weeks of obedience training with your dog? Yes No

13. In order to choose a puppy that is best suited for each situation, please tell me about your family and lifestyle (active, homebodies, travelers, animal oriented, workaholic, etc.)

 

14. Please share any other information about your family and your reasons for wanting a Bullmastiff that will assist us in placing one of our pups with you. It is our strongest desire that everyone (especially the Bullmastiff!) be happy with the placement and that it be a permanent one.

 

15. Veterinary and personal references (should relate to your experience with dogs).

 

Thank you for filling out the HappyLegs Questionnaire!

 

 

In a guard breed such as the bullmastiff, matching the prospective owner to just the right puppy is a crucial part of the process. A good "fit" is a lifetime of joy for both dog and its owner. An improper match can be tragic. Therefore, we ask a number of questions of those interested in our dogs to determine first of all, if the bullmastiff is the right breed for their particular situation, and secondly, which puppy, if any, will be the best fit for their household. This is especially important if the home includes children. If at all possible, we ask to meet with the entire family before accepting a deposit.

We evaluate the pups at eight weeks to determine temperament, as well as to decide which are to be placed as show potential puppies and which are to go as pets. Pet quality puppies are sold for $1200 on a limited registration, which means the pup is registered with the AKC but cannot be bred or shown in conformation. We place show potential pups for $1500. We do require that show pups be shown; however, if the owner is not interested or able, we often will show the dog for them at our expense. We also occasionally have older dogs in need of good homes. We will accept a non-refundable deposit to hold a puppy once the litter is on the ground and an interview has taken place. We x-ray hips and elbows on all of our breeding stock, and place all of our pups with a health and hip guarantee.

If you are considering getting a dog from us, we request that you tell us about yourself and your household, such as where you are located, whether or not you have other dogs, a fenced in yard, whether you have children and if so, their ages. Also, we would like to know what other breeds you have owned, and what your experience has been with a large, guard breed. We ask these questions so that we can better understand the type of pup that would best suit you and your lifestyle. These and other questions are included on our questionnaire. Feel free to answer those questions in an email, or to fill out the questionnaire and email or mail it to us at our home address.

Pictured: 12 week old puppies out of Ch. HappyLegs Bruce of Kinloch x Ch. HappyLegs Kinloch's Miss Dot.

Chris Lezotte was Secretary of the American Bullmastiff Association for three years, and served an additional year on the Board of Directors. She was the editor of the Bullmastiff Bulletin, the official publication of the ABA, for three years, and was a member of the Judges Education committee for two. She is a past officer of the Glass City Bullmastiff Fanciers and is a member of the Midwest Bullmastiff Fanciers, and is on the Board of Directors of both the Ann Arbor and Detroit Kennel Clubs. She judged the Futurity classes at the 1994 ABA National Specialty and has judged Bullmastiff, Great Dane, Boxer and Doberman Pinscher Sweepstakes at regional specialties. Chris also has devoted her time to providing pro-bono advertising and promotional materials for the Humane Society of Huron Valley in Ann Arbor. In addition, Chris has lended her artistic skills to the Ann Arbor Kennel Club as Newsletter Editor and designer of the Ann Arbor Breeder Directory, and also created the website for the Detroit Kennel Club (www.detroitkennelclub.com), the Ann Arbor Kennel Club (www.annarborkc.org) as well as the HappyLegs Bullmastiffs site.

Alan Kalter is on the Executive Committee of the Morris Animal Foundation and is a member of the Detroit Zoo Board of Directors. He is past president of the Glass City Bullmastiff Fanciers and is a member of the Midwest Bullmastiff Fanciers as well as the American Bullmastiff Association. Alan also serves as First Vice President and Treasurer of the Detroit Kennel Club. In his professional life, he has been responsible for the advertising of a premium dog food manufacturer, a group of veterinary hospitals, the Morris Animal Foundation, the Detroit Zoo, a national pet supply chain, as well as the Michigan Humane Society. In addition, Alan provides the advertising for the American Kennel Club. Alan is currently the ABA delegate to the American Kennel Club.

Pictured: Chris Lezotte & Alan Kalter & Philadelphia friend.

What Makes a HappyLegs a HappyLegs?

Like all breeders, we attempt to breed to the Bullmastiff standard, the "blueprint" of the breed. While interpretations of the standard vary, we prefer a compact, very square, moderate dog, one within the standard but not over it. We do not subscribe to the notion that "bigger is better" or "more is more." We love a good head, but not an overdone one; we feel exaggerations in any area can lead to structural and health problems in the breed. Perhaps that which most sets HappyLegs apart from most Bullmastiff breeders is our emphasis on movement. We love a dog that covers the ground well. We explain our philosophy as breeding from"the rear forward," whereas many Bullmastiff breeders start with the head and stop. To move properly, a Bullmastiff, or any dog, must be structured properly, and that is not achieved by luck, but by understanding movement and knowing how to breed for it. We have studied and are always studying movement, not just in Bullmastiffs, but in all breeds of dogs. It's what is important to us. It's what makes a HappyLegs a HappyLegs.

Of course, the best movement and breed type in the world aren't worth anything without true Bullmastiff temperament. A HappyLegs Bullmastiff is a loyal companion and dependable family guardian. He tends to be smart, but stubborn, with an independent spirit. A Golden Retriever he's not.

Can You Be Happy With A HappyLegs?

HappyLegs is committed to producing the best pups possible in each litter. While we breed for the show ring, we do sell a limited number of pups as "pet quality." Many have asked the difference between pet and show quality. As this is a breed without disqualifying faults, there is no one fault which automatically makes a dog a "pet." All dogs have faults, yet our show dogs also have something which is outstanding. It is these outstanding qualities that make a show dog a show dog, and the lack of anything exceptional which makes a pet a pet. We are not fault finders; to us, the lack of virtues is the biggest fault of all.

While we do not breed for color, our dogs tend to be primarily fawns, with brindles and red-fawns sometimes available. Pedigrees, puppy prices, references and photographs of sires and dams are all available upon request.

Pictured: Ch. HappyLegs Luke of Hartford.

 

HappyLegs Bullmastiffs began as the combination of two very successful Eastern kennels, Bandog and Jubilee. The Bandog stock had the type we were looking for: compact, moderate in size, with beautiful heads and lots of personality. Jubilee produced a more elegant dog,with clean, classic lines, flawless toplines, good mouths and exceptional rears. This combination of qualities are still those we strive for in our own dogs today.

HappyLegs had its first litter in 1986, and finished its first "home-bred" champion at the Detroit Kennel Club show in March, 1989. In that period of time, we have bred or owned over 140 champions, which include group winners, specialty winners, sweepstakes winners, top producers, Register of Merit recipients, National Specialty and Westminster winners, futurity winners, as well as the youngest Bullmastiff male in the history of the breed to win an all-breed Best in Show. While perhaps no longer considered newcomers to the breed, we still endeavor to consistently producing Bullmastiffs with the type and personality to win in the ring, as well as be wonderful companions and guardians in the home.

The "HappyLegs" prefix is registered with the American Kennel Club. Therefore, only bullmastiffs that we have bred or placed can use our kennel name.

Pictured: Ch. Bandog Mail Order Bride, aka "Stella," our foundation bitch. Every bullmastiff with HappyLegs in its registered name has Stella in its pedigree.