Breeding suitability guide — Bullmastiff

For breeders: which tests, which thresholds, which mating rules apply

HonestDog · BullmastiffVersion: 2026-06-23

1. Mandatory tests for parents

These tests must be on file for every breeding animal.

Test / condition	Scoring scheme	Approved from	Inheritance	Source
Elbow Dysplasia (ED)	Roentgen	Grenzfall (Grenzfall/Grade 1 or better)	Polygenic	VDH
Hip dysplasia (HD)	Roentgen	C (Hüftgelenksdysplasie-C or better)	Polygenic	VDH
Wesensbeurteilung	Verhaltenstest	ZVP bestanden	—	VDH

2. Mating rules

When one parent has a borderline result, the other parent must meet specific criteria.

Elbow Dysplasia (ED)

Polygenisch — beide Elterntiere sollten mindestens das Ergebnis "2" erreichen. Idealerweise besser. Phenotypen aus belasteten Linien sollten nicht für die Zucht herangezogen werden.

VDH

Hip dysplasia (HD)

Polygenisch — beide Elterntiere sollten mindestens das Ergebnis "C" erreichen. Idealerweise besser. Phenotypen aus belasteten Linien sollten nicht für die Zucht herangezogen werden.

VDH

3. Recommended additional tests

Sensible additions for line planning.

Test / condition	Scoring scheme	Approved from	Inheritance	Source
Ectropion / Entropion	—	—	Complex	CIDD
Multifocal Retinopathy 1 (CMR1)	DNA	Clear or Carrier	Autosomal recessive	AI-Vet
Retinal Dysplasia (RD)	Augen	—	Complex	CIDD
Cervical vertebral compressive myelopathy (CVCM)	Roentgen	—	Complex	CIDD
Cerebellar abiotrophy (CA)	DNA	—	Autosomal recessive	CIDD
Neuroaxonal dystrophy, RNF170-related (NAD)	—	—	Autosomal recessive	CIDD
Cystinuria (Cyst-1a)	Koerperfluessigkeiten	Clear or Carrier	Autosomal recessive	AI-Vet

4. HonestDog verification

Upload a legible certificate (PDF or photo) per test in the breeder dashboard
Certificate must show date, examining vet, and FCI/VDH logo
Certificates older than 36 months are flagged as stale
We check each upload for authenticity — the profile tile then shows 'verified'

Source: https://www.honestdog.de/en/breed/bullmastiff/health-testing-guide · Version: 2026-06-23