A well-bred Bandogge is a confident watchdog, more than capable of protecting its master and property. Muscular and massive, it can easily overpower an intruder, real or perceived. Depending on the traits inherited from its parent breeds, this can be a smart dog, very intuitive and trainable, but it may also be strong-willed, overly dominant and difficult to handle, especially if owned by inexperienced masters. A loving family dog, the Bandogge is very gentle with children and devoted to its owner, making a good urban companion and guardian. However, even though animal-aggression is an undesired trait, the Bandogge can be quite unfriendly towards other dogs, needing early and broad socialization and responsible handling and training.
Since most bandog programmes are based on performance qualities and not looks, there is a variety of appearances and sizes, with some dogs looking like giant Pit Bulls and others resembling smaller Bullmastiffs, but as a rule all Bandogges must be agile, strong and powerful. The ears can be cropped and the tail is sometimes docked, although unaltered examples are common.