What is considered a real Bandog?

There is no such thing as a ""pure"" bandog(which could be said for just about any of the ""pure breeds"" we know today... Bandogs are just mix bred molossers, usually comprised of Bully breed crossed with mastiff breed. I guess, if one wanted to get picky, ANY mix of ANY 2 different molossers could constitute a bandog... but that won't be the popular answer or even accepted. The original bandog were just dogs who were kept chained, or Banded, during the day and let loose at night to guard the owners property. Hope this helped. Mike

Its a performance bred/selected for" bull and mastiff. Its a term used very loosely by most people..

Origin isn't important, component breeds don't matter and as long it's a good, stable dog that works, it's fine. Only a working bandog is a "real" bandog.

This is a Bandog. http://flickr.com/photos/31692641@N00/135467894

Traditionaly it is a guarding type dog that is chained. Now it has become a big deal as to what a "real bandog" is. Some will say it must perform PP to be called a bandog. The truth is the name never reffered to any breed or mix.

[quote=Dragonmark] The truth is the name never reffered to any breed or mix.[/quote] Actually it is the old name for the English Mastiff. :wink:

[quote=crnosrce1"][quote="Dragonmark] The truth is the name never reffered to any breed or mix.[/quote] Actually it is the old name for the English Mastiff. :wink:[/quote] I suppose its true to some extrent however the word mastiff was a term for large dogs in general.

I think the problem is that Swinford picked the name out of the history books and tried to attach it to a breed.... a breed which, as I understand it, never had a final set type. After his death, enough people became dedicated to or cashed in on his idea. All dog breeds are composed of other breeds. Many breeds use names which have been applied elsewhere, or derive from function. With the Bandog, people were breeding dogs with objectives similar to Swinford long before he began his program, but they weren't calling them Bandogs. it's a term that's been applied posthumously to many programs and breeds.