Broholmer

The Broholmer is a large Danish mastiff — a calm, powerful guardian that once watched the estates and manor houses of Denmark.

History

It takes its name from a Danish estate whose owner worked to standardise the breed in the eighteenth century, from mastiff-type dogs kept to guard property and hunt large game. It nearly died out after the World Wars before a dedicated revival brought it back.

Temperament

The breed is known for being calm, good-natured and confident — friendly and steady with its family, watchful rather than aggressive with strangers. Its size and guarding instinct call for early, gentle training.

Care and training

It needs moderate exercise and room to move, with care not to over-work a growing giant, and steady, reward-based handling. The short coat is easy to keep.

Health

Known tendencies include hip and elbow dysplasia and the bloat risk of a large, deep-chested dog, and like the big breeds it lives a shorter life on average. These are patterns for the breed rather than a verdict on one dog; the measured facts are in the panel.