Bulldog

The combination of formidable exterior and victorian sentimentality has made the Bulldog so appealing. His characteristic is disposition with the perfectness for living in limited quarters. He is an affectionate partner and rarely a barker.It is worth mentioning the extra ordinary influence the Bulldog has exerted on many other breeds such as Deutscher Boxer, the Bullmastiff, the Bullterrier, the Boston Terrier (national dog of USA), the ,American Staffordshire Terrier the American Bulldog, The American Pitbull Terrier and the recently carried breeding program of Olde English Bulldogge conceived and undertaken by David Leavitt in Pennsylvania, USA (involving Bullmastiff, the Bulldog and American Pitbull Terrier)

History:

The bulldog is an ancient breed bred specifically for bull baiting and dog fighting.His forebears were dogs of great strength, war dogs of their times and introduced by the Romans when they invaded Britain in the first century A.D. It is not possible to trace when exactly the Bulldog was bred to bait bullsbut in the book “The Survey of Stamford“, it is stated that William Earl Warren in 1209, saw the butchers’ dogs teasing the a bull by gripping him through his nostrils and he was so amused by this sight that he commanded a repeat performance as a sport. This was the first official bull baiting contest, and from then onwards the mention of “Bull Dogge” has appeared in historical docments.

The early “Bull Dogge“, his duty being to catch the bull by the nose and to hold it down needed the heavy shoulders with which he lunged forward, the light hindquarters swayed easily as the bull tossed him in an effort to break his back. He needed the “pushed in” or “layback”of face to let hin breathe while he hangs on and this is the only breed able to do so hanging indefinitely. His loose skin added with numerous folds protected his vital organs and wind pipe. His low to the ground construction facilitated him to attack below the bull’s horns. Hence the old “Bull Dogge” was a near perfect fighting product. Christopher Smart (1722-1771) wrote:

“Well, of all dogs it stands confessed, your English Bulldogs are the best”

Anyone who has read about the bullbaiting must know how cruel it is. From this we can gather that the original Bulldog had to be a very ferocious animal. Beauty and elegance counted for nothing. The extra ordinary courage held by these creatures is barely believable. Bred from the notorious line of fighters, they matured to be so savage as to be almost insensitive to the pain and suffering.

In 1835, dog fights and animal baiting was declared illegal. This prohibition paved the way for breeders to produce the breed minus its ferocity factor and to retain and preserve the finer and gentle side of the Bulldog.Their efforts and diligence went fruitful and within a span of few decades, the breed’s viciousness was eradicated and its finer character labelled him as a valued companion.

The first breed specific dog club that attempted to standardise any dog breed was the Bulldog Club, formed before the founding of the world’s first Kennel Club (Great Britain). The first standard of the Bulldog was called “Philo Kuon” adopted in London, in February 1865, and its primary purpose was to maintain and propagate a medium framed Bulldog of about 50-55lbs.

Essentials of the Breed:

A Bulldog owns a distinctive head, and its circumference is equal to his height at shoulders. His jaws are his hallmark, broad and powerful, with the lower jaw extending considerably infront of th upper jaw (an undershot bite). Hindlegs are slightly longer than the front legs which gives him an awkward movement, a breed characteristic. In between his rose-pricked shaped ears, the skull is very flat. The accepted colours are red brindles, solid white, solid reds, fawn and fawn with considerable white, a muddy brindle (pie bald). A brown or liver coloured nose is a disqualification.

Character:

The Bulldog has never been a one man dog, as he possesses a heart spacious enough to ove everybody. His temperament should be gentle and should never vicious or aggressive. He conveys an expression of extreme determination , strength and activity and is always eager to please his owner.

Choosing Bulldog Puppies:

1. The Bulldogs’ nostrils are an extremely important feature. They should be large and black. Some Bulldog puppies are born with liver coloured nostril pigment, but they gradually darken to black when the pupy approaches 8 weeks. If it does not turn black, any other colour other than black couloured nostrils is a disqualification. So inspect puppies carefully after they reach atleast 8-10 weeks old.
2. Feel the chest.The chest of even a very small aged puppy feels vibrant, and breathing must be effortless. A flat chest, especially when accompanied by inhaling with exertion, may indicate an airway obstruction. As a test, gently pinch the wind pipe, and if the pupy coughs, he may be suffering from Bronchitis.
3. Sometimes a real conformational puppy through cold or just fright pulls up his testes at times. This is not the nature of monorchid or cryptorchid where one or both the testicles are absent. Puppies can be frightened if any stranger touches them, so it is useful to examine when the puppy has socialized with you and feeling relaxed.

Tags: american bulldog, american pitbull terrier, american staffordshire terrier, boston terrier, Bulldog, Bullmastiff, bullterrier, dog breed, dog breeds, dogge, war dogs