History of the Bulldog
The term "bulldog" was first used around 1500 and might have been applied to various ancestors of modern bulldog breeds. In the 1600s, bulldogs were used for bull baiting, a wagering sport popular in the 17th century in which trained bulldogs leapt at a bull lashed to a post, latched onto its snout and attempted to suffocate it. The practice of bull baiting was banned in England in 1835.
After bull baiting was banned, the breed began to die out (known as the Old English Bulldog) until fans turned to conformation dog shows. The first show to have a class for bulldogs was in Birmingham. Just a few years later, in 1864, a club was organized to enhance the breed. Unfortunately, this group never picked a specific breed standard, and in 1891 the two top bulldogs, King Orry and Dockleaf, were greatly different in appearance. King Orry was reminiscent of the original bulldogs -- lighter boned and very athletic. Dockleaf was smaller and heavier set -- more like modern bulldogs. Dockleaf was declared the winner that year. Although some argued that the older version of the bulldog (known as the Old English Bulldog) was more fit to perform, the modern version’s looks won over the fans of the breed.
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English Bulldog Misconception and Inherited Problems in Bulldogs
When searching the web, I see many ads referring to Bulldogs that are 65-85 plus pounds, and I say to you to please refer to AKC standard. Do you think if I am 4 foot tall that I should weigh 200 lbs? Basically these breeders are saying this is OK."It is not" A bulldog should weigh between 40-60lbs. To better preserve the length of your dogs life, diet is very important. Please consider this tid bit of information. If a breeder is trying to sell you the fact that they have these obese dogs then I would have to say to you that they do not really care about the well being of their animals".
English Bulldog Fact or Fiction
Do all Bulldogs have to have respiratory issues? The answer is NO. I have English Bulldogs with Champion AKC pedigree's that can jump over 3 feet. A bulldog can lounge around, be your best friend and be a playful, healthy companion.Hip dysplasia: Hip dysplasia is a malformation of the hip joint resulting in a poor fit between the head of the femur bone and the hip socket, in which the femoral head normally lies. Please be advised that this is common in the breed. If your vet specializes in the Bulldog breed then they will know this, if not look out, because you are in for a lot of vet bills.
Luxating patella:This refers to a dislocation of the patella, the small, flat, moveable bone at the front of the knee.
Cherry eye: Cherry eye is a swelling of a gland in the inner eyelid. This is a common condition in Bulldogs and is usually treated by cutting the gland out if the swelling is a recurring problem.
Ingrown eyelashes: There are a few different names used for this condition. Due to the loose skin and folds on a Bulldog face, sometimes the eyelashes will cause irritation to your dogs eyes. If not taken care of, your dog can go blind.
Elongated soft palate: This occurs in Bulldogs and other short-faced breeds. It often results in some degree of obstruction of the dog's airway. In severe cases of elongated palate, the palate partially blocks the opening into the voice box. If your Bulldog begins to honk like a goose, puts his head back, and gasps for air, consult your Bulldog vet to see if he considers your Bulldog a candidate for surgery.
What about temperament?
Contrary to classic cartoon parodies and nicknames of the breed, such as 'Sour-Puss', that depicted the bulldog as ferocious and wearing a spiked dog collar, the bulldog is not a vicious dog breed and gets along well with humans, including children, and sometimes other dog breeds. The reputation of being ferocious was true during the days of bullbaiting, but the aggressive tendencies were bred out of them by the time of the Second World War. Bulldogs are very friendly and playful, whilst also being stubborn and protective.
Buying a Show Puppy
If you plan to show your puppy, you must first deal with a reputable breeder. The puppy's pedigree should include one or more champions in the first and second generation. You should be familiar with the breed and breed standard so you can know what qualities to look for in your puppy. The breeder's observations and recommendations also are invaluable aids in selecting your future champion.If you consider an older puppy, be sure that the puppy has been properly socialized with people and not isolated in a kennel without substantial daily human contact.
Meet the ParentsBecause puppies are a combination of genes inherited from both of their parents, they will reflect the qualities and temperament of their sire and dam. When visiting a litter of pups, spend time with the dam and observe her behavior with her puppies, the breeder and strangers. The sire should also be observed if on premises. There are a lot of scams on the Internet, and when buying a dog please do not go off a picture alone on dam and sire. Have the breeder show you a copy of pedigree showing ownership. Anyone can take a picture of a dog and say this is sire and this is the dam. Please be careful.
Male vs Female
Some People Believe That Female's are sweeter and more affectionate than Male's. My experience is that Male's are usually more affectionate, exuberant, and attentive as compared to Females. They seek your attention and are very attached to their people. They also tend to be more steadfast, reliable, and less moody. They are more outgoing, more accepting of other pets, and take quicker to children. The Female may be less likely to wage a dominance battle with you, but she can be cunning and resourceful in getting her own way. She is much more prone to mood swings. One day she may be sweet and affectionate the next day reserved and withdrawn or even grumpy. ( Sounds just like Human Females.HA! HA! )
Anyway, Most Females will usually come to you for attention, but as soon as she has had enough, she will move away. Males are always waiting for your attention and close by. Female's Can Be More Aggressive Than Male's. In the dog pack framework, Females usually rule the Roost.( Like All WOMEN Should, HA! HA! ) Therefore they determine pecking order, and compete to maintain and/or alter that order. The Females are, as a result, more independent, stubborn, and territorial than their Male counterparts. Most fights will usually break out between two Females. Some People Believe That Female's are easier to House Break than Male's. I Have Found That If You Crate Train & Use LOTS Of Praise For GOOD Behavior Then Both Sexes Are About The Same. They are easily motivated by Praise, and are very eager to please. NEUTERED Males rarely exhibit sexual behavior such as humping,or lifting their leg. Males that are NEUTERED at an EARLY AGE usually don't ever raise their leg to urinate.
Some of the behavioral traits that we have discussed above are a result of having multiple FurBabys In My House. In a household that only has one pet You may never experience these behaviors. In our opinion, Female's don't make better pets than Male's nor do Male's make better pets than Female's One has to understand the differences and decide which sex better suits their lifestyle. The other factor one should take into account is that Male's tend to bond to the Woman in the household and Female's bond to the Man in the household. If Jerry and I are sitting on the couch the Males are with Me and the Females are with Jerry. If I go into the other room the Males follow me and the Females stay with Jerry. We have talked to other breeders to see if they have experienced this same phenomenon and many have replied with stories of Women who have bought Female's for themselves only to have the Female bond with their Husband. Many of these Women end up buying a Male for themselves. I Hope That After Reading This It Will Help You Make The Right Decision. BOY OR GIRL???
Is an English Bulldogs a good pet for you?
English Bulldogs are not the best pets for everyone. This breed of dog can be very high maintenance and come with lots of vet bills. Please do your homework prior to buying one of these puppies. You will find a lot of scams when shopping on the Internet for Bulldogs ranging from $200-$1500, if it sounds to good to be true, then it is. All of our dogs are from Akc Champion pedigree and we have paid $2200-$5000 for the bullies we own. I get calls daily from people that just want a pet and all of our dogs are pets, but could be possible show prospect as well. When looking for a English Bulldog puppy, it is always good to see the parents. The parents can tell you a lot about what your puppy will look like and what kind of health or skin issues you have to look forward to. It is also important to talk to a live person on the phone and never conduct business by western union or email alone.
We hope this will help in your search for a forever loving and licking furry friend!
Bulldog Breed Standard
Non-Sporting GroupGeneral Appearance
The perfect Bulldog must be of medium size and smooth coat; with heavy, thick-set, low-swung body, massive short-faced head, wide shoulders and sturdy limbs. The general appearance and attitude should suggest great stability, vigor and strength. The disposition should be equable and kind, resolute and courageous (not vicious or aggressive), and demeanor should be pacific and dignified. These attributes should be countenanced by the expression and behavior.
Size, Proportion, Symmetry
- Size--The size for mature dogs is about 50 pounds; for mature bitches about 40 pounds.
- Proportion--The circumference of the skull in front of the ears should measure at least the height of the dog at the shoulders.
- Symmetry--The "points" should be well distributed and bear good relation one to the other, no feature being in such prominence from either excess or lack of quality that the animal appears deformed or ill-proportioned.
- Influence of Sex In comparison of specimens of different sex, due allowance should be made in favor of the bitches, which do not bear the characteristics of the breed to the same degree of perfection and grandeur as do the dogs.
Head
- Eyes and Eyelids--The eyes, seen from the front, should be situated low down in the skull, as far from the ears as possible, and their corners should be in a straight line at right angles with the stop. They should be quite in front of the head, as wide apart as possible, provided their outer corners are within the outline of the cheeks when viewed from the front. They should be quite round in form, of moderate size, neither sunken nor bulging, and in color should be very dark. The lids should cover the white of the eyeball, when the dog is looking directly forward, and the lid should show no "haw."
- Ears--The ears should be set high in the head, the front inner edge of each ear joining the outline of the skull at the top back corner of skull, so as to place them as wide apart, and as high, and as far from the eyes as possible. In size they should be small and thin. The shape termed "rose ear" is the most desirable. The rose ear folds inward at its back lower edge, the upper front edge curving over, outward and backward, showing part of the inside of the burr. (The ears should not be carried erect or prick-eared or buttoned and should never be cropped.)
- Skull--The skull should be very large, and in circumference, in front of the ears, should measure at least the height of the dog at the shoulders. Viewed from the front, it should appear very high from the corner of the lower jaw to the apex of the skull, and also very broad and square. Viewed at the side, the head should appear very high, and very short from the point of the nose to occiput. The forehead should be flat (not rounded or domed), neither too prominent nor overhanging the face.
- Cheeks--The cheeks should be well rounded, protruding sideways and outward beyond the eyes.
- Stop--The temples or frontal bones should be very well defined, broad, square and high, causing a hollow or groove between the eyes. This indentation, or stop, should be both broad and deep and extend up the middle of the forehead, dividing the head vertically, being traceable to the top of the skull.
- Face and Muzzle--The face, measured from the front of the cheekbone to the tip of the nose, should be extremely short, the muzzle being very short, broad, turned upward and very deep from the corner of the eye to the corner of the mouth.
- Nose--The nose should be large, broad and black, its tip set back deeply between the eyes. The distance from bottom of stop, between the eyes, to the tip of nose should be as short as possible and not exceed the length from the tip of nose to the edge of underlip. The nostrils should be wide, large and black, with a well-defined line between them. Any nose other than black is objectionable and a brown or liver-colored nose shall disqualify.
- Lips--The chops or "flews" should be thick, broad, pendant and very deep, completely overhanging the lower jaw at each side. They join the underlip in front and almost or quite cover the teeth, which should be scarcely noticeable when the mouth is closed.
- Bite--Jaws--The jaws should be massive, very broad, square and "undershot," the lower jaw projecting considerably in front of the upper jaw and turning up.
- Teeth-- The teeth should be large and strong, with the canine teeth or tusks wide apart, and the six small teeth in front, between the canines, in an even, level row.
Neck, Topline, Body
- Neck -- The neck should be short, very thick, deep and strong and well arched at the back.
- Topline -- There should be a slight fall in the back, close behind the shoulders (its lowest part), whence the spine should rise to the loins (the top of which should be higher than the top of the shoulders), thence curving again more suddenly to the tail, forming an arch (a very distinctive feature of the breed), termed "roach back" or, more correctly, "wheel-back."
- Body--The brisket and body should be very capacious, with full sides, well-rounded ribs and very deep from the shoulders down to its lowest part, where it joins the chest. It should be well let down between the shoulders and forelegs, giving the dog a broad, low, short-legged appearance.
- Chest--The chest should be very broad, deep and full.
- Underline--The body should be well ribbed up behind with the belly tucked up and not rotund. Back and Loin--The back should be short and strong, very broad at the shoulders and comparatively narrow at the loins.
- Tail--The tail may be either straight or "screwed" (but never curved or curly), and in any case must be short, hung low, with decided downward carriage, thick root and fine tip. If straight, the tail should be cylindrical and of uniform taper. If "screwed," the bends or kinks should be well defined, and they may be abrupt and even knotty, but no portion of the member should be elevated above the base or root.
Forequarters
- Shoulders--The shoulders should be muscular, very heavy, widespread and slanting outward, giving stability and great power.
- Forelegs--The forelegs should be short, very stout, straight and muscular, set wide apart, with well developed calves, presenting a bowed outline, but the bones of the legs should not be curved or bandy, nor the feet brought too close together.
- Elbows--The elbows should be low and stand well out and loose from the body.
- Feet-- The feet should be moderate in size, compact and firmly set. Toes compact, well split up, with high knuckles and very short stubby nails. The front feet may be straight or slightly out-turned.
Hindquarters
- Legs--The hind legs should be strong and muscular and longer than the forelegs, so as to elevate the loins above the shoulders. Hocks should be slightly bent and well let down, so as to give length and strength from the loins to hock. The lower leg should be short, straight and strong, with the stifles turned slightly outward and away from the body. The hocks are thereby made to approach each other, and the hind feet to turn outward.
- Feet--The feet should be moderate in size, compact and firmly set. Toes compact, well split up, with high knuckles and short stubby nails. The hind feet should be pointed well outward.
- Coat and Skin
- Coat--The coat should be straight, short, flat, close, of fine texture, smooth and glossy. (No fringe, feather or curl.)
- Skin--The skin should be soft and loose, especially at the head, neck and shoulders.
- Wrinkles and Dewlap--The head and face should be covered with heavy wrinkles, and at the throat, from jaw to chest, there should be two loose pendulous folds, forming the dewlap.
Color of Coat
The color of coat should be uniform, pure of its kind and brilliant. The various colors found in the breed are to be preferred in the following order: (1) red brindle, (2) all other brindles, (3) solid white, (4) solid red, fawn or fallow, (5) piebald, (6) inferior qualities of all the foregoing. Note: A perfect piebald is preferable to a muddy brindle or defective solid color. Solid black is very undesirable, but not so objectionable if occurring to a moderate degree in piebald patches. The brindles to be perfect should have a fine, even and equal distribution of the composite colors. In brindles and solid colors a small white patch on the chest is not considered detrimental. In piebalds the color patches should be well defined, of pure color and symmetrically distributed.
Gait
The style and carriage are peculiar, his gait being a loose-jointed, shuffling, sidewise motion, giving the characteristic "roll." The action must, however, be unrestrained, free and vigorous.
Temperament
The disposition should be equable and kind, resolute and courageous (not vicious or aggressive), and demeanor should be pacific and dignified. These attributes should be countenanced by the expression and behavior.