| Training | |
| Sensitivity to strangers | |
| Affection for family | |
| Suitable for first-time owners | |
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The English Bulldog is probably the most famous breed among the different types of Bulldogs. Let’s find out more about one of the most iconic dogs on the planet.
Let’s begin with a premise: the generic term Bulldog indicates a varied list of dog breeds. Today we will analyze the English Bulldog, the most common and famous breed of all.
In addition, there also exist the French Bulldog, which is the smallest breed; the American Bulldog, very similar to the American Pit Bull Terrier; the Bullenbeisser, Germanic version of the Bulldog, the ancestor of the Boxer and the Great Dane; and the Old English Bulldog, the archetypal breed, now extinct, from which all Bulldogs have evolved.
As mentioned before, we will focus mainly on the English Bulldog, the most common and famous breed.
English Bulldog: Origins
Originally British, the English Bulldog was born as a dog to be used for bull fighting, but truth is he doesn’t like violence or brutality at all.
This family member barks, from time to time, not only to be caressed and pampered. No, he’s a dog that smiles at you and, if you talk to him he’ll answer back convinced with his spectacular snore. He knows how to be a watchdog but if you play with him, much better. This dog wants to be with his family, he doesn’t tolerate loneliness and wants to be surrounded by affection.
The English Bulldog is one of those special dogs that only one hour after you’ve taken him home, you might already have fallen for him and vice versa. He has a pushed-in nose and a furrowed brow that give him the aspect of a brusque and a bit rude dog. He can be really serious and determined but he’s actually a very vigorous and happy dog, full of great joy of living.
He’s appropriate for every type of owner because he can adapt to life in small apartments, he’s very loving to kids and very calm. However, you must be careful during the warm season since heat is often a death cause for this wonderful canine breed.
The English Bulldog is part of the Molosser group of dogs, born in Great Britain. Since the beginning of the 19th century, he was bred to be used in fights against bulls. This fighter, full of courage and audacity has become the symbol of Great Britain over the years. Only a few dogs have such marked physical characteristics, all these peculiarities make him one of the most recognizable dogs in the world.
Some history of the Bulldog
There’s no doubt that the origin of the English Bulldog and his selection are closely connected to the fights between dogs and bulls. According to tradition, the main goal of these fights was to improve the meat of the bull, which turned to be more tender and tastier if he ran before being killed.
Fights between dogs and bulls, called bull-baiting, were initially performed by butchers who used Mastiffs, strong and brave enough as to resist the strength of the bulls. Later, however, it became a fun activity to watch and it turned into a real sporting event.
At that time, though, when the nobility reserved the exclusive use of the Mastiffs for themselves and, through forest laws, every Mastiff belonging to common citizens had three toes of their front paws amputated, bull-baiting was organized using smaller dogs that were equally combative and thus, Bulldogs were born.
In 1835, when the British parliament banned bull-baiting, the Bulldog breeding was abandoned gradually. Some specimens were used for dogs fights that, even if they were banned, were easier to organize. But Bulldogs weren’t very suitable for this sport.
For this reason, in the middle of the 19th century, the Bulldog was almost extinguished. In 1860, though, he participated in the exhibition at Birmingham and then at London in 1864 and he had great success which led to some English Bulldog breeders and passionates to found a club dedicated to this wonderful breed.
Currently, this canine breed is recognized by the AKC and the FCI (World Canine Organization) with the 149 standard.
English Bulldog: Characteristics
The English Bulldog is a medium-size dog. He’s small but wide and very robust. His head is massive and broad. His forehead is flat. The skin of his forehead and head is loose and wrinkled. His body has the so called “pear” shape, being the front part wider than the back part.
His face is short and his snout wide, square and turned upward which gives him a very nice aspect. His nose is big and black. His legs are strong, muscular and athletic.
Females are smaller than males. Male English Bulldogs are about 16 inches tall at the withers and weigh 55 lb approximately. Females, on the other hand, are about 15 inches tall at the withers and weight 51 lb approximately.
Eyes are situated low down in the skull as far as possible. They are round in shape, of moderate size. In color, they are dark brown, almost black.
Ears are united high in the head, they are small and thin. They have the so called “rose ears” shape with the inner folds disposed inward and the upper edge curved outward and backward.
The tail is united low and bent downward. It is round, straight, thick in the base and it narrows into a thin end. The hair is fine textured and short and the coat should have a solid color, being black in the muzzle or snout. Colors are beige and white.
But How Long Does the English Bulldog Live?
This dog suffers from heat, so you must be careful, especially during summer, of not exposing him to heavy efforts. Heat is one of the main death causes because this is a brachycephalic breed, that means they have a flat snout which makes it difficult to breath.
The average life of an English Bulldog is around 10 years, but if he’s well fed and gets some daily exercise that allows him to increase his breath capacity, he can easily exceed 13 years. He’s a difficult dog to breed since puppies are generally born by caesarean section due to the skull and body size.
English Bulldog: Temperament
Bulldogs are calm even if they were born as bull fighters. They’re tolerant with everyone, whether they’re kids or strangers. Nevertheless, since they have quite a strong temperament, relations with other male dogs might not always be peaceful.
He’s a companion dog and he adapts to life in small apartments, but he’s not a dog you can leave alone for long hours as he would be really affected becoming apathetic and sad.
The English Bulldog is affectionate and he loves to be caressed. He’s a dog that needs to be surrounded by care and bred with lots of sweetness. He looks for man’s affection constantly and he cannot take brutality.
This can also be considered a nice paradox for this fantastic breed that, as said before, was born as a fight breed.
He’s always attentive to everything that happens around and he’s very sensitive. If he’s unjustly reprimanded, he’ll stay worried all day. He has a serious and scowling look but it’s actually full of vitality. It might even happen with no apparent reason that he lays face down and falls asleep happily. Yes, because he’s also a great sleeper.
He has a great sense of humor and he can play the clown while having a lot of fun with his family, but he can also be serious when circumstances request so. With the presence of strangers, he will become determined and alert but if that stranger is welcome by his family then he will immediately become friendly.
English Bulldog: Health and Feeding
This breed has a high pain threshold and thus they tend not to show their health problems. However, there is no particular pathology found other than those that affect all dogs.
Therefore, you should pay attention to the presence of fleas, ticks and parasites that could also cause dermatitis. For this reason, it is good to brush him frequently besides giving him a complete wash from time to time but not too often.
Regarding his diet, the English Bulldog needs a well-balanced diet, otherwise he might have obesity problems.
English Bulldog: Relation to Kids
He’s considered one of the most patient and kind dogs with kids, capable of measuring his strength perfectly. He’s a quiet dog and he only barks if there’s a reason. The English Bulldog will follow kids all around the house and he’s considered the ideal dog for those in search of a calm four legged companion.
A wonderful characteristic of the English Bulldog is his expressiveness and his desire to interact with his family. He’s a dog that wants to be close to humans and if it’s in their arms, much better.
If you talk to him, he’ll answer back with his snore. He will smile at you and even if he pretends to be a watchdog, if he likes someone, no matter whom that is, he’ll start playing with them.
The English Bulldog is a bit like a human but with four legs and a tail.
English Bulldog: Puppies and Breeding Establishments
In the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom there are specialized and registered breeders but you can also find your Bulldog in Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, Scotland, India and South Africa. They are scattered so you shouldn’t have any particular trouble in finding a Bulldog puppy.
English Bulldog: Price
Regarding the price of an English Bulldog puppy, it goes around 1200-1600 dollars and 1000-1400 English pounds.
You should only trust the certified breeding establishments that can provide all the necessary documents together with the pedigree of the specimen that allows you to verify the purity of the dog breed. An animal with its pedigree has certain characteristics, typical of its breed, that will differentiate it from the rest.
English Bulldog: Breeders and Puppies For Sale
It is fundamental that you buy from a trusting breeder so that you can be sure that your puppy has been:
- Bred to have good health and temperament;
- Well chosen (his parents were chosen with no genetic diseases);
- Properly socialized so that he’s not too scary or too aggressive;
- Vaccinated and well taken care of.
Besides, if you adopt a puppy, the trusting breeder will give you a veterinary certificate that indicates that the animal is being delivered dewormed and completely healthy.
Now that we’ve cleared up all the most important aspects you can go for your new four legged friend that will be surely waiting for you.
You may be interested in reading another article related to other dog breeds such as:
- French Bulldog
- Jack Russell Terrier
- Poodle
- Beagle
- Borador
- Australian Cattle Dog
- Boston Terrier
- English Bulldog
