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Bulldog

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Bulldog
Other namesBritish Bulldog
English Bulldog
OriginUnited Kingdom i
Kennel club standards
Fédération Cynologique Internationale standard
Dog (domestic dog)

A Bulldog, colloquially known as the British Bulldog, or English Bulldog, is a type of dog which traces its ancestry to England. It should not be confused with other varieties such as the American Bulldog or the French Bulldog, which has a similar appearance.

Description

Appearance

Purebred 6 month-old puppy from AKC Champion bloodlines

The bulldog is a stocky breed with characteristically broad shoulders and a matching wide head.

There are generally thick folds of skin on a bulldog's brow, followed by round, dark, far apart eyes, a short muzzle, drooping lips, and an infamous underbite.

Bulldogs come in a variety of colors and ideally have a smooth, short coat. The colors, in order of desirability, are brindle (especially red brindle), red (similar to a chestnut horse), white, and fawn (often with white markings on any color, or piebald). The prime disqualifier for the breed in the show ring is a pale or liver-colored nose (although black-coated bulldogs are not preferred, and many judges will dismiss a bulldog lacking an underbite).

In the US, the size of a typical mature male is about 50 pounds and that for mature females is about 40 pounds. In the [United Kingdom], the breed standard is 55 pounds for a male and 50 pounds for a female, though it is not uncommon for males to be 70 pounds.

While some canine breeds require their tails to be cut or "cropped" soon after birth, bulldogs are one of very few breeds whose tail is naturally short and curled. A longer or "gay" tail is a serious fault in a show bulldog.

Health

A bulldog's skull - notice the characteristic underbite (technically called mandibular prognathism)
Adult female bulldog with underbite

The bulldog's unique traits sometimes contribute to specific health issues. Breathing problems can be prevalent in the breed due to the shape and the shortness of its muzzle. Most noticeably, bulldogs are known to snore loudly.

Some individuals of this breed are prone to interdigital cysts, which are cysts that form between the toes. These cause the dog some discomfort, but are treatable either by vet or an experienced owner.

Other problems can include cherry eye, a protrusion of the inner eyelid (which can be corrected by a veterinarian), certain allergies, and hip issues in older bulldogs. However, bulldogs are bred to be bowlegged in the hindlegs and thus do not usually develop hip dysplasia.

Puppies are frequently delivered by Caesarean section because their characteristically large heads can become lodged in the mother's birth canal during natural birth. However, it is not entirely uncommon for a bulldog to whelp naturally and successfully.

The folds or "rope" on a Bulldog's face should be cleaned daily to avoid unwanted infections caused by moisture accumulation.

Like all dogs, bulldogs require daily exercise. If not properly exercised it is possible for a bulldog to become overweight, which could lead to heart and lung problems, as well as joint issues such as Roxy.

Bulldogs are extremely sensitive to heat. Extra caution should be practiced in warmer climates and during summer months. Bulldogs must be given plenty of shade and water, and must be kept out of standing heat.

Bulldogs naturally curling tails can be so tight to the body that it requires regular cleaning and maintenance.

In January 2009, after the BBC documentary Pedigree Dogs Exposed, the The Kennel Club introduced revised breed standards for the British Bulldog, along with 209 other breeds, to address health concerns. Opposed by the British Bulldog Breed Council, it was speculated by the press that the changes would lead to a smaller head, less skin folds, a longer muzzle, and a taller thinner posture, in order to combat perceived problems with respiration and with breeding due to head size and posture.[1]

History

The term "bulldog" was first used around 1568 and might have been applied to other various ancestors of modern bulldog breeds before adorning the breed we recognize today.

It has been theorized that bulldogs were bred in England as a cross between the Mastiff and the Pug, though their genetic origin is debated[2]. Since the pug did not arrive in Europe until the late 16th century, it is unlikely that the breed is an original progenitor of the Bulldog. The Bulldog and the Mastiff are widely thought to have common roots in the ancient Pugnaces Britanniae of Great Britain[3].

In the 1600s, bulldogs were used for bullbaiting (as well as bearbaiting)--a gambling sport popular in the 17th century with wagers laid while trained bulldogs leapt at a bull lashed to a post. The bulldog's typical means of attack included latching onto the animal's snout and attempted to suffocate it.[4]

However, the bulldog's early role was not limited to sport. In mid-17th century New York, bulldogs were used as a part of a city-wide round-up effort led by governor Richard Nicolls. Because cornering and leading wild bulls was dangerous, bulldogs were trained to seize a bull by its nose long enough for a rope to be secured around its neck. [5]. The use of dogs for fighting with other dogs or other animals was banned in the United Kingdom by the Cruelty to Animals Act 1835, but Bulldogs as pets were continually promoted by dog dealer Bill George[6].

In time, the original Old English Bulldog was crossed with the pug. The outcome was a shorter, wider dog with a brachycephalic skull. Though today's bulldog looks tough, he cannot perform the job he was originally created for, as he cannot withstand the rigors of running and being thrown from a bull, and cannot grip with such a short muzzle.

Champion Rodney Stone.

The oldest single breed specialty club is The Bulldog Club (England), which was formed in 1878. Members of this club met frequently at the Blue Post pub on Oxford Street in London. There they wrote the first standard of perfection for the breed. In 1891 the two top bulldogs, Orry and Dockleaf, competed in a contest to see which dog could walk the farthest. Orry was reminiscent of the orginal 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 was more fit to perform, the modern version’s looks won over the fans of the breed because they proved they were equally as fit and athletic in the walking competition.

At the turn of the 20th century, Ch. Rodney Stone became the first Bulldog to command a price of $5000 when he was bought by controversial Irish-American political figure Richard Croker.

Because of its tenacity, the bulldog is the official symbol of England and unofficial in the United Kingdom.[citation needed] The breed is also the official mascot of the United States Marine Corps and many bases have their own mascot on base. The bulldog is a common mascot for many universities and schools such as Barton College, Yale University, Georgetown University, Drake University, California State University, Fresno, University of Minnesota Duluth, The Citadel, the University of Georgia, Mississippi State University, Butler University, Gonzaga University, Louisiana Tech University University Of Redlands, Dean College, and Western Bulldogs.

Bulldogs have been widely featured in popular culture. In several cases they are portrayed as bullies; children will say a bulldog looks "tough", but in fact modern bulldogs' temperament is very social and lovable.

See also

References

  1. ^ Valerie Elliott (14 January 2009). "Healthier new bulldog will lose its Churchillian jowl". The Times. Retrieved 14 January 2009. The classic British bulldog...shake-up of breeding standards by the Kennel Club has signalled the end of the dog's Churchillian jowl...will have a shrunken face, a sunken nose, longer legs and a leaner body...British Bulldog Breed Council and it is threatening legal action against the club. Robin Searle, the chairman, said: "What you'll get is a completely different dog, not a British bulldog." New breeding standards for 209 dog species...after...BBC One documentary, Pedigree Dogs Exposed, last summer...In a statement [the Kennel Club] said: "The breed standards have been revised so they will not include anything that could in any way be interpreted as encouraging features that might prevent a dog breathing, walking and seeing freely."...Bulldogs are prone to skin and coat problems, cherry eye, respiratory disorders, orthopaedic conditions, and soft or cleft palate. Most are born by Caesarean section because large heads and proportionally small hips make natural births difficult. The breed's anatomy also hinders mating, with many litters conceived via artificial insemination.
  2. ^ Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary 11th edition. 2003.
  3. ^ The History of the Mastiff, M.B.Wynn, 1885. William Loxley.
  4. ^ Fogle, Bruce (2000). The New Encyclopedia of the Dog. Doring Kindersley (DK). ISBN 0-7894-6130-7.
  5. ^ Ellis, Edward Robb (2005). The Epic of New York City - A Narrative History. Basic Books, New York. ISBN 978-0-7867-1436-0.
  6. ^ The Mastiff and Bullmastiff Handbook, D.B.Oliff, 1988. The Boswell Press.

Bulldog rescue

Country Rescue
Canada - Ontario Ontario English Bulldog Rescue
Canada - British Columbia and Alberta Cascade Bulldog Rescue
United Kingdom The Bulldog Rescue and Rehoming Trust
United States - National The Bulldog Club of America Rescue Network
United States - California San Diego Bulldog Rescue
United States - California Southern California Bulldog Rescue
United States - Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, Alaska Cascade Bulldog Rescue
United States - Texas South East Texas Bulldog Rescue
United States - Tennessee, Kentucky, Alabama Smokey Mountains Bulldog Rescue
United States - New Jersey HeavenSent Bulldog Rescue
United States - New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware & Maryland MidAtlantic Bulldog Rescue
United States - New York and Long Island Long Island Bulldog Rescue
United States - Florida Buddies Through Bullies
United States - Georgia Georgia English Bulldog Rescue
United States - Washington D.C., Virginia, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina On the Rebound Bulldog Rescue

Breed Information

General bulldog information