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English Bulldogs have been the constant companions of our family for many years. The following will give you a short description of these unusual characters. The page 'Our Dogs' contains some photos.
Origin The temperament of the present-day Bulldog is greatly different from that of its ancestors. The breed derives from the ancient Asian Mastiff and the Alaunt which was brought to England by warring tribes in the 5th century AD and was bred exclusively there. The name Bulldog can be traced back to a medieval origin. It does not refer merely to the bullish, robust appearance but rather to its earlier function as a brave fighter of bulls. Fortunately animal fights were made illegal in England as early as 1835. DESCRIPTION The Bulldog is not very tall but broad and compact with a thick skull. The upper head and face are wrinkled. Its snout is short and compressed, its nose wide, black and with large nostrils. The upper chops or “flews” are wide and pendant. They overhang the upward curving lower jaw completely. The teeth should not be visible when the muzzle is closed. The eyes are round, wide apart, open and very dark. The ears are small and folded in the form of a rose petal. The correct tail is hung low and short and with a straight downward turn. The coat can be in all possible colours e.g. white, fallow, red-brindle etc. and combinations of these colours. Black is however not permitted, except for the mask and muzzle. The thick loose skin forms a dewlap. The chest is wide and deep. The front limbs are wide apart, straight, sturdy, muscular and shorter than the well angulated hind limbs. A typical characteristic of the Bulldog is its rolling gait. Incidentally, contrary to general belief, the Bulldog does not slobber. TEMPERAMENT The Bulldog is very reliable and although its appearance suggests otherwise, it is an extremely placid dog. In general it is reputed to be quiet, obedient and intelligent and is normally very gentle with children. Its courage and fearlessness makes it a guard dog to be reckoned with. A Bulldog always seeks the close proximity of people and demands attention, which it clearly enjoys. It is primarily friendly towards strangers and only becomes distrustful if it senses that its master is unsure. SIZE AND WEIGHT The height of the Bulldog’s withers is between 39 and 41 cm. The standard specifies a weight of 25 kg (55lbs.) for male dogs and 22.7 kg (50 lbs.) for bitches. HEALTH PROBLEMS For some years now many serious breeders have been doing their utmost to correct the over breeding prevalent in the seventies and eighties. When selecting for breeding they put a strong emphasis on parent animals which are not too stocky or overweight, have no breathing problems and have been born without Caesarean section. The aim is to once again breed slightly lighter, sportier Bulldogs which nevertheless possess the character and appearance typical of this breed. We would like to mention in this connection that audible panting does not necessary mean shortness of breath. The short nose and throat of the Bulldog cause noisy breathing and naturally also the snoring sound in a resting position. LIVING CONDITIONS AND EXERCISE As the Bulldog is a docile dog which doesn’t bark too much, it can also be kept in a flat without any difficult. During hot weather care should be taken that it can always find a shady place, although now and again it also enjoys roasting in direct sunlight. In cold weather it should be kept moving as it will easily start to shiver because of its short coat, above all if it is wet. It is a myth that the Bulldog doesn’t like to be active. If accustomed from an early age, it will go on daily walks of one to two hours without any problem. However, it will mostly be the one to set the pace. During hot weather periods its programme of walks must be carried out in the early morning or later in the evening. CARE The soft, short, fine coat is easy to look after; a daily brush is enough. Apart from the normal annual molting, the Bulldog loses very little hair. A bath can prove to be necessary occasionally. The folds on its face require a little checking and should be wiped out with a paper tissue and possibly creamed when necessary. Its paws need some attention because Bulldogs – as is increasingly the case with other breeds – are prone to eczema between the toes. FOR WHOM IS THE BULLDOG THE BEST COMPANION? Bulldogs are suitable for both individual owners and families, with or without children. They are super for people who don’t want a “doggy” dog but wish to have a real character around. They are not keen on taking a back seat in their owner’s life but love to be centre stage. If this close contact to people is lacking, the unbelievable extremes in their character, which make up a large part of the charm of this breed, are not brought out to the full. On account of their muscular build and strength, people who wish to own a Bulldog must be strong enough to hold them when they are on the leash. The Bulldog’s stability and spurting speed are generally underestimated. A Bulldog demands a lot of time and affection from its owner. Being ordered around by a harsh, intimidating voice, doesn’t suit it at all. However, it happily obeys if it is lovingly given firm commands which it can understand and accept – this sometimes takes a little while, however…. If you wish to have a companion who will stick with you through thick and thin, who worships and adores you, who amuses you with its funny whims in the most impossible situations, who simply lies motionless at your feet when you haven’t got any time for it and always finds a plausible reason why it is impossible just at that moment to follow your wishes or commands – then a Bulldog is most probably just the dog for you. However, the desire to own an unusual dog will never be enough to do full justice to this animal. |
