Bull Dog Dog Breed Information
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Extravagant *
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Star
Superstar
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Rare
Easy to get
Introduction
Ever wonder what is common between Yale University, American Army and Marine Corps and a few popular rugby and football teams in Canada and US? Yep, it’s their Team Mascot!! These institutions and many more across the world have adopted the English Bulldogs as their team mascot and are absolutely proud of it! English Bulldogs, further referred to as Bulldogs, are extremely confident dogs and as a result they often land in trouble.
Extremely tenacious in nature, a Bulldog is a dog with a gruesome past - ancient Romans used Bulldogs in a bloody sport called Bull Baiting where the dogs would fight Bulls and won more than often. Despite their ferocious appearance, bulldogs today hardly resemble their ferocious ancestors.
One will be hard pressed to find a dog with a more loving and sweet disposition than a Bulldog. Bulldogs gained popularity amongst children after they were featured as the ferocious neighbour to Tom and Jerry in the cartoon series.
Today, popular celebrities such as Brad Pitt & Angelina Jolie, Jessica Biel, Adam Sandler, Olivia Wilde, Reese Witherspoon, Will Smith & Jada Pinkett Smith, David Beckham, Ozzy Osbourne, Pink, Fernando Torres, Michael Phelps, Vir Das, Gloria Estefan and Shemar Moore have kept British Bulldogs as their faithful companion.
If you are the owner of this breed or are planning to get one as a family pet, you are making a brave but inspiring decision. We bring to you some of the aspects that you will have to keep in mind when getting a Bulldog to help you understand the physical and temperamental built of this breed.
History
Bulldogs today are very different from their ferocious ancestors. Known to be a descendant of mastiff-type dogs, the Bulldog belonged to England.
In ancient Rome, Bulldogs were banned on the streets due to their ferocious and strong temperament. As early as the 13th century, these dogs earned their name from the ancient sport of bull baiting, which involved the dog using its force and fighting a bull.
Though, bull baiting was a process being followed to tenderise a bulls meat before it was slaughtered, so much so that in many towns in England, laws were developed that required the bulls to be baited before they were slaughtered. During the fight, the dog would hold on to the snout of the bull and try to bring it down, while a bull in its defence would try to haul the dog using its horns.
In late 1835, bull baiting was outlawed in England and this caused a worry amongst many who were admirers of this powerful and persistent breed. A few collaborated to save the breed and for the benefit of the dog and later its owners, worked towards re-engineering the breed altogether.
Breeders were careful to only select and breed the dogs that had a sweet and gentle temperament. In 1859 breeders started showing Bulldogs in various competitive dog shows and so the trend began.
In 1886, Bulldogs were registered with the American Kennel Club and recognised a Bulldog as a breed in 1890. In present times, Bulldogs rank as the 5th most popular purebred dog in the United States of America, a tribute to the dogs credentials as a perfect companion.
During the World War 2, Bulldogs were also called the Churchill Dogs as they exemplified courage and the strenght of England. To this day, Bulldogs remain the National Dog of England.
Unique Aspects
As adorable they may appear, Bulldogs are an extremely heavy and powerful dogs. Their heavy body and short legs do not make them suitable for swimming, so as a pet parent to a Bulldog, please do not drop them in a pool as they would drown like a stone! Unlike other dog breeds, Bulldogs face a lot of problem when giving birth as they have very tight rears.
Due to their shape, Bulldogs are unable to give birth to puppies without medical assistance, and generally cesarean surgeries have to be done.Another unique aspect of a Bulldog is that they do not breath from their noses but through their mouths due to their brachycephalic skull.
While breathing they gulp a lot of air and as a result they tend to fart a lot. So if you are not particularly comfortable with smelly rooms and loud farting noises ever so often, a bulldog is definitely not your choice of dog.
Fun Trivia
Bulldog is one of the famous breed for mascots around the world. They are the mascots for the Marine Corps in UK and at present have 39 American universities that use them as mascots.
In addition to this their fun stature and even temperament have made them a part of various movies and caught the fancies of celebrities the world over.
Movie character
The Bulldog is known for its comical looks. Though it might look temperamental to some with its undershot jaw on the contrary is one of the most loveable pets around.
This is one of the prime reasons and these pets have got such widespread screen presence. The most famous bulldog of all times is Spike from Tom and Jerry something we all remember from our childhood.
In addition to this it has also featured in movies like ‘Little Nicky’.
Celebrity Bulldog owners
Bulldog seems to be one of the favorite breeds in the celebrity world at the moment. There is a prolific list of celebrities that have them as pets.
This includes Hollywood superstars Brad Pitt, Reese Witherspoon, Adam Sandler, Pink, Olivia Wilde, Joe Jonas. Along with this sports superstar David Beckham and Michael Phelps also own this adorable pooch.
Closer home comedian and actor Vir Das is the proud owner of English Bulldog.
Vital Stats:
Dog Breed Group: Utility Dogs
Height: 12-16 Inches
Weight: 22-25 Kg
Life Span: 7 to 8 years
Pros
- Fun and comical looks
- Excellent with family and children
- Perfect for apartment living
Cons
- Lot of health issues
- Need to keep the wrinkles clean
- Complications in breeding
