The Bulldog no mistaking this breed for anything else. England and the US Marines have the bulldog in common to represent toughness. Originally bred for Bull-baiting, these dogs only resemble their ancestors in appearance, not in temperament. They are very loving and sweet dogs.
They are small but muscular dogs; they are affectionate and kind to the family. They are as tough as you would expect them to be, but they are also calm and rarely aggressive. They can be stubborn but they love their family and will always protect them. They would love to be lap dogs if allowed and are often heard snoring.
They make great family pets and are fantastic with children, they are playful, but they have their limits and love to laze around if allowed; this can also lead to weight problems, so they need to be kept active. Perfectly happy to be a flat or apartment dog.
They usually love strangers, but they will keep watch and alert you to any dangers approaching. An intruder may think twice with one of these around, as they will protect you at all costs.
This is a lazy calm dog, but as with all Bull breeds probably best kept as the only dog and would need to be watched around the same sex. Cats may be OK if brought up with them, they aren’t big chasers, but sometimes they will try.
They aren’t the most intelligent of breeds, but they can be trained well as long as you have plenty of time and patience and discover their motivation reward early on, usually food!
They are prone to breathing problems, which can lead to costly operations beware that years of breeding have made them an expensive breed to keep and breed.
They have short hair but still shed all year round, weekly or daily brushing should keep it under control. They are likely to be big droolers, so make sure this is something you can cope with.
Bull Dog Stats
Bulldogs – a breed developed from Mastiffs and which acquired their name about 1630 – were also used to bait bears and badgers. The tremendous up-swept jaw, with a broad nose set back almost between the eyes, was developed so that the Bulldog could breathe while hanging on to its unfortunate opponent’s neck. Horrifying accounts relate to the animal’s courage and tenacity in the bullring. They were originally bred for the sport of bull baiting, which was popular in England for more than 700 years before it was made illegal in 1850.
- Size – 30cm –38cm
- Weight – 20kg – 25kg
- They live for 8-10 years