English Bulldog: Ugly Outside but Beautiful Inside
The ugliest for some and the most beautiful for others; opinion may vary but the fact still remains, the English Bulldog is one of the most well-received and well-loved pets around the world. This creature, despite of its short size, looks massive with its thick-set and low to the ground body. Despite its violent and bloody ancestry line, it is friendly, calm and gentle.
The breed may look odd for some people because it possesses short legs, a low hanging body and a wrinkly face. It has a coat that is short and smooth and which comes in shades of red brindle, solid white, solid red, fawn or fallow and piebald. Watching it walk, it manifests that rolling or sidewise motion most probably because of its loosely-jointed legs.
The English Bulldog’s ancestry traces back to the bull baiting days of 15th century England. During those times, bull baiting – a violent and barbaric killing game between a dog and a bull- was a favorite sport of royals and commoners. The dogs used for these games are the cross-breeds of the Mastiff breed, an enormous and brutal war dog, meaning these bull dogs too are unrelentingly vicious and fatal.
As bull baiting became illegal in England, these fighting dogs were transported to America and Germany and they helped with the inception of the Boxer breed. Meanwhile, the dogs that were left in England were bred with the pug dog and the result became the modern day English Bulldog. The cross-breed of the bulldog and pug dog was not violent at all and in fact, was only limited to dog shows if it ever was to join competitions.
This breed is docile but can be quite determined at times and extremely loyal to its human family. It is equable with other animals and is affectionate and excellent with kids, however, it is not an entirely energetic kind of dog. Truth is, the English Bulldog loves to laze around and just stay indoors.
When it is still a puppy, the English Bulldog is overflowing with energy but as it grows up, it becomes calm and lazy. Unlike other breeds that require a vigorous amount of exercise, the English Bulldog would rather stay indoors and play a little bit and sleep. Additionally, this dog also reacts to heat easily and so leaving them to deal with a hot temperature will likely damage them.
The English Bulldog is also prone to snoring and drooling and it looks funny when it does these all the time. Keeping them clean and tidy is also easy as you will only need a rough cloth for once in a while wiping. Do not let this dog over eat for it will completely forget about exercising.
It would also help him to have his fold and wrinkles powdered during hot weathers. Although the English Bulldog looks wrinkly and ugly, its attitude is far from it. It may come from the vicious and fatal dogs bloodline but it is completely different today for it is only sweet, gentle and affectionate to everyone.
April 30, 2009 under 
Dog Breeds (Articles)
Tags: animals, breed information, Dog Breeding, Dog Breeds (Articles), Dog Grooming, Dog Training, Dogs, english bulldog breeding, english bulldog grooming, english bulldog information, english bulldog training, Pets
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I have all types of breeds of dogs, but my favourite has to be the bulldog. they make a fantastic family pet.
Wow! It never ceases to amaze me when someone who actually BREEDS Bulldogs can no so little about them, and yet try to pass himself off as some kind of expert.
FACT: The modern Bulldog was NOT created by crossing Bulldogs with Pugs. It NEVER happened. Ever. Recent genetic testing by the American Kennel Club has PROVEN that this is a stupid myth. Period. Besides, the Bulldog existed 300 YEARS before the Pug was brought to the UK.
FACT: Bullbaiting was NEVER “…a violent and barbaric killing game between a dog and a bull.” The dog did NOT kill the bull. EVER. Can you imagine a dog capable of killing a 2000 lb bull???!!
FACT: The actual origin of the Bulldog is ancient. While some disagreement exists about whether their ancestors came from Rome or were already in place in Britain, the fact remains that they were simply a farm dog. In a land that had no cowboys, catching hogs and cattle was a chore for the family “catch dog.” Over centuries, short-muzzled, muscular, fearless dogs were bred that would catch and hold unruly livestock until the farmer could throw a rope around it to control it. Damaging valuable livestock was TOTALLY unacceptable, so these dogs were bred to hold, not crush. Most of the time, a bull would simply freeze when a catch dog grabbed him. Occasionally, there would be a fight between bull and bulldog, which amused some sick-minded individuals, and THAT is the origin of Bull-baiting.
FACT: When bull-baiting was rightfully abolished, the breed almost went extinct. Some dedicated and tireless individuals banded together to save the breed, but unfortunately the dogs became highly inbred. Bulldogs are among the MOST INBRED of all dog breeds, with the genetic equivalent of only 10 to 12 individuals represented across the entire breed! Modern breeders who “line-breed,” (which is a silly euphemism for inbreeding) do NOTHING to preserve genetic diversity and therefore the overall health of the breed. FOR EXAMPLE: The familiar ‘screw-tail’ so admired in purebred Bulldogs, is the result of intense inbreeding causing the gene for SPINA BIFIDA, and HEMI VERTEBRAE to become so entrenched in the gene pool that it is now impossible to produce a purebred Bulldog with a normal, pump-handle tail. In other words, a screw-tail is HIGHLY undesirable, and should have immediately been eliminated from this noble breed.
FACT: Breeders of modern bulldogs have rendered a once capable, athletic breed a characature of itself. Modern Bulldogs that win grand championships are bred promiscuously, yet are frequently incapable of going up or down a flight of stairs. They snore even when awake because their brachycephalic anatomy forces their soft palate into their nasopharyngeal area, causing them to live their ENTIRE LIVES IN RESPIRATORY DISTRESS! No wonder the average life span of a purebred Bulldog is only 7 years!
In closing, yes, Bulldogs are beautiful inside, but along with their wonderful temperments goes a truly horrendous plethora of health and genetic defects, the likes of which should make any animal lover blanch. Once a noble, courageous and fearless athlete, the modern Bulldog is a mass of problems. They are now couch-potatoes that constantly wheeze and gasp. It is a shame; a real shame.