The English Bulldog

The English Bulldog should not be confused with the Olde English Bulldog.  Maybe also because of their outer appearance these dogs got a bad reputation from time to time. But the English Bulldog is a quite friendly dog, which has a very strong protective instinct. Here it is also particularly important to show the necessary consequence in the education.

However, the English Bulldog does not belong to those dogs which easily submit to their humans. They have their own thick skull, in the truest sense of the word. For this reason alone, this breed should only come into experienced hands, which are able to counteract the arbitrary decisions, which these dogs like to show.

Otherwise these quite massive looking dogs come along in different colors. They have an impressive appearance and this goes along with an absolute loyalty to their humans and a lot of courage.

Although the English Bulldogs have been discredited for a long time, they enjoy great popularity again, which led to increasing breeding numbers and so many children can be happy about an English Bulldog as a loyal and friendly companion.

The nature of the English Bulldog

The nature of the English Bulldog is a little difficult to describe. On the one hand, these dogs are very friendly to humans, they also like children very much and are very affectionate in dealing with them.

On the other hand it is however with the education such a thing. Although an English Bulldog knows to bind itself quite very closely to the human being, to this also faithfully is devoted, it cannot be counted, however, to the dogs which now put an unconditional obedience on the day.

An English Bulldog thinks absolutely nothing of giving in to total submission. To a certain degree, submission is not a problem for these dogs, but they still remain their own master. Therefore these dogs do not necessarily belong into inexperienced hands.

If one refrains from this fact, however, then one has a loyal and reliable companion who is characterized by a friendly nature and is equipped with a rather unfriendly appearance.

Bold, courageous, loyal and friendly, these are the attributes that best describe an English Bulldog. A rather massive appearance, which first of all inspires respect.
n fact, the English Bulldog is also a dog that shows a little skepticism towards strangers, especially when they approach their humans. However, the absolute boldness of these dogs is in the contact with its Artgenossen under circumstances already a small problem.
Above all, if the English Bulldog is held as family-dog and small children live in this, its protector-intict comes to the validity fully and completely.

The historical background of the English Bulldog

According to the opinions of various experts, the origin of these dogs could already be far before our era, namely in the 6th century B.C. At that time, Phoenicians, who traded with Britain, are said to have brought their Molossians, who had moved to Levant. These were then probably crossed with the Great Dane dogs of England.

Whether there was already a name for this result of the crossing at that time is not known. However, in the 13th century these dogs were called Bonddog (thus as tied up dogs) or also Bolddog (bold dogs).

The name of the English Bulldog came up only at the beginning of the 17th century. At this time, the English Bulldogs were used as so-called bull biters. They were therefore used purely for the fight against bulls. On this use also the breeding was intensified.

The dogs had to be aggressive, should have a short muzzle and a broad jaw. In addition also the nose should be further back, so that when they bit into the nose of a bull, they still got good air.

Interesting in this context are reports, after which these English bulldogs still fought bravely and courageously further also with broken front-legs or with a stomach slit by the bull.

If a dog did not bite the bull's nose during such a fight, but at another place, it was excluded from breeding and often this was its death sentence. After this fight, the bulls could be slaughtered by the butchers.

On this occasion the breeders of the English Bulldog let their own puppies train on the bull skull. Already the little ones bit themselves firmly in this and were prepared so for their later employment.

Later, one used the English bulldog also in order to sic them on other big animals. Also in the dog-fight itself, that came fast into fashion, they were used gladly. The dog fights were forbidden in England, however, already in the early 19th century, about 1835 completely and so also the English Bulldog went out of fashion. It was hardly to be found any more.

Only in the year 1864, when the English Bulldog Club was founded, at that time by the way the first breed club worldwide, one began to occupy oneself again intensively with the breeding of these dogs. Here one also went away from the character traits that a fighting dog needed and bred more towards the qualities as a family dog.

So a good-natured character and a portion of phlegmatism were the goal of this breeding. This was successful, but it is still the case that the calm nature of an English Bulldog only lasts as long as it doesn't encounter anything that it senses danger from. Then again the protector in her breaks through and here the dog can insist very energetically on his right to protect his humans at any price.

The colors of the English Bulldog

The medium sized dog breed can be bred in many different colors. For dog owners a wide range, which one can not quite overlook at first. As popular as this dog breed is, the demand for certain coat colors and structures is great.

With their friendly and yet very idiosyncratic nature, the little four-legged friends have quickly discovered the dog owners of this world for themselves. Hardly anyone can resist a Bulldog puppy. All the more lovable are the little four-legged friends.

With the selection of the suitable English Bulldog numerous fur colors can appear to the future dog owner.

Popular are among these special colorings:

•     Fawn
•     Red
•     Red and How
•     Kidz and white
•     Grey Brindle
•     Brindle and white
  

One more hint for all future owners. The dogs have a life expectancy of up to 10 years.

Which requirements does an English Bulldog

•     The English Bulldog basically wants to get an experienced guide through its human. It wants to live among its humans and not away from them.
•     However, the English Bulldog also wants to be worked accordingly. In order to divert their attention from other things which could impair their calm nature, a lot of mental work is needed with these dogs.
•     The English Bulldog has a very strong will of its own. This can be kept in check best by work. If one gives these dogs a task, they concentrate very conscientiously on it and not on the surroundings.
•     They are very faithful and are able to build up a very close relationship to their humans. This should be taken into account in any case. It needs consequence and love in connection with appropriate work. Movement and a utilization of the intelligence of these dogs is the optimal possibility.
•     Due to the fact that the English Bulldog is a very massive dog, which has an incredible amount of strength, it is of course also the case that a correspondingly strong human should be on the other end of the leash.

Weak, petite individuals would not be able to hold the English Bulldog in case of an emergency.

The English Bulldog and its health

Although the British Kennel Club has already set a new standard for the English Bulldog in 2009, where the main focus is on health, there is still a lot of things here that are due to irresponsible breeding.

•     Because of the strongly receding nose, the English Bulldog belongs of course also to the brachycephalic breeds. Accordingly, they are afflicted with more or less severe breathing problems, depending on their characteristics. This is also the reason why the English Bulldog is quite active and loves long walks, but is not at home in sports.
•     But besides that there are some more problems. Due to the intensive breeding selection on the very muscular appearance of these dogs, complications at birth are always occurring. Here a caesarean section is often unavoidable.
•     In addition, problems in fertility are not uncommon.  Although one would perhaps suspect it in such a breed, there are no major problems in the heart area.

The perfect person for an English Bulldog is...

•     Experienced, consistent and knows about the concerns and deficits of the English Bulldog.
•     He likes to go for long, leisurely walks and always has his dog well in view and under control.
•     Since the English Bulldog is quite active, its human should have a correspondingly large apartment, better still a house with garden.
•     Due to the breathing problems of this breed, their humans should not have any sporty ambitions, for the dog sport English Bulldogs are not suitable.
•     Since they are very strong anyway, one should pay attention also to the nutrition, since the English Bulldog can incline nevertheless fast times to predominance.
•     Otherwise the perfect person for an English Bulldog should want to spend as much time as possible with his dog, he should not object to extended cuddling hours.

Buy the puppies of the English Bulldog

Although the dogs are considered to be compact and can also carry the odd disease, breeders have their hands full. Everybody wants to welcome this lovely dog into their family. Basically everybody can buy an English Bulldog, because the animal can quickly find its way into new families.

The appearance is striking and will be kept that way in a breeding. The head seems to be very large in its proportions and also the weight is not to be ignored. A male dog can weigh up to 25 kg. A broad chest and a narrow backside are taken into account in breeding.

English Bulldog breeders pay attention to keep exactly these characteristics, if it concerns the pure breeding of the animals. It is recommended to buy the animal from an English Bulldog breeder. It is important to note that diseases cannot be excluded with these breeding forms. Especially often there are hip problems or allergies, these can not be avoided even with a breeding.

To get an English Bulldog from the shelter is another possibility. It is important to note that the animals have papers, are in good health and of course were bred according to the coat markings. Black is undesirable as coat color in the animals.

The Old English Bulldog

The Old English Bulldog is a special form, but it is recognized by the breeders association. The origin of this breed goes to America. There, the breeds described as OBD are considered to be back-breeding. These animals have some special characteristics, which are not known in the English Bulldog.

Among these characteristics are the longer nose and the much less wrinkling. In addition, the Old English Bulldog has a square head and longer limbs, which makes it look bigger. The front legs are closer to the body than in the normal Bulldog. The musculature is more pronounced.

The animals can reach a weight of up to 50 kg and a height of up to 50 cm. The animal appears larger and stronger than the English Bulldog in its entire appearance.

First equipment for the Bulldog

If one has decided as a dog owner or as a first owner for an English Bulldog, then it goes to the equipment. Of course a word should be lost also in addition. Especially interesting are food, dog bed and of course dog harness.

Food for English Bulldog

The food for the English Bulldog should be rich in vitamins and offer a good variety. It is important to avoid pork, because these animals do not tolerate pork. All other kinds of meat are completely harmless and can amount to 200 g of food per day.

The food can be supplemented with vegetables. And also 100 g of carbohydrates from rice or potatoes does not harm the animals on a day. The animal can get a mixed diet of wet and dry food without any further concerns.

Dishes for English Bulldog

If the gassirunde stands only on, one will notice fast that a collar and a leash usually do not arrive particularly well at the animal. Especially with a bulldog you sometimes have to control your temperament. Therefore a dog harness is recommended.

This should be made of a robust material and have soft insides so that the animal is not injured. It is also advisable to buy a harness that can be adjusted to the body shape. This way you avoid a too tight fit of the harness. Since the animals tend to skin problems very quickly, the harness must be well padded.

Dog bed for English Bulldog

The dog bed is another purchase, because you have to think very carefully. Since the animals are not so big, there is no need for a giant bed. It is enough one, in which the animal can feel well and has enough space. Please note that the animals only have small legs, so the bed should be easily accessible.

Conclusion

The English Bulldog is a friendly, faithful and loving dog, which comes along with a moderate temperament, but this can change abruptly if it thinks it is in danger.

It is not a dog for beginners, but likes to be at home in families, where it can watch the children and, of course, keep an eye on them.

Basically the English Bulldog can be counted to the dogs that need a lot of time, they do not only want to be busy but also want to be with their humans and love to cuddle over everything.