Dog: Bulldog - Characteristics, Personality, Coexistence, History, Appearance, Health, Photo, Video, Dog Breed

Characteristics and personality of the English bulldog dog breed

They are typically low resistance dogs, have a sweet disposition, are predictable, reliable and excellent with children and only need moderate exercise.

The English bulldog at a glance

Wrinkles on the English bulldog's face should be cleaned regularly to avoid skin infections.

Size:

Weight range:

Males: 25 kg

Females: 23 kg

Height at the withers:

Males: 40 cm

Females: 37 cm

Characteristics:

Thick neck, brachiocephalic (flat face), many wrinkles

Expectations:

Energy level: relaxed

Life expectancy: 8 - 10 years

Tendency to drool: high

Tendency to snore: high

Tendency to bark: low

Tendency to Dig: Low

Attention need / Socialization: moderate

Hair:

Length: short

Features: smooth

Colors: tabby (subtle "tiger stripes" effect), pinto, red, fawn, or solid white

Need for general cleanliness: low

Club recognition:

Royal Canine Society of Spain (RSCE): Companion Dogs

United Kennel Club (UKC): Companion Dog

Frequency: common

The English bulldog is a stocky little mass whose characteristic crab gaits are brimming with strength, stability, and vigor.

The dog's head is large and spherical, and the muzzle is extremely short, giving the face a flattened appearance. The eyes of the English bulldog are dark and low and separated on the forehead in the frontal plane. The truffle is black and slightly upturned. The jaws are huge, wide, and under-pregnant. The lower jaw protrudes from the upper jaw and barely exposes the lower incisors, causing a comical grimace. The lips are plump and hanging. The cheeks are well rounded and protrude sideways. The ears are thin, small, and tilt forward like flaps that frame the forehead.

The English bulldog's neck is short and thick; the shoulders are huge, muscular and broad. The chest is deep; the back is cylindrical in shape and slightly arched. His rounded hips protrude slightly above the level of his back. The stumpy tail is thick and straight or coiled. Its short and robust legs are well muscled. They are spread apart and slightly arched at the elbows and hocks to shape a firm, broad-based stance.

The English bulldog is about 40 cm. The female weighs approximately 23 kg, and the male about 25 kg.

Her skin is loose and hanging with intense wrinkles and thick folds on her face and a double chin that hangs from her throat. The hair is short and has a fine texture. The different color patterns are brindle, pinto and white, red, tawny or fallow solid.

Personality

The English bulldog has a sweet and docile disposition. He is a wonderful family pet and loves to almost all children. This people-centered breed actively demands our attention.

However, they have retained the original bravery of their breeding for bull fighting, making them good guard dogs. Although they usually get along well with other pets in the family, English bulldogs can be aggressive towards unfamiliar dogs.

Coexistence

English bulldogs make good floor pets and don't need a yard. These dogs, with their characteristic low resistance, only need a moderate amount of exercise. They feel better in temperate climates; they quickly overheat and experience breathing difficulties in hot weather, and they quickly catch colds in cold temperatures.

English bulldogs, which usually breathe noisily, tend to snore and wheeze. Many also drool. His mounting is moderate and his short hair requires little grooming, however, the wrinkles on his face should be cleaned regularly to avoid skin infections.

History

Christened for its use in the sport of bull fighting, the English bulldog apparently developed in the British Isles prior to the 13th century. One of the few references that exist about this sport dates back to 1209, and speaks of the dog of a butcher who was chasing a bull through the English city of Stamford. The chase liked the count of the city so much that he started bull fighting as a sport in his domain.

Today, the English bulldog is a good family pet. The AKC (American Kennel Club) recognizes this breed simply as a bulldog.

History

Old bulldog, 1790

The term bulldog was first cited around the year 1500 in a letter requesting the dispatch of "two good bulldogs." The term "Bull-dog" derives from the function in which dogs of this type were used, that is, for the guard and control of wild cattle and fighting with bulls for entertainment.

There are many theories about the origin of the original bulldog. Some authors report that the old bulldog was related to the German bulldog (bullenbeisser), English mastiff, Spanish bulldog and other dogs of the type, and was therefore more a descendant of the Alano dog.

Another theory speculates that its origin is in the «ancient African dog, kelb thal gliet, or Maltese bull dog: a breed imported to England, which crossed with ancient mastiffs gave rise to the old English bulldog.

The bulldog of yesteryear was lighter and more boxer-like than today's stocky bulldog; it was a purely sporty animal. It was used in the creation of other breeds such as: bullmastiff, boxer, bull terrier and some hounds such as the old type beagle. As a fighting dog it was an animal that only accepted the challenge of larger animals such as bears, bulls and even lions.

The origin of the name is due to the fact that it is a butcher's dog, that is, its function was to make the bulls run, believing that their meat was softer. Although it is probably a deformation of the name Band dog or «dog fierce».

Old bulldogs are quite different from the current one. The breed was modified through crosses with other breeds such as the pug or carlino; breed from which the bulldog inherited its flattened muzzle as well as its plump musculature.

Ancient bulldogs were varied-looking dogs, sometimes long-nosed dogs of all colors. It must be taken into account that the old bulldog was a work animal, for which reason great importance was given to character.

The origins of the English bulldog go back, like all molossians, to the Tibetan mastiff, which spread throughout the world thanks to the Phoenician sailors. In present-day Britain, the Tibetan mastiff crossed with local dogs gave rise to a dog that could be compared to a mastiff today and that was used to fight against the Romans when, in the year 55 a. C., tried to invade for the first time the British Isles.

The courage, physical power and resistance to pain manifested by these dogs so impressed the Romans that some of them were taken to Rome to fight in the arena against bears and lions. Even years later, they were launched against Christians.

With the fall of the Roman Empire of the Caesars, dog fighting spread across Europe. The dogs intended for this purpose, were encouraged from puppies to bite everything that passed in front of them; the selection was operated by making only the most robust, brave and aggressive specimens reproduce. Thus, a true 'four-legged war machine' was obtained.

The current English bulldog is a competition-oriented animal in beauty exhibitions. He is smart, clean and very meek; It's a great companion animal.

Appearance

The bulldog is a breed that is characterized by having thick shoulders and a large head in proportion to its body. Usually thick folds of skin on his forehead, followed by round black eyes with large eyes. It has a short snout with folds above the nose, with a hanging dewlap under the neck, along with droopy lips and pointed teeth. Its coat is short, smooth and elegant with red, beige, white, brindle colors (mixed colors, sometimes in irregular stripes) and various shades of these. Black is not accepted as predominant.

In the United States the weight of a male adult is approximately 22 kg and that of females is 18 kg, for a standard English bulldog. In the United Kingdom, the place of origin of this breed, the established weight is 25 kg for males and 22 kg for females. 3 standards coexist with small differences, but today they can create differences in interpretation.

Some dog breeds have their tails cut off or docked after birth, bulldogs are one of the few breeds that have a naturally short and curly tail. A long, upright tail is a flaw in a bulldog. In turn, and as indicated by the FCI standard of this breed with mention of the tail, quoting verbatim: Absence of tail, inverted or very tight tails are undesirable.

Health

The bulldog is a breed with a predisposition to suffer heat stroke due to its cranial conformation, most dogs of this breed present at least one of the anomalies of the Brachiocephalic Syndrome, a situation that deteriorates their breathing to different degrees and renders them unable to cool them down. effectively in times of intense exercise and high temperatures. Reason why it is prone to "heat stroke" or hyperthermia, sleep apnea and digestive difficulties. Studies have shown that the causes of many of the digestive problems in this breed (excessive intestinal gasification, gastric torsion, reflux and poor digestion, among others) are triggered by their respiratory problems.

His propensity for obesity has various causes and, coupled with his taste for food, is an important point to watch out for as it can increase the hip dysplasia problems that the bulldog is prone to. When they are obese, they suffer a greater number of bone lesions in the extremities and the hip, they have a greater chance of respiratory and blood collapse, as well as a higher rate of various diseases of cardiac origin. To help keep it in good health and reduce the risks of disease, it is recommended to exercise it for 20 to 30 minutes daily or at least every third day, with medium-pace walks (do not jog) during the cool hours of the day. It is recommended to leave a time interval before and after the dog eats in order to exercise it safely.

Another important factor that helps maintain your health is regular veterinary care at least every six months. It should be noted that the bulldog suffers in some cases from eye problems, called entropion and ectropion, diseases that must be operated to avoid affecting the cornea of said animal. Go to the best veterinarian nearby who has experience in the breed so that, in addition to deworming, vaccinating and dental cleaning, perform a general review through laboratory analysis. Provide routine care that includes: brushing your hair every other day; bathe him, trim his nails and clean wrinkles every three to four weeks or as required by the dog; play with him daily for a few brief minutes to reaffirm communication and friendship; reaffirm his good education by repeating learned orders and behavioral limits, as well as teaching him new obedience orders.

In the mating field, artificial insemination is usually used due to the difficulty of mounting or natural jumping, since the morphology of the specimens does not help mating; At the end of the gestation period, in most cases they will have to have a caesarean section for the birth of the puppies due to the bone shape of their hip, not being helpful in developing a natural birth, at least without risks. special attention and vigilance in the last days of gestation, recommending a veterinary visit to determine the general condition of the female and future puppies.

Bulldog photo :