The bulldog gets its name from ‘bull’ because they look like tiny bulls and their use in bull baiting. Originally meant for combat, the breed has become much gentler now.
Physical Traits
Area of Origin: United Kingdom
Used for: Guarding, companion
Average Life Span: About 8 years
Color: Short, flat, straight, smooth and glossy
Coat: Solid white, red brindle, fawn, pale-yellow, washed out red
Average Height: 12-16 inches
Average Weight: 53-55 pounds
Group: Mastiff
History and Domestication
Originally from British Isles, the Bulldog descended from ancient Asiatic mastiff.
It was named bull because of its resemblance to bulls and its usage in bull baiting.
Bulldogs were courageous, ferocious and aggressive in the combat arena and would fight with bulls with all their power, before the sport was banned in 19th century.
They would make it hard for the bulls to fight back.
Standard Physical Characteristics
The British bulldog is a medium-sized compact dog with short legs. Compared to its legs, the head and body are rather large and there is extra skin in folds and skull. The cheeks extend to the eyes and they have a broad nose with large and wide nostrils. The muzzle is short and wide and they have a deep stop. The eyes are dark and set deep while the thin and small ears are set high. Bulldogs have a massive jaw with a broad and square upper lip. The tail can be screwed or straight. The coat is short, smooth and glossy.
Care, Grooming and Health
Bulldogs have a short, smooth and fine coat which is very easy to groom. Bathe only when necessary and use a firm bristled brush for brushing. To clean inside the wrinkles, use a damp cloth. This breed sheds moderately.
To fulfill their primary canine migrating instinct, they need to be taken on long daily walks. Those who do not get enough exercise are likely to develop behavioral issues.
This breed is prone to breathing problems and some of them even have smaller windpipes. The breed is vulnerable to heart strokes in warm weather and they also suffer from cherry eye and poor eyesight. In some lines, birth defects are very common.
Living Conditions
This breed is good for apartment life. They are not very active indoors and will do okay in the absence of a yard. They are mainly indoor dogs. They prefer temperate climates as they can chill easily in cold weather and have trouble staying cool in warm conditions.
Temperament
Despite its intimidating appearance, it is one of the gentlest breeds of dogs. This is a very affectionate and dependable pet which is known for its courage and guarding abilities. They are very determined and persistence can be found as they do not give up easily. They are very gentle with children and love getting attention to a large extent. However, they need strong human leaders to stop them from indulging in alpha canine behavior. This breed makes for good household pets but they snore very loudly and have drooling tendencies. Most of them are messy eaters too.
