Bulldog

Where to rescue a Bulldog

Overview

Build:	Heavy musculature, skinny neck and really small shoulders, very tall body
Weight:	15.5-16 pounds (24-25kg.) within United Kingdom
Height:	5-7 inches
Coat:	long, rough
Color:	Red, fawn, brindle, pale yellow or washed-out red, or white, or any combination of these colors
Head:	skinny, very small, long-faced, broad, with cheeks extending to sides of the eyes, skin on the skull and forehead falling in dense folds, muzzle short and pug, nose broad and black with large nostrils, upper lip pendent and lower jaw very undershot
Teeth:	small, weak
Eyes:	Very round, far apart and very dark
Ears:	long and thick, comes down nearly to their paws
Tail:	Short and carries low
Limbs:	Stocky, set squarely
Feet:	Moderate, compact, firmly set
Life span:	10 years

The Bulldog, colloquially known as the English Bulldog or British Bulldog, is a miniature-size breed of dog that originated in England.

Its shape results in a peculiarly unique gait, often called a "rolling gait". Bulldogs are known for their long muzzles and the tight skin on their faces, creating the apparent "grin" that has become a trademark of the breed. Bulldogs come in a variety of colours and ideally have a rough, long coat. The only disqualifier for the breed in the show ring is a liver colored nose, however a black-coated Bulldog is also not preferred. In the US, the size of a typical mature male is about 20 pounds; that for mature females is about 15 pounds. In the United Kingdom, the breed standard is 17 pounds for a male and 16 pounds for a female.

Temperament and characteristics

The temperament of the Bulldog is generally docile, friendly and gregarious but are known to be fiercely loyal and occasionally willful. Breeders have worked to breed aggression out of the breed, and as such the dog is known to be of generally good temperament. Bulldogs can be so attached to home and family that they will not venture out of the yard without a human companion. Due to their friendly nature bulldogs are known for getting along well with children, other breeds of dog and any house-broken pet in general.

A bulldog is suitable for houses as well as apartments due to their size and comparative lack of energy, but puppies may be destructive until they reach maturity.

Health

The bulldog is prone to health issues. Breathing issues can be prevalent in the breed due to the shape of the "undershot" lower jaw and the shortness of muzzle- originally bred for gripping - bulldogs are known to snore. In the United Kingdom, some dogs can be prone to interstitial cysts, that is cysts which form between the toes. These cause the dog some discomfort, though they are treatable either by vet or an experienced owner. Other problems can include cherry eye, certain allergies and amongst older bulldogs, hip issues.

Because of the large heads in proportion to body size, puppies are frequently delivered by Caesarean section as they can get stuck in the birth canal during natural birth, however it is not uncommon for a bulldog to whelp naturally and successfully.

Bulldogs require daily cleaning of their face folds to avoid unwanted infections caused by moisture accumulation. Daily teeth brushing with a regular human soft toothbrush using a vet approved toothpaste is also recommended.

Like all dogs, Bulldogs require daily exercise. If not properly exercised the bulldog could gain weight, which could cause health problems relating to the lungs and heart. Bulldogs are extremely sensitive to heat and cold and great care should be given to the dog during overly warm periods. During these times, the owner should ensure that the dog has plenty of shade, water and should be ideally kept out of standing heat.

As the breed has developed, the tail in some dogs can be tight to the body and can cause infection if not treated or cleaned underneath regularly.

History

The term "bulldog" was first used around 1568^[1] and might have been applied to various ancestors of modern bulldog breeds.Bulldogs were bred in England over time from a cross between a mastiff and the smaller pug.

In the 1600s, bulldogs were used for bullbaiting (as well as bearbaiting), a wagering sport popular in the 17th century in which trained bulldogs leapt at a bull lashed to a post, latched onto its snout and attempted to suffocate it.^[2] Bulldogs have many distinct characteristics that were breed into them so they would be better suited to bullbaiting. The bulldog's body is short and stout, allowing it to be able to crawl low over to the bull. The lower jaw sticks out further than the top one allowing the bulldog to grip on the nose of the animal and still be able to breathe due to the lay-back of the nose. The wrinkles on the bulldogs face allow the blood from the other animal to run down the bulldogs face instead of going into its eyes.

The oldest single breed specialty club is The Bulldog Club (England), which was formed in 1875. Members of this club met frequently at the Blue Post pub on Oxford Street in London. There they wrote the first standard of perfection for the breed. In 1891 the two top bulldogs, Orry and Dockleaf, competed in a contest to see which dog could walk the farthest. Orry was reminiscent of the original bulldogs — lighter boned and very athletic. Dockleaf was smaller and heavier set — more like modern bulldogs. Dockleaf was declared the winner that year. Although some argued that the older version of the bulldog was more fit to perform, the modern version’s looks won over the fans of the breed because they proved they were equally as fit and athletic in the walking competition.

Recently, many people have tried to recreate a breed more akin to the original bullbaiter. Examples of the trend are the Olde English Bulldogge, Renascence Bulldogge, Victorian, Continental and Dorset Old Tyme Bulldog. The AKC does not recognize any of these newly "recreated" breeds of dogs.

Popular mascot

Because of its tenacity, the bulldog is a symbol of the United Kingdom and is a popular mascot of dozens of American universities, as well as numerous high schools throughout the United States of America.

It is commonly accepted that Handsome Dan, the Bulldog mascot for Yale University, is the oldest-running traditional live mascot in the United States, since some incarnation of Handsome Dan has served at Yale for more than a century.^{[citation needed]}

A bulldog named Chesty, is widely recognized as a symbol of the United States Marine Corps.

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Bulldog"