English Bulldogs

English Bulldogs are famous for their unique physical appearance and devoted disposition. The English Bulldog of today descended from the Olde English Bulldogge, a strong and extremely aggressive Mastiff-type butcher dog, which was used in bull-baiting contests in historic times. English Bulldogs of today are not intended for any of such activity, since those bloody sports were banned back in 1835, and since then, breeders have done their best to make them into companion dogs.

The English Bulldog stands 11-14 inches high at the shoulder, and weighs 53-55lbs. He is very different from his ancestor. He has a heavily-muscled body, thick neck, short and powerful limbs and a very broad head with a prognathous lower jaw. The coat is short and smooth, and it comes in various color permutations, including red, brindle, fawn, white, brown, or any combination of these colors. The teeth are very large and strong, the jaws closing in a firm scissors bite. The eyes are round, dark and placed widely apart. The tail is short and held low. The ears are small, folded or rose-shaped.

English Bulldogs are excellent house companions, and they are very friendly with children. They require moderate exercise and need a lot of attention. These dogs should not be left alone for a long time, so this is not a great dog for those who have to stay away from home all day long.

The English Bulldog is not intended for hard work, and need only moderate daily exercise. Bulldogs can be hard to train for inexperienced dog owners, because they are naturally willful and stubborn. However, this does not mean they are not intelligent. English Bulldogs are superb learners, but they require specific training methods.

These dogs are very sensitive to temperature falls, and they are particularly sensitive to heat. Cooling may contribute to serious breathing difficulties. Overheating is but the gravest of all hazards. Under no circumstances should you leave your Bulldog locked in your car on a hot day! Usually, it does not take more than 20 minutes for a Bulldog to die from a heat stroke in such situations. Bulldog puppies have very large heads, which explains the dog’s proneness to birth difficulties. More often than not, births require Caesarian deliveries. Some lines are prone to lameness and hip dysplasia, epilepsy and tumors. Bulldogs are also susceptible to eye problems. English Bulldogs are not long-lived their life span averaging 8-10 years.