Dog Profile-English Bulldog

The English bulldog is a very apreciated dog breed worldwide (especially in the UK).Its ancient origins are obscure and are not exactly known. One of the existent hypothesis regarding the origins of the bulldog suggests that it descends from the molossus of Epirus,an ancient,currently extinct breed of dogs. Bulldogs were first mentioned in a document dating back to 1209, that included a detailed description of a fight between a bulldog belonging to a group of butchers and a bull.The bulldogs were used for bloody animal fights in England until 1835.Although it may seem hard to believe,the adversaries of the bulldogs during these fights included bears,bulls and orangutans.After this type of fights was banned in the UK,bulldogs became less popular and, at that time,risked extinction. However,dog breeders that had a vivid love for the english bulldog raised its numbers, keeping its inborn traits of courage and power, yet genetically eliminating its unwanted, agressive behaviour.

Origins: Great Britain

Height: 30.0 - 40.0 cm

Weight: 18.0 - 23.0 kg

Physical Description: The bulldog is a massive,medium-size dog having a heavy, stuffed body sustained by short yet powerful and muscular legs. It has a massive,thick, square-like head,a short skull,a flat and wrinkled forehead and proeminent eyebrows.It has a short,compressed, yet thick snout.All dog breeds which present this particularity are called brachycephalic (which basically means flat-faced). Its ears are small and distant from each other.A portion of the inner pavilion can be visible from outside. Its neck is short and thick, and its chest is broad and muscular.The bulldog has short and smooth hair that is firmly attached to its body.It comes in a variety of colours-red,beige,white,brown and multicoloured.

Personality: The bulldogs of today are lively,courageous,spontaneous,balanced and intelligent dogs.Faithful to its owner,the bulldog is an excellent dog for any family and is great with young children as well.It is usually non-agressive to other animals but early socialising is important.The bulldog can be difficult to train as it is very stubborn and sometimes enjoys independence from its owner.However,an early,friendly training (without manifesting violence towards the dog when he is non-responsive to your commands) should solve this problem

Care: This dog's fur does not require a lot of grooming.Brushing during the shedding period should do the trick. However skin problems are quite frequent for bulldogs-daily cleaning of their face wrinkles is recommended. Unfortunately,this breed often manifests congenital spine and heart diseases.They have a natural inclination for snoring,hypersalivation and chronic flatulence.Do not expose these dogs to sun for too long as they are vulnerable to heatstroke.The bulldog's average lifespan ranges from 8 to 10 years.

Environment: Bulldogs are adapted to apartment life.As they are not active dogs,they do not require a lot of exercise although a daily walk is a must .It enjoys being amongst family members and is recommended to people that are not very active.

Utility: Bulldogs are excellent company dogs.They also have watchdog potential and can be used as guard dogs as well,altough they are not the best option for this utility.