English Bulldog

A rags to riches story.

Most dogs were originally bred to perform certain tasks, whether in sport or livelihood, to aid their human pack members. This doesn’t apply to the English Bulldog. Bulldog’s weren’t bred to have any specific skills. While intelligent and muscularly built, they can’t swim. In fact, bodies of water can be lethal. Some Bulldogs have difficulty navigating stairs. They commonly have, like many short-nosed breeds, breathing and congestive issues. While prone to obesity, they can over-exert easily, particularly in warmer weather. They don’t even bark much.

Really, the only thing they seem to be good at is being a cute companion. And they do it well. These little charmers rank in at #5 as AKC’s most popular breeds.

The Bulldog was originally bred to do one thing in life, join a group of other Bulldogs and take on a full grown bull in a life-and-death battle. The Bulldogs were trained to clamp it’s massive, muscular jaws around the bull’s nose and deprive it of air while their “humans” gambled on the outcome. After 500 years, the English finally banned the “sport”.

They were destined for extinction when some Bulldog lovers gathered and did some cross breeding to wean out some of the dog’s ferocious tendencies. By the mid-19th century, a toy-sized Bulldog began to appear in many English cities. They became so popular, Bulldogs became the national symbol for England and even garnering some comparisons to Winston Churchill (sure that’s a compliment for one of them).

Moving across the English Channel, the French took a liking to the breed and, after some tinkering of their own, had established a French Bulldog.

Across the pond, the United States also took a liking to the Bulldog not only as a pet, but also a symbol for everything from the Marines, to a truck manufacturer to a myriad of sports teams.

Trainability: C
Far from their “bull baiting” days, the Bulldog is intelligent with a high desire to please that lends itself well to training. Without proper socialization and upbringing, though, Bulldogs can develop an attitude and display undesirable behaviors that can be difficult to work out. They can be possessive items they consider theirs, particularly food and food bowls.

Bulldogs are sensitive to heat and over-exertion. Their face wrinkles should be checked regularly to ensure they are clean and dry. Food and moisture can get trapped and cause irritation and even infection.

Read more about the English Bulldog at the United Kennel Club and The Bulldog Club of America.