English bulldog history

The English bulldog is a descendant of the Molosses of Tibet ; it was used to fight against the Roman invaders, then against the Christians in arenas with bears and bulls. No wonder why we call it a bulldog. (Bulldog : bull dog).

In 1209, Lord Stamford happened to see a bull put to death by two dogs belonging to a butcher. And it was at this moment that the idea came to him to arrange fights : bull-baiting. The bull was tightened by its horns to a rope which was itself riveted to a post or a ring. To avoid the assaults of its assailants, the bull tried to throw the dog in the air by slipping one of its horns under it. To avoid being injured the dogs nearly crawled trough it.

Bull-baiting expanded all over Europe and was practised for more than six centuries. It was during this period that the bulldog selected its main characteristics :

1. The body near to the ground to avoid the horns.
2. The nose swept-back to breathe without loosing its grip.
3. 1.The wrinkles which enabled the bull's blood to drain away without being made blind.

In 1835 bull-baiting was forbidden and the breed nearly disappeared. But a few passionates continued its breeding and in 1864 a first club of the breed came into being. Those amateurs knew that the bulldog's fierceness and its aggressiveness were not his nature but only the results of human cupidity. When he is fully socialized, the bulldog is very close to its masters towards whom he instinctively develops a feeling of security, and this is particularly true regarding children.

Standard race :

Description : The Bulldog is small in stature, but wide and compact, with a thick, massive head. Its head should be broad (the broader the more prized) with cheeks that extend to the sides of the eyes. The skin on the skull and forehead should fall in dense folds. Its muzzle is short and pug, its nose, broad and black with large nostrils. Its upper lip is pendent and its lower jaw should be very undershot. Eyes are very round, far apart and very dark. The ears should be small and thin, folded back in the form of a rose. The tail is short and carries low.  The coat comes in red, fawn, brindle, pale yellow or washed-out red, or white, and can combine any of these colors. Black is not acceptable. The Muzzle is sometimes dark. With its stocky legs set squarely at each corner of its compact, muscular body, the Bulldog's deliberate gain has become a waddle.

Temperament : Although the English Bulldogs appearance can be somewhat intimidating, it is among the gentlest of dogs.  Just the same it will see off any intruder, and few would risk a close encounter with a dog brave enough to bait a bull.  It is described as a very affectionate and dependable animal, gentlest of dogs.  just the same it will see off any intruder, and few would risk a close encounter with a dog brave enough to bait a bull.  It is described as a very affectionate and dependable animal, gentle with children, but known for its courage and its excellent guarding abilities.  bullheaded and determined, this breed can be very persistent. they do not give up easily. bulldogs are very much a peoples dog seeking out human attention and loving every bit it can get!!  A lot of human attention is required for the breed's happiness.  some english bulldogs can be a bit dominating and need an owner who knows how to display strong leadership and understands alpha canine behavior. a bulldog who understands it's *place* in the human pack, is nice to, and reliable with all people.  This breed is good with family pets, but some can be scrappy with strange dogs.  When bulldogs are young, they are full of energy, but slow down as they get older. they snore very loudly, and most have drool and slobber tendencies.

Head and skull : Skull large in circumference, should measure round (in front of the ears) approximately height of dog at shoulder. Viewed from front appears very high from corner of lower jaw to apex of skull; also very broad and square. Cheeks well-rounded and extended sideways beyond eyes. Viewed from side, head appears very high and short from back to point of nose. Forehead flat with skin upon and about head, loose and wrinkled, neither prominent nor overhanging face. Projections of frontal bones prominent, broad, square and high; deep, wide indentation between eyes. From stop a furrow, both broad and deep extending to middle of skull being traceable to apex. Face from front of cheek-bone to nose, short, skin wrinkled. Muzzle short, broad, turned upwards and very deep from corner of eye to corner of mouth. Nose and nostrils large, broad and black, under no circumstances liver colour, red or brown; top set back to eyes. Distance from inner corner of eye (or from center of stop between eyes) to extreme tip of nose exceeding length from tip of nose to edge of under lip. Nostrils large, wide and open, with well-defined vertical straight line between. Flews (chops) thick, broad, pendant and very deep, hanging completely over lower jaws at sides, not in front. Joining under lip in front and quite covering teeth. Jaws broad, massive and square, lower jaw projecting in front of upper and turning up. Nose roll must not interferewith the line of layback. Viewed from front, the various properties of the face must be equally balanced on either side of an imaginary line down center.

Neck : Moderate in length, very thick, deep and strong. Well-arched at back, with much loose, thick and wrinkled skin about the throat, forming dewlap on each side, from lower jaw to chest.

Body : Chest wide, laterally round, prominent and deep. Back short, strong, broad at shoulders, comparatively narrower at loins. Slight fall to back close behind shoulders (lowest part) whence spine should rise to loins (top higher than top of shoulder), curving again more suddenly to tail, forming arch (termed roach back) - a distinctive characteristic of breed. Body well ribbed up behind with belly tucked up and not pendulous.

Tail : Set on low, jutting out rather straight and then turning downwards. Round, smooth and devoid of fringe or coarse hair. Moderate in length - rather short than long - thick at root, tapering quickly to a fine point. Downward carriage (not having a decided upward curve at end) and never carried above back.

Forequarters : Shoulders--The shoulders should be muscular, very heavy, widespread and slanting outward, giving stability and great power. Forelegs--The forelegs should be short, very stout, straight and muscular, set wide apart, with well developed calves, presenting a bowed outline, but the bones of the legs should not be curved or bandy, nor the feet brought too close together. Elbows--The elbows should be low and stand well out and loose from the body. Feet-- The feet should be moderate in size, compact and firmly set. Toes compact, well split up, with high knuckles and very short stubby nails. The front feet may be straight or slightly out-turned.

Hindquarters : Legs--The hind legs should be strong and muscular and longer than the forelegs, so as to elevate the loins above the shoulders. Hocks should be slightly bent and well let down, so as to give length and strength from the loins to hock. The lower leg should be short, straight and strong, with the stifles turned slightly outward and away from the body. The hocks are thereby made to approach each other, and the hind feet to turn outward. Feet--The feet should be moderate in size, compact and firmly set. Toes compact, well split up, with high knuckles and short stubby nails. The hind feet should be pointed well outward.

Gait / Movement : Peculiarly heavy and constrained, appearing to walk with short, quick steps on tips of toes, hind feet not lifted high, appearing to skim ground, running with one or other shoulder rather advanced. Soundness of movement of the utmost importance.

Coat : The coat should be straight, short, flat, close, of fine texture, smooth and glossy. (No fringe, feather or curl.) Wrinkles and Dewlap--The head and face should be covered with heavy wrinkles, and at the throat, from jaw to chest, there should be two loose pendulous folds, forming the dewlap.

Skin : The skin should be soft and loose, especially at the head, neck and shoulders.

Coleur : The color of coat should be uniform, pure of its kind and brilliant. The various colors found in the breed are to be preferred in the following order : (1) red brindle, (2) all other brindles, (3) solid white, (4) solid red, fawn or fallow, (5) piebald, (6) inferior qualities of all the foregoing. Note: A perfect piebald is preferable to a muddy brindle or defective solid color. Solid black is very undesirable, but not so objectionable if occurring to a moderate degree in piebald patches. The brindles to be perfect should have a fine, even and equal distribution of the composite colors. In brindles and solid colors a small white patch on the chest is not considered detrimental. In piebalds the color patches should be well defined, of pure color and symmetrically distributed.

Height : about 31-40 cm. (there is no prescribed height, but shorter Bulldogs are more prized when being shown).

Weight : dogs (24 - 25 kg), bitches (22-23kg).

Default : Any departure from the foregoing points should be considered a fault and the seriousness with which the fault should be regarded should be in exact proportion to its degree and its effect upon the health and welfare of the dog.

Défauts éliminatoires : Chiens en détresse respiratoire. Queue incarnée. Tout chien présentant de façon évidente des anomalies d’ordre physique ou comportemental sera disqualifié. N.B. : Male animals should have two apparently normal testicles fully descended into the scrotum.