Bulldog Breed Info

The Bulldog is almost unique in both character and structure. He is not a breed that will suit everyone, you will either find him highly amusing or highly disgusting.


Make Sure You are buying a genuine bulldog:

PLEASE BE AWARE THAT THERE IS ONLY ONE RECOGNISED BULLDOG AND BULLDOG RESCUE CAN ONLY REHOME THE KENNEL CLUB RECOGNISED BREED OF BULLDOG.

IF YOU NEED HELP WITH ANY OTHER TYPE OF BULLDOG PLEASE USE THE CONTACT DETAILS LISTED BELOW FOR HELP OR ADVICE:

photo thanks to Martin Moran
American Bulldog Dorset Olde Tyme Bulldog Victorian Bulldog Sussex Bulldog French Bulldog
The Endangered Dogs Defence and Rescue

0870 7778925

Steve Barnett - creator of the Olde Tyme Dorset Bulldog

07729 870600

The Victorian Bulldog Foundation Clive Treliving - Secretary of the Sussex Bulldog Club of GB The only other KC recognised Bulldog

French Bulldog Club of England Welfare Trust
Chairman:  01420 23437


Is the bulldog right for you?

Select a heading below for further information

General Appearance

 

History, Health &
Maintenance

Buying a Bulldog

 

 

 

 
Breeding

 

Recommended
Reading

 

Training Tips

 

     
  Common Ailments

 

 
           

*General Appearance

The Kennel Club Breed Standard

General Appearance
Smooth-coated, thick set, rather low in stature, broad, powerful and compact. Head, fairly large in proportion to size but no point so much in excess of others as to destroy the general symmetry, or make the dog appear deformed, or interfere with its powers of motion. Face short, muzzle broad, blunt and inclined upwards. Dogs showing respiratory distress highly undesirable. Body short, well knit, limbs stout, well muscled and in hard condition with no tendency towards obesity. Hindquarters high and strong but somewhat lighter in comparison with heavy foreparts. Bitches not so grand or well developed as dogs.

Characteristics
Conveys impression of determination, strength and activity.

Temperament
Alert, bold, loyal, dependable, courageous, fierce in appearance, but possessed of affectionate nature.

Head and Skull
Skull large in circumference. 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 towards eyes. Distance from inner corner of eye (or from centre of stop between eyes) to extreme tip of nose not exceeding length from tip of nose to edge of underlip. 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 underlip 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 interfere with 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 centre.

Eyes
Seen from front, situated low down in skull, well away from ears. Eyes and stop in same straight line, at right angles to furrow. Wide apart, but outer corners within the outline of cheeks. Round in shape, of moderate size, neither sunken nor prominent, in colour very dark – almost black – showing no white when looking directly forward. Free from obvious eye problems.

Ears
Set high – i.e. front edge of each ear (as viewed from front) joins outline of skull at top corner of such outline, so as to place them as wide apart, as high and as far from eyes as possible. Small and thin. ’Rose ear‘ correct, i.e. folding inwards back, upper or front inner edge curving outwards and backwards, showing part of inside of burr.

Mouth
Jaws broad and square with six small front teeth between canines in an even row. Canines wide apart. Teeth large and strong, not seen when mouth closed. When viewed from front under jaw directly under upper jaw and parallel.

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

Forequarters
Shoulders broad, sloping and deep, very powerful and muscular giving appearance of being ’tacked on‘ body. Brisket capacious, round and very deep from top of shoulders to lowest part where it joins chest. Well let down between forelegs. Large in diameter, round behind forelegs (not flat-sided, ribs well rounded). Forelegs very stout and strong, well developed, set wide apart, thick, muscular and straight, presenting rather bowed outline, but bones of legs large and straight, not bandy nor curved and short in proportion to hindlegs, but not so short as to make back appear long, or detract from dog’s activity and so cripple him. Elbows low and standing well away from ribs. Pasterns short, straight and strong.

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.

Hindquarters
Legs large and muscular, longer in proportion than forelegs, so as to elevate loins. Hocks slightly bent, well let down; legs long and muscular from loins to hock; short, straight, strong lower part. Stifles round and turned slightly outwards away from body. Hocks thereby made to approach each other and hind feet to turn outwards.

Feet
Fore, straight and turning very slightly outward; of medium size and moderately round. Hind, round and compact. Toes compact and thick, well split up, making knuckles prominent and high.

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.

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
Fine texture, short, close and smooth (hard only from shortness and closeness, not wiry).

Colour
Whole or smut, (i.e. whole colour with black mask or muzzle). Only whole colours (which should be brilliant and pure of their sort) viz., brindles, reds with their various shades, fawns, fallows etc., white and pied (i.e. combination of white with any of the foregoing colours). Dudley, black and black with tan highly undesirable.

Size
Dogs: 25 kgs (55 lbs); bitches: 23 kgs (50 lbs).

Faults
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.

Note
Male animals should have two apparently normal testicles fully descended into the scrotum.

© Kennel Club - September 2003


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History, Health &
Maintenance

HISTORY: Over 100 years ago the Bulldog was created to participate in the so called sport of "Bull Baiting". Everything about the bulldog was bred purely so he could carry out that function, the entire head and body shape allowed him to do the job he was intended for, his undershot jaw allowed him to grip the bull tightly, his flat nose allowed him to breath whilst doing so, the folds in his face took the bulls blood away from his eyes, his massive chest and short front legs gave him the strength required to keep the bull pinned, his shallow joints allowed him to spring the bull from a standing position. He still possesses these qualities today, except the aggression that had taken over 100 years to breed out, today's bulldogs are one of the most gentle breeds of dog known to man and is an ideal companion for our children. He is not designed to be athletic and therefore if you are looking for a dog that you can enjoy long walks with then this isn't the breed for you. He is no couch potato either and therefore does require a daily half hour walk.

HEALTH: As a general rule today's bulldog is pretty healthy, some do have breathing difficulties due to the shape of their head (ie brachycephalic - short nosed) and occasionally they may develop structural faults due to their shallow joints, for this reason you need to keep an eye on young pups (under 9 months) so as they don't damage their green bones. The shape of his head does make it difficult for some to cope with hot weather, but providing you are sensible and appreciate that the this breed is totally unique, problems will be few and far between.

Common Ailments


MAKE SURE YOU RECOGNISE THE SIGNS - CLICK HERE TO SEE HOW TO PREVENT, RECOGNISE AND DEAL WITH HEAT EXHAUSTION IN BULLDOGS. HIT YOUR BACK BUTTON TO GET BACK HERE


MAINTENANCE: For the same reasons that you wouldn't buy a long haired breed and never brush it, don't by a bulldog and never expect to have to wash his face. The bulldog will require daily attention to his face and maybe under his tail too. Wipe his face over daily, ensuring that you wipe out the wrinkles (especially the one that goes over his nose) with a damp cloth or un-scented baby wipes, make sure you dry thoroughly and then smear a little Sudocrem into the folds. A dab of vaseline on his nose will keep it soft and prevent it from drying out and becoming flaky. Make sure that the ears are clean and that his eyes are bright and clear, tear stains can be combated with a daily wipe over with Optrex Eye Lotion and cotton wool, not only is this safe for his eyes but Optrex contains Boric Acid that will lessen the stain. His coat should be brushed on a weekly basis which will also give you the opportunity to check for any skin soreness and fleas - and during the summer for ticks!

All this may sound like hard work, but for the time and energy he will request from you, in return he will love you unconditionally and be loyal to you and your family no matter what. Owning a Bulldog is something that should never be taken lightly, they are a fairly high maintenance breed, so before you ake the plunge read as much about the breed as you can and it's also a good idea to attend a breed show where you will be able to watch the bulldogs in the ring and have the opportunity to talk to breeders and other bulldog owners.


*Buying a Bulldog


The better educated you are the less chance your bulldog has of ending up in Rescue!

Before you purchase a bulldog, please make every effort to find out as much as you can about the breed. The Bulldog is not a dog that should be taken on lightly, puppies are cute but they can take up to two years to mentally mature and he will require daily attention to his face and maybe under his tail too. By nature, Bulldogs are stubborn and although much healthier than their past cousins can on occassions develop breathing problems or structual faults simply due to their genetic make up. Also, despite what you may have been told previoulsy, he will require a daily walk of approximately half an hour. He is not a fighting dog and adores human company, he is not a dog that likes to be left alone for hours on end and is therefore not suitable for working families as they can be destructive if left alone for too long. Be sure you know as much as possible before you buy, read every book you can find, visit every web site you can find and join your local bulldog club and a few on line bulldog mailing lists. Make the effort to attend a few breed shows and talk to as many breeders and bulldoggers that you can. You will be given much conflicting advice, but common sense often allows you to decide which advice makes the most sense. The more you know before hand the better equipped you will be to deal with situations should they arise. So many bulldogs end up in rescue because the owners weren't aware of just how much was involved in owning one, make sure yours isn't one of them.

Puppy or Adult?

If you are looking for a puppy you can contact breeders through the Kennel Club's list of puppies for sale. Alternatively contact your nearest breed club so see if they know of any breeders in your area. Don't buy the first puppy you see, look around and talk to the breeders, don't be afraid to ask questions. Make sure you see the puppy with his mother and that he, his litter mates, mother and living quarters are clean. Remember too that the dam may not be looking her best at this point. Don't buy from a pet shop, because for every puppy sold another will take his place - these pups are often from puppy farms from overbred bitches and often from poor living conditions. If answering an ad in the paper make sure that you visit the home of the seller, don't make arrangement to meet half way or for them to come to you and trust your instincts. Be sure your breeder gives you a feed chart, a record of his vacinations and the date he was last wormed along with his KC papers and pedigree.

Dog Or Bitch?

In general bitches are usually that bit smaller than the males who tend to be more muscular and larger in both structure and size. Males are maybe slightly more dominant in personality and maybe that little bit more stubborn. Bulldogs pups take upto 2 years to mentally mature much of this time is hormone influenced, boisterous behaviour is quite normal for young bulldogs, they tend not to become the stereotypical couch potatoe until they are adults. Bitches will come into season around 6 to 9 months old and then every 6 to 9 months after that. Often after her second season you will see a change in her personality and she will begin to calm down. Males have a testonerone surge at around 9 months old, this hormone surge can sometimes make them more boisterous as they learn how to be a "man" dog, but once the hormone levels have settled down he will then begin to calm down also. If you already have another dog, aim to get your second dog of opposite sex, usually the bitch will become the boss in a male/female relationship.

Neutering?

Try not to castrate your male until he is at least 18 months to 2 years old as they need their testosterone surge. Castration on a young boisterous male bulldog rarely calms them down and if done too early can sometimes make boisterous behaviour worse. Try to let your bitch have her first season and then aim to spay mid way between that and her next season. Humping behaviour is rarely curbed by nutering, humping is more likely to be associated with dominance or nervous behaviour than anything sexual and breeding him/her is not the answer either (see below). A nutered dog obvioulsy will never contract testicular cancer (males) or pyometra (females). Pyometra often occurs around middle age and can be fatal. The risk of mammory tumours are also reduced in a spayed bitch.

Microchipping

Did you know that should your dog escape or be stolen and he ends up in a shelter or with a rescue, that you only have 7 DAYS to claim him!!! Microchipping your dog is the most efficient way of ensuring that your dog isn't one of the many dogs rehomed because the owner couldn't be traced. A microchip is approximately the size of a grain of rice and is inserted just under the skin at the scruff of the neck, the proceedure is quick, painless and will last a lifetime. Visit our Theft Prevention Tips page for more information

Where to buy your puppy from?

Aim to buy only from a reputable breeder, preferably somebody who is breeding for the show ring as it is these breeders who will have done their homework - after all they want a good quality dog to keep for the ring! Avoid puppies that are priced too low, breeding bulldogs is hard work, time consuming and very expensive - if they can afford to sell the pups cheaply they've either not done it properly in the first place, the poor thing is stolen, or it's not even a bulldog!!! (see below). Avoid breeders that do not show or claim to only breed pets, they will have little knowledge on how a correctly put together bulldog should look as it is the breed standard that dictates how a breed should look and the show ring that ensures the breed standards are adhered to.

Sometimes adult dogs are rehomed once they have finished their show careers, this kind of arrangement is often the best solution for everyone and these dogs make great companion animals.

Or contact rescue, many adult dogs pass through here for many different reasons.

Whoever you buy your bulldog from, keep in touch with them!

Make Arrangements

What would happen to your bulldog if something happened to you? Make sure that plans have been made and that everyone in your family is aware of them. Be sure your dog has an ID tag on when outside the home and it's always a good idea to have him microchipped.

You nearest breed club is the best place to start your puppy search or to find out who else in your area has a bulldog.

Click Here For a List of UK Bulldog Breed Clubs


*Breeding

DID YOU KNOW?

IT TAKES 3 EXPERIENCED HUMANS TO MATE 2 BULLDOGS? THAT YOU WILL HAVE TO SPEND THE FIRST 3 WEEKS OF THE PUPS LIFE SAT BY THE WHELPING BOX 24/7? THAT THERE'S A GOOD CHANCE YOUR BITCH WILL LOSE HER LIFE? THAT SHE WILL PROBABLY NEED A C-SECTION? THAT HER CLUMSYNESS MAY CAUSE THE DEATH OF HER PUPS IF YOU LEAVE HER ALONE WITH THEM? THAT MUCH OF THE PUPPY REARING WILL BE DONE BY YOU?

It's not necessarily good for your bitch to have puppies and it's certainly not a good reason so the children can have a litter of puppies in the house. Breeding the bulldog is hard work, very expensive and time consuming, the pups will require at least 3 weeks of 24 hour supervision and care once born. There's no money to be made from it and at the end of the day it is a possibility that both the bitch and/or the pups could lose their lives. If you want to breed, do it properly, ask yourself why you want to breed as breeding should only ever be considered for the betterment of the breed  - NOT because you want a return on the bitches purchase price. Bulldogs cost that much to buy because it costs that much to breed them!

Ensure your Bulldog actually looks like a bulldog and that he/she carries no obvious genetic faults, enter him/her in a few breed classes and see how they fair in the ring. The show ring is vital for the breeding of correctly put together bulldogs as all dogs are judged against the Kennel Club Breed Standard.

Research the pedigrees, find a suitable, compatible stud dog (this probably isn't the one closest to you). Get your vet to check your dog over for any obvious health problems, including heart and eyes. Ensure your dog is of sound temperament and be prepared for heartbreak.

Breeding your male will NOT stop him humping - humping behaviour is usually associated with nervousness or dominance and often has nothing to do with sex. Showing him what it's for or assuming you are giving him the opportunity to "get it out of his system" will not cure him - IT WILL MAKE HIM WORSE!

If you bought your bulldog as a pet please make sure your breeder agrees with the mating, some breeders place endorsements on the KC registration to prevent breeding, if they think they have sold you a pet it is unfair to breed with out their opinion or approval.

Please don't kid yourself that you are only breeding for the pet market - this is back yard breeding and will do nothing to improve the health of the bulldog and in fact could bring issues into the breed that will take years for everyone else to breed back out again. These are the matings that produce unhealthy and unsound dogs and give this breed it's bad name regarding health.

Make sure that every single home you sell a puppy to is suitable, keep in touch with your pups and be prepared to take them back if it doesn't all work out. Be sure you have plenty of breed knowledge and know what faults could be thrown from the lines you have used, if you are the one on the end of the phone to a worried owner you must either have the answers or be in a posistion where you can find out.

Why not see how you go on a "virtual breeding" before attempting to undertake it for real?


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Recommended
Reading

Bulldogs Today - C Thomas (Kingrock)

Order your signed copy of "Bulldogs Today" by C Thomas direct from the author

Please send your cheque for £16.99 plus £2.00 for postage and packaging to .

Counthorpe House, Counthorpe, Little Bytham, Lincs NG33 4QF

or Tel/Fax: 01780 410140

Cheques made payable to Chris Thomas

* * *

Bulldogs - An Owners Companion - C Bruton (Kelloe)

Order your signed copy of "Bulldogs" by C Bruton direct from the author

Please send your cheque for £16.99 plus £2.50 for postage and packaging to .

1 Grosvenor House, 123 Marine Parade, Brighton BN2 1DD

Cheques made payable to Chris Bruton

* * *

Pet Owners Guide to the Bulldog - J Daws (Outdoors)

Order your copy  from Reggie's Den

Click here for a list of general dog and training books

Bulldog Breeding For Beginners


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