What You Should Know About American Bulldogs

Thursday, December 11th, 2008 at 1:34 am

The American Bulldog has a very beautiful yet intimidating appearance as an athletic dog. Their personality is a complex mix of happiness, protectiveness of their owners and high energy. The American Kennel Club, despite their growing popularity as a working dog and family pet, doesn't yet recognize the breed.

The breed was originally used to catch livestock, guard homes and in the sport of bull baiting in the 17th and 18th century. Then the Bulldog was transferred to the United States for the purpose of gambling and as a working dog. The United Kingdom then outlawed bull baiting as a sport in 1835 and the English Bulldog progressed as a popular family pet. Less change has occurred to the American Bulldog. The breed even nearly became extinct during World War II when the breed wasn't very popular. Although thankfully due to preservation efforts the breed is now a popular family pet, a competitive athlete and a strong working dog.
The American Bulldog is a muscular dog with a stocky appearance. Depending on the dog, the expression on its face can be one of goofy and fun loving to a portrait in intimidation. The coat can come in a variety of patterns and colors including white, fawn and brindle. Typically the full-grown American Bulldog will weigh between sixty and one hundred twenty five pounds with an average height of twenty to twenty-eight inches at the shoulders. The breed has spread into two variations. The classic variation is the larger of the breed, while the standard variation has a shorter muzzle. People have also bred a mix of these two variations.

As with all Bulldog breeds, the American Bulldog is very devoted to family and children in particular. In fact the breed has become well known for its acts of heroism throughout the years. However, these protective instincts do make them aggressive towards strangers and other animals. If you are going to have an American Bulldog you want to make sure you have a lot of time to devote to the dog.
Train and socialize from an early age in order to have a well-behaved American Bulldog. If you train thoroughly from an early age and are selective about using their guardian instincts then the American Bulldog can even become friendly with other animals. Brushing and bathing only needs to be done as required since they have a low maintenance coat. Although their large and droopy jowls do mean they slobber a lot.

The breed is susceptible to some bone conditions including hip dysplasia and elbow dysplasia. They can also develop eye conditions such as a prolapse of the third eyelid, retinal dysplasia and Entropion, which is when the eyelid rolls inward. Deafness can develop when they age or it can be present at birth for the American Bulldog. A congenital birth defect common to the breed is Patent Ductus Arteriosis, which is when the blood vessels of the lungs don't properly close after birth and as a result extra amounts of blood flows into the lungs. You can avoid common health problems and take proper care of your dog. By doing this your American Bulldog can live a happy eight to fifteen years.

The American Bulldog is just one of three different Bulldog types to learn about. Knowing Bulldog information can help you determine if they are the right pet for you.

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