English Bulldog Traits

Friday, December 19th, 2008 at 6:06 pm

Although a relatively stubborn breed, the English Bulldog is also a very docile breed that as been very popular since the 1800's. At first they were bred for their ferocious and courageous traits, now they are a member of the non-sporting group and remain a devoted family pet. The earliest reference to the English Bulldog was in literature from 1609. As of the year 2007 the English Bulldog was listed as one of the top ten dog breeds. At first the English Bulldog was used to help butchers control unruly oxen, as a guard dog or as a hunting dog. The name originally comes from when the dog was commonly used to fight the bull in the sport of baiting which was then outlawed in 1835. It wasn't until the year 1976 that the English Bulldog was first accepted into the American Kennel Club. There is much to consider with this complex breed of dog.
As long as you give the English Bulldog occasional walks outside or to the park then the breed will do well in apartments. However, they don't have a lot of energy so they aren't too keen on exercise. The English Bulldog prefers to spend the majority of their time lounging around the house. If you have children in the household they make an excellent pet, as they enjoy the company of family. The English Bulldog will alert the family to nearby strangers by barking and growling. Since their imposing figure tends to scare off any threats they tend not to attack. At the shoulder they typically stand between twelve to sixteen inches and weight an average of fifty to sixty pounds when full grown. They have a stocky build and broad chest, making them a medium sized dog. They have a bowlegged appearance with a tail that is often curled. Coat colors for the English Bulldog range from liver, tan, black, white and a combination of colors.
One area where the English Bulldog is lacking is obedience training. This is because the English Bulldog is a rather stubborn breed that doesn't follow instructions easily. Some attribute their unresponsiveness to mean the breed isn't smart. The lack of response however, just means that they are very smart and prefer to think things all the way through before acting.

Unfortunately the popularity of the breed has increased the number of disreputable breeders who don't focus on the dog's temperament. Therefore, there has been an increase in aggression among the breed. The key to reducing this aggression is to only get your dog from reputable breeders and properly socialize them when they are young. With proper care and training your English Bulldog can live a long eight to ten years. Heat illness is a major health concern of the English Bulldog that you need to be aware of which happens when they are exposed to excessive heat and can't dissipate the heat quickly.

Bulldog types. Through Bulldog information you can determine if the English Bulldog is right for you.

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