Breed: Bulldog

A Bulldog, colloquially known as the British Bulldog, or English Bulldog, is a type of dog which traces its ancestry to England. It should not be confused with other varieties such as the American Bulldog or the French Bulldog, which has a similar appearance.

Country of origin: United Kingdom

Appearance

The Bulldog comes in a variety of colors and ideally has a smooth, short coat. The colors, in order of desirability, are brindle (especially red brindle), red (like a chestnut horse), white, and fawn (often with white markings on any color, or piebald). The prime disqualifier for the breed in the show ring is a pale or liver-colored nose, although black-coated bulldogs are not preferred, and many judges will dismiss a bulldog lacking an underbite. In the US, the size of a typical mature male is about 50 pounds; that for mature females is about 40 pounds. In the United Kingdom, the breed standard is 55 pounds for a male and 50 pounds for a female, but it is not uncommon for males to be 70 pounds.

History

The term "bulldog" was first used around 1568 and might have been applied to various ancestors of modern bulldog breeds. It has been theorized that Bulldogs were bred in England as a cross between the mastiff and the pug, although their genetic origin is debated. [2]

In the 1600s, bulldogs were used for bullbaiting (as well as bearbaiting), a gambling sport popular in the 17th century with wagers laid in which trained bulldogs leapt at a bull lashed to a post, latched onto its snout and attempted to suffocate it.[3] However, the bulldog's early role was not limited to sports. In mid-17th century New York, bulldogs were used as part of a city-wide roundup effort led by governor Richard Nicolls. Because cornering and leading wild bulls was dangerous, bulldogs were trained to seize a bull by its nose long enough for a rope to be secured around its neck. [4]

In time, the original Old English Bulldog was crossed with the pug. The outcome was a shorter, wider dog with a brachycephalic skull. Though today's bulldog looks tough, he cannot perform the job he was originally created for, as he cannot withstand the rigors of running and being thrown from a bull, and cannot grip with such a short muzzle.

The oldest single breed speciality club is The Bulldog Club (England), which was formed in 1878. Members of this club met frequently at the Blue Post pub on Oxford Street in London. There they wrote the first standard of perfection for the breed. In 1891 the two top bulldogs, Orry and Dockleaf, competed in a contest to see which dog could walk the farthest. Orry was reminiscent of the original bulldogs, lighter boned and very athletic. Dockleaf was smaller and heavier set, more like modern bulldogs. Dockleaf was declared the winner that year. Although some argued that the older version of the bulldog was more fit to perform, the modern version’s looks won over the fans of the breed because they proved they were equally as fit and athletic in the walking competition.

Article Source:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bulldog