The Bulldog, also known as the English Bulldog or British Bulldog is a medium-size breed of dog that originated in England.

Appearance

The bulldog is a relatively small but stocky breed, with a compact body and short, sturdy limbs. Its shape results in a waddle-like gait. Bulldogs are known for their short muzzles and the saggy skin on their faces, creating the apparent "frown" that has become a trademark of the breed. Bulldogs come in a variety of colors and ideally have a smooth, short coat. The size for a mature male is about 50 pounds (23 kg); that for mature females is about 40 pounds (18 kg). Stout in appearance, the adult bulldog measures about 12-14 inches (30-36 cm) tall at the shoulder. Many people think bulldogs are cute because of these characteristics and that makes them a popular pet.

Temperament and Characteristics

Contrary to classic cartoon parodies and nicknames of the breed, such as 'Sour-Puss,' that depicted the bulldog as ferocious and wearing a spiked dog collar, the bulldog is not a vicious dog breed and gets along well with humans, including children, and usually other dog breeds. The reputation of being ferocious was true during the days of Bull-baiting, but their aggressive tendencies were bred out by the time of the Second World War. Contemprorary Bulldogs are very friendly and playful, while also being stubborn and protective.

The bulldog is prone to some health problems, such as hip displasia and breathing problems. A bulldog is great for houses as well as apartments, but puppies may be destructive until they reach maturity. They are notorious for snoring, but, contrary to popular belief, bulldogs do not drool.

Bulldogs require daily exercise, and if not properly exercised the bulldog will gain weight, which could, in turn aggravate health problems. A properly exercised bulldog will exhibit a better temperament in its environment. An improperly exercised bulldog will exhibit destructive behaviour even as an adult.

Health

Bulldogs tend to have breathing problems as their flat face restricts air; because of this they should be closely monitored in hot weather as they can suffer heat stroke more easily than breeds with long noses. In addition, many bulldogs also suffer breathing difficulties as a result of their soft-palate, which can all too easily collapse into their airway. The elongated soft-palate can be fixed easily with surgery, but if left untreated, it can yield trademark breathing and snoring difficulties characteristic of the breed. This can lead to the bulldog developing sleep apnea and can negatively affect its temperament. Bulldogs also have problems with swimming and can drown if left unattended near a pool. Other common health problems include cherry eye, allergies, and (among older bulldogs) hip problems and cataracts. Because of the large heads in proportion to body size, baby bulldogs are usually delivered by Caesarean section as most pups get stuck in the birth canal during natural birth.

Bulldogs require daily cleaning of their face folds to avoid unwanted infections caused by moisture accumulation. Daily teeth brushing with a regular human soft toothbrush using a vet approved toothpaste is also recommended.

History

The term "bulldog" was first used around 1568^[1] and might have been applied to various ancestors of modern bulldog breeds. In the 1600s^[2], bulldogs were used for bullbaiting (as well as bearbaiting), a wagering sport popular in the 17th century in which trained bulldogs leapt at a bull lashed to a post, latched onto its snout and attempted to suffocate it. The practice of bullbaiting was banned in England in 1835.

After bullbaiting was banned, the breed began to die out (known as the Old English Bulldog) until fans turned to conformation dog shows. The first show to have a class for bulldogs was in Birmingham. Just a few years later, in 1864, a club was organised to enhance the breed. Unfortunately, this group never picked a specific breed standard, and in 1891 the two top bulldogs, bitch Orry and Dockleaf, were greatly different in appearance. King 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 (known as the Old English Bulldog) was more fit to perform, the modern version’s looks won over the fans of the breed.

Recently, many people have tried to recreate a breed more akin to the original bullbaiter. Examples of the trend are the Olde Englishe Bulldogge, Renaissance Bulldog, Victorian, Continental and Dorset Old Tyme Bulldog.

Popular mascot

Because of its tenacity, the bulldog is a symbol of England and is a popular mascot of universities, such as Mississippi State University, the University of Georgia, South Carolina State University, Drake University, The Citadel, Yale University, military institutions, and other organisations. See List of Bulldog mascots for a partial listing.

Bulldogs in popular culture

• Uga (mascot), the English Bulldog mascot for the University of Georgia.

• Bully, the English Bulldog mascot for Mississippi State University.

• Hector the Bulldog, and Spike the Bulldog are animated cartoon characters in the Warner Bros. Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies series of cartoons.

• Marc Antony, an animated cartoon character in the Warner Bros. Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies series of cartoons.

• Spike, Tom's nemesis in the theatrical cartoon series Tom and Jerry Sometimes Spike had a puppy, his son Tyke. No mother bulldog was ever shown.

• Francis from Oliver & Company

• Carface from All Dogs Go to Heaven

• Angus from the 1997 Mr. Magoo movie

• Rambo from the 1987 movie Mannequin.

• Ma-Mutt from the 1980s cartoon series Thundercats.

• Ripper and many others belonging to Marjorie Dursley in Harry Potter.

• Frog from the TV series "MacGyver"

• Butch, Droopy's nemesis in the theatrical cartoon series "Droopy"(MGM)cartoons.

• Max, from Jake and the Fatman

• Raymond in Everybody Loves Raymond brings a stray bulldog named "Shamsky" in as a pet in Episode 19 ("The Dog").

• In "Where My Dogs At?" Woof is a bulldog.

• Atom, in the 1947, Tex Avery directed, theatrical Short, King-Size Canary.

• Earl in Rocko's Modern Life

• Yattebull a robotic bulldog a Yatterman

• Granbull and Snubbull in Pokémon

• Meatball, late pet of Adam Sandler

• Mr. Beefy, from the Adam Sandler film, Little Nicky

• Cyril, the titular bulldog in Connie Willis' Victorian time-travel comedy, To Say Nothing of the Dog

• Deathwish Dog

• Soda, the family's English Bulldog in film 'Since You Went Away" (1944)

• Meathead, Dirty Harry's bulldog in the film, "Sudden Impact" (1983)

• Dribble, from the WarioWare games.

• Meat Bag, or Meaty, from the MTV show Rob and Big

• "The British Bulldog" from WWE

• Lola, Jack Osbourne's bulldog featured in the TV show The Osbournes

• Winston, belonging to beachmaster played by Kenneth More in The Longest Day.

• Bandit, The small white bulldog from the cartoon Media:Johnny Quest

• In the movie "The Rock", Nicolas Cage's dog in the end is a bulldog.

• Hemmingway owned by Pete Wentz.

References

1. ^ (2003) Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary 11th edition. 

2. ^ Fogle, Bruce (2000). The New Encyclopedia of the Dog. Doring Kindersley (DK). ISBN 0-7894-6130-7.