history

Looking at this photo, it is easy to see why the Bulldog is affectionately called the "sourmug".

Of the countless breeds of dogs there is no one more distinctive in appearance than today's Bulldog.

The Bulldog is thought to be descended from ancient Mastiffs of asiatic blood, combat dogs that were introduced in Great Britain by early phoenician navigators.  Its name reflects its original purpose; the Bulldog was used for bull-baiting.  Organized dog fights were also the rule of the day.  In 1835, the cruel practice of bull-baiting was outlawed in England.  In 1875, the first Bulldog standard was published.  Selective breeding since that time has turned the Bulldog into a loving family pet.

The Bulldog's undershot jaw was so designed to enable him to clamp onto a bull's nose with a vice-like grip.  The Bulldog's wrinkles had the specific function of keeping blood of a bull out of the dog's nose and eyes.

characteristics

     It is for this very reason the person anticipating owning a Bulldog should give serious thought to the decision.  Puppies are the material for millions of picture-postcards and greeting cards each year.  Bulldog puppies are particularly used in this respect. There is nothing more seductive than a pile of Bulldog puppies, nestled together sound asleep, one on top of the other, or playing together. But there are lots of things that is needed some serious thoughts and consideration.

 Here are some of special requirements for anyone who wishes to buy a Bulldog:
1. The dog must be a house dog 100% of the time: First and foremost the Bulldog is a people dog. The Bulldog must be a "house dog!".  He is not a breed that is able to cope easily with temperature and humidity fluctuations. Nor is the breed able to endure being isolated from the people he loves.

2. Yards must be completely fenced: Bulldogs are often described as being loyal and although our egos would have us believe that our dogs would pine away if they were not with us, this is hardly the truth. A Bulldog would be just as happy anywhere as long as he was fed, loved, petted and had a couch or chair to sleep on.

3. No home where a "macho" or aggressive dog is wanted: A home that encourages aggressive behavior is not the home for a Bulldog. A Bulldog in a fight is something you never want to see! They become totally involved, their eyes glaze over and they are intent on doing great harm to whatever animal they are fighting with. Further, it is extremely dangerous for anyone, including the owner, to try and intervene as the Bulldog's complete and total concentration is on the fight and he has no sense of what he is biting!

4. No home where we haven't met everyone in the household:  We want to meet everyone that our Bulldogs will be living with because it is important to see how each member will interact with the dog.

5. No home where only one of the adults is enthused about getting a Bulldog: Owning a Bulldog takes the cooperation of everyone in the household and Bulldogs have very special and often very limited appeal.  No
 Bulldog is safe in an environment that it is not entirely receptive.

6. No home where children are responsible for the dog's care: Be very careful when we place a dog into a family with children. Make sure that the children will not be abusive to the dog since the dogs are very stoic and will take almost any abuse from a child. At the same time, while the best of children can love and care for their dogs they are not always capable of understanding or remembering the very special care Bulldog ownership entails.

7. No home where they "want to get into breeding:" Breeding Bulldogs is extremely difficult on both dog and owner.  It is not something to be attempted by most people. It takes a long time to understand what kind of stock is even suitable for breeding and an even longer time to learn the intricacies of breeding, whelping and rearing a litter of Bulldogs.

     The Bulldog is a docile, affectionate companion and yet will be playful and active (for short periods) if you want him to be.  The breed is absolutely wonderful with children and the elderly.  Their special talent in life is "companionship". A Bulldog may not give two hoots about guarding a missile site, but watch him take care of a toddler as the two amble along with the child holding steadfastly to the loose skin on the dog's throat.

Bulldogs are gentle and dignified. Part of their charm is that they look so touch but they aren't at all.  Their inner beauty will steal your heart.  When it comes to their humans, Bulldogs are totally forgiving and totally loving.  They are true companions in every sense of the word.

Standard

General Appearance
 Medium size and smooth coat; with heavy, thickset, low-swung body, massive short-faced head, wide shoulders and sturdy limbs.  The general appearance and attitude should suggest great stability, vigor and strength. The disposition should be equable and kind, resolute and courageous.
Size
The size for mature dogs is about 50 lbs. for mature bitches about 40 lbs.
Proportion
The circumference of the skull in front of the ears should measure at least the height of the dog at the shoulders.
Symmetry
The "points" should be well distributed and bear good relation one to the other, no feature being in such prominence from either excess or lack of quality that the animal appears deformed or ill-proportioned.
Head-Eyes and Eyelids-
The eyes, seen from the front, should be situated low down in the skull, as far from the ears as possible, and their corners should be in a straight line at right angles with the stop.  They should be quite in front of the head, as wide apart as possible, provided their outer corners are within the outline of the cheeks when viewed from the front. They should be quite round in from, of moderate size, neither sunken nor bulging, and in color should be very dark. The lids should cover the white of the eyeball, when the dog is looking directly forward, and the lid should show no "haw".
Ears
The ears should be set high in the head, the front inner edge of each ear joining the outline of the skull at the top back corner of skull, so as to place them as wide apart, and as high, and as far from the eyes as possible. In size they should be small and thin. The shape termed "rose ear" is the most desirable. The rose ear folds inward at its back lower edge, the upper front edge curving over, outward and backward, showing part of the inside of the burr.
Skull
|The skull should be very large, and in circumference, in front of the ears, should measure at least the height of the dog at the shoulders. Viewed from the front, it should appear very high from the corner of the lower jaw to the apex of the skull, and also very broad and square. Viewed at the side, the head should appear very high, and very short from the point of the nose to occiput.  The forehead should be flat, neither too prominent nor overhanging the face.
Cheeks
The cheeks should be well rounded, protruding sideways and outward beyond the eyes.
Stop
The temples or frontal bones should be very well defined, broad, square and high, causing a hollow or groove between the eyes. Stop should be both broad and deep and extend up the middle of the forehead, dividing the head vertically, being traceable to the top of the skull.

Face and Muzzle
The face, measured from the front of the cheekbone to the tip of the nose, should be extremely short, the muzzle being very short, broad, turned upward and very deep from the corner of the eye to the corner of the mouth.
Nose
Should be large, broad and black, its tip set back deeply between the eyes. The distance from bottom of stop, between the eyes, to the tip of nose should be as short as possible and not exceed the length from the tip of nose to the edge of underlip. The nostrils should be wide, large and black, with a well-defined line between them.
Bite-Jaws
The jaws should be massive, very broad, square and "undershot", the lower jaw projecting considerably in front of the upper jaw and tuning up.
Teeth
The teeth should be large and strong, with the canine teeth or tusks wide apart, and the six small teeth infront, between the canines, in an even, level row.

Neck
The neck should be short, very thick, deep and strong and well arched at the back.
Topline
There should be a slight fall in the back, close behind the shoulders (its lowest part), whence the spine should rise to the loins, thence curving again more suddenly to the tail, forming an arch.
Body
The brisket and body should very capacious, with full sides, well-rounded ribs and very deep from the shoulders down to its lowest part where it joins the chest.
Chest
Should be very broad, deep and full.
Underline
The body should be well ribbed up behind with the belly tucked up and not rotund.
Back and Loin
The back should be short and strong, very broad at the shoulders and comparatively narrow at the loins.
Tail
May be either straight or "screwed", and in any case must be short, hung low, with decided downward carriage, thick root and fine tip. If straight, the tail should be cylindrical and of uniform taper. If "screwed", the bends or kinks should be well defined, and they may be abrupt and even knotty, but no portion of the member should be elevated above the base or root.

Forequarters

Shoulder
Should be muscular, very heavy, widespread and slanting outward, giving stability and great power.
Forelegs
Should be short, very stout, straight and muscular, set wide apart, with well developed calves, presenting a bowed outline, but the bones of the legs should not be curved or bandy, nor the feet brought too close together.
Elbows
Should be low and stand well out and loose from the body.
Feet
Should be moderate in size, compact and firmly set. Toes compact, well split up, with high knuckles and very short stubby nails.  The front feet may be straight or slightly out turned.

Legs
The hind legs should be strong and muscular and longer than the forelegs, so as to elevate the loins above the shoulders. Hocks should be slightly bent and well let down, so as to give length and strength from the loins to hock. The lower leg should be short, straight and strong, with the stifles turned slightly outward and away from the body.
Feet
Should be moderate in size, compact and firmly set. Toes compact, well split up, with high knuckles and short stubby nails. The hind feet should be pointed well outward.

Coat
Should be Straight, short, flat, close, of fine texture, smooth and glossy.
Skin
Should be soft and loose, especially at the head, neck and shoulders.
Wrinkles and Dewlap
The head and face should be covered with heavy wrinkles, and at the throat, from jaw to chest, there should be two loose pendulous folds, forming the dewlap.

Color of coat- The color of coat should be uniform, pure of its kind and brilliant. The various colors found in the breed are to be preferred in the following order:
(1) red brindle
(2) all other brindles
(3) solid white
(4) solid red
(5) piebald
(6) inferior qualities of all the foregoing
The brindles to be perfect should have a fine, even and equal distribution of the composite colors. In brindles and solid colors a small white patch on the chest is not considered detrimental.

Gait
The style and carriage are peculiar, his gate being a loose-jointed, shuffling, sidewise motion, giving the characteristic "roll." The action must, be unrestrained, free and vigorous.

Temperament
The disposition should be equable and kind, resolute and courageous (not vicious or aggressive), and demeanor should be pacific and dignified.  These attributes should be countenanced by the expression and behavior.

AN OVERVIEW OF THE BULLDOG STANDARD

The look of the Bulldog both in body and expression underscores its character-kind, courageous and dignified. That is the essence of the Bulldog temperament.
While the standard takes great pains to describe in detail all that is desirable in the breed, in the end the reader should come away with the picture of a dog that owns the ground it stands upon; sound of both limb and mind. Never too small, nor too big. It is a medium-sized dog and the opposite ends of the size spectrum do not conjure up a dog that is at once both strong and vigorous.