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Bulldog

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General
OtherNames		English Bulldog
Dog Group Kennel Club		Utility
Breed Classification		Bulldogs belong to the utility group and are used as companions and seen in the show-ring.
Cost of Ownership Visit our dog food department
Average Food Cost		£4-7.50
Feeding Requirements		You must be very careful to avoid overfeeding with this breed. Also, many dogs have skin problems and may need to be on special diets or take supplements. Feeding costs will be around £4 to £5 per week.
Other Expenses		The average price of a puppy is between £1000 to £1500.
Average Puppy Price		>£800
Lifespan		9 - 15 years
Average Litter Size		5
General Physical Description		The overall look of the dog should be powerful and vigorous with a short, sturdy (not stout) body and a peculiar rolling gait. One of the distinctive elements of the Bulldog is its loose skin, especially at the head, neck and shoulders. Another distinctive feature is the massive skull. The Bulldog sort of shuffles along in a loose-jointed manner with some sidewise motion, but he should still be able to move freely and with vitality.
Height Min Max Bitch 31cm 36cm Dog 31cm 36cm Weight Min Max Bitch 23kg 25kg Dog 23kg 25kg
Size Category		Medium
Weight Height Range		The present day Bulldog stands at between 31-36cms at the withers and weighs between 23-25kgs.
Ailments		Due to all these physical eccentricities, the Bulldog is beset by a bevy of health problems. Elbow and patellar dysplasia are not uncommon and all breeding dogs should be screened for these two diseases. Hip dysplasia can occur but it is difficult to screen for and score accurately in Bulldogs due to their unique anatomy. Due to the massive head and relatively narrow hips the Bulldog usually delivers by caesarian section. Another breeding problem plaguing Bulldog breeders is the male dog’s frequent inability to mate. As a result, many litters are conceived via artificial insemination. Mange is a further problem that seems to attack Bulldogs. Also worth mentioning is the fact that Bulldogs are not tolerant of heat.
Common Ailments
Susceptibility To Illness Pet insurance for dogs resource Pet health and vet advice		High
Other
History		Bulldogs come form the ancient breed of Bullenbeissers a mastiff-like dog used for guarding and attacking wild animals in Assyria, Greece, Egypt and Rome. The Bullenbeisser, which came in various sizes, was also certainly used by Teutonic and Celtic tribes. In England, the originally huge Bullenbeisser was bred to be a smaller dog and during the reign of King John (13th century) began its career as a bull baiter. Over the years, an ideal dog for bull baiting was created. First of all, the dog was bred for tenacity, i.e. once latched on, it wouldn’t let go. Secondly, the dog was bred to be impervious to pain. In addition, the Bulldog’s weight is primarily in the head so that when the bull shook, the dog was less likely to have its back broken. Thankfully, baiting and dog fighting were outlawed in England in 1835. From that day, Bulldog owners began selective breeding to eliminate the more aggressive elements of the breed and establish a good natured, yet still determined family pet.
Intelligence		Although stubborn and not terribly easy to train, the breed is intelligent, devoted and a bit of a clown. To train the Bulldog use consistency and firmness but beware that this dog is very sensitive to the voice. It will not take kindly to being screamed at and will probably choose to end the training session and curl up on the sofa to studiously ignore you.
Show Characteristics		The circumference of the skull should be equal to the height at the withers. In profile the skull should appear high from the jaw to the top of the head and short in width. The forehead should be flat with the cheeks protruding sideways. The stop is well defined, creating a groove between the eyes to the top of the head, effectively dividing the skull down the middle. Set low in the skull, the eyes should be as far from the ears as possible, with the corner of the eye at right angles to the stop. The eyes should be set in the front of the head and be as wide apart as possible so long as they are within the outline of the cheeks. Very round and dark, the eyes should not be sunken or bulging. The Bulldog standard calls for a rose ear. The ears should be set high on the head, as far from the eyes as possible. Pricked ears are also a fault. The standard calls for the distance between the nose tip and the stop to be as short as possible. The nose should be quite large and wide and of a black pigment. Nostrils must be wide with a defined line between them. The jaw itself should be massive. The small incisor teeth should just be visible when the jaw is at rest. A short, thick neck leads into very muscular shoulders, which are set quite wide f
Country Of Origin		England
Famous Examples
Records Held
Characteristics Visit our dog training aids department
Energy		Low
Overall Exercise		20 - 40 minutes
Distress Caused if Left Alone
Personal Protection		Medium
Suitability As Guard Dog		High
Risk of Sheep Worrying		Low
Tendency to Bark		Low
Ease of Transportation		Low
Level of Aggression		Medium
Compatibility With Other Animals		Medium
Suitable For Children		Medium
General Character And Temperament		Reportedly, the temperament of the Bulldog is unmatchable. This is a family dog that loves children and will even learn to get along with other pets if introduced to them at an early age. The Bulldog is a bit too friendly to be a good guard dog but would defend a family member in need. They can be peaceful, pensive, goofy and have a well developed sense of humour.
Grooming Visit our dog grooming department
Coat Length		Short/Smooth
Grooming Requirement		Once a week
Trimming		None
Requires Professional Groomer
Grooming		The coat should be groomed with a rubber grooming mitt to remove loose and dead hairs and the folds may need cleaning with a special lotion. If the breed has a recessed screw tail, care should be taken to keep the tail base from becoming moist as this will lead to bacterial infections. Another grooming measure that must be taken is the cleaning of tearstains. The wrinkles should be cleaned regularly.
Colour		The bulldog can be brindle, shades of red, fawn or white with any of the aforementioned colours.
Shedding		Moderate
Suffers From Allergies
Tendency to Cause Allergies