ALLABOUT

ALL ABOUT BULLDOGS

Today's bulldog has a very different temperament from those of his ancestors.
Although the English Bulldog's appearance can be somewhat intimidating, it is
among the gentlest of dogs. Strangers will probably keep a distance because of
their fierce-looking demeanor, but friends and family will fall in love with him.
Bulldogs are described as very affectionate, and dependable. Bulldogs are very
much a "people" breed: A lot of human attention is required for the breed's
happiness. Generally, the Bulldog is a quiet, even tempered pet. He does not
bounce, dig, or bark a lot. He is easy to take care of, loyal, and will love the entire
family (although he will probably have a favorite). When Bulldogs are young, they
are full of energy, but slow down as they get older. Unfortunately, because bulldogs
are quiet and happy to lounge around in the sun all day, people tend to think that
they don't need exercise. Exercise is very important if you want to have a happy
healthy adult dog. Adults do not require a lot of vigorous exercise -- walking your
dog regularly, and playing with them occasionally, should be sufficient. If left to their
devices, even in a very spacious yard, bulldogs will probably not run around; they
will wait for someone to come outside and play with them.

No one could ever complete the sentence “I like a Bulldog best because…” in
twenty-five words or less- the advantages of this breed are far too many. A Bulldog’
s good nature is as proverbial as a Bulldog’s appearance—we almost said beauty.
It is beauty when you get used to it, for a good Bulldog makes any other type of dog
look “wrong!” Ask a veterinarian for his choice of the ideal dog for children. He’ll
say, “The Bulldog is one of the gentlest”. He never starts a fight; he doesn’t have
to. He never gets his owner in trouble by being aggressive, as “peace—or else” is
his motto. He assumes that every man or dog is as friendly as he, not realizing the
sobering effect of his countenance upon both man and beast. But let either start
anything, and it is just too bad. The very fact that a 50 pound Bulldog does not rush
forward snarling, but comes rolling in, slowly, silently, with an air of unflinching
determination, is awesome. Children will fling themselves upon him, hug him
breathless, pull his ears, dress him in their play clothes—and bask in his toothy
smile.

Bulldogs love to ride in anything---train, auto, boat, or airplane, and are rarely
carsick, providing you take such simple precautions as not feeding just before a
ride.

The Bulldog is a medium sized, smooth-coated animal whose appearance and
attitude should display stability, vigor, and strength. According to the Standard, the
Bulldog’s disposition should be kind and courageous, never vicious nor aggressive,
and his demeanor and expression should be dignified and peaceful. The size for
adult males is about 50 pounds; for mature females, about 40 pounds.

Broad, sturdy, and strong, the correct Bulldog should have a low and short legged
appearance. The shoulders are heavy and muscular, the back short and strong,
and the loin area comparatively narrow. The chest should be broad and deep; and
the sides full, with well rounded ribs. The belly should be tucked up.
The Bulldog’s forelegs should be short, stout, and straight; they should be
muscular, and the calves well developed. The forelegs should present a bowed
outline; however, the bones of the legs should not be bandy, nor should the feet be
brought to close together. The hind legs should also be strong, straight, and short;
and the stifles should turn outward slightly, away from the body. Bulldog feet
should be medium-sized and compact. The front feet may be straight or may turn
out slightly; the hind feet, however, should definitely point outward.

The gait of the Bulldog should seem loose-jointed and shuffling. This sideways
movement is peculiar to the Bulldog and is called the “roll”. This action must be
free and vigorous.

The Bulldog neck is short, thick, and strong; it is well arched at the back. The skin
should be soft and loose all over the Bulldog, but especially so at the head, neck,
and shoulders. The head and face are to be covered with heavy wrinkles; at the
throat, from jaw to chest, there should be two loose folds which form the dewlap.

The skull should be large; in circumference, in front of the ears, it should be
measure at least the height of the dog at the shoulders. From the front, the skull
should appear broad and square; from the side it should appear very high and very
short from the point of the nose to the occiput. The forehead should be flat and not
too prominent. Cheeks should be well rounded; they should protrude outward and
sideways beyond the eyes. The temples should be well defined and square,
creating a groove between the eyes. This groove (or stop) should be broad and
deep, extending up the middle of the forehead to the top of the skull.

The eyes should be situated low in the skull, as far from the ears as possible the
corners should be in a straight line at right angles with the stop. The eyes should
be round, of moderate size, and dark in color. They should be neither sunken nor
bulging. The eyelid should not show any haw.

Bulldog ears are set high in the head, as far from the eyes as possible, and are
placed far apart. They are small and thin, and the “rose ear” shape is most
desirable. The ears should not be carried erect, nor buttoned or prick-eared, and
they should never be cropped.

The face of the Bulldog should be extremely short, with a short and broad muzzle.
The nose should be large, broad, and black its tip is set back deeply between the
eyes. Nostrils should be large, wide, and black, with a well-defined line between
them. The Bulldog nose should always be black; a brown or liver nose disqualifies.
The chops (or flews) should be thick, broad, and deep, completely overhanging the
lower jaw on each side. They join the lower lip in front and cover the teeth, which
would scarcely be noticeable when the mouth is closed. Jaws are massive, broad,
square, and undershot ( the lower jaw projects considerably in front of the upper
jaw and turns upward). The teeth should be large and strong; the canines are wide
apart, and the six small teeth in front, between the canines, are in an even row.

The Bulldog coat should be straight, short, and flat; it has a fine texture and is
smooth and glossy. It has no fringe, feather, or curl. The coat color should be
uniform and brilliant. The colors are preferred in this order: red brindle; all other
brindles; solid white; solid red, fawn, or fallow; piebald; inferior qualities of any
preceding coat color (e.g., a perfect piebald is preferable to muddy brindle or poor
solid color). Solid black is undesirable, but is not so objectionable if it occurs to a
moderate degree in piebald patches. Brindles should have fine, even distribution of
the composite colors. In solids and brindles, a small white patch on the chest is not
considered detrimental. In piebalds, color patches should be well defined, of pure
color, and should be distributed symmetrically.

The Bulldog tail may be straight or screwed (but never curved or curly); it must be
short, hung low with a downward carriage, and must have a thick root and fine tip.
The straight tail should be cylindrical and should be tapered uniformly. The
screwed tail should have well-defined bends or kinks; these may be abrupt or
knotty, but no portion should be elevated above the base or root.