Bulldog breeds
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Bulldog Breeds is a collective name for various breeds of dog of a particular type, also known as Bull Breeds.
| American Bulldog |  |
| Alapaha Blue Blood Bulldog |  |
| Australian Bulldog |  |
| Bulldog |  |
| French Bulldog |  |
| Renascence Bulldogge | |
| Olde English Bulldogge |  |
| Antebellum Bulldog | [[ |
Contents |
[edit] Baiting sports
The sport of baiting animals has occurred since antiquity, most famously in the Roman Colosseum, a direct precursor to the modern Spanish "sport" of bullfighting. In the post Roman era, baiting, per se, was most closely associated with the English, who pursued it with utmost earnestness. The pastime flourished, reaching the peak of its popularity during the sixteenth century. The various animal types involved in the bait resulted in the breed specialization and basic anatomical forms of fighting dogs, which we still see today.
[edit] Old English Bulldog
The first historical traces of bull-baiting occur in the time of the regency of King John. Enraged steers, specially bred for their aggressive nature, were used to test the keenness of dogs. A collar around the bull's neck was fastened to a thick rope about three to five metres long, attached to a hook, then fastened to an embedded stake that turned, allowing the bull to watch its antagonizer.
The dog's goal in the attack was to pin and steadfastly hold onto the bull's nose, which is its most sensitive spot. If the dog gripped tightly, the bull became completely tractable. The practical purpose that pre-dated the sport was that the working "butcher's dogs" rendered the semi-wild cattle available to the butcher for slaughter without human injury. To avoid this attack, experienced fighting bulls lowered their heads as much as possible in the direction of the attacking dog, protecting their noses and meeting the attacker with only their horns, tossing the dog into the air. The dog reciprocated by staying low to the ground as it crept towards the bull. These tactics resulted in a specialized breed in the form of the now-extinct original Old English Bulldog. This breed was extremely compact, broad, and muscular. Modern oral history describes a particular characteristic of the breed as a lower jaw that projected considerably in front of the upper jaw, which made possible the strong, vice-like grip. This is highly doubtful since all modern working catch dogs have a level or reverse scissors bite. The story continues that the nose was deeply set, which allowed the dog to get enough air as it gripped the bull. A certain small amount of "layback" of the nose may possibly have been desirable, but a more important characteristic would have been a large nasal opening for airflow. The contemporary recreation of this breed of lore is called the Olde English Bulldogge.
[edit] Bulldog
The Bulldog of today has developed since the its initial bull-baiting days, inasmuch as characteristics of the breed (such as the underbite, size of the head and width of shoulder) have been accentuated by selective breeding.
[edit] Antebellum Bulldog
Also known as the Altamaha Plantation Bulldog, the extremely rare breed has recently gained popularity as family protector. During the peak of the Antebellum period, rice plantations along the Altamaha River valley branches and Cathead Creek west of Darien accounted for the bulk of the rice being exported from Georgia.
The rice fields on these plantations, sometimes had yields of more than one million pounds of rice per year. Feral hogs and wild cattle could devastate young rice crops overnight. To work the feral hogs and wild cattle Planters introduced dogs, bred with a strong catch drive and large feet for a sure sense of balance in the lowland marshes. Described as devotional and large headed, the dogs all but disappeared. Word is they were predominantly white in color. The breed has recently been reestablished through the Animal Research Foundation. [1][2]
[edit] Toy Bulldog
The Toy Bulldog, also known as the Miniature Bulldog, was a breed of small Bulldog that averaged 8 pounds in weight. Many of them were pushed out of Britain during the mid to late 19th century, seen as a threat to the Bulldog, and were extinct by the early 20th century.
[edit] Miniature Bulldog
The Miniature Bulldog is a smaller version of the Bulldog. The Miniature Bulldogs appearance is exactly the same as the Standard Bulldog only they are about 30-40 lbs. The parent registry for the Miniature Bulldog is The Miniature Bulldog Club of America. They can be found online at www.mbcoa.org.
[edit] French Bulldog
The French Bulldog emerged as Bulldogs that were bred with Toy Bulldogs by the artistic community in Paris. They average 10 to 12 kg. Their physical appearance is characterized by naturally occurring 'bat ears' that are pointy and stick straight up. Their tails are naturally short, not cropped. Otherwise, their body shape is similar to that of a Bulldog.
[edit] References
Brearley, Joan McDonald (1985). The Book of the Bulldog. Neptune, NJ: TFH Publications. ISBN 0-86622-027-5.
Jenkins, Robert; Ken Mollett (1997). The Story of the Real Bulldog. Neptune, NJ: TFH Publications. ISBN 0-7938-0491-4.
