Bulldog breeds
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Bulldog is a collective name for various breeds of dog.
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[edit] Baiting sports
The bloodsport 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. For over six hundred years 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 predated 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] English Bulldog
The English Bulldog of today is a far cry from its ancestor, which made its name by excelling in arranged combat.
[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 English Bulldog breed, and were extinct by the early 20th century.
[edit] Miniature Bulldogs
The Miniature Bulldog is a smaller version of the Standard 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 English Bulldogs 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 an English Bulldog.
[edit] Bull Terrier
The Staffordshire Bull Terrier first came into existence around th 1600's. As bull baiting began to decline and dog fighting enjoyed a surge of interest, it became necessary to develop a dog which possessed a longer and more punishing head than the Bulldog and also to combine strength and agility. This helped to alleviate some of the breathing problems that has become apparent in current generations of bulldogs. It is therefore believed that the Staffordshire Bull Terrier was derived from the fighting Bulldog of the day with some terrier blood introduced. This cross produced what is now known as the Bull Terrier or Pit Dog. These dogs were renowned for their courage, tenacity, and good nature and despite their ferocity in the pit were known as excellent companions and good with children.
[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.
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
- Breed history
