MEET THE BREEDS:
English Bulldog
Known for their loose-jointed, shuffling gate and massive, short-faced head, the Bulldog is known to be equable, resolute and dignified. A medium-sized dog, they are not your typical lap dog, but would like to be! They are one of the most popular breeds according due to their lovable and gentle dispositions and adorable wrinkles. The Bulldog may be brindle, white, red, fawn, fallow or piebald, black, black and white or tri colored are undesirable.
A Look Back
Said to have originated in the British Isles,
the name "bull" was applied because of the dog's connection with bull baiting.
The original bulldog had to be ferocious and courageous, and almost insensitive
to pain. When dog fighting became illegal in England, fanciers set to the task
of preserving the breed by eliminating the fierce characteristics. Within a few
generations, the Bulldog became one of the finest physical specimens with an
agreeable temperament.
Right Breed for You?
Bulldogs are recognized as excellent
family pets because of their tendency to form strong bonds with children. They
tend to be gentle and protective. The breed requires minimal grooming and
exercise. Their short nose makes them prone to overheating in warm weather, so
make sure to provide a shady place to rest.
If you are considering purchasing a Bulldog puppy,
Size, Proportion, Symmetry
Size--The size for
mature dogs is about 50 pounds or so; for mature bitches about 40 pounds or so.
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. Influence of Sex In
comparison of specimens of different sex, due allowance should be made in favor
of the bitches, which do not bear the characteristics of the breed to the same
degree of perfection and grandeur as do the dogs.
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 form, 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. (The ears should not be carried erect or
prick-eared or buttoned and should never be cropped.) 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 (not rounded or domed), 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. This indentation, or 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--The 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. Any nose other than black is
objectionable and a brown or liver-colored nose shall
disqualify. Lips--The chops or "flews" should
be thick, broad, pendant and very deep, completely overhanging the lower jaw at
each side. They join the underlip in front and almost or quite cover the teeth,
which should be scarcely noticeable when the mouth is closed.
Bite--Jaws--The jaws should be massive, very broad, square and
"undershot," the lower jaw projecting considerably in front of the upper jaw and
turning up. Teeth The teeth should be large and strong, with the canine
teeth or tusks wide apart, and the six small teeth in front, between the
canines, in an even, level row.
Neck, Topline, Body
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 (the top of which
should be higher than the top of the shoulders), thence curving again more
suddenly to the tail, forming an arch (a very distinctive feature of the breed),
termed "roach back" or, more correctly, "wheel-back." Body--The brisket
and body should be very capacious, with full sides, well-rounded ribs and very
deep from the shoulders down to its lowest part, where it joins the chest. It
should be well let down between the shoulders and forelegs, giving the dog a
broad, low, short-legged appearance. Chest--The 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--The tail may be either straight or "screwed" (but
never curved or curly), 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
Shoulders--The shoulders should be
muscular, very heavy, widespread and slanting outward, giving stability and
great power. Forelegs--The 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--The elbows should be low and
stand well out and loose from the body. Feet-- The 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.
Hindquarters
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. The hocks are thereby made to approach each other, and the hind feet to
turn outward. Feet--The 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 and Skin
Coat--The coat should be
straight, short, flat, close, of fine texture, smooth and glossy. (No fringe,
feather or curl.) Skin--The 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, fawn or fallow, (5) piebald, (6) inferior qualities
of all the foregoing. Note: A perfect piebald is preferable to a muddy
brindle or defective solid color. Solid black is very undesirable, but not so
objectionable if occurring to a moderate degree in piebald patches. 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. In piebalds the color patches should be well defined, of
pure color and symmetrically distributed. Black, black and white or tri colored are all undesirable.
Gait
The style and carriage are peculiar, his gait being
a loose-jointed, shuffling, sidewise motion, giving the characteristic "roll."
The action must, however, 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.
Disqualifications Brown or liver colored nose
