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American Bulldog
Introduction
The American bulldog is a breed of domestic dog (Canis lupus familiaris). There are generally considered to be three types of American bulldog: the Bully or Classic type, the Standard or Performance type and the Hybrid type. They may also be called the Johnson type or the Scott
type. These types are named after the breeders who were influential in
developing them, John D. Johnson (Bully) and Alan Scott (Standard).
American Bulldogs are thought to be descended from working type bulldogs
found commonly on ranches and farms in the Southern and Midwestern
parts of the United States.
Contents[hide] |
[edit] Description
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[edit] Appearance
The American bulldog is a stocky, well built, strong-looking dog with
very powerful jaws, a very large head, and a very muscular build. Its coat
is short and generally smooth. The breed is a light to moderate
shedder. Colors, while historically predominantly white with patches of
red or brindle, have grown in recent years to include many color
patterns: including red, brown, fawn and all shades of brindle. The
color conformation is quite varied, but blue, tri-color, black and tan
or any degree of merle is a breed undesirable and considered a fault or
disqualification by most breed standards. Black pigmentation on the nose
and eye rims is preferred, with only some pink allowed. Eye color is
usually brown but split eyes (one blue and one brown) also occurs.
American Bulldogs can be droolers; this varies and is more prevalent in
the Bully type. This type is generally a larger, heavier dog with a
shorter muzzle. Standard or Performance types are generally more
athletic with longer muzzles and a more square head. It is important to
note that many modern American Bulldogs are a combination of the two
types usually termed "hybrid." In general, American Bulldogs weigh
between 27 to 54 kg (60 to 120 lb) and are 52 to 70 cm
(20 to 28 in) at the withers, but have been known to greatly exceed in that "out of standard", nonworking stock.
[edit] Temperament
that are at ease with their families. They bond strongly with their
owners. Young American Bulldogs may be slightly aloof with strangers but
as they mature the breed's normal confidence should assert itself. This
breed tolerates children and can do very well with them, provided they
are socialized
early and understand their limits. The more exposure to good training
practices, other dogs and people, the more likely the success at being
controlled both inside and outside of their environment. Early training
and socialization both in the home and outside of the home is essential
for this breed. One way to help accomplish this goal can be done in the
simplest of ways, by walking them regularly at local parks. While its
genetics and breeding were to produce a working farm utility dog that
could catch and hold wild boar and cattle, kill vermin, and guard an
owner's property, when properly trained, exercised and socialized, this
breed can become a great family pet.Bulldogs are very protective of
their owners. The tendency towards dog aggression is not uncommon in
this breed especially as they reach social maturity at around 2 years of
age.
Purebred American Bulldogs are excellent tracking, obedience,
working, guard and family dogs; being true, some American Bulldogs are
not tolerant of unknown creatures or people on/near/approaching "their"
property/area/vehicles and sometimes even not so familiar friends and
family when owner is not present. Assertiveness (charging-rushing)
towards other dogs even when outside of territory/property is not
uncommon. American Bulldogs are known to be a very dominant breed, but
should not be hostile on neutral territory (in other words, nowhere near
their home). American Bulldogs generally do not engage unless seriously
provoked. The breed is also noted for having an extremely high pain
tolerance.
Puppies have been noted for being friendly and carefree (1–8 months),
such as no cares around strangers at home, and friendliness towards all
animals (except ones fleeing from danger). Young adult American
Bulldogs may display some aloofness towards strangers but they likely
will not be cowardly or shy. Generally by 18 months or so the breed's
natural confidence will likely assert itself - then maturing and
developing into an alert, protective, smart and all-around companion.
This breed's high prey drive can sometimes make them unsuitable for
homes that have cats and smaller pets, but the correct socialization at
an early age (see above, temperament) will greatly increase the chances
of them accepting these animals.
The characteristics of Heterochromia is not a positive genetic trait though benign.
[edit] History
[edit] History in Spain and England
The history of Mastiff-type dogs in the British Isles predates the arrival of Caesar. With the arrival of the Normans in 1066 came Spanish Alauntsfrom the continent. The breeding of the indigenous mastiffs to the
newly arrived ones produced the Mastiff and bulldog of England. An
interesting side note is that all descriptions of the Spanish Alaunts
(there were three types) mention an all white, or mostly white coat.
In Spain and England during the 17th and 18th centuries, bulldogs were used on farms to catch and hold
livestock, as butchers' dogs, as guardians, as well as for other tasks.
Many settlers brought these dogs with them to help around the farm,
hunt in the woods, guard property, and for gambling and sport.
In 1835, the sport of bull-baiting was outlawed in Spain and the United Kingdom and, over time, the bulldog
became a common pet, being bred into today's more compact and
complacent version. The product was as much from the efforts of
selectively bred bulldogs as it was the introduction of the pug.
However, some strains of bulldog type dogs maintained their utilitarian
purpose, and thus underwent fewer modifications, even as their
popularity declined in favor of other breeds. Even the slight
modifications the bulldog underwent in Spain and England up to the
Industrial Revolution (before 1835), were absent in the working strains.
Most settlers of the American South came from the West Midlands of
England and emigrated as a result of the Civil War between Royalists and Parliamentarians,
well before the Industrial Revolution). Bulldogs in Spain and England
were originally working dogs who drove and caught cattle and guarded
their masters' property.
[edit] History in the United States
The original bulldog was preserved by working class immigrants whobrought their working dogs with them to the American South. Small
farmers and ranchers used this all-around working dog for many tasks
including farm guardians, stock dogs and catch dog.
These dogs were not an actual breed as considered by today's standards
but were a generic bulldog type. There were no recorded pedigrees or
records and breeding decisions were dependent on the best working farm
dogs despite breed or background. Several separate strains of the
"bulldog" type dogs were kept by ranchers as utilitarian working dogs.
By the end of World War II, however, these bulldog type strains were
becoming extinct. Mr. John D. Johnson, a returning war veteran, decided
to resurrect this breed. He found many of the best specimens of these
working type dogs and started recording pedigrees and family trees. His
aim was to produce a large farm guardian-type bulldog, reminiscent of
the bulldogs of old. Later Alan Scott and several other breeders joined
Johnson's efforts to resurrect and recreate the old time bulldogs.
Johnson and Scott began to carefully breed American bulldogs, keeping
careful records and always with an eye for maintaining the breed's
health and working abilities. Initially Johnson and Scott had a similar
vision and even traded dogs with each other. However in time there was a
split between their visions and resulted in the two distinct types of
American Bulldog. Alan Scott preferred a smaller more athletic dog with a
longer muzzle that could be used for cattle catching as well as wild
boar hunting. John Johnson preferred a larger more massive dog with a
shorter muzzle that was more of a guardian type dog. Over time the two
founding breeders as well as important breeders crossed in other breeds
to help meet their goal of the ideal working bulldog. Originally the
breed was called the American Pit Bulldog and in the 1970s registered
with the National Kennel Club (NKC) as such. Later the name was changed to American Bulldog to avoid confusion with the American Pit Bull Terrier. The American bulldog was recognized by the United Kennel Club on January 1, 1999. Currently the breed is recognized by the NKC, UKC, and the American Bulldog Association (ABA) And the SACBR www.sacbr.co.za South Africa.
Perhaps the most important role of the bulldog and the reason for its
survival, and in fact why it thrived throughout the South, was because
of the presence of feral pigs, introduced to the New World and without predators.[1] The bulldogs were the settlers' only means of sufficiently dealing with the vermin. By World War II,
the breed was near extinction until John D. Johnson and his father
scoured the backroads of the South looking for the best specimens to
revive the breed. During this time a young Alan Scott grew an interest
in Mr. Johnson's dogs and began to work with him on the revitalization
process. At some point, Alan Scott began infusing non-Johnson catch
bulldogs from working southern farms with John D. Johnson's line
creating the now Standard American Bulldog. At another point, Mr.
Johnson began crossing his line with an atavistic English bulldog from
the North that had maintained its genetic athletic vigor. This created a
falling out between Johnson and Scott causing them to go their separate
ways and breed the two significantly different versions of the American
bulldog. Also, in the year 2010, the breed of American Bulldogs was
awarded the best breed of the decade.
[edit] Recent history
American bulldogs are now safe from extinction and are enjoying ahealthy increase in popularity, either as a working/protector dog or as a
family pet. All over the world, they are used variously as "hog dogs"
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