The
English Bulldog is a very "combative" and brave dog that we will only rarely hear complain about. It is considered a faithful dog that needs to be in constant contact with its owners. People who have interacted with these dogs say that they tend to be very possessive with their toys and food. They are ideal for families who are used to dealing with pets or who are willing to dedicate special attention to them.
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Medium size .
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Weight : Between 18 and 25kg.
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Hair type : Very short and straight.
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Character : Voluntary, Docile, Friendly, Gregarious
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Health : Fairly fragile health
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Life expectancy : Between 8 and 10 years.
History and origin of the English Bulldog dog
It is an ancient African dog called
“Kelb thal gliet” , or simply Maltese bulldog, a breed native to England, which crossed with the ancient mastiffs gave rise to the
Old English Bulldog . The English Bulldog was previously much lighter, purely an athlete. The origin of its name is coined from the fact that it was a butcher's dog, basically its main function was to make the cattle run to take them to the slaughterhouse and in this way the meat was obtained of better quality and softer.
There are those who claim that his name is a distortion of the term
“Band Dog” , which means
“Warrior Dog” . In England they were bred for many years, during the 18th century, English Bulldog dogs were used for "blood sports", which consisted of putting the dogs to fight against bears, wild boars and other animals. Furthermore, it became very fashionable to organize large confrontations between bulls (bulla) and these dogs. This hobby increased over the years. In 1835 the British Parliament banned these macabre “sports”; This ban was carried out due to the great rise in awareness about animal suffering. However, it was not until the end of the 19th century that this activity ceased. These “blood sports” were the main reason why the breed was on the verge of disappearing. The English Bulldog was used to create other breeds, such as the
Boxer ,
French Bulldog ,
Bull Terrier ,
Bullmastiff and even some
ancient types of Beagle .
Physical Characteristics of the English Bulldog Dog
We must keep in mind that
the old English Bulldogs do not look anything like the current ones , since the first ones were a little lighter, more athletic, stronger and more resistant, they did not have the flat snout that we see in this breed today. Regarding their current physical appearance, English Bulldogs are characterized by their thick shoulders, a large head in proportion to their body, and usually have thick folds of skin on their forehead. They have black, round and very large eyes.
They have a short, wide and flat snout, with folds on their nose, their dewlap always hangs down, pointed teeth and drooping lips. Its legs are short, muscular and strong. In general their skin is loose and wrinkled. Its coat is smooth, short and elegant, it does not need to be combed constantly. Its predominant color is white, however, it presents somewhat reddish, beige or brindle colors, with a mixture of colors and somewhat irregular or unusual spots or stripes. Black is not a common color in English Bulldogs. Many dog breeds have their tails docked after they are born, but that is not the case with the English Bulldog, as they naturally have a short, curly tail. The fact that one is born with a long, erect tail could be considered a defect or alteration in the breed. There are standards with very small differences regarding the weight of this breed of dog, since in the United Kingdom, its place of origin, the usual weight of a
male English Bulldog is approximately
25 kg , while that of the
female English Bulldog is of
22 kg . However, in the United States of North America, the established weight of an adult male is 22 kg and that of females is 18 kg.
Character and personality of the English Bulldog dog
Although they are ferocious in appearance,
the English Bulldog has a character that is usually affectionate and calm . They are considered
a very loyal breed of dog because they hardly change owners. The English Bulldog is a very relaxed animal, but brave and affectionate, they are very friendly, they like to meet people and other dogs. They are very sociable and pleasant. Some English Bulldogs, mostly males, can become territorial and somewhat dominant with other dogs, but with the right training, these make good family dogs, fun and patient.
It can be said that English Bulldogs are a little less obedient compared to other breeds; However,
this does not mean that they cannot be trained , it simply takes some more time than others. It is an excellent dog to be in homes where there are children, as they have a calm, calm character and, above all, very patient. This breed is also well known for its innate laziness, it has great stubbornness, a very admirable unalterable character, an incredible capacity for suffering without complaining, it does not tolerate brutality. They are faithful and defensive when circumstances demand it, but they can be very playful in family privacy. They are docile, calm, proud. They are credited with a very good sense of humor. They are faithful lovers of human warmth and fear loneliness, which means that they must be educated very gently, always stimulating their intelligence, they like to be surrounded by tenderness. When strangers approach, the English Bulldog is a vigilant and determined animal, but without aggression. After he is sure that this stranger is trustworthy, he will frown again and continue grumbling. They are not noisy dogs,
they bark little and the times they do, it is always for an apparent reason. They are tolerant of other dogs, but on the condition that they do not attack them. The breed is extremely docile, they can move very quickly, but over very short distances, they can be capricious like themselves. He is very attached to the family and his friendly nature allows him to get along well with each and every one of its members and of course, with other pets.
English Bulldog Puppies
Puppies of this breed are considered too tender animals with inexhaustible energy and that is true, compared to adults, they have much more energy, and behind the serious and worried appearance that some may have. These hide a character full of vitality, they are usually mischievous and, when sleeping, you will see them with an almost angelic expression. During their first months of life, they are characterized by being curious and inquiring, however, they do not stop being playful and gluttonous.
Feeding and health of the English Bulldog dog Regarding the
feeding of the English Bulldog , unlike other breeds, they have a flat snout, which often prevents them from feeding correctly, because the containers are mostly too deep. . So for these canines we must have or buy dishes with a non-slip rubber base, this will allow them to have greater access to the food. After 40 days of birth, the English Bulldog puppy stops feeding on the milk it extracts from its mother and begins to eat food. It is always recommended to offer a
balanced, high-quality food such as Lobo Azul dog food .
The puppy should be fed at least 3 or 4 times a day , always respecting the portions indicated on the concentrate packaging. By following the instructions, we will create a eating habit in the animal that will probably last a lifetime. In its middle stage, the English Bulldog should start a different or slightly less frequent diet plan, as it is recommended that it eat only 2 times a day. In addition, we must be very attentive and control their weight, since this breed of animal is very prone to suffering from obesity. When the English Bulldog reaches its adult stage,
it must have nutritional care that ensures its complete nutrition , without turning it into an obese dog. When these canines reach maturity, they perform much less exercise than a puppy, as they become lazier and do not have as much energy, therefore, they do not need as many nutrients as a puppy to live fully. In absolutely all life stages of English Bulldogs it is important that they drink water whenever they like, as they tend to suffer from heat and stomach problems. We must always provide fresh water. On the other hand, regarding the health of dogs of this breed, experts always recommend that they do some type of exercise so that they develop their muscles and increase their ability to breathe, although they do not tolerate excessive exercise. The structure of its nose is complex, so it tends to have breathing problems when the heat is very stifling.
It is important to note that
English Bulldogs have a life expectancy of about 8-10 years . The jaw must be closely monitored, because if they have a very pronounced prognathism, that is, their lower jaw protrudes, this can cause a lot of drooling. The English Bulldog
suffers from many anomalies or hereditary and congenital diseases , among them we can highlight
hip dysplasia , a split palate in the case of puppies, lameness in its front legs, ectropion and entropion, dermatitis, stenosis of the fossae. nasal passages, which causes
obstruction and elongation of the soft palate . In the area of mating, they usually undergo artificial insemination due to their difficulty in natural mating, since
their morphology does not help them at the time of mating . Once the gestation period is over, in most cases it is necessary to perform a cesarean section for the birth of their puppies, this is due to the bone shape of their hip, which is not ideal for females to develop a natural birth without risks. For the last days of pregnancy, it is recommended to visit the veterinarian to check the general condition of the mother and her puppies. Here, at Lobo Azul feed, you can find a wide variety of high-quality complete dog food.
English Bulldog Dog Care
Facial hygiene is essential in English Bulldogs , since the wrinkles they have on their faces are fine when they are puppies, but they become accentuated over the years and if they are not cleaned correctly they can accumulate moisture and potentially harmful agents.
Due to their large number of folds, these dogs need to be groomed constantly and without leaving a trace of moisture on their skin, as this prevents them from suffering from skin diseases.
The English Bulldog is not the ideal dog to live in a garden, as they do not resist variations in climate, so it is recommended that they live inside a house, they adapt very well to life in apartments. We must avoid exposing them to heat, as they cannot withstand high temperatures. Their brushing does not necessarily have to be constant, since their hair falls out regularly,
they can be brushed 2 or 3 times a week . To keep the English Bulldog in good health,
it should be exercised between 20 and 30 times a day or at least every 3 days, with medium-paced walks during the cool hours of the day.
Education and training of the English Bulldog
The education and
training of these English is relatively easy , their instinct and innate intelligence do not oppose obedience. We must keep in mind that the process is facilitated when they are trained with positive, non-aggressive methods.
When traditional dominance techniques are used in canine education, conflict is created and the animal does not respond in a good way.
Conclusion
The English Bulldog is an extremely familiar dog, very intelligent, kind, fun and likes to be expressed affection , it is always sociable and a little agile. It can be easily adapted to apartments and families, both large and small. It is an excellent pet option if there are small children in the family, but you must take appropriate care regarding their health, because as previously mentioned, they tend to suffer from numerous hereditary and congenital diseases.
