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 to due to their lovable and gentle dispositions and adorable wrinkles. The Bulldog may be brindle, white, red, fawn, fallow or piebald.
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.
Bulldog Breed Standard
General Appearance
The perfect Bulldog must be of medium size and smooth coat;
with heavy, thick-set, low-swung body, massive short-faced head, wide shoulders
and sturdy limbs. The general appearance and attitude should suggest great stability,
vigor and strength. 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.
Size, Proportion, Symmetry
Size--The size for mature dogs is about 50 pounds; for mature bitches about
40 pounds. 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.
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.
