| Alternative Name British or English (The
British Bull-Baiter)
Basic Info
This breed (often called the English or British) is a
medium-sized dog breed that originated in England. The
ideal show dog must be of medium size and smooth coat;
with heavy, thick-set, low-slung body, massive
short-faced head, wide shoulders and sturdy limbs. The
size for mature dogs is about 50 pounds (23 kg); for
mature bitches about 40 pounds (18 kg).
Health
They tend to have breathing problems as their flat
face restricts air; because of this they should be
closely monitored in hot weather as they can suffer heat
stroke easier than breeds with long noses. In addition,
many also suffer breathing difficulties as a result of
their palate which can all too easily collapse into
their airway. The collapsed pallet can be fixed easily
with surgery, but if left untreated, it can yield
trademark breathing and snoring difficulties
characteristic of the breed. They also have problems
swimming and can drown if left unattended near a pool.
Other common health problems include cherry eye,
allergies, and (among older dogs) hip problems and
cataracts. Because of the large heads in proportion to
body size, newborns are usually delivered by Caesarean
section as most pups get stuck in the birth canal during
natural birth.
Behavior
Contrary to classic cartoon parodies and nicknames of
the breed, such as 'Sour-Puss', that depicted the breed
as ferocious and wearing a spiked dog collar, they are
not a vicious dog breed and get along well with humans,
including children, and sometimes other dog breeds. The
reputation of being ferocious was true during the days
of bull-baiting, but the aggressive tendencies were bred
out of them by the time of the Second World War. They
are very friendly and playful, while also being stubborn
and protective.
Origin
England
History
The term was first used around 1500[1] and might have
been applied to various ancestors of modern breeds. In
the 1600s[2], they were used for bull-baiting, a
wagering sport popular in the 17th century in which
trained dogs leaped at a bull lashed to a post, latched
onto its snout and attempted to suffocate it. The
practice of bull-baiting was banned in England in 1835.
After bull-baiting was banned, the breed began to die
out (known as the Old English Bulldog) until fans turned
to conformation dog shows. The first show to have a
class for the breed was in Birmingham. Just a few years
later, in 1864, a club was organized to enhance the
breed. Unfortunately, this group never picked a specific
breed standard, and in 1891 the two top dogs of this
breed, King Orry and Dockleaf, were greatly different in
appearance. King Orry was reminiscent of the original
breed -- lighter boned and very athletic. Dockleaf was
smaller and heavier set -- more like modern breed.
Dockleaf was declared the winner that year. Although
some argued that the older version of the breed (known
as the Old English Bulldog) was more fit to perform, the
modern version’s looks won over the fans of the breed.
Recently, many people have tried to recreate a breed
more akin to the original bull-baiter. Examples of the
trend are the Old English, Renaissance, Victorian,
Continental and Dorset Old Thyme.
|
