The American bulldog, or American bulldog, is a powerful, athletic and brave dog that inspires a lot of respect.This dog is one of the most similar to the original bulldog of the nineteenth century.The inexperienced eye can confuse the American bulldog with the boxer.pittbull or Argentine bulldog, since there are many similarities between these breeds, however, each has different characteristics that differentiate them, in this peritoAnimal file we will clarify everything about this dog.
The breed descends directly from the original bulldog dogs, now extinct from the nineteenth century in England.After World War II, the American bulldog was also virtually extinct, but some breeders saved the breed.Breeders include John D.Johnson and Alan Scott, who are responsible for the two main types of this breed.Johnson’s dogs are more muscular and robust, and their type is known as “thug” or classic.Scott’s dogs are more athletic and less robust, and their type is called “standard”.In any case, most of today’s American bulldogs are hybrids of both types.Currently, the breed is not recognized by the IFC, but by the United Kennel Club (UKC) and the American Bulldog Registry.
- The American bulldog shares much of its history with other bulldog dogs and similar breeds.
- So the English bulldog and pitbull are just two examples of dogs whose story it shares.
Its origins date back to the fighting and hunting dogs used in the first half of the 1st century, but it is in its recent history that the breed is defined and formed from the current American bulldog. In the 19th century, bulldogs were used in Britain as caretakers, protectors, herders (helping to direct and manage livestock), and assisting butchers in slaughtering livestock. During the same century, the cruel “sport” of fighting between dogs and bulls, in which bulldogs were used, was common. At its peak in 1835, however, British authorities banned the bloody “sport” and the bulldog gradually disappeared. Over time, the crossbreeding of these dogs with other less large and aggressive, gave rise to the current English bulldog. Meanwhile, some English immigrants who brought their bulldogs to North America kept the breed unchanged because it helped them a lot to control and hunt large and dangerous animals, such as wild pigs, these animals, almost without any change, are the ones that gave birth to the American bulldog. current.
After World War II, the breed was practically extinct in the United States. Fortunately for the American bulldog, John D. Johnson and Alan Scott, along with other lesser-known breeders, worked hard to bring back the most typical dogs they found, forming a group of founders to bring the breed back. It is thanks to these people that the American bulldog survives today. Johnson has developed a more robust and strong variety of American bulldog, which is known as a “bully” or “classic”. , Scott has developed a lighter, more athletic variety called “standard.” These are the two main varieties that are used to recover the American bulldog, but today it is very difficult to find them in their purest form. Most American bulldogs today are hybrids between the two varieties.
Today, this imposing and powerful breed is no longer endangered, although it is not well known, today’s American bulldogs stand out as versatile working dogs, performing surveillance, protection, hunting and, of course, as pets.
Males measure between 57 and 67 centimeters at the cross, while females measure between 53 and 65 centimeters at the cross.The standard of this breed does not indicate an ideal weight range, but it does indicate that the weight should be proportional to the size.Naturally, “standard” dogs are lighter and “thug” dogs are heavier.
The American Bulldog is a medium to large sized dog, very powerful, athletic and muscular. It has a robust set, its body is slightly wider than it is tall. The long, broad head of this dog gives an impression of great power. The skull is parallel to the upper line of the muzzle and the stop is pronounced and sudden. The muzzle is broad and thick, with strong jaws and muscular cheeks. The lips are moderately thick, but not hanging, and predominantly black. In “bullies” dogs, the length of the muzzle is between 25% and 35% of the total length of the head. In the “standard” type, the length of the muzzle varies from 30% to 40% of the total length of the head. The bite of these dogs is very powerful, it is one of the hallmarks of all bulldogs. In the “standard” American Bulldog, it is common to have an inverted scissor bite, but a slight prognathism is also normal. In “bullies” bulldogs, a 1/4 inch prognathism is common. The nose is wide and long and has wide nasal passages. They may have brown, brown, and grayish noses, but the color in most cases is black. Depigmentation (pink nose) is unacceptable. The eyes of the American Bulldog are medium-sized and well separated from each other. Their shape can vary from round to almond and any color is acceptable, but dark brown or black are the most common. The most common color for the edge of the eyelids is black. The ears of these dogs are small to medium in size and set high. They can be loose, semi-erect, or pink. The UKC standard accepts clipped ears, but indicates that they naturally prefer them. The ABRA standard does not accept cropped ears.
The neck is muscular, strong and narrow from the shoulders to the head, at its point of greater diameter is almost as wide as the head of the bulldog, you can speak a little.All ends are strong and muscular and have thick, well-developed bones.The feet are round, medium and well arched. The chest of the American bulldog is deep and moderately wide, the upper line tilts slightly from the cross (above shoulder level) to the muscular back, the lumbar back is short, wide and slightly arched and has a very slight slope., with low insertion, is thick at the base and ends at one point.It reaches the hock when it is at rest and should never be curved.The UKC accepts the cutting of the tail, although it prefers whole tails.ABRA does not accept cut tails.
The hair is short, with a texture that can vary from smooth to rough, should be less than a centimeter long and any color scheme is possible, however, it is impossible to have a black American bulldog, pure blue and tricolor.10% of the body must be white, and most American bulldogs have most of the body of this color.
The trot of these dogs is fluid, powerful, well coordinated and does not indicate any effort, while the upper line remains level, the legs do not move inward or outward and the legs do not cross, however, as the bulldog increases its speed, the feet tend to converge towards the center of balance of the body.
The typical American bulldog dog is determined and brave, but not necessarily aggressive.An excellent caregiver for his strong protective instincts, can be aggressive with strangers and other dogs when not properly socialized or when he does not have a good personality.Control, so it is very important to socialize it since you were a puppy and train obedience to develop the necessary self-control.
He is also an excellent hunter, especially when it comes to hunting large animals because he distinguishes himself from other breeds of dogs, however, his strong instinct for prey can be an inconvenience for those who have the American bulldog as a pet.take the dog to tend to “hunt” small animals like other pets and small breed dogs.One way to help him control himself is to practice a canine sport with the dog, such as agility or schutzhund.As this breed is very difficult, protective Canine sports, such as mondioring, for example, can be very useful when you have experienced teachers.
These dogs need a lot of exercise, so it is best to have a garden where they can run freely, it is true that they can live in an apartment, but it takes a long time to accompany them.
If the American bulldog lives in a house with garden or in an apartment, it is better to live indoors and go out to exercise, because although it is a breed of great physical strength, it does not have much protection against changes in weather conditions.Similarly, you should walk at least once a day (better if it’s more) to exercise and socialize, even if you have a garden to play with.
The hair care of the American bulldog is very simple and easy to perform, it is recommended only when necessary.Since these dogs lose their hair regularly, brushing should be done at least three times a week.
Before adopting an American bulldog, know that you need a firm, calm and consistent coach, it is important for him to know what it means to be the leader of the herd and follow the orders and certain rules.
Despite his physical strength and perhaps his strong personality, the American bulldog does not respond well to traditional training.It is best to look at canine training from a different perspective, through clicker training or another variant of positive training.You will need patience to educate yourself, but it is a very intelligent dog that can offer us very rewarding and good results.You will have no difficulty learning tricks and obeying every time we apply positive training.
In general, the American bulldog dog is healthy because it is one of the breeds with the least hereditary problems, in any case do not neglect your health because you are not immune to diseases, two of the most common clinical problems in this breed.are hip dysplasia and tumors. Due to their size and weight, other bone problems may also develop during growth, so this should be taken into account.With proper care, these dogs have a life expectancy ranging from 8 to 16 years.