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American Bulldogs
The American bulldog is a breed of
working dog that originated in the south
of the United States of America during
the 17th century. The breed's origins
are in the working dogs brought to the
south of the U.S. by working class immigrants
from England's West Midlands around the
time of the English Civil War. The best
workers of these dogs, which were of a
generic bulldog type, were bred, ultimately
creating a particular breed, the American
bulldog.
While the American bulldog's popularity
is growing, it has not always been stable.
The breed fared well in the American south
after its creation due to the introduction
of feral pigs to the area; American bulldogs
were tasked with hunting these pigs. The
breed suffered a stark drop in numbers
when the need for such work expired, but
was saved from extinction around the time
of World War II by a man named John D.
Johnson, who took interest in reviving
the breed.
Since Johnson's efforts to revive the
American bulldog, a man named Alan Scott
began crossing Johnson's line of American
bulldogs with other bulldogs, with the
end result being two types of American
bulldog. Johnson's original line is today
known as the Bully type, while Scott's
resulted in the Standard type. In addition
to these types, some American bulldogs
today are of a hybrid type, meaning they
are a mixture of the two types.
In general, the American bulldog is a
muscular, stocky dog. Standard and Bully
American bulldogs differ in that the former
is lighter and has a less heavy build,
as well as a longer muzzle. Male American
bulldogs typically measure between 20
and 27 inches in height, while the slightly
smaller females usually stand at 20 to
24 inches tall. Standard type males weigh
between 70 and 120 pounds on average,
while Bully type males typically weigh
85 to 130 pounds. Females generally fall
between 60 and 90 pounds in weight.
The American bulldog has a coat that
is short and smooth in texture. In color,
it is often white with patches of either
black, red, or brindle, but may be one
of a great variety of patterns, including
piebald, featuring brown, fawn, red, black,
and brindle in all colors. The American
bulldog's coat requires minimal grooming;
it should be brushed routinely with a
firm-bristle brush, and washed with shampoo
only when necessary.
The American bulldog is brave and confident,
yet is quite social and forms strong,
loving bonds with its master. It is very
loyal and alert, making it inclined to
protect its master from any perceived
dangers. While the American bulldog is
not a hostile breed, it should be socialized
well and have strong, consistent leadership
from its human master so that it understands
its limits and is not aloof towards strangers
or aggressive towards other dogs. Because
it forms strong bonds with its master
as well as having an emotional temperament,
the American bulldog requires a great
deal of attention.
The American bulldog requires a daily
walk as well as adequate exercise and
play. It is not very active indoors, and
is best-suited to homes with an average-sized
yard. However, an American bulldog can
fare well in an apartment as long as its
exercise needs are met.
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