Tenacious and courageous, but also goofy, the Bulldog breed has been a worldwide symbol for toughness throughout the years, which is why you’ve most likely seen them in either schools or businesses across the world. However, despite being depicted as a ferocious dog, the Bulldog is actually highly affectionate and kind, as well as courageous.
Highly adaptable and big fans of naps and treats, but quite stubborn, Bulldogs would be great companions for someone who already has some experience and knows how to properly look after them.
These dogs are brachycephalic; problems associated with this condition include:
- Brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome: a condition in brachycephalic breeds (those with a short nose and squashed face) where breathing is obstructed and can lead to reduced ability to exercise, or even severe respiratory distress.
- Skin inflammation/infection: brachycephalic breeds have a short nose and a normal amount of facial tissue. This means there is often excess skin around their face which leads to skin folds. The skin inside these folds can become sore and infections are prone to develop.
- Eye ulcers: ulcers are painful erosions on the surface of the eye. They are more common in brachycephalic breeds due to their conformation, as their eyes tend to be more bulbous.
The breed can also be prone to:
- Hip dysplasia
- Elbow dysplasia
- Entropion and/or ectropion which are painful conditions where the eyelids turn inwards or outwards, this happens as a result of excessive skin around the eyes
- Keratoconjunctivitis sicca (dry eye) which is a painful condition where the tear gland stops working properly
- Cherry eye which is where a gland within the third eyelid pops up in the corner of the eye
- Skin infections as they have a large amount of skin and lots of skin folds over their bodies which are prone to bacteria
Priority Kennel Club health schemes and testing:
- Respiratory function grading scheme
The Bulldog breed has a short, sturdy body and fairly loose skin, especially at the head, neck and shoulders. Another distinctive feature is the large skull. The Bulldog colours can be brindle, shades of red, fawn or white, with any of the aforementioned colours. The adult Bulldog size ranges between 31 and 36 cm and they typically weigh around 23-25 kg.
This is a family dog that loves children, and will even learn to get along with other pets, if introduced to them at an early age. The Bulldog is a bit too friendly to be a good guard dog, but would defend a family member in need. They can be peaceful, pensive, goofy, stubborn, and have a well-developed sense of humour.
| Family-friendly: | 5/5 |
| Exercise needs: | 3/5 |
| Easy to train: | 3/5 |
| Tolerates being alone: | 3/5 |
| Likes other pets: | 2/5 |
| Energy level: | 2/5 |
| Grooming needs: | 3/5 |
| Shedding: | 5/5 |
Bulldogs come from the ancient breed of Bullenbeissers, a mastiff-like dog used for guarding and attacking wild animals in Assyria, Greece, Egypt, and Rome. The Bullenbeisser came in various sizes. In England, the originally huge Bullenbeisser was bred to be a smaller dog and during the reign of King John, in the 13th century, began its career as a bull baiter. Over the years, an ideal dog for bull baiting was created. Thankfully, baiting and dog fighting were outlawed in England in 1835, and Bulldog owners began selective breeding, to eliminate the more aggressive elements of the breed, and established a good-natured family pet.
The Bulldog requires a robust, sensible and dedicated owner. Unfortunately, their short face, skin wrinkles and short tail can lead to health problems that take a lot of care and money to address. The happiest Bulldogs have owners who are home most of the time, enjoy a bit of fun training, long slow ambles around the countryside and don’t mind drool, snoring and regular cleaning out of wrinkles!
Bulldogs should never be exercised in the heat of the day. Two relatively short walks, at a steady but not terribly brisk pace, should be adequate. You’ll notice that they would much rather take a nap, or lounge around the house, but despite their preferences, they have to be exercised in order to maintain their health.
As long as you have a comfy sofa and access to outdoor space for toileting and short walks, a Bulldog will be happy. They do however enjoy a shady garden.
The Bulldog’s diet needs to have the right balance of all the main nutrient groups including a constant supply of fresh water. It's also important to conduct regular body condition scores to ensure you keep your dog in ideal shape, and remember to feed them at least twice daily, and in accordance with the feeding guidelines of his particular food. Proper nutrition along with care can contribute to a Bulldog lifespan reaching 12 years.
The coat should be groomed with a rubber grooming mitt, to remove loose and dead hairs, and the folds may need cleaning. If the breed has a recessed screw tail, care should be taken to keep the tail base from becoming moist, as this will lead to bacterial infections. Another Bulldog grooming measure that must be taken is the cleaning of tearstains and wrinkles.
It’s true that the Bulldog won’t earn any prizes for their excellent obedience, as they can be quite stubborn, but with patience and fun games, they can easily be trained. It’s necessary to use lots of repetition though, along with positive reinforcement via voice commands and treats.
The Bulldog makes a wonderful family pet as they’re affectionate with most children, especially if they grow up with them. Their patience and good temperament are some of the characteristics that gained them so much popularity along the years, as well as their slower way of life.
While many dogs are traditionally thought of as being good with children, all dogs and children need to be taught to get on with and respect each other, and be safe together. Even so, dogs and young children should never be left alone together and adults should supervise all interactions between them.
The Bulldog breed can be very lazy, and they also typically take lots of naps, and move slowly, but they are very loving and affectionate with their owners.
Despite the general confusion, a Bulldog is not the same as a Pitbull. Both breeds can be traced down to the Old English Bulldog, but the Pitbull is a cross of the Bulldog with the Terrier.
The Bulldog is believed to have descended from the Pitbull and Asiatic Mastiff.
Bulldogs can be quite stubborn, which might complicate their training, but they’re also smart so with some patience, persistence, and fun games, they can be successfully trained in a short amount of time.
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