American Bulldog: breed description, nature and content

The American Bulldog is a dog that embodies many qualities: composure, calm, courage, dedication. Such pets will be an excellent acquisition for the protection of the house, and for a simple friendship. However, before buying a puppy, you should carefully examine all the features of this breed, its pros and cons, as well as the necessary conditions for such a dog.

American bulldogs or ambuli are descendants of the oldest Molossian dogs, which were popular in ancient Egypt and Greece. Further references to them belong to the Middle Ages, where the dogs were assigned an unenviable role - to participate in fights with the bulls. It is no secret that the Middle Ages was not distinguished by the purity of morals and kindheartedness, therefore both bulls and dogs died en masse. Bulldogs could afford to buy only very rich people, because one dog was worth a fortune.

However, the Middle Ages passed, and the popularity of ambuli rapidly declined. Harassment of cattle was prohibited, and the bad reputation of the dogs did not disappear. The animals were literally nobody needed, the authorities forbade the owners to let them off the chain, being on a walk. Of course, such bans did not like the owners of the dogs, and they began work on breeding, having brought out the toy-bulldogs, who became the ancestors of the modern French doggies-kids. On this excitement subsided, and the ambuli were again threatened with extinction.

Perhaps the world would never have known about such dogs if the British had not decided to colonize the lands of America. Taking with them all their possessions, including dogs, the citizens of England moved to new places. At first it was difficult, because the climate of America at that time was not very soft and warm. It had to literally survive, and here the dogs showed their true qualities. They guarded the houses, grazed herds of cows and sheep, stood in the plow instead of horses, helped the owners hunt and brought in game. Without these dogs the English would have a hard time.

Ambulis were brought to their first exhibition at the end of the 20th century, and there the world community finally saw them. Many visitors were amazed by the appearance of the dogs, admiration caused a strong body, like a lump of muscles, dense teeth, ready to grab any prey, strong paws. The breeders paid attention to the dog and the breed began to spread rapidly, finally acquiring its modern name. In addition, the outpatients began to breed for work at police stations.

This wonderful dog arrived in Russia just in the middle of the 90s. Then there were not too many of them, it was considered very “status” to get such a pet. Now the number of American Bulldogs is steadily increasing, and more and more people are willing to acquire these powerful and terrifying, but such faithful dogs.

The American Bulldog is a rather large and massive dog.Immediately it is worth noting that there is a description of the two breed standards, and a person who is unfamiliar with bulldogs in general, will seem to be completely different dogs. In fact, everything is a little different.

Johnson's type is classic bulldogs, as if descended from a picture. They are powerful, strong, squat. The shape resembles a square, the legs of such dogs are short. But dogs like Scott are called standard. It can be said that the “lite version”, such dogs are light, mobile, active, does not evoke special power impressions. They look more like pit bulls than bulldogs.

We now turn to the description of the American Bulldogs in accordance with the approved standard FCI.

• The height of an adult dog is 55-70 cm in a dog and 52-65 cm in a bitch. Dog weight - from 30 to 54 kg, females - from 26 to 45.
• The head is large, the skull is round and wide. The forehead of the dog is high.
• The muzzle of a dog like Johnson is more square, the stop is clearly visible. Scott dogs have a wedge-shaped face, the foot is mild. Both breeds have folds, as well as a large black or brown nose. The lips are also black, tightly in contact with the teeth.
• Ears are small, set high, can both stand and hang. As a rule, they have the shape of a triangle, but the standard allows several other variations. It is impossible to stop the ears of such a dog.
• The eyes are small and round, located far from each other. Shades are varied: from honey to dark brown.
• The ambulion's teeth are strong, and the jaws are wide, with the lower one protruding. When the mouth of the dog is closed, the teeth should not be visible.
• The dog's neck is very strong, it is muscular. The developed nape is well looked through.
• The body is slightly elongated, strong, neck circumference is equal to the head. The tail has a broad base and narrow tip.
• The front legs are very strong, with tightly clenched fingers at the ends. Limbs stand wide. The hind legs look narrower, but the distance between them is greater than between the front ones.
• The coat is tight to the body, short. As for the color, the most common are tiger, white, black, white-red color. The standard permits both dogs with a marble and blue color, but they must have white spots.

Of course, the standard has developed defects that can cause difficulties if you decide to send a dog to the exhibition:

• tail in a corkscrew, adjacent to the back;
• gray spots on the nose or completely gray tint;
• bulging eyes with heavy lids;
• general weakness, poorly developed muscles;
• narrow muzzle;
• green, yellow or blue eyes;
• eyelids with no pigmentation;
• different eye color;
• long wool;
• scissor bite;
• inappropriate behavior: fear or, on the contrary, aggression;
• uneven teeth;
• lack of vision or hearing.

The American Bulldog is a dog that can brighten up a lonely evening, and entertain the owner for a walk, and rid the robbers of a private plot. A dog will always protect its owner, no matter what it costs. However, there are some "pitfalls". If the dog at least once sees that his master is weak and cannot cope with the situation, which, in the dog’s view, is elementary, he will quickly take the lead, and it will not be easy to shift him.

Despite the rather scary look, the dogs are very friendly and sociable. They will gladly stay with the owner, run in the courtyard, welcoming neighbors. Properly educated dog will not be dangerous, it can be left with older children. But before this, children still need to talk about the rules of behavior with the dog. For example, if a child constantly pulls the dog by the ears or tail, poking a finger at him or raising his voice, the dog may become angry.

Ambul is an ideal option for protection. Its advantage lies in the fact that the dog will not break on the hysterical meaningless barking, seeing the passerby in the distance. This dog always takes a waiting position, carefully watching the unwanted guest. If a person comes too close or starts teasing a dog, the bulldog growls reverently, scaring. When such a trick was useless, the dog may lash out, but it will not cause severe injuries. As a rule, the sight of a huge dog and a couple of moments, for which the unlucky thief is on the ground, is enough for anyone to have the common sense to retire as soon as possible.

The advantage and at the same time the problem of the ambulus is its remarkable intellect. The owner should not underestimate a pet: even a three-month baby will easily guess how to turn the door handle, get his food out of a tightly closed locker or sneak into a room with forbidden, but such interesting indoor plants. Sometimes the pranks of dogs can reach large scales: not finding what to do, the dog may well begin to tear off the wallpaper, gnaw the sofa, scratch the parquet.

To avoid this, the dog must be physically loaded. You will have long walks in the parks and forests, active ball and stick games, unhurried jogging and cycling, in which the dog will catch up with you. There is also a positive quality in this: the dog is not impatient during the walk, therefore, he will not pull the leash, forcing the owner to endlessly shout commands.

There is another very important behavioral point that must be considered before you buy a dog. Ambul is an animal that should be the only one in the house. Taking him as a friend for another dog or cat is a bad idea. The dog will not tolerate competition and will remember its glorious past, where her whole life consisted of sleeping, eating and fighting with the bulls. Poor ambulances are especially dangerous: if they don’t like something, they are quite capable of driving and killing their “roommate”.

The American Bulldog is a dog that you take not for a week, but for at least 10 years, so the choice of a puppy should be approached with all responsibility. Children should be bought exclusively in nurseries - yes, it is more expensive, but then you will be sure of the health and mental stability of the crumbs. It is imperative to require pedigrees and vaccination certificates, because from the pedigrees you can learn a lot about the condition of the parents of a small ambulance. As a rule, at the time of inspection the puppies are lying next to the mother. A mother should not grin, growl, or throw at people - this is a sign of mental imbalance.

You can not buy too small or too grown up puppies, the optimal age of babies is 1.5-3 months. At this time the bulldogs are already socialized enough and can be excommunicated from the mother. Look at your favorite. The puppy's coat should be smooth, shiny, without bald spots; there can be no scratches and wounds, suppurations on the body. Ears and eyes, too, must be clean, nose - wet. The behavior of the “dog child” plays a significant role: if the puppy has crouched in a corner and roars from there, it is better not to buy it.

As for the price of small bulldogs, it will not be too high. A regular puppy costs about $ 120, and babies with pedigree that are not planned to be raised and sent to exhibitions are about $ 350. Litter from titled parents will cost the future owner $ 850.

Despite the fact that the American Bulldogs almost do not require special and thorough care from their owners, they are bound to expect love and care from them. The dog must be taken into a family where there is a calm emotional background and no nightly scandals are foreseen. Once in a heated environment, the dog will begin to suffer, it will have neurosis, illness, lack of appetite, the animal may run wild and become aggressive.

It is best to buy a bulldog for a private house. In the courtyard you can equip a spacious aviary where the pet can sleep and rest, as well as shelter from the weather. On the ground, there must be dense rags or mattresses so that the dog does not lie on a bare surface. It is not necessary to plant on the chain of ambulus - this dog is already quite calm and will not annoy others with running around or bark of breezy.

Those owners who live in the apartment should immediately show the dog its place. It is unacceptable to allow the dog to lie on sofas, armchairs, jump on the table, window sills. From the first day the dog must clearly understand that this is his place, and here he can rest and sleep. Not far from the dog bed, you can place several toys with which the dog will take his leisure time in the absence of the owner.

Breed puppies ambulia for a walk should be as often as possible. Thus, the dog will be able to go to the toilet, and also at least a little waste of accumulated energy. It is advisable for young bulldogs to set up a disposable diaper or cloth in the house so that the puppy can relieve himself if he does not reach the street.

In addition to the conditions of maintenance of the dog, there are several mandatory rules of care, which also need to be observed.

• Pet hair should be combed once a week. To do this, you need to buy in the pet store a special brush designed for smooth-haired dogs. Several times a year the dog molts, at this time the combing should be carried out more often, otherwise wool “tumbleweeds” will fly all over the room.
• It is necessary to bathe dogs once or twice a year, and to use only special animal shampoos. After bathing the dog must be wiped with a towel and dried. More frequent bathing is not recommended, because even the highest quality shampoos wash the protective layer from the wool. However, if the dog is all smeared with dirt, it is allowed to break the rule. Paws wipe after each walk.
• Dog ears should be regularly checked for contamination. If you see that the ear inside is dirt or sulfur, it needs to be cleaned. To do this, use an ear stick dipped in hydrogen peroxide. Also in vetaptekakh sold special tools for cleaning dog ears.
• No less important is the examination of the eyes. Any nitrous oxide should be removed immediately. Wash the ambulance with the help of a weak, cooled tea or chamomile decoction. But if the matter was not limited to simple oxides and you noticed pus, redness or strange spots, you should immediately go to the vet.
• The teeth of American Bulldogs need regular brushing. To do this you will need a dog toothpaste and brush, which are also available in any pet store.
• As for claws, dogs living in the city grind them in a natural way, running on a hard surface, such as asphalt. Ambuli, which live in a yard with soft soil, do not have such a possibility. Therefore, they will have to trim the claws themselves, using a special claw for large dogs. Sharp tips will need additional grinding nail file.
• The muzzle of the American Bulldog has folds that should be looked after.All wrinkles will require at least several times a week to wipe with a cotton swab dipped in an antiseptic, it is important and timely to remove the saliva from the pet's lips.

Properly looked after bulldogs live for many years - on average, 12-15. This period can be increased if the dog is provided with constant physical exertion, high-quality nutrition, vitamins and simple human care. Ambuli almost do not get sick, they are strong and hardy. However, diseases that can still shorten the life of your pet are available.

Most bulldogs suffer:

• eye diseases;
• problems with the joints, especially the hip;
• allergies and rashes;
• cardiovascular diseases and heart disease;
• epilepsy;
• deafness.

There are two ways to feed an American Bulldog: prepared food or natural food.

Ready food is an ideal option for owners who can not afford to stand at the stove and make a varied menu for the dog every day. In addition, such food is balanced and already has all the vitamins, and therefore, additional mineral complexes will not be required. Minus dry fodder - their price, because a good composition can not be cheap. Experts recommend buying premium or super premium food for bulldogs.

Natural food feeding is, of course, more varied, but you will have to regularly compose the menu and supplement it with all the substances necessary for the dog. Consider what must necessarily be included in the pet's diet.

• Meat low-fat varieties: beef, turkey, chicken. Meat should be the staple. From time to time it is replaced by offal, such as kidney or heart.
• In addition to meat, cereals must be present in the dog's diet. The best choice is oatmeal or barley porridge, sometimes you can give the dog buckwheat.
• Vegetables for dog will be served boiled potatoes, cabbage, cucumbers, carrots and beets, and from fruit - apples. Scalded with boiling water before serving.
• We need dogs and eggs - they are given boiled 1-2 times a week. In addition, most dogs love to omelet.
• American bulldogs and sour-milk products are very fond. You should pamper your pet cottage cheese, ryazhenka, kefir, savory yogurt. Milk can not be given.

Ambulu puppies are fed 6 times a day, and the portions should be small. After two months of age, the number of feedings is reduced to 4-5. Toddlers from 4 to 6 months are fed 4 times a day, and puppies in the age range from 6 to 18 months - 3. Adult dogs are transferred to a two-time type of food. It should be remembered that it is impossible to overfeed dogs, the calorie intake will have to be constantly monitored. Meat should be the main product, but feed them only is prohibited.

Also note that there are foods that are strictly forbidden to ambuli

• fatty and fried food from your table - no matter how greedy the pet looks at the crispy chicken legs, it is impossible to concede in this regard;
• smoked products, pickled and salted products;
• onions and garlic, food with spices;
• pork in any form;
• sausage, sausages and sausages;
• large and small tubular bones;
• sweets, cookies, other sweets;
• raw fish and eggs;
• minced meat;
• fresh white bread;
• legumes.

To train and raise an animal you need to start on the day it appeared in your home. The owner should establish the rules and limits of what is permitted immediately, otherwise problems cannot be avoided. There are some specific rules that will help beginners on such a difficult path.

• Do not allow the dog to bite. If the dog, unhappy with something, even bit the owner, the punishment should follow immediately. The dog is taken by the scruff of the neck and raised. Then in a strict tone you should read off the guilty dog. It is forbidden to shout and beat the dog. When the dog shows humility, he should be let go. If the animal has bitten you during hygiene procedures, continue them, and then, with a successful outcome, reward the puppy with a treat.
• Do not let the dog control you while walking. The enormous strength of an adult dog pulling the leash will, at best, lead to the owner rushing after him without taking the roads apart, and at worst - to falls and injuries. Any attempt to pull the leash should be stopped by the team and a sharp jerk. Ambul must understand that he is obliged to adapt to your rhythm, and not you - to his.
• A dog cannot put its paws or jump on people, including you. Of course, the sight of a happy crumbs, waiting for the host home and jumping on the height impossible for his growth, touches. But when the dog grows up, his jumps will no longer seem so pleasant. A dog in full growth will be able to put its front paws on the shoulders of an adult man, and imagine what happens if a fragile girl or child is in his place. All jumps should be stopped by pulling the dog by the collar and reading off in a strict tone. A dog who has learned a lesson should be treated to a treat.
• Do not allow the dog to grab any items from the floor or ground. The animal must eat in a certain place, with its feeder. If the ambulum is trying to eat a bone or something else on the street, pull the leash and say "no". When the dog is at home, it may not respond to the command. Take a light object and throw it at the impudent one. For example, you can use a plastic bottle. In this case, the command should be repeated.
• Do not allow your dog to conflict with other animals. In general, the dog is not aggressive, but a lack of upbringing can make itself felt. An ill-bred dog is quite capable of chasing and even biting its abuser. This can not be allowed, so control the behavior of the pet. Well, if the dog will communicate with non-conflict relatives or individuals of the opposite sex. To provoke a dog should not: if the bulldog notices that you threw a stick at another dog, revenge will follow immediately.

As for training, experts advise to entrust it to professionals. The American Bulldog is a wayward animal and not suitable for everyone; it needs a strong-willed person for whom this pet will not be the first. In addition, an improperly educated dog of this size can cause a lot of mischief, because if he shows aggression towards a person or another animal, then he will never unclean his fangs.

If you still decided to train your pet yourself, then remember that there should be no violence against the dog. You can not raise your voice, even if the dog takes out of himself, and she will do it by his disobedience and stubbornness. It is prohibited to beat and even spank a pet, otherwise the ambulance's trust will be lost for a long time. Dog training should be regular and held every day. It should start with 5-10 minutes, weekly increasing the time of training. Initially, the dog is taught simple commands, such as “sit”, “lie down”, “fu”, “come to me”, “place”.

It should be noted that the general course of training should not be conducted in closed premises. Pet should be in the fresh air, socialize, learn to execute commands in different places. This will help the ambulance to get rid of unnecessary aggression, instill the skills of communication with people and other pets. After completing the OKD, specialists can offer you courses of protective and guard duty if this corresponds to the purposes with which you bought the dog.

The American Bulldog is a very popular dog today, and it evokes certain feelings for each owner.

Among the advantages of the breed, the owners noted loyalty and affection for their master. The dog is ready to follow the beloved family member anywhere and everywhere, and will also be able to protect the adult and the child in case of danger. The American Bulldog is athletic and energetic, he tirelessly will travel long distances, chase a ball and a stick, run after a bicycle. An educated and obedient dog can be left with the children, even entrusted to them to walk it. The dog will gladly take part in any games.

Ambul is independent, he is able to make decisions and act on the situation. Many owners like this because they know they can rely on their companion and four-legged friend. In addition, the owners note the high intelligence of the dogs, which, however, should be developed by “smart” games and interactive toys.

Among the downsides, dog breeders noted difficulties in dog training. Dogs are stubborn, they often do not like something, sometimes they refuse to execute commands at all. It is important for the dog to be properly educated and socialize in time, and many do not have enough time for it. In addition, with his stubbornness, the dog provokes the owner to failures, which leads to even greater problems. A newcomer cannot cope with this breed Also, the owners note that the dog is constantly flowing saliva, which is also not always convenient. Unhappy buyers puppies and the fact that they will not have the opportunity to have a second dog or cat.

Summing up, we can say that the American Bulldog is not a dog for everyone. Her loyalty and tranquility deserve respect, and the protective qualities will allow the property to always be safe.

About the character and content of the American Bulldog, see the following video.