English Bulldog: breed description, life expectancy and maintenance

The English Bulldog is a stocky, powerful dog with pronounced musculature. The dog of this breed is distinguished by a phlegmatic character, an exceptional mind and a love of cleanliness.

In the XVII-XIX centuries. In Britain, Old English Bulldogs, originating from the North Caucasian Alans, as well as the Central Asian mastiffs, became widespread. These dogs became the progenitors of the modern "English".

Between modern dogs and their ancestors there is a great similarity in the exterior, and the main difference lies in the character of the dogs. The old bulldogs were quite evil and aggressive animals, which were widely raised for baiting during the hunt. It was these dogs that were exhibited for the amusement of the crowd, at the hands of bulls, brown bears and even lions. Among the first representatives of the breed met dogs of various colors and sizes, different dogs and jaw features.

The "natural selection" was carried out by the bulls, which in the process of fighting destroyed the weak and unsuitable for fighting animals. People watched the battle of dogs with large animals, and then developed in dogs all the characteristics that contributed to the formation of a perfect fighting breed. So, at the very beginning of the struggle mastiffs grabbed the enemy by the neck, neck or ear, and then tried to knock him down. But because of their weight, dogs often fell under the hooves of angry bulls or on horns, which most often resulted in the death of a dog.

And the “butcher dogs”, thanks to long selection and selection, much more successfully defended themselves from the enemy. They used their "crown reception" and tried to grab the bull by the nose. In a giant, this is probably the most sensitive place, so when a bulldog was captured, his rival’s will turned out to be completely paralyzed. Most often, the bull in this situation lost the desire for resistance and he fled from the ring, at this point the fight was considered finished, and the dog was declared the winner.

In 1835, boule-baiting was prohibited by law, and the large population of English bulldogs turned out to be “out of work”, but this oblivion did not last very long. Soon the fighting qualities of the animals were again evaluated, and the dogs turned from fighting dogs into reliable guards and watchmen.

In 1858, the scale of the problem reached such a level that English dog experts began to preserve typical bulldogs. At the same time, they set themselves another task: to breed a less aggressive animal and eradicate their fighting characteristics. For the implementation of the tasks throughout the UK began the selection of the most calm dogs.

A year later, an exhibition opened in Birmingham, at which the bulldogs of the "new" type were shown - in their temperament, they were very different from the previously known dogs. Numerous visitors to the event could not fail to appreciate the exceptionally high professionalism of geneticists and breeders, and the reviews about these dogs turned out to be extremely enthusiastic.

In 1873English bulldogs were finally recognized by the world canine community, and in the very beginning of the 1880s, breeders from other countries paid attention to the breed. Nowadays, it is difficult to say exactly what was the secret of the rapidly growing popularity of new bulldogs.

Perhaps dog breeders were attracted by their funny appearance, and perhaps by their calm and balanced character, but the fact remains that A new breed has been liked by breeders all over the world and today remains one of the most popular.

The English Bulldog is a medium sized dog. This is a smooth-haired animal, squat and very knocked down. The head is very large - its coverage is usually equal to the growth rate of the dog at the withers. The height of the animal varies depending on its gender. So, males usually grow up to 36-41 cm, and females up to 30-36 cm. The weight of males is about 20-25 kg, the mass of bitches is close to 16-20 kg.

If we compare the size of the head of the Englishman with the overall dimensions of the dog, then we can say that the head is very large, but it does not disturb the proportions in a striking way. Therefore, in general, the animal does not look deformed. The muzzle of the dogs is wide, depressed and dull, slightly curved upward. The forehead in dogs of this breed is flat, while not particularly protruding above the muzzle.

The frontal bones of the skull in the projection are embossed and slightly convex, they are distinguished by a square shape and a noticeable breadth. Jaws are strong. The bottom is issued a little forward and slightly bent up. It grows 6 incisors, which are located in a straight line between the canines, while the latter have a fairly clear arrangement.

The eyes are low, in a small distance from the ears, they are usually placed at an angle of 90 degrees relative to the grooves. The eye setting is extended, while the outer edges are inside the outer part of the cheeks. The size of the eyes is medium, the shape is standard, rounded. In the eye socket, they do not sink, while they can not be called convex. The iris is usually dark in color, almost black, no squirrels are visible.

The ears of the “Englishman” are characterized by a very high landing distance from the eyes. Their shape resembles a bud - they are set back and hang down to the back, while the front upper edge has a pronounced curvature both to the outer edge and inward.

The nose of animals of this breed is usually large and rather wide, usually it is as if sunk between the eyes of a dog. The color is pure black, has no specks of brown, reddish or sandy tint. Nostrils have the same characteristics, they are usually open, between them a vertically located furrow is perfectly visible.

The lips are thick, at the same time saggy and very deep, thanks to which the jaw is completely closed on the sides, in front it is not, here only the teeth of the animal overlap.

The neck of an English bulldog is of medium length, but very thick, muscular and strong. Slightly convex around the neck, the fold forms the so-called dimple, in other words, the second chin, it stretches from the lower jaw exactly to the chest. In accordance with the official breed standard, the length of the neck should be in harmony with the size of the dog in general and the size of the head in particular.

The body of the animal is lean and squat. The top line in the lower part is slightly lowered, then rises a little to the lumbar region, becomes slightly higher than the withers, then smoothly rounded out and goes to decline near the tail.Due to such a peculiar structure on the topline, the so-called “arch of the sail” is viewed - this has become one of the distinguishing characteristics of the English bulldogs.

The back of the dog is short, but very powerful. At the shoulders, the bulldogs are wide, in the lumbar region the back is narrowed. The chest of the "English" is wide and rather deep, slightly rounded on the sides and slightly convex. The dog's belly is taut, not saggy. The tail has a low fit, usually straight at the base. The back and front legs of a bulldog are very powerful, large, covered with muscles.

The outer line is slightly curved, but at the same time, the bones are straight, they do not have any curvature or bends. The front limbs are slightly shorter than the hind ones, but the back of the dog does not look longer than it actually is. Also, this structure does not interfere with the dogs in the manifestations of their physical activity.

The shoulders are also wide, the muscles are well developed. At the same time, they are sloping and even sloping, the elbows are low and slightly apart from the ribs, the pasterns are straightened, shortened and rather massive. Both the front and hind legs differ in the characteristic outwardness of a given breed, the difference between them only reduces to the fact that the front are usually of medium size, fairly straight, and the rear are round and compact.

The gait of the English bulldogs is considered another sign of their differences - these dogs move in quick, small steps at their fingertips. While moving, the animal never lifts its hind legs high, therefore the “Englishman” shakes a little.

English bulldog fur is short, smooth and rather tight to the body, the texture is delicate. The coloring is characterized by saturation of hue, purity and usually monotony. Suits can be very different, most common are tiger-red dogs, as well as white, deer and pinto. A small whitish spot on the sternum is allowed in monophonic and tiger dogs.

As a rule, the muzzle is slightly darker, because many say that the animal has a “muzzle”. Any deviations from the above accepted standards are considered a defect, a defect or even a vice. The depth and severity of these deviations are judged by the degree of their impact on the daily activity and health of the animal.

Typically, representatives of the English bulldogs perceive people with whom they live as their own “flock”. This dog is able to sincerely empathize with everything that happens in the house, showing exceptional dedication and sensitivity towards their owners.

This animal is considered an excellent companion for a person, it truly loves kids, understanding that they are the object of infinite love of adults and tries to imitate them, showing the same warm feelings towards children. You can safely leave the dog with children of different ages - the bulldog will become a reliable nurse, loyal playmate and protector for the children. This is a funny, reckless, but rustic animal. These qualities make the dog a truly indispensable member of children's entertainment.

The animal seeks in every way to demonstrate its sympathy for the owners and expresses it in a very original way - happily jumping on people. It is desirable to wean the dog from this habit at an early age, otherwise with time, when the dog grows up and becomes rather weighty, he can injure the household by jumping on them at the most unexpected moment.

Representatives of this breed need constant communication and do not tolerate loneliness, if they have to be alone in the house for a long time, this has the most negative impact on the character of the pet - the animal becomes obstinate and gloomy.By the way, stubbornness is one of the main characteristics of the English Bulldog.

Don't even try to force your pet to do something with force or rudeness, you can only negotiate with these dogs. It is this respectable quality of the English bulldogs that made them the mascots of many sports clubs around the world.

His master english bulldog likes unconditionally, perceiving him absolutely by anyone joyful or sad, lazy or vigorous, diligent or not so, that is, the way it is. The dog in any situation is ready to protect its owner in case of danger. English bulldogs, despite their formidable appearance and difficult genetics, have a very gentle, affectionate and good-natured character.

Wherein The dog is distinguished by poise, self-reliance, autonomy and exceptional independence.

It should be noted that English Bulldogs are desperate couch potatoes. If the representatives of many other breeds love to frolic and walk, then our “gentleman's” hobby is to lie on the master's couch and doze, this dog can devote even the whole day. Long walks are completely out of his taste, because he prefers to cope with all his needs near the house.

Please note - English Bulldogs love to gnaw a variety of things in the house. Most often suffer master's slippers, legs of chairs, tables and beds. Therefore, from a very early age you need to supply your dog with all the necessary chewing toys, otherwise the damage to your property will be quite noticeable.

Like any other breed, the English Bulldogs have their advantages and disadvantages. The advantages of these dogs include the following.

• Friendly character. For a century and a half, genetics made a lot of effort to bring out a calm dog, showing no signs of aggression. These animals are distinguished by their devotion and loving, they with incredible patience withstand all the games and pranks of children. Animals are easy to train and like to lie down for days on end. Of course, you should not expect perfect obedience from this dog, but you can always agree with her, and this is an undoubted advantage of the breed.
• Owner protection. Of course, this dog can not be attributed to the ideal watchmen, but when strangers appear in sight, she always analyzes the situation, and if it seems to her that a loved one is in danger, the bulldog will never stand aside. In this case, the animal is quite capable of making a terrible roar, or even throw at the offender.
• Simplicity. To the conditions of detention, this dog is completely unpretentious. The four-legged friend will feel great in a large private house, and in a small apartment. He does not need a lot of space, in addition, in the absence of owners, the dog is not inclined to bark, and this is especially valuable for residents of apartment buildings.
• Friendly attitude to other animals. If other pets live in the house, the English bulldog will never sort things out with them, although this dog will certainly strive for leadership, which is easily achieved.
• Low activity. Breed optimal for people leading a sedentary lifestyle. For a walk this dog is only a quarter of an hour a day, the animal does not need exercise and classes on a specially equipped platform.
• Unpretentiousness in nutrition. English bulldogs are famous for their excellent appetite, while they are ready to eat practically everything that the owner offers them. However, this quality should not be abused.Representatives of this breed have a predisposition to allergies, so the diet of the animal must be complete and balanced. It is very important in this situation not to overfeed the dog from your desk and to abandon experiments in the field of nutrition.
• Accuracy. There is an opinion that these animals have increased salivation or unwillingness to handle their needs in the tray. But this is not so - in this matter everything depends solely on the nature of the individual and the characteristics of upbringing. Usually animals of this breed are exceptionally clean.
• Strong immunity. The “British” are distinguished by good health, but care about the immunity of the pet must be exercised from the very first days. If the dog was raised in a comfortable environment, in compliance with the vaccination calendar, on a balanced diet and with proper skin and hair care, it will grow strong, strong, without a penchant for all kinds of pathologies.

The disadvantages of the English Bulldogs include the following points.

• Tendency to catarrhal diseases. The fact is that the structural features of the cranium have a strong effect on the respiration of the animal. Often, English bulldogs experience problems with inhalation through the nose and make it through the mouth, which is becoming a common cause of respiratory diseases.
• Flatulence. Our “Englishmen” sometimes show not gentlemanly behavior. Since they breathe mainly in the mouth, they swallow too much air, which most often causes flatulence. The smell can be very noticeable, because the breeders need to either accept or keep a quality air freshener nearby.
• Low thermoregulation. Everyone knows that the dogs' skin does not have sweat glands, so they cool off with their tongue hanging out. However, the English bulldogs, due to their physiological characteristics, are not able to regulate body temperature in this way. If you do not follow your four-legged friend, then in hot summer weather he can get a heat stroke and even die from overheating.
• Tendency to allergies. Frequent cases of allergic reactions in some bulldogs lead to the fact that these animals do not fit natural feeding, so you have to feed the dogs with special therapeutic hypoallergenic mixtures. Keep in view that in this case, the animal should have open round-the-clock access to the drinking water with clean water.
• Reproductive system problems. As we have already noted, the traditional delivery of these dogs often ends in tragedy, since the small pelvis of animals leaves little to no natural occurrence of puppies into the world. Usually they are born in veterinary clinics with a caesarean section. If you have no intention of breeding, then girls are best sterilized.
• Lifespan. In English Bulldogs, it reaches 10-12 years old, but in practice there are few dogs that have crossed the 8-year-old age. Oncological and cardiovascular diseases are the most common causes of early mortality in pets, and age dogs often suffer from pathologies of the musculoskeletal system, which often leads to lameness or even immobilization of the animal.
• Increased need for communication. These dogs, much more than some other breeds, need constant contact with their owners. In this case, dogs urgently require frequent manifestations of love on the part of man. If the bulldogs loses such contact, they develop mental degradation, depression, and other mental disorders on the nerves of the soil.

Over the past century, the English Bulldogs have spread around the world, which inevitably led to the emergence of new varieties of dog-bulldogs.The most active work in breeding new breeds of these dogs was carried out by French breeders, many experiments were carried out in Germany, Australia, New Zealand, Brazil, and also in South Africa.

In many states, it was even decided to establish their own national variety of bulldogs, as a result of which the English bulldogs turned into French, American and Australian.

However, these animals have quite serious differences with the English representatives, since each breed was bred under very specific goals and objectives, respectively, they created their own standard of exterior and character traits. From the interbreeding of the English bulldog with other breeds, new varieties of dogs have appeared: the Staffordshire bull terrier, the pit bull and many others.

Getting a dog of this breed, it is necessary to do the following.

• Arrange for her a separate place-it can be a dog sofa or a special soft bed. It is necessary to place it where households will not be able to touch it with their feet, moving from one room to another. It is undesirable to equip the pet's sleeping place near the battery and in areas where a draft often occurs.
• Purchase everything you need to maintain a normal life of a dog: feeders, drinkers, brushes, toiletries, muzzle and other ammunition.
• Buy toys, as these cute pets love to nibble something, because in the absence of toys, they will entertain themselves with the spoilage of their shoes, clothes and furniture.
• Take care of the optimum temperature in the room.

Let us dwell on the features of care for the English Bulldog. In some ways, he reminds care for small children. But be sure that all your efforts will return to you in the form of endless devotion and love of the animal.

The coat of dogs of this breed does not require any special care: a couple of times a week you need to comb it with a special brush. The molt of these dogs begins about 8 months, during this period the procedure should be carried out daily, removing all dirt and dead hairs.

Particular attention should be paid to the folds on the face of the animal - It is important to maintain their cleanliness and hygienic condition. To do this, they are rubbed, alternating wet and dry discs.

From the very first weeks of life of the animal should teach him to brush your teeth. To do this, use special brushes and pastes. From time to time it is necessary to offer the dog special bones, which contribute to the removal of plaque. In no case should we forget about the area between the toes on the paws. If you do not pay them proper attention, diaper rash and redness are formed there. The English Bulldog is a real aristocrat, but any conditions are great for him. The only thing that is important to the “Englishman” is coziness and comfort.

Buying a pet is always a very important step, which must be taken seriously. Buying an English Bulldog is no exception. At the stage of choosing a puppy, it is important to clarify all aspects related to the health of the pet. It is important to know how many such dogs live, what they need to be fed and how they should be kept so that the four-legged pet is cheerful and healthy. Occupies a very important place pet vaccination.

When deciding on the type of feeding an English bulldog, preference is better to give high-calorie, easily digestible food - representatives of this breed of dogs have a tendency to obesity, so the diet should be balanced and complete. When buying a puppy, it is imperative to ask the breeder what the pet fed before. In the first weeks after the purchase, one should adhere to the usual for the young dog diet and only after a couple of weeks, gradually transfer it to their feeding system.

For small puppies are needed:

• low-fat dairy products: cottage cheese, ryazhenka, kefir, or yogurt, up to 2 months of age, the consumption of raw milk in small doses is acceptable;
• milk porridge without oil, sugar and salt;
• meat: beef or veal, poultry meat can be included in the diet, but due to its high allergenicity, chicken and turkey feeding should be dosed;
• vegetables: carrots, pumpkin, zucchini and cauliflower, raw or cooked.

Puppies at the age of 1.5-2 months are recommended to feed about 6 times a day in small portions. By six months, the number of feedings is gradually reduced so that it stops at the level of 3 times a day. Due to the physique of the English bulldogs, cereals, as well as vegetables and unsweetened fruits should prevail in the diet of young dogs.

After a year, the dog is transferred to an adult diet. During this period, at least 70% of the food offered should be lean meat, a couple of times a week it can be replaced with high-quality by-products (liver, heart, brawn of chicken legs).

When feeding the dog with natural products, vitamins and minerals are required. Veterinarians recommend purchasing drugs in pharmacies that contain the necessary supplements to the diet of the English Bulldog. Some breeders prefer to feed the dogs dry food, however, in the case of the English Bulldogs, this decision can not be called correct.

The fact is that due to the physiological characteristics of the jaws and chewing apparatus, these pets find it difficult to capture the feed pellets, so they simply swallow it, which has the most negative effect on the digestive processes in the dog's body.

English bulldogs are easily trained, but it is better to practice it from a very early age, otherwise natural stubbornness makes dogs extremely intractable. Keep in mind that Only a strong person with a very firm and patient character can teach the representatives of this breed. Otherwise, you simply can not cope with the "Englishman" who is unlikely to want to voluntarily overcome their laziness.

The process of education usually begins with the training to the leash - it should not be either long or short. Many inexperienced owners believe that the shorter the leash, the easier it will be to keep the dog beside you, but this is a common misconception.

The optimal length of the leash is 2-2.5 m. Putting it on the dog, you must start moving forward, giving the dog a command "next". The bulldog should go from the left side, not lagging behind you and not running away. As soon as your pet learns how to move in a straight line, you can begin to study turns and then turn to the full.

When you stop, you should teach the animal to sit down. To do this, they give him the command to "sit", accompanying her by lightly pressing his hand on the croup of the dog.Usually a bulldog grabs a few lessons in order to understand: as soon as the owner gets up, you need to sit down right there, even if the person does not pronounce the command. In addition, the course of education and training includes standard units for learning about enabling and prohibitive commands.

English bulldogs-boys are most often called: Ernie, Rudolph, Hardy, Casper, Adrian, Roquefort, Clif, Norman, Olympus, Bim, Parker, Pike, Clyde, Diesel, Rudy, Justin, Manny, Alvin, Tyson, Zeus, Troy, Rex, Chester, Chuck, Tiberius, Onyx, Dante, Walt, Toby, Butler, Mac. Nicknames are appropriate for girls: Lex, Chelsea, Sheila, Nick, Adel, Amber, Dana, Penny, Dina, Jessie, Richie, Molly, Chloe, Bella, Lucky, Golden, Assol, Gloria and other noble and sonorous names.

Since the beginning of the last century, the English Bulldogs have been strongly associated with the image of good old England, a bit prim and patriarchal. The inhabitants of foggy Albion consider the dogs of this breed to be their unofficial symbol of the nation, along with the Scarlet Rose, the bird Robin and Leo, personifying the English throne.

The similarity of bulldog traits with the traits of a classic English gentleman - calm, endurance, determination in combination and incredible courage with confidence in their abilities made the image of dogs on propaganda posters and patriotic pictures popular. By the way, it was in the guise of a bulldog that one of the most famous English politicians, Winston Churchill, was usually portrayed.

For example, in the films about Sherlock Holmes, the English Bulldog acted as a detective's pet. The domestic tape about the famous English detective story also did not go without the bulldogs - the personal pet of the leading actor Vasily Livanov, nicknamed Baula, even took part in the screen version of the story “The Treasures of Agra”.

It was the dog of this breed that played a truly key role in J. London’s White Fang. He became the only dog ​​who managed to defeat the main character. In K. Brand's detective novels, the English bulldog also became one of the acting characters, helping his owner to take an active part in the search for criminals. These dogs also played the role of detectives in the book “The Sisters of Lies” by K. L. Taylor.

Bulldog named Rvun takes the main place in the work of M. Rawlings “Peers”, June's pet became the hero of one of the small works of Russian writer I. Tsareva, the dogs of this old breed were noted in the pages of the Kern book “Ferdinand the Magnificent”, D. Steel “Second attempt ”, As well as J. Grabowski“ A fly with whims ”. Leo Tolstoy also mentioned the bulldogs - in the work The Third Russian Book for Reading, readers are introduced to the charming Bulldog Bulka.

Over the past decades, the image of these animals has been firmly established in mass culture. Sports teams, computer games and musical groups began to be named after them. English bulldogs are used in the name of certain types of weapons, the names of certain brands and brands.

A significant role was taken by the Bulldogs and painters. Especially many works were devoted to them at the end of the XVII century. So, the picture of G. Klouvz “Portrait of a Bulldog of Pain in the Landscape” received great fame.

Bulldogs have always been a source of inspiration for popular music performers, for example, the legendary Beatles even included the track Hey Bulldog in their album Yellow Submarine, and one of the most popular punk bands in America is even called “Bulldogs”. These animals often become cartoon characters. They were the ones who appeared before the audience in “The Life of This Guy”, “Slip-Up Men”, in the films “Trezor” and “Mr. Magu”.

According to the testimonials of the owners, the English Bulldogs are exceptionally intelligent, intelligent dogs, however, they need constant and continuous development of their abilities. They are very stubborn and at the same time extremely phlegmatic pets who require a little patience, attention and delicate perseverance from their owners.

The appearance of these unusual dogs often causes the owners to "falter" and "give up the slack." This cannot be done, since the animal instantly feels it and immediately "sits on the neck" to its owner, starting to manipulate it. That is why it is so important constantly show who is the head of the house, however, it should be done tactfully and delicately.

This breed is very popular, but many owners do not take into account the nature and temperament of animals when buying. Meanwhile, the voice of the ancestors makes itself felt. The result of this mindless breeding was a sharp increase in the number of aggressive representatives of the breed. Especially often this happens in unknown nurseries, therefore When buying an English Bulldog puppy, you need to be sure of the reliability of the seller and talk to the dog in person.

Whatever may be said about the breed characteristics in general, Each animal always has its own characteristics. The cost of puppies depends on their class. Thus, pet-class dogs that will become favorite pets, loyal friends and reliable companions, but who will not be able to participate in contests and be used for further breeding, are estimated at 10-20 thousand rubles (2019). For this price, the dog usually has no pedigree.

If you need a pet show class, then you need to be ready to part with a much larger amount - from 30 to 60 thousand rubles (2019). It must be said that the times when the English Bulldogs were considered dangerous fighting dogs were over.

About the features of the breed, see the next video.