Bulldog

Other names: English Bulldog

Bulldog

The English Bulldog is an unusual dog, both in terms of his physical characteristics and his placid or even lazy temperament. He is not a keen sportsman but he shouldn’t be sedentary either. He tends to be unfriendly to outsiders, but he is very friendly towards the members of his social group. Loyal, protective, and courageous when necessary, he is a very nice companion dog. His expression gives him a grumpy look that hides his immense joy being alive.

Key facts about the Bulldog

Life expectancy :

3

15

8

10

Temperament :

Affectionate Calm

Size :

Origins and history

He comes from combat dogs used in the Medieval Age against bulls, hence his name. He is the result of a selection that aimed to create a dog with a powerful bite, very fierce and courageous, insensitive to pain. This unhealthy selective breeding regime, which sought to produce only "war machines", was due to be eradicated due to his great ferocity. Thus, the English Bulldog was almost extinct until a group of breeders took an interest in him and began to work on his personality by eliminating any traces of aggression. Today the English Bulldog is a very friendly, sweet and quite balanced companion dog.

Physical characteristics of the Bulldog

    Adult size

    Female : Between 12 and 16 in

    Male : Between 12 and 16 in

    Weight

    Female : Between 46 and 55 lb

    Male : Between 51 and 60 lb

    Coat colour

    White
    Sand
    Blue

    Type of coat

    Short

    Eye colour

    Brown

    Description

    The English Bulldog is a very peculiar, stout, and powerful dog, with short legs, and an astonishingly large head compared to his size. The skull has very pronounced wrinkles. The muzzle is short and crushed. The eyes are round, medium-sized, located low on the skull and well exposed. The ears are small and rose-shaped. The teeth are projected forwards, with a lower jaw that juts forward. 

    Good to know

    The English Bulldog does not know how to swim and he tends to sink. In fact, his short legs do not allow him to swim fast enough to keep his body on the surface of the water. And even if some Bulldogs manage to swim, it fatigues them too much and they eventually give up by letting themselves drift. The wearing of a life jacket is therefore indispensable in case of walks in the vicinity of a body of water.

    Temperament

    • 100%

      Affectionate

      Despite a painful history as a fighter, the English Bulldog is now seen as a very affectionate dog who enjoys spending time with members of his social group. Sensitive and loyal, he needs affection and attention to be completely fulfilled.

    • 66%

      Playful

      Despite his somewhat grumpy air, he is a dog that likes to play and especially spend time with children. If he is not too hot and he is not bullied, he participates happily in the game.

    • 100%

      Calm

      The English Bulldog is sometimes so calm and sweet that one might think he is lazy. His temperament is very balanced and he knows how to adopt a serene attitude when necessary.

    • 66%

      Intelligent

      His intelligence is reflected in his ability to adapt to many environments, lifestyles and activities.

    • 33%

      Hunter

      There’s no excessive predatory instinct with this dog, who prefers to sleep at the foot of the couch rather than chasing prey that he will certainly never catch.

    • 66%

      Fearful / wary of strangers

      Since he is a natural protector of the people who are known to him, this hound can be suspicious towards outsiders. He will need time to offer his trust to someone he doesn't know.

    • 33%

      Independent

      Despite appearances, this grumpy-looking dog is clearly devoted to his master. Independence is not his thing, and he always needs to be with a person in whom he has confidence.

      Behaviour of the Bulldog

      • 33%

        Tolerates solitude

        Loneliness is the worst enemy of the English Bulldog. Thus, people who work at home (or who have the opportunity to take him to work) or retired people, for example, are the best masters for this sensitive dog.
        Absences should never be long, for risk of seeing different behaviours such as destruction, immorality, etc.

      • 66%

        Easy to train / obedience

        This hound may be difficult to motivate but when you have his attention, he is rather docile. On the other hand, if he perceives confusion or unfairness in the attitude of his master, then he may express his disapproval.

        Education should be initiated as soon as you get an English Bulldog puppy to prevent him from learning bad habits.

        As he may have a thick head on occasions, any training exercises will have to be repeated regularly and in the most positive way possible, but with a dose of firmness. The sessions should be short to prevent the loss of the dog’s concentration and to guarantee success.

        Teaching him to be alone is recommended to prevent this dog from stressing as long as you don’t push your luck with long absences.

        Walking on a leash without pulling will also require a swift star to the learning process if you want walks to be enjoyable, both for the master and for the dog.

      • 33%

        Barking

        If we put aside his snoring and his loud breathing, this little hound is not noisy and he barks little.

      • 33%

        Tendency to run away

        The homebody side of this dog prevents him even thinking about running away. He is far too dependent on his master and not very bold. The English Bulldog prefers to keep warm with his people.

      • 66%