Australian Bulldog, Aussie Bulldog
Bulldog Inglese
Bulldog
Able Bulldog:
The Original Able Bulldog is a breed created by Mike May of Serenity Kennels Bulldogs in Pennsylvania. The foundation dogs are 50% American Bulldog(AB) and 50 % Leavitt Bulldog(LE). Initially the breed was born out of the concept of adding outcross blood to the relatively young Leavitt Bulldog gene pool. "Being an owner of both breeds, I began to see how each respective breed could help to clean up and compliment the other".
The Able Bulldog is a working bulldog created out of two working bulldog breeds. The Able Bulldog should be able to perform any of the tasks the American and Leavitt Bulldogs were created to perform including; catch work, personal protection, property guardian,weightpull,therapy work,sport work, all around property/farm utility dog, and of course, best friend and companion.
Paramount to the breed is a stable temperament with a great willingness to please his master, no matter what is asked of him. The Able Bulldog is a healthy, structurally sound bulldog, a benefactor of hybrid vigor. The Able Bulldog is a strong willed ,intelligent bulldog that does best when given a job, a bulldog that wants and needs a master. The Able Bulldog should exude the power , strength , tenacity and grit of the true bulldog and, at the end of the day it should be a dog that wants nothing more than to curl up with its owner and be loved.
This being a breed in development, the standard has not been set. A standard may be set once the initial first generation crosses are evaluated and graded. In the meantime several other first generation crosses will take place and provide several lines of Able Bulldogs to breed around, pillaring around one main dog. This undertaking is for the purpose of creating a working bulldog, not breeding a dog for a look. It is important for me and for those I have chosen to participate, that the dogs are bred for temperament,health, working ability, and conformation. A Bulldog that looks like a Bulldog and can function as a working dog is the goal. Short muzzles without compromising free breathing, short backs and well muscled frames that exude power, deep/wide chests that provide for great stamina and serve to adequately cool the body, and a well developed head and jaw that aid in the performance of his duties. Producing Bulldogs of color will also be a focus in order to steer clear of serious problems such as deafness, which is alot more common in white dogs. Skin cancer is also a concern with dogs that lack pigment. We want the Able Bulldog to thrive in all weather conditions without issue.
Tail docking on Bulldogs really comes down to personal preference. Personally I do not like being whipped by a Bulldogs tail nor do I like its table clearing propensities. In active, happy, driven dogs I have seen tails injured and cause injury. One of the most common injuries I deal with is with my pack of 5 or 6(at all times) Bulldogs that reside in my home. When a pack of 5 or 6 Bulldogs becomes excited, tails are flailing in every direction and I am always dealing with a dog that gets whipped in the eye. There are many arguments for and against tail docking which I will not go into. Suffice it to say that I prefer the look and other benefits that come with a docked tail as do the others who are assisting me in this endeavor, so, the Able Bulldog will have a docked tail. Tails will never be docked to cover up flaws such as kinked or screw tails. * All Able Bulldog litters will have their tails photographed and documented prior to docking, to ensure defect free tails.*
When you look at the various strains of both the American and Olde English Bulldog, you find varying degrees of "bullyness". Some dogs lack"bullyness" to a degree that makes it difficult to identify them as Bulldogs, others are grossly overdone to the extent of compromising functionality. The Able Bulldog will have a "bully" appearance and yet remain completely functional.
I am proud of the fact that the initial Able Bulldog cross was endorsed by the creator of the Leavitt Bulldog, David Leavitt. David approved the Able Bulldog as an outcross for his Leavitt Bulldog breed which has been established for 35 years. This alone makes me believe that the Able Bulldog is on the right track and has much to offer other Bulldog strains. Not only do I plan to use this Bulldog to cross into my own Leavitt line, I was so pleased with the results of this cross, that I decided I would continue developing it, and hence, the Able Bulldog was born.
It is known that in the past, English and Olde English Bulldogs were used in breeding certain strains of American Bulldog and vice versa.This provided each respective breed with genetic diversity since that very first cross years ago. I believe genetic diversity is just as important today, in order to ensure the future health and soundness in our Bulldog breeds.
I suscribe to the beliefs of Dr. Jeffrey Bragg in terms of achieving genetic health in our dogs. He writes on the healthy continuation of breeds, " Purebred dogdom is even now in serious trouble through a general failure to distinguish between what is necessary to establish a breed and what is desireable to continue that breed in perpetuity. Most registered breeds are less than a century old, many are but 50 or 60 years old. Yet nearly all breeds now show levels of expression of genetic defects that must be considered unacceptable. Over 500 distinct genetic defects have been noted in various breeds of purebred dogs."
How do we remedy this? According to Dr. Bragg, " We absolutely must open stud book registries, in every breed, to new genetic inflow. There can be no long-term genetic health in small populations such as our registered breeds without the periodic infusion of new genetic material."
So, My original purpose of combining these two Bulldog breeds has grown beyond simply infusing new blood into the Leavitt Bulldog, it has taken a path of its own. Myself along with a handful of friends and fellow breeders will complete other planned F1 breedings and successively breed future generations of Able Bulldogs. As the breed develops, a Standard will be formulized and adhered too. This project is not some haphazard experiment but rather, a well mapped out scheme, by a group of passionate dogmen who care greatly for the future of the Bulldog.
In my opinion, a good Bulldog is a good Bulldog no matter what Bulldog breeds comprise it.
The Able Bulldog is a work in progress, a work whos journey is no less important than its destiny!!!!
This description is submitted by Vinay.
Written by Mike May owner of Serenity Bulldogs-Creator and Home of The Original Able Bulldog.
Australian Bulldog
Alternative name: Aussie Bulldog
Country of origin: Australia
The Australian Bulldog Breed Standard
General Comment: The Australian Bulldog is a healthy animal. Distinctly bulldog in type yet free of anatomical exaggeration. An Australian Bulldog should breathe freely, whelp and breed naturally and be uninhibited in its movement. Smooth coated, thickset, medium sized with powerful build showing strength and agility, an Australian Bulldog is sound and active. Bitches generally not so grand or well developed as dogs. Characteristics: Conveys impression of strength, activity and stamina and exhibits a trustworthy and enduring disposition. Temperament: Loyal, fierce in appearance, but extremely outgoing and affectionate in nature. Very stable and predictable. Enjoys activity, however a lot of exercise is not necessary for health and mental stability. The breed craves human attention. Some may not tolerate aggressive overtures by other dogs.Head & Skull: The head should be large, but not exaggerated out of proportion to the body. Broad muzzled and short faced, but the nose should be long enough for unhindered breathing. Muzzle is broad and turning up. Muzzle length from tip of nose to stop to be no less than 25mm and no more than 50mm. Loose folds of skin across the nose, but in no way excessively wrinkled. Eyes are set low and wide, never bulging or sunken - preferably without visible haw. Eyes of any colour acceptable. Head circumference should be equal to body height or up to 15% larger for males and equal or up to 10% larger for females. Ears: Small to moderate size. Set wide apart. Rose or button preferred - never erect or cropped. Mouth: Broad jaw. Canines set wide apart. Well occluded incisors. Undershot (but not to excess) to level jaw. Flews are relatively broad and hanging over lower jaw at each side. Teeth should not be obviously protruding. Flews should not be excessive in size and mouth should not be excessively loose. Neck: Moderate in length; thick, deep and strong with loose skin forming dewlap on either side. Forequarters: Chest wide and deep. Shoulders broad, but not excessively so, rounded ribs. Forelegs powerful and straight, not bandy or curved, well boned, set wide apart presenting a straight front. Body: Back short and straight giving compact carriage, but not so short as to interfere with activity and agility. Bitches may have greater body length than males in order to assist natural whelping. Body shape in general is brick shaped with shoulders only slightly wider than hips. Body length for males should be equal to height or up to 15% longer. Body length for females should be between 10% and 25% longer than height. (Body length measuring distance from shoulders to base of tail). Hindquarters: Strong and muscular. Hocks slightly bent. Hip width should be no more than 15% narrower than the shoulders.Feet: Round and compact. Excessively splayed feed undesirable. Tail: Thickset at root. Straight (long or short), crank, pump-handle tails all acceptable. Screw tails acceptable, but tight screws undesirable. Gain/Movement: Balanced, vigorous and uninhibited. Should not have rolling gait. Coat: Smooth, short, tight to body. Colour: Any colour acceptable Size: Height: Dogs 17 - 21 inch (43 - 52.5cm), Bitches: 17 - 20 inch (43 - 50cm), Weight: Dogs 28 - 38kg, Bitches: 24 - 30kg.
Catahoula Bulldog
The Catahoula Bulldog had been around for over 100 years, registered through the Animal Research Foundation (ARF), the oldest all-breed registry, the Catahoula Bulldog is a cross of two versatile workingbreeds, the Catahoula Leopard dog and the American Bulldog. The name Catahoula comes from an Indian word meaning "clear water", has a wide range of coloring from merle to white with eyes being brown, green, ice blue, gold.They are very good for children. The Catahoula Bulldog tends to use their ears in a very expressive manner. They are used as a watch or guard dog, and may be used in hunting.They are dogs that go through training well.
FOR THOSE WHO SEE AND FALL IN LOVE WITH A CATAHOULA BULLDOG: These same individuals often will want to know, "What constitutes a Catahoula Bulldog? In short, a Catahoula Bulldog is a cross of two high quality breeds ? one being an ARF Registered Catahoula. In 1968, ARF welcomed Mr. Bart Perry, of Midlothian, Texas, as the first ARF Certified Breeder of CATAHOULA BULLDOGS. Six years prior, Bart had been active in the raising of American Bulldogs, and had decided to expand into the Catahoula line.The Catahoula Bulldog was bred for two reasons. First, ranchers and hog-hunters have used Catahoulas for many ears to herd cattle and hunt hogs, but, to catch hogs, they had to carry a catch-dog with them. It seemed that most Catahoulas were neither big enough, nor tough enough, to catch. The American Bulldog has an impeccable reputation as a catch-dog. Therefore, when the American Bulldog is crossed with a Catahoula, you get a bigger, tougher dog which will work cattle and also catch hogs when needed. The second reason is that the Catahoula Bulldog is an excellent bear dog because it has the size and aggressiveness of the American Bulldog, and the intelligence and hunting ability of the Catahoula.Did you ever hear that proverbial expression, Always get acquainted with your dog? Spend the first week of the dog?s education by just feeding, petting, and walking with him. You need to get acquainted with him as much as he needs to get acquainted with you. Most animals are part of a "pack order" psychological system. In the wolf family, order is enforced by the pack leader, and he usually is the strongest and fiercest male who has the ability to subdue any rival in battle, whether a wild dog pack, wild hogs, deer herds, etc. This strong instinct to be a leader, and, also, an equally strong instinct for submissive behavior is what a trainer exploits, to the best of his ability, in his dog. Keep in mind, even well-trained dogs can revert to their wild nature, and this is why it is an unwritten law of the range never to let your dog roam. If you do, never complain if he gets shot.The Catahoula Bulldog is a rugged canine, full of life and independence. He will sacrifice all for his ability to work the ranging lands where herds and wild animals roam. His instincts are razor sharp, and his intelligence makes him a top working dog, and one of the best personal protection dogs one could want. The "Catahoula Bulldog" is recognized as a 50-50 first generation cross between the Catahoula and the American Bulldog, and up to a 75-25 cross in succeeding generations. It is desirable to keep the cross within the 75-25 limit in order not to lose the basic characteristics of these two fine breeds.
Argentine Dogo Breed Standard
The Argentine Dogo (also known as the Dogo Argentino or Argentinian Mastiff) is a large, white, game-bred, muscular dog that was developed in Argentina for big game hunting.
History
In the 1920s in Argentina, Antonio Nores Martinez started breeding a dog intended to not only be a pet and family guardian, but also a hunting dog capable of taking on big game such as wild boar and cougars.
Martinez picked the Cordoba Fighting Dog to be the base for the breed. This breed is extinct today but was described as a large and ferocious dog that was both a great hunter and fighter. He crossed it with Great Dane, Boxer, Spanish Mastiff, Old English Bulldog, Bull Terrier, Great Pyrenees, Pointer, Irish Wolfhound and Dogue de Bordeaux. Martinez kept improving the resulting breed via selective breeding to introduce the desired traits. The first standard for the Dogo Argentino was written in 1928.
The Dogo Argentino is a large, white, short-coated dog with a smooth, muscular body, displaying both power and athletic ability. The minimum height for the male is 62 cm (24.3 inches) at the withers, for the female 60 cm (23.5 inches). Maximum height is 68.5 cm (27 inches). The length of body is just slightly longer than tall, but bitches may be somewhat longer in body than dogs. The length of the front leg (measured from point of elbow to the ground) is approximately equal to one-half of the dog's height at the withers. The head is powerful with a broad, slightly domed skull and a powerful muzzle that is slightly higher at the nose than the stop, when viewed in profile. Ears may be cropped, or hang naturally, close to the skull. The relatively short tail is set low, thick at the base and tapers to a point. The Dogo Argentino should be evaluated as a hunting dog, and exaggerations or faults should be penalized in proportion to how much they interfere with the dog's ability to work.
White English Bulldog
Country of origin:United States
Appearance:
Head: Large and box-shaped with a square skull. Eyes: Wide-set. Ears: Small, high-set rose or flap ears. Muzzle: Short, broad and deep. Nose: Black and self-colored according to coat. Bite: Scissor or level, with some slightly undershot. Neck: Short, thick and muscular. Top-line: Level. Chest: Broad and deep, with well sprung ribs. Body: Extremely well-muscled with thick, muscular, broad shoulders. Legs: Forelegs are strong and straight, with the hind legs being heavy boned, covered in hard, powerful muscles, but not as broad as the shoulders. Tail: Usually docked, but, if not, is low lying and long. Movement: Strong and driving, yet very agile. Temperament: Protective and aloof with strangers. *This breed can from the old breed known as White English and was reconstructed and developed by Ray Altman of Waycross, GA.
Razze Bulldog
Alapaha Blue Blood Bulldog
Alternative name: Otto
Country of origin:United States
History
Is a very rare breed, similar to the American Bulldog there are about 120 Alapaha Blue Blood Bulldogs worldwide, developed in the Alapaha River region of southern Georgia by the Lane family of Rebecca, to preserve the "plantation dog" from extinction. The Lane's breeding program started in the late 1800s. The Alapaha would be a descendent of the original Bulldogs that came to the U.S.A. in the 1700s. The American Research Foundation recognize the breed from 1986 in the working dog category. From 1986 to 2001, ARF has registered under 700 Alapahas.This bulldog-type dog breed descends by Otto the Buck Lane's dog.I n 1943 Buck Lane was killed by a train and his granddaughter, Lana Lou Lane, continued the breeding program until her death on July 20th 2001. Later, Mrs. Vivian Lane sold her daughter's kennel.
Appearance
Displaying an unexaggerated and well-developedl bulldog type. Descriptions of its size vary greatly, calling for males anywhere from 65 to 90 pounds (32 to 45 kg) standing 19 to 26 inches (48 to 73.5 cm) at the withers, females smaller at 60 to 70 pounds (22.5 to 41 cm). Ears and tail are natural, with no cropping or docking. Colors of the Alapaha are varied, typically white or different shades of black, grey, red, fawn, brindle, brown, buckskin, or mahogany, always with white markings; some dogs are piebald spotted.
Temperament
The ABBB is described as trainable, dutiful, and responsible, with impressive capabilities as a guardian of family and property, but aggressive only in defense of these. Could be used as a guard-dog, watch-dog or pet-dog.
Bulldog Inglese di Razza Pura VS Standard di Razza
In questo articolo cercheremo di comprendere le ragioni che hanno portato alla continua diffusione di notizie incomplete o false riguardanti il Bulldog Inglese e la conseguente relazione molto ambigua che, attualmente, contrappone la Razza Pura, i diretti discendenti di Rosa, con quello che dovrebbe essere lo Standard di Razza che, incomprensibilmente, non descrive la Razza Originale del Lincolnshire alla quale dovrebbe appartenere. L' altro giorno ho partecipato ad una giornata di studio organizzata da illustri Ricercatori, famosi Docenti Universitari. Ritengo che non sara stato facile, per degli scienziati, comprendere le ragioni per le quali un Cane debba essere costituzionalmente malato, senza possibilita' di intervenire efficacemente tramite la Scienza Veterinaria, se non a livello diagnostico o sintomatico, per il fatto che questi errori o patologie sono previste, anzi, prescritte nello Standard di Razza. Ritengo importante, comunque, lavorare con l' obiettivo, minimo, iniziale, della divulgazione di informazioni per quanto possibile testate e veritiere. Vorrei continuare la discussione per cercare di comprendere le ragioni che hanno portato a questa situazione ed all' attuale Standard di Razza ( Luglio del 2008 ). Alcuni siti internet, ad esempio, affermano erroneamente che lo Standard di Razza del Bulldog Inglese sia rimasto quasi invariato dal 1860 ad oggi ( a mio giudizio invariato nella apparenza, non nella sostanza ). Questa affermazione, ad esempio, risulterebbe discutibile in rapporto con i risultati delle mie ricerche. Sappiamo che Rosa, raffigurata in un famoso dipinto, era parte integrante dello Standard. Rosa appare proporzionata, con ossa leggere, collo normale, il ventre retratto, la coda lunga, le orecchie portate verso l' alto e con una linea dorsale molto arquata, inoltre i miei studi, hanno permesso di studiare il suo bellissimo movimento apparentemente piu simile a quello di un Levriero che non a quello prescritto dallo Standard attuale. Quindi lo Standard attuale non rispecchia lo Standard Originale, ma risulta ben differente. Logicamente sembrerebbe, che, in dato momento alcune caratteristiche di Rosa siano diventati difetti, mentre alcuni errori compiuti nella Selezione da certi Allevatori, probabilmente considerati inevitabili, siano diventati pregi. Cerchiamo di capire come questo sia stato possibile. Le ipotesi possono essere due:
1) tutti gli Allevatori di Bulldog in Inghilterra allevavano quello che era considerato il Cane Migliore del Mondo, Cani perfetti come Rosa, bellissimi e senza problemi di Salute, ma, per ragioni inesplicabili, se non riconducibili all' Odio, alla Gelosia oppure alla Pazzia, a Londra i membri del Kennel Club stabilivano spontaneamente e volontariamente che il Cane Bulldog ideale dovesse essere un Cane Displasico, affetto da Sindrome Respiratoria Brachicefala, che non dovesse piu essere in grado di Riprodursi o di Partorire e che dovesse morire quasi sempre per morte accidentale, in perfette condizioni di Salute, con un qualsiasi sbalzo di Temperatura, per Colpo di Caldo. Stabilirono, ad esempio, che il movimento e la posizione degli arti posteriori per essere corretti dovessero essere tali da provocare insopportabili carichi sulle articolazioni dell' Anca e del Ginocchio. Quindi i Risultati nelle Esposizioni Canine seguirono le indicazioni del Kennel Club ed i pregi divennero difetti, mentre i difetti divennero pregi, costringendo gli Allevatori Inglesi a non essere Allevatori ed i Veterinari a non essere Veterinari, per Allevare, tra mille difficolta, un Cane, volutamente ed inspiegabilmente, malato.
2) NON tutti gli Allevatori di Bulldog in Inghilterra allevavano il Cane Migliore del Mondo, un gruppo di questi Allevatori molto influente a Londra, effettuarono, per varie ragioni, Selezioni errate, Per considerazioni squisitamente commerciali questi allevatori decisero di utilizzare la propria influenza per modificare i risultati nelle Esposizioni Canine e lo Standard di Razza. Gli altri Allevatori Inglese si ritrovarono con un Cane bellissimo, ma perdente nelle Esposizioni e sempre piu' lontano dallo Standard richiesto. Gli Allevatori influenti a Londra, quindi, per essere sicuri di avere la meglio sopra un Cane nettamente superiore trasformarono via via i pregi del Bulldog di Razza Pura in difetti da evitare. Essendo, il Bulldog Originale, invincibile dal punto di vista Morfologico e, quindi, della Qualita del Movimento, il Kennel Club venne costretto a valorizzare, nello Standard di Razza e nelle Esposizioni Canine, le dimensioni della Testa , mentre gli Arti diventavano necessariamente troppo corti per giustificare il giudizio limitato al Cane Immobile osservato frontalmente. Ad esempio, considerando che Rosa porta le Orecchie alte e che nell' ultima fotografia di un Bulldog Inglese Puro, 1910, le Orecchie sono a bottone, le Orecchie divennero esclusivamente a forma di Rosa, la coda presente nei due esemplari, lunga, divenne un difetto mentre quella a cavaturacciolo, causa di tanti problemi, che, seguendo il mio ragionamento, doveva essere assolutamente assente del Bulldog Inglese venne, invece, ammessa nello Standard. Il continuo svalorizzamento delle Qualita di Movimento possedute dal Bulldog Originale contrapposto alla eccessiva valorizzazione delle dimensioni della Testa portarono inevitabilmente alla selezione di Cani Displasici o con Sindrome Brachicefala. In conclusione, dai miei studi, risulterebbe che lo Standard di Razza del Bulldog Inglese sia stato notevolmente modificato nella sostanza piu' che nell' apparenza, dal 1860 ad oggi. Queste modifiche, sostanzialmente piu' che apparentemente, perseguirebbero l' obiettivo e, comunque, andrebbero inequivocabilmente nel senso di allontanare sempre piu' il Bulldog di Razza Pura o Lincolnshire Bulldog dallo Standard di Razza per avvantaggiare il Bulldog di Londra, tutto questo, per ragioni, apparentemente, di interesse personale o, comunque, definibili commerciali senza, infatti, conseguire obiettivi puramente cinofili. Di conseguenza il mio ragionamento induce a concludere che le variazione allo Standard di Razza furono causate dalle pressioni compiute da influenti Allevatori, i quali, consci di avere sbagliato la Selezione, decisero di rimediare ai propri errori non incrociando con i migliori Riproduttori, ma effettuando notevoli pressioni al livello delle Esposizioni Canine e dei Clubs per riuscire, in questa maniera, a mantenere la gestione commerciale della Razza Bulldog a discapito dei migliori Allevatori, dei Cani e degli Acquirenti, necessitando, infine, per mantenere questa situazione, la diffusione di notizie incomplete se non assolutamente false al livello dell' opinione comune. In questa maniera gli attori, gli ideatori delle false informazioni, sarebbero gli Allevatori influenti consci di avere errato la Selezione, i principali veicoli utilizzati dovrebbero essere i risultati delle Esposizioni Canine, mentre, per quanto riguarda le occultazioni di informazioni oppure quelle parziali o incomplete, in questa categoria potremmo includere le modifiche che vennero introdotte nello Standard di Razza Originale, i principali veicoli utilizzati dovrebbero essere i Clubs.
American Bulldog
Origin
Coal miners in the Staffordshire region crossed English Bulldogs with scrappy terriers and continued the gladitorial tradition in clandestine matches that are still going on today. From these Bulldog Terrier crosses we get the American Bulldog, the American Pit Bull Terrier, the Staffordshire Bull Terrier and the Bull Terrier.
There are two distinct strains of American Bulldogs, Classic (Johnson, Bully) and Standard (Scott, Performance) which is often mistaken for its second cousin, the American Pit Bull Terrier because of its appearance, and for its much smaller European relatives because of its name. The American Bulldog is different from any of these. The American Bulldog is massive in comparison to the French Bulldog or English Bulldog as it still resembles the Old English Bulldog and was never down bred to be a lap dog.
The Standard American Bulldog does resemble the pit bull-type breeds on many points, such as being muscular dogs that can be all white or white with patches. However, the pit bull's head is in the shape of a wedge coming to a more rounded point at the muzzle, whereas an American Bulldog's is box-shaped. The American Bulldog's ears are also typically uncropped, and its head is heavier and a little bulkier. Another major difference is size, with the American Bulldog generally being much larger than a purebred American Pitbull Terrier (which according to the UKC standard should only weigh 30 - 60 pounds).
The two types differ temperamentally as well as physically. The Johnson dogs are descendants of the plantation Bulldogs that were kept as yard dogs in the old south. They are typically more territorial, more man aggressive, in short more of a guardian. The athletic Scott strain descended from hog and cattle catch dogs. They were and still are used to catch wild hogs and cattle that have strayed into brush so thick that a man on horse back would find it impenetrable. This type of work requires extreme physical prowess. For this reason the smaller strain is called Performance
Description:
The American Bulldog is a powerful, athletic short-coated dog, strongly muscled, and well boned. American Bulldogs generates the impression of great strength, endurance and exhibits a well-knit, sturdy compact frame. The American Bulldog should be evaluated as a working dog, and exaggerations or faults should be penalized in proportion to how much they interfere with the dogs ability to work.
Height:
Males 22-27 inches; Females 20-25 inches
Weight:
Males 75-125 lbs; Female 60-100
Colors:
All white, pied, or up to 90% color; brindle or red patches (red is defined as any shade of tan, brown.
Coat:
The coat is short, close, and stiff to the touch.
Temperament:
An American Bulldog is typically a happy, friendly, and assertive dog that is at ease with its family and fine with strangers as they get to know the stranger in question. They are quite fond of children but sometimes do not know their own strength, thus, as with all dogs, they should be supervised with small children. They bond strongly with their master and family but, because of strong guarding instincts and a somewhat dominant attitude, they need a firm but fair hand; they should be socialized and obedience trained early to expose them to other dogs and people and to ensure that they can be controlled around company as they get older and larger.
Remember, they are working dogs with high energy drives. They need room to expend their energy, and so American Bulldogs do best in a home with a backyard and preferably a "job" to do. A tired well worked bulldog is a happy bulldog. They are not always well behaved towards cats and smaller pets, but correct socialization at an early age can greatly increase the chances of them accepting these animals. This behavior is a reflection of a breed trait called prey drive. High prey drive is a desirable trait in an American Bulldog. A well bred American Bulldog is a catch dog of large herbivores. They can be stubborn with training though once they are trained they tend to obey their masters faithfully. American bulldog puppies can be relatively difficult to housebreak, but it is important to be persistent.
Care and Exercise:
Brush coat with a firm bristle brush or rubber mitt and bathe only when necessary. Puppies should have early socialization.
Health Issues:
A very healthy, hardy dog. Some strains have hip dysplasia.
Category:
Rare, Working























