History of the American Bulldog
|
The American bulldog is popular because of certain characteristics like fearlessness, intelligence and obedience. Essentially a house dog, they are categorized into 2 types, namely Johnson and Scott, named after the first breeders of the dogs -- John D. Johnson and Allen Scott. The American bulldog that you find today is a mix of these two categories.
|
The American Bulldog is a descendant of the ancient Mastiffs, who were first introduced into Europe during Caesar’s rule, by the nomads. Then a sturdy and strong breed of the mastiff came in. This breed was called the Alaunts. The regular mastiffs were breeded with this sturdy breed giving rise to the English bulldog.
A unique feature of this bulldog is its 'lock jaw grip' ability, which lets it catch, chase or hang on to such body parts like throats, noses or cheeks of large animals. The grip remains 'locked' and the prey is unable to escape no matter how much it struggles.
The seventeenth century and the eighteen century saw the English bulldog being used regularly as a watchdog on farms, as well as in many blood sports. The bulldog’s status changed with the 1835 ban on bull-baiting in the US, and instead it was seen as a docile pet.
However, the bulldog became nearly extinct around the time the Second World War had ended, till Johnson and his father worked on its revival. Ably assisted by Scott and a few other breeders, they started breeding American bulldogs. The United Kennel Club officially recognized this breed on January 1, 1999.
The female American bulldog usually weighs anywhere between 60 and 100 pounds and it length is between 20 and 25 inches. Her male counterpart weighs between 75 and 125 pounds, and measures between 22 and 27 inches.
|
