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The Bulldog (also referred to as the English Bulldog or British Bulldog) is a medium-sized dog originally from England. They are gentle, adoring and loyal. English bulldogs usually get along well with other animals and are good with children. Highly spirited as a puppy, the English Bulldog grows up to be calm adult. The breed prefers not to exercise, can easily overheat, and is prone to drooling and snoring. Editor - and farting

Appearance
The English Bulldog is of medium size and smooth coat; with heavy, thick-set, low-slung body, massive short-faced head, wide shoulders and sturdy limbs. The size for mature dogs is about 50 pounds (23 kg); for mature bitches about 40 pounds (18 kg).

Temperament
Contrary to classic cartoon parodies and nicknames of the breed, such as 'Sour-Puss', that show the bulldog as ferocious, wearing a spiked dog collar, the opposite is the case. Bulldogs are gentle and calm animals. Their reputation of being ferocious was true during the days of bull baiting, but the aggressive tendencies were bred out of them by the time of the Second World War. Bulldogs are friendly and playful, but also stubborn and protective, characteristics which have helped make the breed one of the unofficial symbols of the United Kingdom.(The British Bulldog)

Health
Bulldogs tend to have breathing problems as their flat face restricts air; they should be closely monitored in hot weather as they can suffer heat stroke. They also have problems swimming and can drown if left unattended near a pool due to their heavy bone structure and difficulty holding the short nose out of the water. Other common health problems include cherry eye, allergies, and (among older bulldogs) hip problems and cataracts. Because of the large heads in proportion to body size, baby bulldogs are usually delivered by c-section as most pups get stuck in the birth canal during natural birth.

History
Bulldogs were first used for bull baiting, a wagering sport popular in the 17th century in which trained bulldogs leapt at a bull lashed to a post, latched onto its snout and attempted to suffocate it. It is adaptation to these rough activity that resulted in the bulldog's unusual look. a Heavily muscled neck and light hind end helped to prevent the thrashing of the bull's head from breaking the dog's spine. The practice of bull baiting was banned in England in 1835.

After bullbaiting was banned, the breed began to die out (known as the Old English Bulldog) until fans turned to conformation dog shows. The first show to have a class for bulldogs was in Birmingham. Just a few years later, in 1864, a club was organized to enhance the breed. As the group did not set a specific breed standard, in 1891 the two top bulldogs, King Orry and Dockleaf, were greatly different in appearance. King Orry was reminiscent of the original bulldogs - lighter boned and very athletic. Dockleaf was smaller and heavier set - more like modern bulldogs. Dockleaf was declared the winner that year. Although some argued that the older version of the bulldog (known as the Old English Bulldog) was fit to perform, the modern version's looks were more preferred by the majority of Bulldog fans

Recently, many people have tried to recreate the a breed more akin to the original bullbaiter. Examples of the trend are the Olde Englishe Bulldogge, Renaissance bulldog, Victorian, Continental and Dorset Old Thyme bulldog. The American Bulldog is also thought by some to have similarities to the original bullbaiters.

Other relevant pages - English Bulldog / British Bulldog

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