Bulldog



When someone refers to a bulldog in the singular it is generally assumed that they are referring to the British Bulldog or English Bulldog. It is a little ambiguous as there is also a French Bulldog and an American Bulldog. If you are looking for some history of the bulldog then you need to trek back down to the 15th century. Back then it was not called a bulldog it was called a bolddogge or bondogge. If you are looking for the modern spelling then that dates back to 1631 in a letter written by Preswick Eaton. The reason for the bull in bulldog is that they were used in the sport of bull baiting, bull baiting was a popular sport in the 17th century where bets were made while bulldogs pounced on a bull which was tied to a post, generally the way that the bulldog tried to kill the bull was to latch onto the snout to suffocate it. When this breed was originally bred it completely savage, it would not give up whatever the pain it encountered. During 1835 the sport of dog fighting was made illegal in England, however emigrants to America kept up the sport when they left England. From then on the British Bulldog has its aggressiveness bred out of it. Due to the nature of this breed it is a natural mascot, it is used in many contexts with Britain and it is the official mascot of the United States Marine Corps, as well as being the mascot for many American universities.
Appearance
The bulldog is a heavily muscled dog which has a distinctive wrinkled face. Its nose has a pushed in look. This breed also has thick shoulders. It looks as if it has too much skin, such that the skin folds in. Generally this breed coming in fawn, red, white and brindle. Typically this breed 20 kilos in weight. Their tail tend to have short curly tails.
Temperament
These dogs have a reputation as being grumpy, but don't let that dissuade you, just because they look this way it does not mean they are. They are laid back dogs, who never the less can be very quick when they need to be. They are very friendly dogs, but they can be boisterous. There is a common expression "stubborn as a bulldog" and this expression is their for a reason. Generally this breed is found to be less aggressive than it once was as breeders have been actively working to get this out of this dog. Generally these dogs get along with the family and other pets.
Grooming and care
This sturdy breed required daily exercise. It is important to note that the British bulldog is known to be sensitive to heat. So during the summer months in sunnier climes it is important to give them shade and plenty of water, to stop the danger of them overheating. The bulldog actually sweats mostly through their feet so having a cool floor can really help this breed out during the summer months.
Health
The British Bulldog as an average life span of 10 years. However it should be noted that a survey of actual owners was done, and the average was found to be more like 6.5 years. It is safe to say that due to the physiological structure of this breed it has many health issues that are not so prevalent in other breeds. The causes of death in this breed as heart attack (20%), cancer (18%), and old age (9%). Hip dysplasia is a very common problem for this breed, in a study done by the Orthopedic Foundation for animals, over 80% of Bulldogs were affect by this condition. This breed is also susceptible to getting inter digital cysts. This can be treated as long as it is diagnosed, generally the dog will not be walking as they normally do. Due to the structure of this dog it also may have problems breathing. The bulldog can also get cherry eye. Interestingly due to the large head of this breed, most bulldogs (80%) are actually delivered by caesarean section.