Bulldog

A Bulldog, colloquially known as the British Bulldog, or English Bulldog, is a type of dog which traces its ancestry to England. It should not be confused with other varieties such as the American Bulldog or the French Bulldog, which has a similar appearance.

Description Appearance

The bulldog is a stocky breed with characteristically broad shoulders and a matching wide head.
There are generally thick folds of skin on a bulldog's brow, followed by round, dark, far apart eyes, a short muzzle, drooping lips, and an infamous underbite.
Bulldogs come in a variety of colors and ideally have a smooth, short coat. The colors, in order of desirability, are brindle (especially red brindle), red (similar to a chestnut horse), white, and fawn (often with white markings on any color, or piebald). The prime disqualifier for the breed in the show ring is a pale or liver-colored nose (although black-coated bulldogs are not preferred, and many judges will dismiss a bulldog lacking an underbite).
In the US, the size of a typical mature male is about 50 pounds and that for mature females is about 40 pounds. In the [United Kingdom], the breed standard is 55 pounds for a male and 50 pounds for a female, though it is not uncommon for males to be 70 pounds.
While some canine breeds require their tails to be cut or "cropped" soon after birth, bulldogs are one of very few breeds whose tail is naturally short and curled. A longer or "gay" tail is a serious fault in a show bulldog.

Health

The bulldog's unique traits sometimes contribute to specific health issues. Breathing problems can be prevalent in the breed due to the shape and the shortness of its muzzle. Most noticeably, bulldogs are known to snore loudly.
Some individuals of this breed are prone to interdigital cysts, which are cysts that form between the toes. These cause the dog some discomfort, but are treatable either by vet or an experienced owner.

Other problems can include cherry eye, a protrusion of the inner eyelid (which can be corrected by a veterinarian), certain allergies, and hip issues in older bulldogs. However, bulldogs are bred to be bowlegged in the hindlegs and thus do not usually develop hip dysplasia.
Puppies are frequently delivered by Caesarean section because their characteristically large heads can become lodged in the mother's birth canal during natural birth. However, it is not entirely uncommon for a bulldog to whelp naturally and successfully.
The folds or "rope" on a Bulldog's face should be cleaned daily to avoid unwanted infections caused by moisture accumulation.
Like all dogs, bulldogs require daily exercise. If not properly exercised it is possible for a bulldog to become overweight, which could lead to heart and lung problems, as well as joint issues such as Roxy.
Bulldogs are extremely sensitive to heat. Extra caution should be practiced in warmer climates and during summer months. Bulldogs must be given plenty of shade and water, and must be kept out of standing heat.
Bulldogs naturally curling tails can be so tight to the body that it requires regular cleaning and maintenance.
In January 2009, after the BBC documentary Pedigree Dogs Exposed, the The Kennel Club introduced revised breed standards for the British Bulldog, along with 209 other breeds, to address health concerns. Opposed by the British Bulldog Breed Council, it was speculated by the press that the changes would lead to a smaller head, less skin folds, a longer muzzle, and a taller thinner posture, in order to combat perceived problems with respiration and with breeding due to head size and posture.

History

The term "bulldog" was first used around 1568 and might have been applied to other various ancestors of modern bulldog breeds before adorning the breed we recognize today.
It has been theorized that bulldogs were bred in England as a cross between the Mastiff and the Pug, though their genetic origin is debated. Since the pug did not arrive in Europe until the late 16th century, it is unlikely that the breed is an original progenitor of the Bulldog. The Bulldog and the Mastiff are widely thought to have common roots in the ancient Pugnaces Britanniae of Great Britain.
In the 1600s, bulldogs were used for bullbaiting (as well as bearbaiting)--a gambling sport popular in the 17th century with wagers laid while trained bulldogs leapt at a bull lashed to a post. The bulldog's typical means of attack included latching onto the animal's snout and attempted to suffocate it.
However, the bulldog's early role was not limited to sport. In mid-17th century New York, bulldogs were used as a part of a city-wide round-up effort led by governor Richard Nicolls. Because cornering and leading wild bulls was dangerous, bulldogs were trained to seize a bull by its nose long enough for a rope to be secured around its neck. The use of dogs for fighting with other dogs or other animals was banned in the United Kingdom by the Cruelty to Animals Act 1835, but Bulldogs as pets were continually promoted by dog dealer Bill George.
In time, the original Old English Bulldog was crossed with the pug. The outcome was a shorter, wider dog with a brachycephalic skull. Though today's bulldog looks tough, he cannot perform the job he was originally created for, as he cannot withstand the rigors of running and being thrown from a bull, and cannot grip with such a short muzzle.

The oldest single breed specialty club is The Bulldog Club (England), which was formed in 1878. Members of this club met frequently at the Blue Post pub on Oxford Street in London. There they wrote the first standard of perfection for the breed. In 1891 the two top bulldogs, Orry and Dockleaf, competed in a contest to see which dog could walk the farthest. Orry was reminiscent of the orginal 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 was more fit to perform, the modern version’s looks won over the fans of the breed because they proved they were equally as fit and athletic in the walking competition.
At the turn of the 20th century, Ch. Rodney Stone became the first Bulldog to command a price of $5000 when he was bought by controversial Irish-American political figure Richard Croker.

Popular mascot

Because of its tenacity, the bulldog is the official symbol of England and unofficial in the United Kingdom.[citation needed] The breed is also the official mascot of the United States Marine Corps and many bases have their own mascot on base. The bulldog is a common mascot for many universities and schools such as Barton College, Yale University, Georgetown University, Drake University, California State University, Fresno, University of Minnesota Duluth, The Citadel, the University of Georgia, Mississippi State University, Butler University, Gonzaga University, Louisiana Tech University University Of Redlands, Dean College, and Western Bulldogs.

Bulldogs in popular culture

Bulldogs have been widely featured in popular culture. In several cases they are portrayed as bullies; children will say a bulldog looks "tough", but in fact modern bulldogs' temperament is very social and lovable.
• Yale University has had a succession of bulldogs named "Handsome Dan" as its mascot.
• The University of Georgia has had a succession of English Bulldogs named "Uga" as its mascot.
• Barton College has an English Bulldog "Bully" as its mascot.
• James Madison University has an English Bulldog "Duke Dog" as its mascot.
• In the American television show Gossip Girl, Blair owns a bulldog named "Handsome Dan", who she names after Yale University's mascot with the same name.
• Disney has Butch the Bulldog as a bully to Pluto.
• Disney's Oliver and company has Francis the Bulldog.
• In Looney Tunes there are three bulldogs: Hector the Bulldog (a supporting character in some Sylvester/Tweety cartoons), Spike (seen with a terrier named Chester), and Marc Antony (always seen with a kitten named Pussyfoot).
• Tom and Jerry have Spike the Bulldog and Tyke, his son as recurring characters.
• Droopy has Butch the bulldog as an antagonist.
• Tiny Toons has Barky Marky mirroring Marc Antony and the other Looney Tunes bulldogs.
• Jonny Quest has a bulldog pet named Bandit.
• In Thundercats, Mum-ra, their main foe, has a bulldog pet named Ma-Mutt.
• In Veronica's Closet the main character has a bulldog pet in the earlier seasons.
• In MacGyver there is a bulldog named Frog.
• In Mr. Magoo there is a bulldog named Angus.
• The Batman films directed by Joel Schumacher feature a bulldog in odd scenes.
• In Seinfeld Kramer sets a bulldog to chase Newman, perpetuating the stereotypes of dogs chasing mailmen and bulldogs as aggressive dogs.

• In Little Nicky the main character is advised by Mr. Beefy, as a demon bulldog.
• In Jake and the Fatman there is a bulldog named Max.
• In Rob and Big and Fantasy Factory Rob Dyrdek owns 2 bulldogs, Meaty (which he got in the first episode of rob and big) and Beefy (whom he got when he started Fantasy Factory).
• 70s pop duo Captain & Tennille often featured their pet bulldogs, Broderick and Elizabeth, on their album covers.
• During World War II, Winston Churchill was commonly referred to as the "British Bulldog" and was often characterized as one in cartoons at the time.
• Pete Wentz has a bulldog named Hemingway who is best known for Fall Out Boys video clip "the take over, the breaks over" revolving around him.
• In Everybody Loves Raymond, Robert (Brad Garrett) had a bulldog named Shamsky (after the baseball player) for the first three seasons of the show.
• In National Lampoon's Van Wilder: The Rise of Taj, the main character Taj Mahal Badalandabad had a bulldog called Ballzac.
• In National Lampoon's Van Wilder, the main character Van Wilder has a bulldog named Collosus.
• In Mannequin the night time security guard has a bulldog named Rambo.
• Actors Cole & Dylan Sprouse own an English bulldog named Bubba, who is seen on many Sprouse Bros. merchandise.
• In Pixar's animated film Up, one of the characters, Gamma, is a bulldog.
• In Michael Bay's Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, Franky, the family's newest dog, makes a short appearance being "dominated" by the other