American Bulldog | Dog Breed Information & Facts – Pictures

The American Bulldog is a powerful, athletic and courageous dog that inspires great respect. This dog is one of the most similar to the original 19th century bulldog. The inexperienced eye can confuse the American bulldog with the boxer, the pit bull or the dogo argentino because there are many similarities between these breeds. However, each of them has distinctive characteristics that allow it to differentiate itself.

The American Bulldog is a fearless and extremely strong dog. Surprisingly, for all its power, these dogs are kind, affectionate and loyal pets. With such a companion, the owners feel safe in any place, because in the distant past, American bulldogs took part in bullfights, emerging from such battles as winners.

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The American Bulldog is the largest of the bulldogs. Muscular and proportionate, serious and rather belligerent, the dog looks much more like the Staffordshire Terrier, PitBull or Argentine Dogo than French and English Bulldogs. Its constitution is strong, a little rough, the format is slightly stretched. The skin is moderately stretched, but may form folds on the neck and head.

The American Bulldog gains weight and muscle mass well. Today, there are three main types of American Bulldog dogs. This :

• Classic, also known as Johnson type;
• Standard, which is called the Scott type;
• Hybrid of the two types above.

The height of an adult male is 50-70 cm, females 50-61 cm and weigh 32-54 kg and 27-41 kg.

• Head: Large head, in proportion to the body. The broad skull is slightly rounded and forms a high forehead. The tubercle on the back of the head is moderately pronounced.
• Eyes: Small, round, set wide and straight. The color varies from hazelnut to dark brown. Dark shades are preferred. The eyelids are close-fitting and have dark pigmentation.
• Ears: Medium sized, set high. They can be hung or standing. Most often they have a triangular shape, but the shape of an “envelope” or “rose” is also allowed.
• Muzzle: Representatives of the Johnson type have a square muzzle with a well-defined stop. Dogs of the Scott line have a wedge-shaped muzzle, with a lower stop. The muzzle of classic type dogs is shorter than the standard one. Johnson Bulldogs have deep creases. The big nose has wide nostrils and is black or brown in color. Lips of a dark shade perfectly fit the jaws.
• Legs: front legs. Well spaced, parallel to each other. The shoulders and forearms are well muscled. The elbows are directed backwards. Rounded, strong legs with short, tight toes.
• Hind limbs. The distance between them is much greater. The thighs and lower legs have raised muscles. Moderately pronounced angulation of the limbs. The slightly elongated legs seem longer and narrower than the front ones.
• Movement. Powerful, well coordinated, like a free trot.
• Body: Slightly elongated, rectangular in shape. Stretch index – 103-108%. Neck. Powerful, with well-developed muscles, placed at a 45° angle to the body. Has pronounced skin. Tail. It has a wide base, it becomes narrower towards the tip. According to the standard, it should reach the hocks.
• Coat: Short, shiny, lying close to the body.
• Color: The most common colors are brindle, white-brindle, white-brindle, white. It is also possible to black, marble, blue, black and tan, but only if there are white spots. At the same time, at least 10% of the body should be covered with spots. During exhibitions, the color white is valued.

The typical American Bulldog is a determined and courageous dog, but he must not be unnecessarily aggressive. Excellent guardian of his strong protective instinct, he can be aggressive with strangers and other dogs when he has not been properly socialized or when he does not have good self-control.

Therefore, it is very important to socialize him as a puppy and train him in obedience so that he develops the necessary self-control.

He is also an excellent hunter, especially when it comes to big game where he stands out from other dog breeds. However, its strong impulse to the prey can be a disadvantage for those who have the American Bulldog as a pet. This impulse can give the dog a tendency to “chase” small animals like other pets and dogs of small breeds.

One way to help control his strong impulses is to practice a dog sport such as agility or schutzhund with the dog. As this breed is very hot, sports for protective dogs, such as schutzhund can be very useful when guides and experienced extras are available.

Unusual appearance and physical characteristics make these dogs vulnerable. It is believed that they are predisposed to many diseases, in comparison with other species of dogs, nature has rewarded poor health. To ensure that the American bulldog grows normally, develops, does not hurt, the owner must carefully, with love and care, care for his pet. It is important to know which diseases the highest predisposition is noted:

• Allergic reactions – most often there is a food allergy, it can manifest itself both in the form of a minor skin rash, and in the form of serious asthma attacks. There is also an allergy to perfumes, shampoo or soap.
• Discopathy is a pathology of intervertebral discs.
• Dysplasia – affects the joints, accompanied by severe pain, lameness and even immobilization.
• Deafness is congenital.
• Skin diseases.
• Eye diseases.
• Immunodeficiency is a serious pathology that leads to the development of other serious diseases due to a decrease in the protective functions of the body.
• Tumors of the perianal region are neoplasms that develop in close proximity to the anus.
• Defect of the cardiovascular system – congenital
• Respiratory problems – snoring, shortness of breath.
• Difficult puppybirth.

American bulldogs have a short and smooth coat which does not require much grooming. Brushing and weekly washing if necessary are enough to keep this dog in good condition.

Check your dog’s ears and eyes several times a week, shorten your nails in time and brush your teeth regularly. One of the problems you may encounter is the drool. Always have a clean cloth at hand to dry your dog before he decreases abundantly all around with his saliva.

• A unique case is known when two young American bulldogs violently rushed into the flames in the event of a fire in the house. They considered fire to be a living enemy and fought fearlessly with it, protecting their masters.
• The lovers of the breed respectfully call the American bulldog “a fighter to death”.
• It is almost impossible to scare or at least surprise an American bulldog, it is known as the owner of an unusually strong nervous system.
• Many celebrities (George Clooney, Angelina Jolie, David Beckham and others) chose the American Bulldog as a pet.

The American Bulldog shares much of its history with other Bulldog dogs and similar breeds. So, to some extent, he shares the story with the English Bulldog and the Pit Bull, to give just two examples.

Its origins go back to fighting dogs and big game dogs which were already used in the first half of the first century, but it is in its recent history that the breed is defined and that the current American bulldog takes shape. In the 19th century, bulldog dogs were used in Britain as guardians, boleros (helping to drive and manage livestock) and to help butchers kill livestock. During this same century, the cruel “sport” of fighting between dogs and bulls, in which bulldog dogs were used, is booming.

In 1835, however, the British authorities prohibited bloody “sport” and the bulldog gradually disappeared. Over time, the crosses of these dogs with other less large and aggressive, would give birth to the current English bulldog. During this time, some English immigrants who had brought their bulldog to North America, kept the breed unchanged because it helped them a lot in controlling and hunting large dangerous animals, such as wild pigs. These animals, with almost no change, are the ones that gave birth to the current American Bulldog.

After World War II, the breed virtually disappeared in the United States. Fortunately for the American Bulldog, John D. Johnson and Alan Scott, along with other lesser-known breeders, worked hard to recover the most typical dogs they found, thus forming a group of founders to recover the breed.

It is thanks to these people that the American Bulldog survives today. Johnson developed an increasingly strong variety of the American Bulldog, known as the “bully” or “classic”. Instead, Scott developed a lighter, athletic variety known as the “standard.” These are the two main varieties used to recover the American Bulldog, but today it is very difficult to find them in their purest form. Most American bulldogs today are hybrids between the two varieties.

Today, this imposing and powerful dog breed is not very widespread but no longer risks extinction. Although not well known, the American Bulldog today stands out as a versatile working dog, fulfilling the functions of guard, protection, big game and, of course, a pet.