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American Bulldog
The American Bulldog is a working dog breed developed for protecting property and catching livestock. There are two types of American Bulldog, the Classic (Johnson, Bully) or Standard (Scott, Performance) type. The Standard Bulldog is often mistaken for the American Pit Bull Terrier because of its appearance. The Standard does resemble the Pit Bull on many points however the Pit Bull’s head is wedge-shaped as opposed to the box-shaped head of the Standard American Bulldog. The American Bulldog’s ears usually remain uncropped as well.
The American Bulldog is stocky and strong, with a short coat. The coat is either white, white with patches, black and white brindle, fawn and white, fawn and white brindle or a combination of these. The Classic type is larger and has a shorter muzzle than the Standard type. The American Bulldog weighs 60 to 125 pounds and is 20 to 28 inches high.
The American Bulldog came from the breeding of Mastiff-type dogs in the British Isles. During the 17th and 18th centuries in England, Bulldogs were used on farms to hold livestock, as guardians, and as butchers’ dogs. This eventually led to blood sports and gambling centered around the dogs. Eventually this was outlawed and the Bulldog became more of a common pet. In the early days of America, the Bulldog was used to deal with feral pigs that tormented the settlers.
An American Bulldog is typically a friendly and assertive dog that loves its owners and is nice to strangers as long as they get to know them. Sometimes the Bulldog does not know its own strength, so they need a firm hand and supervision around small children. These dogs have high energy drives and need to be exercised and worked. The well-trained American Bulldog can be taught to live with other animals if socialized at an early age. The American Bulldog can also be trained to catch rodents and other herbivores. It can be a difficult breed to housebreak, and persistence is important.
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