Bulldogs are big dogs with great hearts.
They are great pets for families with children because they form especially strong bonds with younger people and they're very gentle with everyone and protective of their families.
They have a laid-back nature but are brave enough to fight larger animals.
They're sensitive to their owner's moods and in fact are often considered clowns! They will go well with the daily walking and some brushing.
The English bulldog can, obviously, traces its heritage all the way back to England.
1568 is the year when bulldogs are first mentioned in documents, Most people believe that English bulldogs were bred in England to be a mix between the pug and the mastiff.
Bull baiting Bulldogs were initially bred to fight with bulls, bears or other animals.
Different animals, like bears and bulls the dogs fought against each other, and this was considered a popular sport.
When the bulldog fight against a bull, it attempt to latch onto its snout and to suffocate it.
The municipality of New York City used bulldogs to round-up the wild bulls from the city in the mid 17-century.
They were trained to seize a bull by its snout because it was too dangerous to approach them any other way, and they would hold on long enough for a rope to be secured around the bull's neck.
(It's interesting to note that bulldogs today cannot perform these tasks anymore - despite being originally bred for it, the breed's crossing with pugs has shortened the body enough that a bulldog would no longer be able to grip a bull's snout!) Today, many schools and teams all over the United States and the United Kingdom use a bulldog as their mascots due to their fierce look and exciting history.
There are differences in the standards of weight for bulldogs in different countries, though males should generally weigh between 50 and 70 pounds and females between 40 and 50 pounds.
The health problems encountered by most of the English bulldogs are related genetically to their ancestors' breeds.
Because of their bulk and the shortness of their muzzle, they often develop an assortment of breathing issues.
The famous loudly snoring accompanies these issues.
They can also be prone to cysts between the toes which can cause the bulldog a great deal of discomfort.
They are also prone to infections of the folds on their face if not regularly cleaned and to the protrusion of the inner eyelid, called "cherry eye" and can be corrected only by a veterinarian.
Because of the proportions of their bodies, bulldogs tend to have bowlegged hind legs.
Hip dysplasia is also frequent and due to same causes.
They are also sensible to heat.
They do not do well during overly hot periods so keep them out of the heat as much as possible.
The problems come from the birth, as the big head of the bulldog puppy may get stuck in its mothers' birth canal.
Instead they are delivered by Caesarean section.
There are some things to know about the general look of an English bulldog.
Their smooth, short coats have a variety of colors.
The dogs colored in red brindle and fawn, that can have markings of other colors are most stark.
) A dog is disqualified if their nose if pale or liver-colored and judges typically frown on black-coated bulldogs as well.
Most bulldogs have naturally short tails and do not require docking.
English bulldogs are wonderful dogs to have.
They are also suitable for families due to their sweet, gentle natures.