Saturday, 31 December 2011

American Bulldog







In early England, blood sports were very popular with both the working class and royalty. The old English bulldogs were developed for blood sports, fighting bulls and bears, and later, other dogs. After blood sports were made illegal, the dogs were used for a variety of purposes. In the U.S., they accompanied set­tlers across the unknown frontiers as guardians, hunters, and at times, even herding dogsThis breed should convey a sense of power.
Standing between 20 and 26 inches tall and weighing 60 to 120 pounds, with the females smaller than the males, this is an all-purpose working dog. The head should show its bulldog heritage, broad with a slightly shortened muzzle
The coat is short, harsh, and white with patches of brindle, brown, red, or tan.
Grooming this breed is easy; use a curry comb or soft bris­tled brush twice a week to brush out the dead hairs.The Bulldog is quite active. Long, brisk walks are good, as are a few games of catch and fetch, but he also needs a job to do where he can burn some calories—either pulling a wagon or running on the agility course.The breed needs early and ongoing socialization. Because they are still used as guardians of people, livestock, and prop­erty, these dogs are aggressive toward strangers and socialization can temper this reaction. Training should begin early, too, and continue into adulthood—not just for this physically powerful breed to learn self control but also to give the dogs a job to do.This breed also thrives in dog sports, including carting and weight pulling.The American Bulldog requires an active owner who is a leader and is dog savvy. He is affection­ate, loyal, and good with older children. (He can be too rough for young kids.) He will be a will­ing playmate for lots of childhood adventures. The breed can be dog-aggressive. Health concerns include hip dysplasia and allergies

BREED IN BRIEF 

  • Registries: UKC, ARBA, American Bulldog Registry Occupation: Farm dog, guardian 
  • Size: 20 to 26 in tall; 60 to 120 lbs 
  • Longevity: 12 to 14 years 
  • Exercise: Active dog Training: Easy; hard to focus 
  • Grooming: Easy









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