Bulldogs are high maintenance animals. There are no
economy models. They are difficult to breed; they
frequently can't deliver their own puppies; they usually need
lots of help raising puppies; and they need more frequent and
knowledgeable medical attention throughout their lives than
many other breeds. It's cheaper to buy a beagle.
That aside, they're funny, intelligent, eccentric companions
who will fill your home with lots of love and laughter.
The Bulldog is an old and highly specialized breed, with
unique physical characteristics developed to be used in bull
baiting through hundreds of years of selective
breeding. The result was a man-made dog perfectly
suited for a sport that has now been banned for more than 150
years. These dogs, and the traits we find so appealing,
exist because breeders decided to save the breed at that
time, rather than let it die out. They took the
aggressive bullfighter and bred it into the friendly Bulldog
that we find today.
People made the Bulldog what it is and the dogs need people
to ensure their continued survival. In looking at the
standard for the ideal Bulldog many characteristics are those
needed for success in the bullring. The deep stop, wide
nostrils, undershot jaw, and low slung body were all
desirable for approaching the bull, holding onto it and
helping breathe while blood is flowing from the bull.
Similarly, the general appearance and attitude suggesting
great stability, vigor and strength were desirable in a
fighter. Some characteristics, like kindness and
courage without viciousness or aggressiveness reflect the
changes caused by breeding dogs after bull baiting stopped.
