Wednesday, July 29, 2009

American Bulldog: The Minimally Tampered Breed Of The Bulldogs

By Troy Richardson

As a member breed of the bulldog family, the American Bulldog is well-known not only in the US but around the world, too, as a reliable family pet. Having descended from the bull baiting breeds of England, the American Bulldog remained to be the closest look-alike of the now extinct Old English Bulldog. Other bulldogs in Europe were highly altered but not the American Bulldog whose appearance remained as is even for many decades.

There are two types of American Bulldog and these are the Johnson type and the Scott type. These names were derived from breeders who were essential for developing them and they are John D. Johnson and Allen Scott. These types are also commonly called the Classic or Bully type and the Standard or Performance type.

Often, the American Bulldog is confused for a white Boxer as they both hold similar features. Describing the former, however, it gives off a body that looks strong, well-built, muscular and stocky and its jaw possesses great strength. The weight of this breed ranges from 60 to 125 pounds while the height goes between 20 and 28 inches.

Commonly, the coat of this breed is smooth, short, and is a light to moderate shedder. It often appears in colors of solid white, solid white with black markings, red, brown, brindle and fawn. Brown is the standard eye color while the mouth drools especially on dogs that have looser lips.

The Johnson type, compared to the Scott type has bigger and heavier body and shorter muzzle. The Scott type is simply described as a leggier and bigger Pit Bull. In general, the American Bulldog breed is more agile, has longer legs, and is faster than its English relatives.

The American Bulldog possesses a cheerful and sociable behavior, is comfortable being with the family and does not mind befriending other humans so long as they don't pose a threat. This dog has a strong bond with its master and is sociable to other animals given that he is trained in obedience and socialization at an early age. This dog also needs a constant share of attention because if not, it may develop destructive behaviors.

The American Bulldog is an energetic working dog that's why constant activities will suit it best. A wide yard is also sufficient enough for its activities such as running or chasing. This breed also requires daily exercise such as walking in order to keep its mind and body healthy.

The ascendants of this breed were the bull baiting breeds of 18th century England. When bull baiting was banned, fanciers aimed to tame and develop smaller versions of them. Some of these newly developed breeds were brought to the US and were further developed to create the modern bulldogs; the American Bulldog is one of them.

About the Author:

0 comments:

Post a Comment