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| Version | User | Scope of changes |
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| Jan 16 2008, 1:57 PM EST | Anonymous | 6 words added |
| Aug 19 2007, 1:09 PM EDT | Anonymous | 225 words added, 1 photo added |
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This Isn't A Bulldog! He Is WAY To Tall- And Skinny!
in the park, camping, hiking and visiting friends and other dogs. They are doing very well in all areas of the show ring, competing in conformation and performance events, and showing other breeds just what they are made of!
American Bulldog: To the right is an representation of a "bullier-type" American Bulldog. This male dog weighs approximately 110 lbs and stands 26" at the shoulder. The two main types of American Bulldogs are typically referred to as "Performance (or Scotts) " and "Johnson (or Bully)". The Performance type basically is leaner, leggier and with a longer muzzle. The Johnson type is a bigger and
heavier dog, a "bullier" type with a shorter muzzle. Most American Bulldogs fall in between and are called "Hybrids", like this one, and their bloodlines represent both. Some American Bulldog breeders specialize in one type or other which sometimes result in exaggerated or extreme physical variations.This breed is not registered with the AKC (for MANY reasons) but American Bulldogs are celebrated several different registries - some of which are below:
American Bulldog Association
National Kennel Club
American Bulldog Registry & Archives
Most of the registries can agree on general standards of the breed, but all can agree that this is a GREAT dog...
This is a NATURAL dog; this is NOT an English Bulldog. The American Bulldog is leggier, is a free breather, and a natural breeder. Sadly most if not all English Bulldogs cannot give a natural birth and must have c-sections due to the abnormal size of the heads of the pups. But they sure are cute..
Like with all breeds, responsible American Bulldog breeders choose pedigrees, structures and temperaments of dogs which display the attributes that they find appealing. Some breeders want hog-catching dogs, some want high-drive "sport" dogs to show in Schutzhund, Ring Sport, and other "bite work" type events, and others are attracted to weight-pulling. Weight pulling being their best sport of all. This breed is versatility. The one that I have came from a breeder who’s focus is to have dogs that are premier house pets, athletic companions and family guardians. In this line the dogs are very sweet and calm, are wonderful family pets, and can also be worked and shown in obedience, conformation, agility, herding, and therapy dog activities. My dog and the breeder she came from was not from the line of "sport." If you desire a dog to do "bite work" you should contact breeders with that type of Bulldog. In that same vein, if you just want a sweet family pet, getting a high-drive puppy from a "sport" dog breeder could likely be a huge mistake.
American Bulldog’s Personalities
American Bulldogs should be happy, outgoing, confident dogs that get along well with children, adults, and other animals...although quite dominant, this breed should NOT be dog aggressive. They are very loyal, loving dogs who bond intensely to their families. They need lots of socialization (especially as puppies), and require firm, consistent, positive obedience training on an ongoing basis; they are quite intelligent, and as such, can be stubborn.
As puppies, if not given plenty to do, they can be destructive chewers and diggers, but once mature, should be very well-behaved and obedient. If you do find you have a very happy digger, plan to have a special digging area and train them to use it if you want the rest of the garden or yard un-doggie-tilled.
They are calm indoors and welcome friends into your home, but as they are a guarding breed, will protect you and your property with everything they've got. They love their "people" and need to be in the home and part of the family, and should not be kept chained or stuck in a pen 24-hours a day. They need to be indoors with their people.
They have an intense prey drive, which suits them well for playtime, obedience, agility, herding, and other performance events; it also means they can chase and maul small pets if not raised with them (my dog has been raised with other pets is very gentle with my cat and very good with other dogs). They are extremely athletic, and enjoy an active lifestyle with their owners; they need a fair amount of exercise to stay fit, happy, healthy and strong.
American Bulldogs are not like Golden Retrievers; they require a firm, consistent, loving owner who has a very strong personality, as do other guardian breeds (as in German Shepards, Doberman Pinchers, Rottweilers, etc.). The best American Bulldogs are versatile working dogs, capable of learning a great deal, but they have an independent mind of their own and are not pushovers to raise and train. Many are willful, obstinate, and dominant (they want to be the boss) and will make you prove that you can make them do things. You must show them, through absolute consistency, that you mean what you say.
Aside from their dominant personalities they are very physically strong (built like a Mack Truck, especially the males, which can be 90'-120') and are Way Too Much dog for some people. Experienced dog owners are recommended for this breed, those who know how to apply positive training techniques and can spend the necessary time to work their dog. Placing one with a first-time, inexperienced dog owner or someone who doesn't have the strength or attitude to properly deal with this type of dog isn’t a good idea due to the level of training that is required. However, dogs, of any breed mixed or otherwise, have individual personalities just like people do, and need to be dealt with accordingly. Environment plays a huge role in how any type of dog turns out, and thus raising a dog with the proper care, socialization, training and love will generally turn out a pretty good dog. Especially when you have a great breeder and excellent obedience training!
They are medium size dogs that are mistaken sometimes for AmStaffs however they are not the same breed at all and are quite a bit larger and markedly more bulldoggy. They often have white coats with either tan or brindle patches whereas Boxers do not (Boxers are also smaller). They have a short, smooth, handsome coat which is easy to keep clean and requires little brushing, but they do shed short, stiff hairs on your clothing all year long. Plan to sweep often.
They sometimes they snore! But they aren’t a breed that barks much.
American Bulldogs are active, loyal dogs who really LOVE their families, and are a joy to work and play with. They have comical personalities and an inquisitive nature, and once you have one, you'll see why so many folks love this breed! They are said to have "true grit, true devotion and true love."
Health
There are health issues that can occur in the American Bulldog (like any breed or mixed breed), the most prevalent and devastating being Canine Hip Dyslpasia (CHD) which can result in Degenerative Joint Disease (DJD). Other issues can include elbow dysplasia, eye disease and eye problems such as entropion eyelids, skin problems such as allergies and mange (which can be a sign of other immune malfunctions), heart murmurs (usually benign), and uni-lateral and bi-lateral deafness (from doubling up on the white/piebald gene). I have the Performance/Old Southern White (Standard) type American Bulldogs; the Bully (Johnson) type dogs (and some of the "hybrid" type) seem to be plagued with more health issues overall, such as more hip and elbow dysplasia, breathing difficulties, and entropion and ectropion eyelids. Buying from a reputable breeder who health-screens and certifies their breeding stock and warranties their puppies, gives you the highest likelihood of getting a healthy puppy.Generally speaking compared to other medium to large dogs (or other guardian dogs) who's life expectancy is around 10 years, the Am Bulldog's life expectancy is longest at up to 15 years. ;o)
Additional Resources
Your Online Community for Purebred Dogs!
This breed is not listed in the AKA but is in the UKC (United Kennel Club) http://www.ukcdogs.com/index.html. On the UKC site you can find additional information about this breed for example the 2 main lines: Johnson and Scott. To find this information under the UKC's Guardian Breed Group. group.
There is a rescue group specializing in American Bulldog: http://www.americanbulldogrescue.org/
Note: this information was gathered from a very reputible American Bulldog breeder found at sunstaramericanbulldogs.com (where I found my wonderful dog), from my own experiences and from literature on the topic.
Links to wikiFido's best American Bulldog:
