The American Bulldog is a breed of working dog
developed for catching livestock and for protecting property. Though larger in
size, they are the closest surviving relative of the Old English Bulldog
because they were not altered to as great an extent while in Colonial America
as their European cousins. There are generally considered to be two types of
American Bulldog, the Johnson type and the Scott type, named
after the breeders who were influential in developing them, John D. Johnson
and Allen Scott. These are more commonly known as Classic or Bully type and
Standard or Performance type.
Appearance
The American Bulldog is a stocky, strong-looking dog. Its
coat is short and either white or white with patches. The Johnson type is a
larger dog with a shorter muzzle than the Scott type. However, many modern
American Bulldogs are a combination of the two types. In general, American
Bulldogs weigh between 27 to 57 kg (60 to 125 lb) and are 52 to 70 cm (20 to
28 inches) at the withers.
Confusion with other breeds
There are two distinct strains of American Bulldogs, Classic
(Johnson, Bully) and Standard (Scott, Performance) which is often mistaken for
its second cousin the American Pit Bull Terrier because of its appearance, and
for its much smaller European relatives because of its name, the American
Bulldog is different from any of these. The American Bulldog is massive in
comparison to the French Bulldog or English Bulldog as it still resembles the
Old English Bulldog and was never down bred to be a lap dog.
The Standard American Bulldog does resemble the pit
bull-type breeds on many points, such as being muscular dogs that can be all
white or white with patches. However, the pit bull's head is in the shape of a
wedge coming to a more rounded point at the muzzle, whereas an American
Bulldog's is box-shaped. The American Bulldog's ears are also typically
uncropped, and its head is heavier and a little bulkier. Another major
difference is size, with the American Bulldog generally being much larger than
a purebred American Pitbull Terrier (which according to the UKC standard
should only weigh 30 - 60 pounds).
Temperament
American bulldogs can make great family dogs despite their
reputation. An American Bulldog is typically a happy, friendly, and
assertive dog that is at ease with its family and fine with strangers as they
get to know the stranger in question. They are quite fond of children but
sometimes do not know their own strength, thus, as with all dogs, they should
be supervised with small children. They bond strongly with their master and
family but, because of strong guarding instincts and a somewhat dominant
attitude, they need a firm but fair hand; they should be socialized and
obedience trained early to expose them to other dogs and people and to ensure
that they can be controlled around company as they get older and larger.
They need room to expend their energy and so do best in a
home with a backyard. They are not always well behaved towards cats and
smaller pets, but correct socialization at an early age can greatly increase
the chances of them accepting these animals. They can be stubborn with
training though once they are trained they tend to obey their masters
faithfully. American bulldog puppies can be relatively difficult to
housebreak, but it is important to be persistent.
History
The history of Mastiff-type dogs in the British Isles dates
back beyond the arrival of Ceasare, who reported of the ferocious dogs. With
the arrival of the Normans in 1066 came Alaunts from the continent. The
breeding of the indigenous mastiffs to the newly arrived ones produced the
Mastiff and Bulldog of England. An interesting aside, is that all descriptions
of the Alaunts (there were three types) mention an all white, or almost
entirely white coat - something only the American Bulldog still has.
In England during the 17th and 18th centuries, bulldogs were
used on farms to catch and hold livestock; as butchers' dogs; and as
guardians, as well as for other tasks. This eventually led to bloodsports such
as bull-baiting, popular for both entertainment and the potential for
gambling. These practices extended not only from the British Isles but also to
the colonies she acquired during this time, including what is now the United
States and in particular the South; many settlers brought their dogs with them
to help around the farm, hunt in the woods, and use in gambling.
In 1835, the sport of bull-baiting was outlawed in the
United Kingdom and, over time, the Bulldog there became a common pet, being
bred into today's more compact and complacent version. The product was as much
the efforts of selectively bred bulldogs as it was the introduction of the
Pug. Conversely, the American strain maintained its utlitarian purpose, and
thus underwent less modifications; even as its popularity declined in favor of
other breeds. Even the slight modifications the bulldog underwent in England
from the late Renaissance into the Industrial Revolution (pre 1835), were
absent in the American strain. (Most settlers of the American South came from
the West Midlands and as a result of the Civil War between Royalists and
Parliamentarians, well before the Industrial Revolution).
Perhaps the most important role of the bulldog and the
reason for its survival and in fact why it thrived through out the South was
because of the presence of feral pigs, introduced to the New World and without
predators. The bulldogs were the settlers only means of sufficiently dealing
with the vermin. By World War II, the breed was near extinction until John D.
Johnson and his father scoured the backroads of the South looking for the best
specimens to revive the breed. During this time a young Alan Scott grew an
interest in Mr. Johnson's dogs and began to work with him on the
revitalization process. At a point, Alan Scott began infusing non-Johnson
select dogs with John D. Johnson's line creating the now Standard American
Bulldog. Therefore, the base stock of the Standard American Bulldog is the
Classic American Bulldog. This created a falling out between Johnson and Scott
causing them to go their separate ways and breed the two slightly different
versions of the American bulldog.
Today
Today the American Bulldog is safe from extinction and is
enjoying a healthy increase in popularity, both as a working dog and as a
loving family pet. In the South and West they are used as "hog dogs" (dogs
used in the catching of escaped pigs and/or hunting razorbacks) and are also
used in tracking, driving cattle, and in various dog sports such as schutzhund
and weight pulling.
Miscellaneous
