E is for ENGLISH BULLDOG | #AtoZChallenge

53 Comments#AtoZChallenge 2016, Blogfests, Dogs, Writing/Blogging

#AtoZChallenge 2016 G is for Golden RetrieverWelcome everyone, to the #AtoZChallenge Blogging Extravaganza, where hundreds of bloggers publish 26 posts in 30 days, one for each letter of the alphabet, covering a myriad of topics!

“Dog Breeds & Anecdotes” is my theme. Click HERE to see all posts and HERE to view the participants. 

Please support our efforts by visiting, sharing and commenting. We have all worked long and hard on this project.  Have fun and thanks for reading!

Day 5, April 6. E is for English Bulldog
Day 5, April 6

#AtoZChallenge Day 5: E is for ENGLISH BULLDOG #dogladysden Share on X

ENGLISH BULLDOG

The English Bulldog developed centuries ago in Great Britain for use in fighting bulls (bullbaiting). Characteristically powerful and courageous, often vicious, and to a great extent unaware of pain, the bulldog nearly disappeared when dogfighting was outlawed in 1835.

Fanciers of the breed, however, saved it and bred out its ferocity. Nicknamed the “sourmug,” the bulldog is a stocky dog that moves with a rolling gait. It has a large head, folded ears, a short muzzle, a protruding lower jaw, and loose skin that forms wrinkles on the head and face.

Its short, fine coat is tan, white, reddish brown, brindle, or piebald. The bulldog stands 13 to 15 inches (33 to 38 cm) and weighs 40 to 50 pounds (18 to 23 kg). – Encyclopedia Brittanica Bulldogs have many health issues and their average lifespan is 8-10 years.

English Bulldog, #AtoZChallenge 2016, The Doglady's Den
commons.wikimedia.org

Although in the top 10 of popular dog breeds, my exposure to English bulldogs has been limited to one walking client. Mind you, she had four of them – a mother named “Petunia”, with three offspring, Duncan, Sally and Lola.

The assignment was to feed everyone lunch, let Petunia out in the yard and walk the pups. Mealtime was akin to “feeding time at the zoo”. They sounded like little piglets, snuffling for truffles, with not a morsel left behind.

Only Duncan was willing to be walked. Sally and Lola played “catch me if you can” with the leashes, then refused to move once we hit the pavement. After a few futile attempts, the client agreed that exercising them in her large yard might be a good alternative.

All three loved to play “fetch” and competed against each other. This was a better workout than walking and everyone was happy. The client moved away after a couple of years and I haven’t met any bulldogs since.

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Do you think English bulldogs are cute, ugly or both?
Would you want a dog with so many health problems?

Looking forward to your comments!

Debbie





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53 thoughts on “E is for ENGLISH BULLDOG | #AtoZChallenge

  1. They are so cute! I love the expression. And yes, a friend of mine who owns one did mention the health problems. I know they’re exploited by anti-wrinkle cream brands! I was surprised to learn that the breed was in danger of disappearing! Thank you for sharing the anecdote, Debbie. I could just visualize the scene and found it so funny!

    1. They are cute in their ugliness, I’d say. 🙂 It’s too bad about the health issues, but I’ve heard that breeders are pulling back from their stringent requirements about the facial features. Hope it helps! I hadn’t heard that about the anti-wrinkle cream brands. You’d think they’d be more interested in the Shar Pei. Thanks for coming by and have a great week. I know you will! 🙂

  2. Although a cute dog, I probably would not want a dog with health problems. Pet insurance is still in its infant stages here, so the obscene amount of money that would be paid out would, IMO, not make a bulldog an ideal pet to have.

    1. You have a point there, G.B. We had pet insurance for our Dalmatian. Every time we made a claim. the monthly rate and co-pay percentage went up. In the end, it wasn’t worth it. Nice to see you! Thanks for dropping in. 🙂

  3. I think they are cute…in an ugly kind of way. The sad thing is they have all these medical issues because humans messed with them to make their snout shorter and their legs shorter. I have to say I would not get one with medical issues due to their breed…I think it’s cruel to breed these dogs like that. Now if a dog needed help and I could help, I would.

  4. The bulldog looks a bit different than I remember but I’ve not been good friends with them. I’ve been attacked twice by this breed, so I always shy away from dogs, especially this breed.

  5. I love the bull dog, have never owned one but would if given the opportunity, even with the health issues. I have a few of my own, we’d bond over them. LOL

    1. Haha! Yes, don’t we all? 🙂 There is something endearing about them and they are a popular breed. That said, I haven’t seen too many around.

    1. Snort? That’s a cute name and so apropos for a Bulldog! 🙂 Unfortunately, they all have breathing issues from those smushed faces.

  6. My ex wanted to raise English Bulldogs. As a die-hard rescuer I was very much against the idea. I have to admit I fell madly in love with the dogs and caring for the pups is a lot of work, but they are absolutely adorable. As for temperament, I had two children and always had a house filled with their teenage friends and the dogs were just fine. When we had a family party, however, and small children were in attendance, I locked the dog up. Someone thought it would be fun to let the puppies out and the mother rushing out of the backyard and chased the little children then pinned one to the ground–the only aggressive moment I ever saw in the ten years we owned English Bulldogs, and yes she did have babies, but I do suspect the aggression had a lot to do with the fact that she was already uptight about hearing a dozen children running, playing, and shouting just on the other side of the fence. I would recommend separating the dog from unfamiliar children, and finding a veterinarian who is familiar with the breed–some vets do not know that the pups often cannot stand on their hind legs when they are born.

    1. Thanks for sharing your story and advice about Bulldogs, Darla. I’m sure the mother dog was stressed in that situation. Good idea to find an experienced vet, since this breed has so many issues.

  7. Another great breed. I think the English Bulldog is beautiful. Loved reading about your adventures trying to walk them. Good thing you were able to come up with an alternative.

  8. One of my relatives had a English Bulldog and he was very old. We were kids and were so scared of his huge face. Now thinking about Gulliver (that’s what his name was), I feel he was cute and cuddly 🙂

  9. They look cute but a bit scary with the face, I think it is tough to have a dog with so many issues but once you fall in love with them then no chance of leaving them.
    I would not be able to tolerate the drool, puts me off the dog. :I

  10. Hi Debbie. I’m not doing the challenge since I was off on my trip and didn’t get geared up, but decided I should read some posts so I am going to follow yours as I always enjoy them. I’ll go back and read the other letters, too. Dogs are the best and fun to read about.

    Interesting info about the bulldog. I’ve always felt sorry for them looking so homely. Why people would breed them to look like that, I don’t understand. And how sad they have so many health problems as a result. There is one in our neighbourhood and I find it cute to watch she and her owner waddling around the block together. The owner is short and stocky just like Angel and waddles like her, too. A true case of people looking like their pets, well except for the face. The woman isn’t quite that homely! Haha!

    1. Thanks for reading my posts, Cathy. This theme was a natural for me. 🙂 I’m laughing at the mental picture you’ve painted about your neighbour and her dog. Bulldogs fall into the “so ugly they’re cute” category, for me. It is sad about the health issues and I wouldn’t want a dog with so many problems. Poor babies!

  11. My girlfriend has two bulldogs, adorable! Love the picture! Their breathing sounds like they have a sinus infection. Best wishes for your continued success with the challenge!

  12. The bulldogs: they’re kind of so ugly they’re cute. I’ve never encountered a bulldog — but I can relate to the sounding like piglets when they eat: I have a few pugs who stay with me and to listen to them eat just cracks me up! Watching them eat is another treat, the way they mush their faces in to get their food. Craziness!

    That’s a shame that the breed has so many health issues. A lot of the dogs with the mushed-in faces have breathing disorders. I know the American Kennel Club has pulled back on it’s requirement for the faces to be so mushed-in, thereby attempting to help alleviate the health issues with the various breeds. I heard that anyway…

    Another great post Debbie!

    Michele at Angels Bark

    1. It’s too bad breeders are more interested in appearance than the health of their breeds. 🙁 I hope it’s true about the AKC. That whole show ring world offends me on many levels. I can just picture those little pugs digging in. 🙂 We used to have one in our play group, named “Barney”. What a character he was!

  13. Hi Debbie it was nice knowing about the English Bull Dog. Your experiences with walking the trio was hilarious. I am learning something new from you everyday.
    Cheers 🙂
    @KalaRavi16 from
    Relax-N-Rave

    1. It’s funny that I haven’t seen many around since they’re apparently so popular. Yes, the two girls didn’t want to go anywhere with me. 🙂

  14. Lol Shady! Your description of your Mexican parrot cracked me up! I can just see you snarling because you had to clean up all that mess every day! So, suffice it to say, you’d never have another?? 🙂

  15. I have to say that British Bulldogs are so ugly they make it into the adorable range :). I would definitely not want a dog with so many healthy issues – poor babies.
    Tasha
    Tasha’s Thinkings (70) | Wittegen Press (72) | FB3X (AC) (73)

    1. Yes, I think so too – the “ugly/cute” category. 🙂 It’s too bad breeders haven’t done much to improve the health issues.

  16. Thanks for sharing this wonderful information. I didn’t know that. Bulldogs are real fighter. It sound weird that they were at the point of extinct, but gratefully they survived. I hope some people will stop treating them like an entertainment products.

    You doing great effort and I want to wish you luck so far. You doing great !!

    1. Hi, Julian; Thanks for your comment. Next time, please link to your blog and not a download page, otherwise, I’ll have to mark it as spam. I fixed the link for you here, as you seem genuinely interested in the subject matter.

      1. Thanks Debbie !! Sorry to annoy you…I did not mean to spam..

        You are on wonderful mission to save dogs..Best wishes to you !!

  17. Big fan here of the English Bulldog. We had a mix of English Bulldog and Walker Hound. Obviously, someone left the gate open at a most critical moment… Anyways, Bill had the best disposition of any dog I have ever known. All the neighborhood kids loved him. He had a few moments when provoked by other animals, but never initiated a squabble. To this day, I think about him, and always fondly.