Breed of dogs American Bulldog: description and characteristics, puppies, price, photo

American Bulldog - temperamental dog, athletically built, strong and strong. At males the stocky and powerful skeleton, bitches have more refined appearance. The breed is defined as a working one, the country of origin is the United States of America.

History of the breed

The breed of dogs is an American bulldog closely intertwined with an English bulldog. For the first time its name was mentioned in England in the sixteenth century. At that time, a bloody sport was gaining popularity when bulls were poisoned by specially trained dogs. It was called bul-bailing, and the word "bulldog" in English means "bull dog".

These animals were derived both for fights with their larger size and power by bulls, and for fighting armed people. A dog of this breed had to possess strength, fearlessness and endurance, a strong will-power character, a high pain threshold, implicitly execute the commands of the owner.

Surprising is the fact that the bulldogs did not show unintentional aggression towards the person, it was almost impossible to get them out of themselves. This once again proves that the American bulldog, whose photo is simply amazing, is a faithful and fearless companion of man.

Such striking equanimity of the animal can be explained by the fact that during the battle with the bull, loss of composure and control over the situation could lead to imminent death. Later immigrants from Britain began to come with their dogs to America. On farms, these pets were simply irreplaceable: they were hunted, they guarded livestock and property of farmers. There is an opinion that the modern American bulldog came from the Old English bulldog and bullmastiff.

At first sight

The appearance of this dog says that it is intended for protection, and in combination with an impeccable instinct can be an excellent hunter for wild boars, foxes or work in the police as a search engine. The American bulldog immediately causes respect. He is distrustful of strangers, and even with acquaintances is wary. However, this pet is able to give its family members unlimited love and devotion.

Leo Tolstoy also had a bulldog. The writer appreciated his intelligence and fascinating beauty, devotion, courage and selflessness. He even dedicated a small series of stories to Bulke (the name of the pet). In one of them Tolstoy with bitterness talks about how his friend was bitten by a wolf on the hunt, after which Bulka became rabid, ran away from the owner and died near the house.

In addition to Leo Tolstoy, this breed was appreciated and given its preference by such celebrities as Charlize Theron, Alexander Rozembaum, Brad Pitt, Reese Witherspoon.

American Bulldog: Characteristics of the Breed

In recent years, two main lines of the breed have been identified by experienced cynologists and true connoisseurs of this breed.

The first include individuals with pronounced musculature and strong protective instincts. This is a classic rock line, called the Jackson type. Dogs belonging to the second line are used to a greater extent in hunting for the pursuit and retention of a large beast. Their musculature is less developed, but they are more athletic. This is the standard line of the American Bulldog, or Scott's type.

Over the past few years, these two lines of the American Bulldog have actively crossed, which can allow a breed with well-developed musculature, but retained endurance and athletic ability. In fact, this is a very successful experiment, as the result is a versatile dog - an American bulldog that has absorbed all the advantages of Scott and Johnson types, capable of performing both security functions and hunting.

Character of the animal

The main feature of the nature of the American Bulldog (in the face of it, there may be certain difficulties) is his desire for leadership. And if two individuals of the same sex live under the same roof, there certainly will not be any problems, since the dog will not tolerate even a hint of competition. At the same time, the American bulldog is not only a strong and formidable dog, a reliable protector, but also a friendly friend, lovingly upsetting his family. He is not averse to frolic with children, if they respectfully behave. His patience can only be envied. The owner of such a dog must be confident in himself. And if timely to suppress frequent impulses to domination and desire to rule over other animals, it is possible to achieve that your bulldog gets along with other pets living in the house.

Do not confuse aggressiveness with the inherent bravery that the American bulldog possesses. Description of the breed says: a feature of the nature of the bulldog is that he is able to carefully think through the situation, keep it under control. He will not start fighting for no apparent reason. In a dangerous situation, it may appear that the dog is becoming cold-blooded. However, she only ponders the line of defense and behavior. The owner may not be able to stop his pet if he appreciated the threat. The American bulldog, whose photo can charm at first sight, is very intelligent. The animal is able to make its own decisions.

Young bulldogs are quite hostile to strangers, so if you love guests, you need to socialize the dog from puppyhood, so that it does not grow unfriendly and suspicious. Over the years, your friend will learn to quickly assess the situation, distinguish good people from negative attitudes. Moreover, your American bulldog, whose character is quite versatile, thanks to an amazing mindset will be able to distinguish between the degree of threat and falsity. In other words, it is unlikely that it will be possible to distract it from the work performed by the manipulated maneuvers.

Care and maintenance

There are not any specific recommendations regarding the content of bulldogs. These are rather unpretentious dogs that feel good both in the apartment and in the courtyard of a private house. The American bulldog has a short coat that fits snugly to the body. Frequent water procedures are contraindicated to him, he should not completely bathe him more than twice a year. With frequent water procedures, wool loses its shine, dry skin is observed. With the pollution, you need to wipe the bulldog with ears with a wet cloth, ears, eyes, nose. Once in a few months, trim his claws, if they do not stain naturally on the asphalt.

The American bulldog, whose photo is presented in this article, needs regular physical activity. Therefore, as often as possible walk with the pet on the street. It is more important for him not how much you will spend time for a walk, but how many kilometers you will pass. You can even go jogging or cycling with him. Bulldogs are constantly chewing something. Thus puppies develop not fully formed jaw, and adult individuals train already formed. Give your friend a special toy of dense rubber or a bone of veins. Ordinary, and especially tubular bones, do not fit - they clog the stomach and can damage the intestines.

Education and training

Raise a small bulldog you need to start from the very first days, as soon as it appears in your house. Do not rely on self-control and the nature of the nature that the animal has endowed with nature itself. Without active human participation, the dog will grow uncontrollable.

An animal of this breed is subject to general rules of upbringing, but there are some that specifically target American Bulldog dogs. The owners' reviews once again prove that they are pets with a character.

Given their great propensity for domination, puppies should be banned from biting themselves and other family members. Do not think that while the pet is small, this is just a game, and when it grows up - it will surely understand that it is impossible to do so. With a firm confident voice, stop any attempt to bite, try to distract him with your favorite toy. If the puppy managed to do such a dirty trick, punish him. It can be a slight shake by the scruff, a slap by a twisted newspaper over the rump. In addition, a strict reprimand will be relevant.

Look at the photos of the American Bulldog presented in this article. Puppies are able to charm, adult dogs amaze with their strength and beauty.

Adult Bulldogs are strong and powerful dogs, so even a small puppy should not be allowed to pull the leash. The dog should go level with the owner. Another point related to the power of the bulldog: do not let him jump on people. Running away, an adult dog can fall on the ground of an adult. And imagine what would happen if such a dog jumped on the child? Prohibit the dog any causeless quarrels with other animals, in time, stop the grin and growl.

Bulldogs quickly remember the team. They like to learn something new. The main thing is for the owner to be firm and self-confident, ready at any moment to convince the obstinate animal.

What else is unique about an American bulldog? Responses of owners are similar in many respects. It's a dog that wants to take into account her rights in the house. She is a great manipulator, capable of being a real angel for praise.

How to choose a puppy of American Bulldog?

You have already read a lot of information about this breed, thought over all the pros and cons, and firmly decided: "I want by all means that this dog has become my most loyal and devoted friend!". Please, be responsible for purchasing a puppy, because this is the most important stage in your future life together. Many people are interested in the price when choosing a dog. American Bulldog - not a very expensive animal, pricing depends on the exterior and features of a particular pet. We will discuss this in more detail later.

Surely every dog breeder knows that the dog is best chosen in nurseries. Ask the breeder for documents on the parents and certificates of veterinary examination of each puppy. Do not choose a dog for yourself according to the advice of others, rely only on yourself in this matter. You can help an experienced dog breeder or a breeder from outside. Do not listen to the advertisement of the owners of puppies about the innumerable titles their American bulldog possesses. Description of the breed will help you decide on the choice of a really worthy puppy. You can personally travel litters, look at your parents. As an option - at the exhibition in advance to look to the future mother or father of the desired puppy.

Experienced breeders claim that it is impossible to grow a strong and beautiful bulldog when there were 10-16 puppies under the mother. Choose a baby from the litter, which includes no more than 6 individuals. If all the puppies are left in the litter, this is clearly not done for breeding, but only for money.

American bulldog puppies come in a variety of colors, but remember that white is their primary color, it should be at least 30%. At the same time, solid sand colors with a dark mask are unacceptable. It is likely that the genus of such a bulldog "skipped" bullmastiff. Black color without the so-called tiger spots can hint at the blood of a Rottweiler or a pit bull.

Healthy puppies of American Bulldog should be well-fed, active, mobile, with a moist nose and clean ears. If you notice that the karapuz is too cowardly or, conversely, overly aggressive, it is better to abandon it.

What is unacceptable in the exterior of the American Bulldog?

And now we proceed to examine the exterior of this animal. As mentioned earlier, this is a strong stocky dog of athletic build. Dogs are more stocky, bitches are refined.

A dog of this breed should not be too cowardly and shy, unreasonable aggression towards people or other animals is also unacceptable. In relation to the overall structure of the body and the size, the head of the vest should be relatively wide and large. Excessively narrow head and muzzle are inadmissible in this breed. The dog should not have strabismus, asymmetry of the organs of vision.

The movements of the American Bulldog are fast, agile, there is a pronounced springiness of the step. During movement, the paws should not be spread too widely or crossed. For the classical type, the so-called rolling gait is permissible - a wobbling and easy rocking of the back of the trunk during movement.

According to the ABNA standard, dogs with deafness, castrated males or cryptorchic dogs, bitch during the estrus are not allowed to exhibitions.

Possible diseases

It is worth talking about the problems that American bulldogs often face. Considered dogs are prone to allergy manifestations. Usually this is a problem that lasts throughout the life of the pet, which requires the owner to follow a specially designed diet. There are also single allergic reactions, for example, to a bite of an insect, a chemical substance, a reagent in the streets of the city. This is not a big problem and passes after the cessation of the effect of the irritating factor on the body. A great inconvenience to the owner brings acquired or hereditary food allergies, so it is important to talk with the breeder about this before buying a puppy.

Another ailment of bulldogs, which brings a host of problems, is dysplasia of the hip or elbow joints. This is a very serious disease, sometimes requiring surgical intervention. Problems with joints in bulldogs entail years of constant treatment. Serious stages of the disease knock the dog out of the rut, do not allow her to lead a full-fledged way of life. Dysplasia can not be determined by eye movement of the animal or its appearance. Identify the problem is capable only of computer diagnostics of joints for the disease.

Interesting Facts

• The current name of the breed arose only at the end of the twentieth century. Before that, the dog was called "white Englishman", "southern bulldog", and "English blonde".
• It has already been said about the cleverness and intelligence of the bulldog. So, the intelligence of this dog is higher than that of Dobermans, Caucasian shepherds, mastiffs, staffordshire and rottweilers.
• In the American standard of this breed, in the section "Morals", the following was written: "Protection of the master in any situation, even at the cost of his own life."
• If a bulldog is carried away by a duel, he is practically insensitive to injury and pain.

Many are interested in the question of how much an American bulldog costs. A puppy without a pedigree can be bought on average for $ 120. If there is a pedigree, the cost increases. Puppies not intended for breeding and exhibition are sold for $ 350. This is the average price. An American bulldog with a good pedigree, intended for exhibitions and breeding, can cost about 800-850 dollars.