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The Lil' Tyrants
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Juniper Berry, age 5, and Laurie
October 23, 2004
Photo by Dennis Steinauer
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Juniper
"Never give in. Never give in. Never, never, never, never."
-Winston Churchill
Tyson, the Skateboarding Bulldog
Don't miss the amazing movies on this site.
"You may have a dog that won't sit up, rollover or even cook breakfast,
not because she's too stupid to learn how but because she's too
smart to bother." – Rick Horowitz (who must be a bulldog owner.)
"The nose of the bulldog has been slanted
backwards so that he can breathe without letting go." - Winston Churchill
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"Stanley Coren in his book The Intelligence of Dogs ranks 79 breeds
according to what he calls 'working/obedience intelligence.' You can find most
of the dogs in the nonsporting, terrier and hound groups at the bottom of the list.
...Elaine's bulldog finished with a less-than-stunning 77. ... It's not always or
even often a lack of intelligence that makes a dog tough to train. Consider this.
Which child usually ends up getting her own way or squirming out of punishment: the
smart kid or the not-so-smart brother? ... a high level of intelligence can
actually hinder trainability."
-Betty Fisher from
So Your Dog's Not Lassie : Tips for Training Difficult Dogs and Independent Breeds
(And all this time I thought Juniper was just slow-witted!)
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"The fidelity of
a dog is a precious gift demanding no less binding moral responsibility
than the friendship of a human being. The bond with a true dog is
as lasting as the ties of this earth can ever be." -Konrad
Lorenz
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BREED HISTORY
A time traveler to the 13th century would probably not recognize
the medieval version of the modern Bulldog.
Probably related to a Mastiff-type dog, the early creatures displayed tenacious
dedication to their jobs as "bull-baiters." The English public watched and
gambled as the dogs bit bulls into a fevered frenzy.
The history of the Bulldog is colourful and captivating yet horrific.
Bulldogs were once a 'sporting' breed, developed in Great Britain for the
purpose of bull-baiting. Bull-baiting entailed the setting of dogs onto a
tethered bull. The dog that grabbed the bull by the nose and brought the bull
down was the victor. This was by no means a one sided affair. It was
common for dogs to be killed or maimed at these events.
The earliest record of such an event is traced back to the Earl of Stamford
in 1209AD. He was so entertained by the antics of some butchers' dogs
chasing a bull in a meadow near his castle, that he gifted the meadow to
the butchers in return for providing the same entertainment once a year.
This type of event became more and more popular through the years with both
the lower and upper classes.
Bear-baiting and dog fighting also proved
popular sports and led to the development of other breeds. Stadiums or
'pits' were constructed to house these exhibitions, the most famous of
which was the Westminister Bear Pit. Bull and bear baiting reached the
peak of it's popularity in the early 1800's until eventually both were
made illegal in 1835.
There is much speculation as to the ancestry of the early Bulldogs,
and each publication has it's own theory. It appears that the original
dogs used for the baiting were derivatives from the war dogs of the
ancient Britons. Invading Romans described these dogs as "broad-mouthed
dogs of Britain, which can break the brawny necks of bulls". The first
references to Bulldogs appeared in the early 1600's. Judging by accounts
and illustrations of Bulldogs of this era, the dog was much more agile
and vigorous than today's modern specimen. They were described as
ferocious and fell beasts. Each and every aspect of the dog was borne
out of necessity and survival of the fittest in the ring.
The early Bulldog possessed many idosyncrasies which distinguished it
from other breeds. It was relatively low in stature, with a broad chest,
large blocky head which was short in the face and featured a turned up,
undershot, lower mandible. The dog had loose skin with many wrinkles over
the head. All of these points were assets to aid in the success of
pinning the bull and are discussed in greater detail in the description
of the breed standard.
After the prohibition of bull-baiting and bear-baiting, the need for the
Bulldog ceased to exist, and the breed was threatened by extinction.
Fortunately there were a handful of stalwart bulldoggers who wished to
preserve the breed and enhance it's ability as a companion dog. Around
1840 it is speculated that Pug blood was introduced into the Bulldog
lines to instill an amiable temperament into the breed. This cross
resulted in the appearance of smaller Bulldogs which became recognised
as Toy Bulldogs, and these were eventually transformed into what we now
know as French Bulldogs. Bulldog fanciers of the era eventually combined
to form the first Bulldog club in 1864, and together they constructed
the first breed standard for the Bulldog.
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BREED CHARACTERISTICS
Size: Males about 50 pounds, Females about 40 pounds.
Appearance: Low, massive, square body with muscular, rolling motion.
Coat and Color: Straight, short, flat, tight, shiny coat with loose, soft skin. Red brindle and brindle colors preferred; solid white, red, tan or piebald (large patches of many colors) also permitted.
Head: Large, flat skull with a short, wide muzzle; low, round, dark, wide-set eyes; small, wide-set, erect ears.
Tail: Short, low, thick, tapered, straight or tightly curled.
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Omnium
Gatherum