English bulldogs are a brachycephalic breed.
The AKC (American Kennel Club) English bulldog has distinct features that make it stand out, including loose skin, a short face and short legs. According to AKC, it is one of the most popular breeds in the United States, ranking seventh place in 2009. Some reasons for the popularity include the gentle temperament and minimal need for grooming and exercise.
History
Britain's English bulldogs are the foundation of the AKC English bulldog breed. The history of the breed is not entirely clear, but they probably came from the British Isles. Used for bull baiting, the dogs were very fierce and had high pain tolerance. Bull baiting involved tying a bull to a staked rope and sending the dog in to grab it, usually by the nose, with success measured by how long it took the bull to get rid of the dog. Bull baiting became illegal in England in 1835. The AKC recognized the breed in 1886.
Development
When dog fighting and bull baiting became illegal, bulldog lovers worked to breed the savage characteristics out of the dog to save the breed as a pet. The characteristics that helped when fighting, such as the loose skin (which made it hard to grip and damage the dog), stocky powerful body and high pain threshold, remained.
Features
The AKC English bulldog has a short muzzle, called brachycephalic. They belong to the non-sporting AKC group. An adult bulldog weighs from 40 to 50 pounds. The recognized colors are brindle, white, red, fawn, fallow (pale cream) or piebald (spots of color on white background). Red brindle is the preferred color. Nose should be black and brown; liver colors are a disqualification for showing under AKC regulations. The bulldog has an undershot jaw, which means the lower jaw sticks out beyond the upper jaw.
Brachycephalic
The short face of the bulldog poses some health considerations. According to VeterinaryPartner's educational director, Wendy C. Brooks, D.V.M., respiratory issues, narrow nostrils, soft palate problems, severely narrow windpipes and other physical characteristics that cause breathing problems may be present. The brachycephalic structure can create issues in overheating, as it cannot effectively use panting to cool circulating blood. The characteristic may also cause its eyes to pop from its socket under minor stress. A harness instead of a collar may help prevent stress. According to Brooks, the jaw shape may cause tooth crowding, therefore the teeth need special care to keep them clean.
Other Health Issues
According to the Bulldog Club of America, other common conditions of the AKC British bulldog include cherry eye, dry eye, eyelid problems, deafness, demodex mange, heart problems, lymphosarcoma and other cancers, hip and elbow dysplasia, joint and bone issues, epilepsy, cleft lip and cleft palate.
Considerations
The massive build of the AKC English bulldog, particularly the head, makes natural whelping difficult. Most breeders routinely schedule C-sections (Cesarean) to avoid complications such as a puppy stuck or crushed in the birth canal.
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