Going To The Dogs
After looking at American Bulldogs on the internet all day (and not getting anything done around the house I might add), I have decided to get another one. Those of you who are familiar with what happened to my last two are probably scratching your heads, going "WTF???" The answer is so simple it's mind boggling; I can't be happy without one. You can ask anyone who has ever had one and they will echo my sentiments. The American Bulldog is quite simply the best breed ever. You will never find one as loyal, dedicated, and just plain happy as they are.
A Bloody History
Turn back the calendar 600 years or so to jolly old England. A breed of dog is emerging that will change how the farmers there herd and protect their livestock. The dog does its job with stunning efficiency, and mankind in its infinite wisdom decides that this is a great sport in the making. So the Bulldog starts on its bloody path through the ages. The dogs were fought against nearly everything imaginable; big cats, bears, bulls, hogs, men, and other dogs. Bull Baiting was the primary blood sport of choice though, and the dogs excelled at this task. After all, it is what they were bred for. It is my opinion that the farmers of the time period did not engage in blood sports with their dogs. They couldn't afford to lose something that was so valuable for the help it provided. And if they owned a dog it cost them dearly, as back then most farmers didn't even own the land they farmed. It is my firm belief that it was men of title and wealth that actually owned and matched the dogs against various foes in the fighting pits. I will not pass judgment on those men for their actions, because entertainment was scarce then.
Now, some of you are going “What in the hell is Bull Baiting?” Bull Baiting is pretty much what a Bulldog was bred for, only done in the sense of a competition between dog and bull. A single Bulldog was turned loose on a bull in a fighting pit. If the dog won by either throwing the bull or pinning it's head the ground, another bull was brought in and a new dog. Sometimes the dog was able to kill the bull by breaking its neck. If the bull won by either hurting the dog to the point it could not go on anymore, or by killing it, a new dog was turned loose on the same bull. This differed from a farm environment in the fact that on the farm there was generally more than one dog involved.
I have had the pleasure of watching a Bulldog work livestock, and they are extremely graceful for a dog of their size and build. So I can understand why Bull Baiting became such a popular pastime back then. Unlike a Heeler type dog, like a Boarder Collie, Bulldogs work a cow by confrontation. All of the turning and herding of the cow is done by facing it, as opposed to being behind it, snapping at its heels. A Bulldog will almost never be kicked or stomped on. I have seen several Heeler types kicked or stomped, and the results are never pretty.
Changes Occur
In 1835, Parliament outlawed Bull Baiting and all other forms of animal baiting. The Bulldog suddenly found himself without purpose in much of England, and as such the breeders there started tinkering with the breed. By the late 1800's, The Bulldogs looked nothing like their fierce ancestors; Smashed-in faces, bowed legs, and very saggy jowls.
But in America things were different… Immigrant farmers from England were keeping their dogs true to the breed: Long in leg, large in chest, and very able to do its job. For years in the Deep South the dogs prospered at their given tasks of rounding up the cattle, chasing down hogs, and providing protection for the farm in general. It is also around this time that the Pit Terrier breed emerged. As a cross between a Bulldog and a Terrier of sorts, it possesses the heart and drive of the Bulldog and the smallish size of a terrier. This dog is a great boon for those who have decided that dog fighting is too great of a sport to let some silly laws stop them. Thus they set the stage for numerous tragedies, and also for clashes between law abiding dog owners and irate citizens in years to come.
Today 2005 A.D.
The American Bulldog is once again in favor with dog lovers (thanks to the Homeward Bound movies by Disney), but too often finds itself in a negative light because of cretins who have no business owning any kind of animal. I am sad to say that dog fighting is still a problem in many rural areas, and trapped in a vicious cycle - the American Bulldog is once again considered one of the premier fighting dogs. The Pit Terrier is still used for fighting, as is the American Staffordshire Terrier and its distant cousin, the Staffordshire Terrier. The most dominant breed of fighting dog is the American Pit Bull Terrier; a cross between the American Bulldog and the Pit Terrier, as near as I can tell. This has prompted many responsible American Bulldog breeders to start emphasizing the Bulldog characteristics in their breeding programs, and also to include clauses in purchase agreements, stating that if the breeder finds out that the dog purchased is being misused or abused, he can seize the dog back with extreme prejudice.
Collies and Cocker Spaniels lead the pack, so to say, in number of biting incidents every year. You never really hear about this because of the fact that they generally don't hurt people the way large breeds do. Yes, the Collie is a large dog, but not in the sense of Bulldogs and their various "offshoots". A Collie will bite you and turn loose, as will a Cocker Spaniel, whereas any dog descended from the Ancient Mastiffs will bite and hold. Hundreds of years of instincts will not let it behave any other way.
Unfortunately that behavior, when matched with idiots who shouldn't even have a Chihuahua, leads to nothing but disaster. Child maulings, elderly maulings, and the killing of livestock. All of it completely and utterly unacceptable. I do not blame the breeds, I blame the so called owners. Inbreeding and the lack of discipline turns these dogs into monsters. The rumors many of you have heard are true regarding the mistreatment of these beautiful dogs: Mixing gunpowder into their food, beatings by people of color (usually for booze or drug money), and steroid injections. Sometimes the behavior is triggered by training. You should never have any kind of Bulldog attack trained. That is a disaster waiting to happen with those breeds. There is no sound reason to have a dog that has a very strong protection instincts trained to attack on command. Basic obedience is all that is needed with these dogs. Anyone that thinks otherwise has rocks in their head.
by
OD
