Striker.

Son And Grandson Of Striker.
CONTACT: originalbulldogclub@gmail.com

Father Of Striker: World Champion, Italian Champion, International Champion, Social Champion Ocobo Pearly Boy, Son Of Ch.Ocobo Tully. Mother: Tuffnuts Snow Angel, Daughter Of Ch. Tuffnuts Striker, Son Of Living Legend

Bull-Dog, The Bull-dog, British Bull-Dog,

Few, however, can be found who refuse to award the Bull-dog the honour of being considered our national dog, for no variety of the canine species is so universally identified, both at home & abroad, with Great Britain, as the subject of the present article. Bull-dog pluck & endurance are qualifications eagerly cherished by Englishmen of all classes ; & it would be manifestly unjust to deprive this dog of the title which has been so universally awarded him.

No breed of dog has provoked more discussion than the subject of this chapter, & in no canine controversy has party feeling run so high, & so many uncomplimentary epistles been exchanged. The result, however, of the angry battle of words has been so far a gain to the breed as to cause a perceptible increase in the number & quality of the exhibits at the principal shows, &, in the year 1875, it was the means of inducing several breeders to unite, & form the New Bull-dog Club, which has drawn up the scale of points now received by the vast majority of breeders throughout the country, whether members of the Club or not. Now that there seems to be some sort of unanimity between the various schools, the variety bids fair to prosper ; & though from its excitable temperament the Bull-dog is not likely, in spite of its many high claims upon public favour, to be a general pet, it is gratifying to all lovers of this our national dog when they find it slowly, though surely, emerging from the hands of the residuum of the canine world, & taking its proper place in the kennels of a superior class of breeders & exhibitors. The gain to the dog will, we believe, be immense, for in the unhappy position into which it had fallen the Bull-dog had but slender opportunities of proving to the world that its intelligence was at least equal to that of the average run of dog. Chained up for weeks & months in damp cellars or dark confined hutches in miserable alleys, what chance had the poor brute of developing even that ordinary degree of sagacity which is expected to be found in an animal endued with sight & instinct ? What possibility could there be that a creature so treated could beget offspring inheriting any of the better mental qualities which are naturally present in the Bull-dog, & which are developed in many dogs now before the public, whose lot has been cast in happier places than the habitation of a low scoundrel whose blow preceded his command, & who only noticed his wretched companion when desirous of participating with him in some revolting piece of cruelty, in which the dog, through his indomitable courage, was destined to take a conspicuous part? How the Bull-dog ever came to be so nearly monopolised by this class of individual is capable of explanation by the theory that when bull-baiting ceased to be a fashionable recreation in this country, yet before it was absolutely prohibited by law, the sport was carried on by the lower classes, & the dog naturally came into their possession, there to remain until the efforts that were periodically made to extricate it should at last succeed.

The antiquity of this breed is indisputable, mention being made oi it by Edmond de Langley, in his work, the " Mayster of Game," the MS. of which we have consulted in the British Museum. It is there alluded to by him under the title of Alaunt, & is subdivided by him into three classes ; but perhaps it may be as well to give the description as contained in the " Mayster of Game : "

"Alaunt is a maner & natre of houndes, & the good Alauntz ben the which men clepyn Alauntz gentil. Other there byn that men clcpyn Alauntz ventreres. Other byn Alauntz of the bochcrie. The! that ben gentile shuld be made & shape as a greyhounde, evyn of alle thingcs, sauf of the heved, the whiche shuld be greet & sliort" After some further remarks, this same dog is said to gladly " renne and bite the hors." " Also thei renne at oxen & at sheep, at swyne, & to alle othere beestis, or to men, or to othcre houndes, for men hav seyn Alauntz sle her maystir ; " &, furthermore, they are described as being " more sturdy than eny other maner of houndes."

The second class of this dog is thus noticed : " That other nature of Alauntz is clepid ventreres, almost thei bene shapon as a greyhounde of ful shap, thei hav grete hcdes, & greet lippes, & greet eeris. & with such men helpeth hem at the baityng of a boole, & atte huntynge of a wilde boor. Thei holde fast of here nature . . . ."

The third division : "The Alauntz of the bocherie is soch as ye may alle day see in good tounes that byn called greet bochers houndis. Thei byn good for the baytyng of the bulle & huntyng of the wilde boore, whedir it be w' greihoundis at the tryste w' rennyng houndis at abbay tvith inne the coverte."

Whatever distinction there may have been between the above three varieties of Alaunt in the days of Edmund de Langley, & though the anonymous writer on the works of Arrian describes these as above, & only attributes to the first two varieties an admixture of pure Celtic blood, it appears to us that the Alaunt is without a doubt the parent strain from which the present Bull-dog is descended ; & although the Mastiff is alluded to by Edmund de Langley in his work, in addition to the three varieties of Alauntz, we can still discover no cause for altering our previously expressed opinion (see chapter on Mastiffs) that the Bull-dog & Mastiff originally sprang from the same origin viz., the Mastive or Barvdogge, which is alluded to in Dr. Caius' book, & has been before quoted in this work on the article on Mastiffs. Before leaving the subject of the " Mayster of Game " we desire to impress upon our readers three items contained in the extracts we have quoted : first, the dog was s/tort-faced ', secondly, he was used to bait the bull ; & thirdly, when he attacked it or other animals he hung on. The first & third of these characteristics are present to a remarkable extent in the Bull-dog of the present day.

In the work of Dr. Caius, written in the reign of Queen Elizabeth, mention is made of the Mastive or Bandogge, as being a dog " stubborne, eagre, burthenous of body (& therefore but of little swiftness), terrible & feareful to behold," & which " alone, & wythout anye help at al, he pulled down first an huge beare, then a parde, & last of al a lyon, each after other before the Frenche King in one day." This description of Caius's, relating as it does to the Mastive, which has already been alluded to in the "Mayster of Game" as a peaceable dog, only tends to strengthen our previous conviction that the two breeds, Alaunt & Mastiff, had by some means or other become amalgamated, only to be again separated by the later breeders to suit the requirements of the times in the manner we have before suggested.

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Bull Dog Breeds

In the later works on the dog, mention of the Bull-dog is frequently occurring, & all writers are unanimous in their praises of the clog's courage & boldness in attack. The matter of size has provoked more discussion than any other feature in connection with this dog one party holding out for a great, lumbering, long-faced dog, nearly as big as the bull itself, & destitute of any pretences to symmetry in its appearance ; the other side advocate the claims of a large-skulled dog, of medium size forty to fifty pounds with the short head described by Edmund de Langley in the " Mayster of Game." As regards the respective merits of the two dogs there can, in an unprejudiced mind, be no hesitation in accepting the latter as the correct type. In the first place, supposing bull-baiting were again in vogue, what could be the use of using a large dog for the work when a small one can do it as well if not better ? secondly, even assuming for the moment that a hundred years ago or more the Bull-dog was the coarse-looking creature some of its admirers say it was, is this breed to be the only one in which no refinement is ever to appear? We do not hold with improving a breed off the face of the earth, & have no sympathy with those who attempt to do so ; but if we could by any surgical operation bring ourselves to look upon some specimens we see at shows as representing the correct type, we should gladly avail ourselves of any opportunity for refining & improving the breed.

Again, in baiting the bull the dogs usually approached him crawling along the ground on their bellies, & the result would be that a large dog would stand a much greater chance of falling a victim to his antagonist's horns. In this opinion we are supported by written authority as well as by all the gentlemen who have had personal experience of bull-baiting with whom we have conversed on the subject. Amongst these is Mr. Leare, of Sunbury-on-Thames, who, though born in the first year of the present century, still puts to shame many of his juniors when handling the rod or gun, & who, in his youth, was present at bull-baitings innumerable. According to this gentleman, a bull was rarely slaughtered in Devonshire for this is Mr. Leare's native county in former times without being first subjected to the ordeal of baiting by dogs in every respect resembling the Bull-dog as hereafter described : The weight was between forty pounds & fifty pounds, a larger one being suspected no doubt correctly of having a Mastiff cross ; & a short retrousse nose was eagerly sought after as enabling the dog to breathe when hanging on to the nose of the bull.

During the last century it was the almost invariable custom to bait a bull before slaughtering him; & it was not solely on account of the "sport" entailed that this proceeding was in vogue, for there was a prevailing opinion that the flesh of a bull which had been baited was improved in- quality by the exertions which he had to put forth in defending himself from his canine assailant. Whether this theory was correct or not we decline to decide ; but very much the same idea is in existence in the present day as regards hares, many people being of the opinion that the flesh of a coursed hare is far superior to that of one which has been shot.

Some difference of opinion has risen, too, as regards the length of face in this breed, a statement having appeared in print to the effect that the nose should not be too short, & rather implying that a medium length from the skull to the tip of the nose was desirable. Such heresy against the accepted opinions of all recognised authorities could only emanate from the pens of those either completely ignorant of the subject upon which they were writing, or else in possession of a strain which differed materially from the Britibh Bull-dog, under whatever designation they might appear.

Attempts have also been made to improve the breed of Bull-dogs existent in the country by the addition of a so-called Spanish cross. What was the precise advantage to be derived

from the introduction of the blood of a Spanish Bull-dog we are at a loss to conjecture, as the animal selected for resuscitating our national dog was the notorious Toro, a red- brindled dog, with cropped ears, weighing some 90 Ibs., & displaying many indications of a Mastiff cross. From what we have heard from various sources it appears that Toro, in spite of the assertion in the Kennel Club Stud Book to the effect that both his parents were pure-bred Spanish Bull-dogs, is supposed by many of his admirers to be descended from some English Bull-dogs which were exported from this country to Spain several years ago. Now, assuming for the sake of argument that both these theories can be correct, we still fail to discover from the appearance of Toro how he could possibly be of service in improving the Bull-dog as it now exists in this country, the main object of successful exhibitors being to eliminate all traces of the Mastiff in their dogs, as such would tend to place great obstacles in their success under a competent judge. That Toro may possibly be a perfect specimen of the Spanish Bull-dog we will not attempt to deny, for we consider the breed apocryphal, but we unhesitatingly assert that the introduction of his blood into our English kennels must inevitably be attended by the most pernicious consequences, and it is to be hoped that breeders will adhere to the blood that our ancestors possessed, without being led astray by the wiles of the charmers, charm they never so wisely.

In the year 1874 Mr. Theodore Bassett, the well-known Fox-terrier judge, astonished the Bull-dog world by importing an "African" Bull-dog, & exhibiting him at our shows. This dog, Leon by name, had, like Toro, been deprived of his ears, & though superior to the latter in every Bull-dog characteristic, was very soon after his first appearance relegated, by the good sense of his master, to the foreign dog class, where his fine proportions have been fully recognised, as his many successes testify.

Having thus warned our readers against attempting to improve the Bull-dog by a foreign cross, it behoves us to likewise put them on their guard against the great, coarse, lumbering- looking dogs sometimes met with at shows. These animals, though possibly in themselves showing little trace of Mastiff blood to the uninitiated, cannot deceive a practical breeder, & the result of an alliance between one of them & a young inexperienced admirer's brood bitch will almost invariably be years of disappointment on the show bench, coupled with vain endeavours at home to rid the strain of the noxious taint brought in by the injudicious selection of the founder of the stud.

The Bull-dog has undoubtedly suffered considerably from his association with the lower classes of the community; & amongst other undesirable practices which have crept in in connection with the breed is the abominable mutilation resorted to by some breeders in order to shorten the length of the upper jaw, & turn the nose well up. In their endeavours to attain the above object the operators in the first instance sever the middle & two side lip-strings which connect the upper lip of the dog with the gum ; when this is satisfactorily accomplished, a sort of small wooden block, hollowed so as to fit the face, is applied to the outside of the upper jaw in front, & being smartly hit with a mallet, has the effect of compressing the bone & cartilage of the nose as desired. Naturally the operation has to be performed when the unfortunate puppies are of an early age, & the bones & muscles of their faces are soft & susceptible of compression. An instrument technically termed the "Jacks" is then applied, & has the effect of causing the mutilated parts to remain in their new & abnormal position. No words can express our repugnance at the horrible cruelty thus inflicted upon the unhappy puppies by the wretches who wantonly inflict such torture upon them, & no judge should award either prizes or commendations to a Bull-dog until he has perfectly satisfied himself that the dog has

The Bull-Dog Club Scale

his owner, Captain Holdsworth, in 1876; & is by Sir Anthony out of Polly, by Vero Shaw's Sixpence out of Whiskey by Fulton's Falstaff out of Nosegay ; Sir Anthony by Sheffield Crib out of Meg, by Old King Dick out of Old Nell, by Old Dan. Crib's pedigree is disputed, & therefore we do not give it. He has won first Bristol, first Crystal Palace, & first Alexandra Palace, 1878 ; & first Alexandra Palace, 1879. The measurements of Doon Brae are: Tip of nose to stop, I inch; stop to occiput, 5 inches; length of back, 15^ inches; girth of muzzle, 12 inches; girth of skull, 19! inches ; girth of neck, 17^ inches; girth of brisket, 32^ inches; girth of chest, 28 inches; girth of loins, 2o| inches; girth of hind-leg at stifle-joint, \\\ inches ; girth of fore-arm, "j\ inches ; girth of knee, 5 inches ; girth of pastern, 4j inches ; height at shoulders, I7| inches ; height at elbows, 8 inches; height at top of loins, 18 inches ; heigh*, hock to ground, 5 inches ; length of stern, "]\ inches.

Mr. T. Meager's Bismarck, of whom we give a woodcut, is a very typical specimen of the breed. He won first in the small-weight class at the Bull-dog Club's show in 1876, at the Alexandra Palace, and, like Doon Brae, is under 40 Ibs.

Subjoined is the scale of points as drawn up by the New Bull-dog Club in 1875. They are based on the well-known Philo-kuon scale, & received the support of the leading breeders and exhibitors at the time when they were first published :

Bull-dog Points & Details for consideration of Judge

g O

fcl o

Symmetrical formation ; shape, make, style, action, and finish j 10

appearance )

Skull .. Size, height, breadth, & squareness of skull ; shape, flatness, & wrinkles of forehead ... 15

Stop ... Depth, breadth, & extent 5

Eyes ... Position, shape, size, & colour 5

Ears ... Position, size, shape, carriage, thinness 5

i Shortness, breadth, & wrinkles of face ; breadth, bluntness, squareness, & upward j Face ... \ turn of muzzle; position, breadth, size, & backward inclination of top of nose; V 5

( size, width, blackness of, & cleft between, nostrils

Chop ... Size & complete covering of front teeth ... 5

Mouth / Width & squareness of jaws, projection & upward turn of lower jaw ; size & I

I condition of teeth, & if the six lower front teeth are in an even row ...

Chest & neck Length, thickness, arching, & dewlap of neck ; width, depth, & roundness of chest ...| 3

Shoulders ... Size, breadth, & muscle ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 5

Body ... Capacity, depth, & thickness of brisket ; roundness of ribs 5

Back roach Shortness, width at shoulders ; & height, strength & arch at loins 5

Tail Fineness, shortness, shape, position, & carriage 5

F 1 s & (Stoutness, shortness, & straightness of legs, development of calves & outward turn-\ ,. of elbows ; straightness & strength of ankles, roundness, size, & position of feet, > $

( compactness of toes, height & prominence of knuckles J\

Hindlegsand ( Stoutness, length, & size of legs, development of muscles, strength, shape, & position^

feet ... ( of hocks & stifles, formation of feet & toes as in fore legs & feet j

Size ... ... Approaching 5olb. ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 5

Q (Fineness, shortness, evenness, & closeness of coat ; uniformity, purity, & brilliancy \

( of colour )

|

Total for perfection in all points | 100

Whilst thoroughly agreeing with the above scale as one by which Bull-dogs can be most satisfactorily judged, we propose adding another embodying our own ideas, being of the opinion that a standard of 50 points is more easy of application to this & every breed.

Scale for Judging Bull-Dogs

Skull, size, & shape

Head & face

Neck, chest, & shoulders...

Body

Legs, feet, & tail

General appearance

Total

Value. 10 10 10 5 10 5 So

been spared the mutilation of "faking," as the operation is designated by the initiated. Un- fortunately the detection of offenders is sometimes a matter of difficulty, & those credited with originating the practice have passed to the silent land beyond the reach of human laws ; but considerable aid might be lent to honest exhibitors in their endeavours to stamp out this abominable scandal, if show committees were to appoint a really qualified veterinary inspector who understood the anatomy of a dog, & whose decision was to be final. As a case in point : when the Bull-dogs Bumble & Alexander were disqualified by the veterinary inspector at the Crystal Palace Show of 1876, the Committee of the Kennel Club actually permitted a further inspection to be made by another surgeon, who held no position in connection with the show, the result being that both dogs were by him pronounced " honest," & had their prizes restored them. Whether Bumble & Alexander were mutilated or not need not be the subject of discussion here- but we maintain that direct encouragement was unwittingly given to dishonest breeders by the Committee not supporting their own veterinary surgeon in the opinion he pronounced.

Amongst the best known owners, breeders, & exhibitors of the correct type of Bull-dog since the Birmingham Show of 1860 may be mentioned the names of Mr. J. Hinks, of Birmingham ; the Lamphiers, father & son; Messrs. H. Brown, Stockdale; J. Percival, W. Macdonald, Jesse Oswell, H. Layton, P. Rust, Billy Shaw, J. Henshall, W. Page, R. Fulton, W. H. Tyser, R. LI. Price, S. E. Shirley, M.P., G. A. Dawes of West Bromwich (in many, but not all instances), J. W. Berrie, T. H. Joyce, W. G. Mayhew, Egerton Cutler, Vero Shaw, G. Raper, W. St. John Smyth, H. F. Prockter, T. Meager, J. Turnham, C. F.. Bartlett, E. T. Hughes, R. Nichols, W. W. Roger, Capt. Ho!ds\vorth, T. Verrinder, Sir William Verncr, Bart., T. Alexander, R. Turton, the Duke of Hamilton (in some cases), & many others. All the above have either shown or bred first-class specimens of the breed, amongst which may be mentioned King Dick & Dan & Michael (who was eaten during the siege of Paris), Romany, Punch, Beeswing, Bowler, Young Duke & Meg & Gipsy Queen & Maggie Lauder & Dido & Master Gully & Acrobat & Page's Bill & King & Nell & Smasher & Prince & Alexander & Baby & Billy & Gambler & Noble & Nettle & Sancho Panza & Slenderman & Sir Anthony & Brutus & Rose & Donald & Alexander & the famous Sheffield Crib.

Mr. George Raper, of Stockton-on-Tees, has kindly supplied us with the following notes on this breed :

" The properties of the Bull-dog have been divided into some eighty or ninety points. To the late Jacob Lamphier, in conclave with friends who, like himself, made the Bull-dog an especial study, we are indebted for a most carefully compiled list of properties & points, which are as follows :

" I. The Ears. (i) Size: should be small. (2) Thinness. (3) Situation: they should be on the top of the head. (4) Carnage : they should be either " rose," " button," or " tulip " ears. The " rose " ear folds at the back ; the tip laps over outwards, exposing part of the inside. The "button" ear only differs from the "rose" in the falling of the tip, which laps over in front, hiding the interior completely. The " tulip " ear is nearly erect ; it is the least desirable form.

"2. The Skull (exclusive of property No. 4). (i) Size: should be large. (2) Height: this should be great. (3) Prominence of the cheeks: they should extend well beyond the eyes. (4) Shortness (ie., breadth in comparison to length). (5) Shape of forehead : it should be well wrinkled, and not prominent, as in the " King Charles " Spaniel.

"3. The Eyes. (i) Colour; should be as nearly black as possible. (2) Shape of the opening of the lids : should be quite round. (3) Size ; should be moderate. (4) Position : they should be quite in front of the head, as far from the ear & as near to the nose as possible very far

. apart, but not so far as to interfere with point 3 of the second property, & neither prominent nor deeply set in the head. (5) Direction of the corners: they should be at right angles to a line drawn down the centre of the face.

"4. The Stop (this is an indentation between the eyes). (i) Depth. (2) Breadth. (3) Length : it should extend some considerable distance up the head.

"5. The Face.-(i) Shortness, measured from the front of the cheek bone to the end of the nose: this point cannot be carried to too great an excess. (2) Wrinkles: these should be deep, and close together. (3) Shape : the muzzle should turn upwards.

"6. 77/i Chop.(\} Breadth. (2) Depth. (3) The covering of the teeth: these should be perfect.

"7. The Nose. (i) Size: should be large. (2) Should be black. (3) Width of nostrils.

"8. The Termination of tlie Jaws. -(i) Breadth : should be as great as possible. (2) Relative position : the lower jaw should project considerably in advance of the upper, so that the nose is very much set back, but not to such an extent as to interfere with point 2 of the sixth property. (3) Shape of the lower jaw : this should turn upwards.

"9. The Neck. (i) Length: this should be moderate. (2) Thickness : should be considerable. (3) Shape : it should be well arched at the back. (4) Wrinkles and dewlap.

" 10. The Chest. (i) Width: this should be very great. (2) Shape: it should be deep and round.

" 1 1. The Body (exclusive of Property No. 10). (i) Shortness of back. (2) Width acoss back : this should be very great at the shoulders, & the spine should rise at the loins, falling again very much towards the stern, & forming an elegant arch. The ribs should be well rounded.

"12. The Stern.- (i) Fineness. (2) Length: this should be moderate. (3) Shape: a slight crook is no objection, but a screwed or knotted stern is a deformity. (4) Carriage : this should be downwards ; the dog should not be able to raise it above the level of his back. (5) Situation this should be low down at the insertion.

" 13. The Fore-legs. (i) Stoutness: they should be very thick in the calves. (2) Shape: rather bowed. (3) Length : they should be short, more so than the hind legs, but not so short as to make the back appear long. (4) Width apart.

"14. The Hind-legs (including stifles). (i) Length: should be moderate, but greater than that of the fore-legs, so as to elevate the loins. (2) Position: the hocks should approach each other, which involves the turning out of the stifles. (3) Roundness of the stifle.

"15. The Fore-feet (including pasterns). (i) Shape: they should be moderately round, but well split up between the toes. (2) Prominence of the knuckles. (3) Position : they should be straight that is, neither turned outwards nor inwards. (4) Straightness of the pastern. (5) Size : they should be rather small.

" 16. The Hind-feet. (i) Shape : they are not expected to be so round as the fore-feet, but they should not be long like a terrier's ; they should be well split up between the toes. (2) Prominence of the knuckles. (3) Position: they should be turned outwards. (4) Straightness of the pasterns. (5) Size : they should be rather small.

" 17. The Coaf.-(i) Fineness. (2) Shortness. (3) Closeness.

" 18. The Colour. (i) Uniformity: the colour should be "whole" (that is, unmixed with white), unless the dog be all white, which is, in that case, considered a " whole" colour. (2) Tint : this should be either red, red-smut (that is, red with black muzzle), fawn or fawn-smut, fallow or fallow-smut, brindled, white, or pied with any of those colours. (3) Brilliancy and purity.

" 19. General Appearance, Proportion, Carriage, and Size. (i) Proportion : no property should

Bull-dogs

be so much in excess as to destroy the general symmetry of the dog. (2) The general appearance of the dog (that is, the impression that he makes as a whole on the eye of the judge). (3) Carriage : the dog should roll in his gait. He generally runs rather sideways. His hind-legs should not be lifted high as he runs, so that his hind-feet seem to skim the ground (4) Size : from about 20 Ibs. to 60 Ibs.

"Authorities differ regarding the origin of the Bull-dog, but we may safely aver that the demand produced the supply, & as the favourite sport of James I. of England had its rise, reached its zenith, & declined, so the animals best suited for the purpose of bull-baiting were

British Bull-dog

fostered in these islands, which now claim them as indigenous ; but, the time arriving when the village cry of " No bull, no parson ! " became fainter and fainter, as our civilisation increased, so the Bull-dog of our ancestors has degenerated or improved (as the taste of our readers may suggest) into an animal to be pampered & petted & carefully bred for points, to be admired by his owner, or to compete for honours on the show-bench of our many exhibitions. As the field trials for our sporting dogs have done much to encourage the improvement of their mental qualities, which were beginning to be neglected in the pursuit of symmetry of form for show purposes, so without the field day for the Bull-dog the qualities for which he was famous are fast disappearing, under the blighting influence of this enlightened age. His service to the butchers in catching & throwing down cattle which he formerly did with surprisingly apparent ease, by seizing an ox by the nose, & either holding him perfectly still or throwing him on to his side at his master's command is now out of date, with his more distant

performances of baiting the bull, the lion in the Tower of London, &, in 1825, the lion at Warwick.

"The purpose for which the dog was formerly bred having disappeared, the admirers of the breed, being at a loss for a common object, have cultivated a variety of specimens, according to the taste or perhaps, more correctly speaking, according to the accident by which they attached themselves to this noble dog, whose character combines all the qualities his more distinguished owner can boast, & many which his less fortunate hater or admirer might well aspire to imitate.

" It is not my province here to narrate the many acts of intelligence & faithfulness performed by this oft-maligned section of the friend of man, although they would compare most favourably with those of any of the more esteemed.

" It is generally acknowledged that of all breeds none are more liable to deterioration than the Bull-dog. In a litter you seldom find more than one specimen up to the mark when arrived at maturity. This breed of dogs varies very much in appearance, & even now, but more especially a few years ago, the types in different parts of the country were very marked.

" The Birmingham district has long been noted for its Bull-dogs. The marked defects of its specimens are that they want greater depth from the nose to the bottom jaw, many being so thin as to approach what is termed in the fancy " monkey-faced." Many are also wanting in length & width of under-jaw, & with few exceptions they are greatly in want of larger noses.

" Nottingham is another district where this breed has been fostered, & here again you find a marked difference of type. Generally they have good limbs & body, good skull & large eyes, but many are spoiled by a " tulip " ear, & are, moreover, inclined to be " frog-faced " a great defect. The types of the London dogs vary considerably.

" In breeding it will therefore be seen that much depends upon the selection of a suitable sire for the bitch intended to be bred from. Most of our best specimens are undoubtedly in- bred. No doubt Percival's Toss holds prior claims, he being the grandsire of the celebrated dog King Dick, whose pedigree shows close in-breeding ; nevertheless it is an undisputed fact that he can claim near relationship to the greater majority of the prize-takers of the present day.

"Were I breeding for size I should select a large roomy bitch & put her to a high quality dog, for I have almost invariably found the dog stamp the quality of the puppies. Experience has taught me that you cannot obtain the points you breed for from the first cross, but must breed in once, at least, to secure the improvement you seek. I am certainly an advocate for judicious in-breeding, believing it to be the much wiser plan to breed from reliable & good blood than to admit questionable blood into your strain."

Having endeavoured to enumerate the leading exhibitors, past & present, & some of their best-known dogs, we will pass on to the formation of the Bull-dog.

The skull of the Bull-dog is essentially one of the chief characteristics of the breed. It should be of as great a circumference as possible (19 inches in a dog & 17! inches in a bitch is a fair estimate for a dog of 50 Ibs. & a bitch of 45 Ibs. weight), square in shape, broad in front, not wedge-shaped, & carrying a quantity of loose skin, which should lie in a number of heavy wrinkles over the head & face.

The jaw s are peculiar in formation, as the lower jaw projects a considerable distance beyond the upper, & has, in addition, an upward turn in front

The tusks, or canine teeth, should be wide apart, & it is desirable that the front teeth should be regular, though this feature is absent in many of our best dogs.

Points of the Bull-dog

The upper jaw is, as above stated, considerably shorter than the lower, & both should display unmistakable signs of strength.

The lips, termed "chop" by the initiated, should be very loose & heavy, & of considerable circumference.

The nose, which must lay well back, in fact be as retrousse as it is possible to imagine, must be broad, large, moist, & perfectly black a parti or flesh coloured nose (technically-called "Dudley") being in the opinion of many good judges an absolute disqualification in competition.

The eyes should be large, but not too full or goggle, soft, round, & dark in colour, set as far apart as possible, & at right angles to an imaginary line drawn the centre of the skull an oblique or " Chinaman's " eye is a decided blemish.

The stop, or indentation between the eyes, should be both wide & deep, extending up the skull in a deep furrow for a considerable distance (when this formation is present the skull is said to be " broken up "), & if this feature is absent it gives the dog's head an appearance of roundness which is highly undesirable, & he is termed " apple-headed " in consequence.

The ears should be small, & " rose " shaped i.e., laying back so that the inside burr is visible. They are set on wide apart at the corners of the skull ; if set on too much at the top the skull is narrow, & if too low down the sides the head is rounded, & therefore it is most desirable that the ears should be set on well at the corners of the skull. The thinner they are, too, the better. According to the Bull-dog Club a tulip (prick) & button ear are admissible, but no judge could, if in his senses, pass a dog with a tulip ear ; &, for our own part, a button ear would go greatly against a dog.

The cheek bumps at the base of the jaws should be clearly defined in a three-year-old dog ; but as this feature is only to be satisfactorily obtained by age & maturity, though it should always be present to a certain extent, too much importance should not be attached to this point in a very young dog.

The neck must be muscular, slightly curved, & provided with a heavy double dewlap.

The shoulders sloping & strong, firmly set on, & very muscular.

The chest must be as wide & deep as possible, so as to give (in conjunction with the rounded fore-ribs) plenty of space for the heart & lungs to act in.

The fore legs, which are much shorter than the hind, should be very powerful & straight, though the large amount of muscle on the outside is liable to convey the impression that the dog is bow-legged, which he should not be.- They should be turned out at the shoulders, so that the body can swing between them when in motion.

The fore feet should be straight at the pasterns, large, moderately round, with the toes well split up, arched, & rather splayed out.

The body should be very deep at the chest & must be of considerable girth, with round ribs, & has the appearance of being on an incline, which arises from the fore-legs being shorter than the hinder, & also from the peculiar formation of the back, which, in addition to being extremely short, rises from the shoulders to the loins & then slopes down to the stern, thus producing the "roach" or "wheel" back which is essentially present in a good Bull-dog.

The loins are powerful, well arched, & tucked up : a " cobby " body is undesirable in this breed.

The stern or tail, which must be set on low, must be short & very fine. A break or knot near the base is approved of, as it renders getting his tail up impossible, & a ring, or a crooked tail, is sought after by many breeders.

The hind legs, as before stated, should be higher than the front ones, & they should turn well out at the stifles and feet, which causes the hocks to turn inwards, which is imperative, for a Bull-dog should be "cow-hocked" & not go wide behind. The feet are in shape longer than the front ones, & more compact.

Almost any colour is admissible in a Bull-dog except black, or black-and-tan. Blue is undesirable; & perhaps the following classification of colours represents their respective values in the eyes of breeders : Brindle-&-white, brindle, white, fallow or fawn smut (fallow or fawn with black muzzle), fallow or fawn pied, red, &, lastly, the blue-ticked dog ; but where so much latitude is allowed, the colour of a Bull-dog must be left out in judging specimens, except in cases of equal merit, when a judge must naturally be guided by any special weakness he may entertain towards one particular colour.

The coat is short & close, & if brushed the wrong way extremely harsh, though on being smoothed down it is soft & silky to the touch.

The walk or action of the Bull-dog is almost indescribable in its ungainliness. We our- selves, though glorying in our admiration of the breed, cannot but admit that its paces are the incarnation of all that is clumsy. His short & immensely powerful body swings between the Bull-dog's out-turned shoulders, his high hind legs appear to be pushing his chest out between his fore legs, whilst the peculiar formation of his stifles & hocks scarcely permit him to raise his hind feet off the ground, & the result is an action which partakes of the elements of a rush, a shuffle, & an amble, without fairly representing either.

In temper the Bulldog will bear comparison with any breed of dog. To his master especially, & those he knows, he is amiable, loving, & obedient, but he will not usually make friends with strangers all at once, & invariably, if ill-treated, proceeds to resent the injuries inflicted on him in hot haste. If properly brought up, & not teased or irritated, a pure Bull-dog is both a noble-looking & enjoyable companion, but when once roused to action by cruelty his indomitable pluck & reckless disregard of physical suffering renders him a most formidable antagonist to man or beast.

The general appearance of a Bull-dog is that of a comparatively small dog very heavy for his size, of immense power, & great squareness of head, whether looked at from in front or profile, with the body gradually tapering off towards the stern ; in fact, a first glance at a Bull-dog stamps him as the possessor of a combination of strength & activity unmet with in any other dog.

Weight, about fifty pounds for a dog & forty-five pounds for a bitch. Of course there are many first-rate specimens of considerably less weight than the above, & a few heavier ; but most of the best dogs scale between forty-two & forty-eight pounds when in show form, & not too fat.

In regard to the dogs chosen for illustration in this work, Smasher is by Master Gully out of Nettle by Sir Anthony by Sheffield Crib ; Master Gully by Briton out of Kitt, Briton by Saxon out of Duchess. He has won first Bristol, 1876; first Edinburgh, first Blaydon-on-Tyne, first Darlington, first Alexandra Palace, 1877. In 1878 he was not shown. In 1879 he has won first & medal Dublin, first Wolverhampton, first Hanover. His measurements have not been received by us complete, but a few of them are as follows : Girth of muzzle, 14 J inches ; girth of skull, 21 \ inches ; girth of neck, 20 inches ; weight, 43 Ibs.

Doon Brae, the second subject of illustration, is without doubt the best dog under 40 Ibs. now alive, & we question if, at his weight, his equal has ever been seen. He was bred by

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Bull-dog Bibliography - Bull-dog Books - Bull-dog Book

Il Bulldog Inglese E Francese by Dott. Ernesto Tron (Editore Ultico Hoepli Milano 1946)

The Book of the Dog Edited by Brian Vesey-Fitzgerald (Nicholson & Watson London 1948)

Dogs in Britain A description of all native breeds & most foreign breeds in England by Clifford L.B. Hubbard (Macmillan London 1948)

Show Dogs of New Zealand by S.H. Rastall (self-published Wellington NZ 1950) [New Zealand's first comprehensive textbook on dogs]

Creatures Great & Small (Secker & Warburg London 1951, Farrar, Strauss & Cudahy NY 1957) [some of Colette’s work]

The Complete Dog Breeders’ Manual A working treatise on the science of breeding, managing, exhibiting & selling pedigree dogs by Clifford L.B. Hubbard (Sampson Low London 1954)

The Bulldog Yesterday, Today & Tomorrow, John F. McGibbon, 1996, Howell Book House

Bulldogs, A complete Pet Owner’s Manual, Phil Maggitti, 1997, Barron’s Educational Series

Women & Dogs A personal history from Marilyn to Madonna by Judith Watt & Peter Dyer,2005

Men & Dogs A personal history from Bogart to Bowie by Judith Watt & Peter Dyer (Sort of Books London 2005)

Bulldogs Today, Chris Thomas, 1995, Seven Hills Book Distributors, ISBN 1860540058

The National Geographic Book of Dogs (National Geographic Societyy Washington D.C. 1958)

Bulldogs by Gabrielle Forbush, The New Bulldog, Col. Bailey C. Hanes, Fifth Edition Published 1991, reprint Prior Editions 1981, 1973, 1966, 1956

Toy Bulldogs, Bulldogs and Bulldog Breeding (article Country Life 29 April 1899 London)

A History & Description of the Modern Dogs of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (Non-Sporting Division) by Rawdon B. Lee (second edition Horace Cox London 1899) [Third edition The Kennel Gazette London 1903 1909 second impression has a French Bulldog chapter with four pages of text & pictures of frenchies]

The Bulldog A Monograph by Edgar Farman (The Stock Keeper Co London 1899 facsimile reprint Nimrod 1989)

A Manual of Toy Dogs How to Breed, Rear, & Feed Them by Mrs Leslie Williams (Edward Arnold London 1900)

All About Dogs A Book for Doggy People by Charles Henry Lane (John Lane London & NY 1900)

The Bulldog Kennel Book and Toy Bulldog Breeder by H. St. John Cooper & Carlo F.C. Clarke (Jarrold London 1901)

Boru, The Story of an Irish Wolfhound, 1926, by J. Allan Dunn. Illustrated.

Nicholas Guide to Dog Judging

Behavior Problems in Dogs, 1975, by William E. Campbell

Bulldogs, Gabrielle E. Forbush, TFH Publications, Inc., April 1996

Our Friend the Dog A Complete Practical Guide to all that is known about every breed of dog in the world by Gordon Stables (eighth edition Dean London 1902)

Dog Shows and Doggy People by Charles Henry Lane (Hutchinson London 1902)

British Dogs Their points, selection, & show preparation by W.D. Drury & others (third edition L. Upcott Gill London & Charles Scribner’s Sons NY 1903)

The Essential Bulldog by Ian Dunbar

The History of the French Bulldog by W.J. Stubbs (privately printed pamphlet 1903 facsimile reprint FBCE April 1979)

The Twentieth Century Dog (Non-Sporting) Compiled from the contributions of over five hundred experts by Herbert Compton Vol 1 Non-Sporting (pp 47 to 63) (Grant Richards London 1904) [Compton was the first dog lover to conduct a massive survey & then publish the results in a two volume work]

Dogs of All Nations Their varieties, Characteristics, Points etc byy Count Henri De Bylandt (third edition 2 vols A.E. Kluwer Deventer Holland 1904)

Our Friend, the Dog by Maurice Maeterlinck (Dodd Mead NY 1904)

Pet Owner's Guide to the Bulldog by Juditth Daws

Kennel Club Dog Breed Series, by Michael Dickerson

Toy Dogs Their Points & Management in Health & Disease by Frank Townend Barton (R.A. Everett 1904)

Dialogues de bętes Colette (Mercure de France 1904 and Sept Dialogues de bętes (1905))

The Bulldog: An Owner's Guide to a Happy, Healthy Pet, Marie Andree, John Wiley & Sons, 128 pag.

The Dog Book A Popular History of the Dog with Practtical Information as to Care & Management of House, Kennel, & Exhibition Dogs; & Descriptions of All the Important Breeds by James Watson 2 vols (Doubleday Page NY 1905; William Heineman London 1906)

Bulldogs & Bulldog Breeding H. St. John Cooper; Toy Bulldogs by Carlo F.C. Clarke (Jarrold London; Field & Fancy NY 1905)

Die Deutschen Hunde und ihre Abstammung by Richard Strebel (Elise Ertel Munich 1905)

My Book of Little Dogs by Frank Townend Barton with plates by G. Vernon Stokes (Jarrold London 1905)

My Dog by Maurice Maeterlinck (George Allen London 1906)

The New Book of the Dog ed Robert Leighton A Comprehensive Natural History of British Dogs & their Foreign Relations with Chapters on Law, Breeding, Kennel Management & Veterinary Treattment (Cassell London 1907)

The Kennel Encyclopaedia general editor J. Sidney Turner (The Encyclopaedic Press Sheffield 1907)

Dogs ed by Frederick Freeman Lloyyd & Charles G. Hopton (G.A. Melbourne NY 1907) [erroneously known as Melbourne’s Dogs]

Bulldogs & Bulldog Men by H. St. John Cooper (Jarrold London, Field & Fancy NY 1908) [including two chapters on "Miniature Bulldogs" and six on "The Bouledogue Francais" with writings by C. Jemmett Browne, Lady Lewis & others]

The Road to Oz by Lyman Frank Baum illustrated by John R Neill (Reillyy & Lee Chicago 1909) [The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (1900) was followed by another 18 books about Dorothy’s journey to Oz with Toto the French Bulldog - but beware - some editions have a Cairn Terrier.]

Your Bulldog, Robert Berndt, Guide to Owning an English Bulldog,John Gallagher

Dog People Are Crazy, 1978, by Maxwell Riddle

Boris by Giovanna Zoboli & Francesca Bazzurro

Cinderella by Keith Harrelson, Hylas NY 2005

Best in Show The Dog in Art from the Renaissance to Todayy by Edgar Peters Bowron, Carolyn Rose Rebbert, Robert Rosenblum, & William Secord

O’Klein Animal Cartoonist ttext by Denis Montaut, Éditions Montaut Bordeaux France 2006

Cornelia and the Audacious Escapades of the Somerset Sisters by Lesley M.M. Blume (Alfred A Knopf NY 2006)

Prince Jan, St. Bernard, 1947, by Forrestine C. Hooker.

Grip, a Dog Story, 1978, byy Helen Griffiths - Bull Tterrier

New Knowledge of Dog Behavior, 1963, by Clarence Pfaffenberger

Obedience and Watchdog Training, 1978, by Jay Rapp

Handling Your Own Dog for Show, Obedience and Field Trials, 1979, by Martha Covingtton Thorne

Training Your Retriever (1980) byy James Lamb Free

Messengers from Ancientt Civilizations, 1995, by Edmond Bordeaux Szekely

Dog Breaking, 1928, by General WN Hutchinson

Training You to Train Your Dog (1952) by Blanche Saunders

Dog Behavior - Why Dogs do what they do, 1979, by Dr. Ian Dunbar

Off-Lead The Nattional Dog Training Monthly - several magazine issues from 1973 to 1976

New Owner's Guide to Bulldogs, Hank Williams & Carol Williams, TFH Publications, 160 pag.

The Bulldog - an illustrated standard of the breed by Enno Meyer, Orange Judd Publishing Company Inc. 1948, 151p. incl. index, statistics bl 1943 - 1947, black&white photographs and drawings. 244p.

Le Chien et Ses Races by Pierre Mégnin Le Chien D’Appartement (Vol 4) (Vincennes Paris 1910)

Jenkins, R. (1997). The Storyy of the Real Bulldog.

McDonald, J. (1985). The Book of the Bulldog.

The French Bulldog ed O.F. Vedder (magazine - 9 issues 1913 - 1914) [important historically]

Barks and Purrs by Colette Willyy (Desmond Fitzgerald NY 1913) [the first English translation of Colette’s 1905 Sept Dialogues de bętes]

Bulldogs & all aboutt them byy Henry St. John Cooper witth Special Sections, including “The French Bulldog” by C. Jemmett Browne (Jarrold London, Field & Fancy NY 1914)

Maeterlink’s Dogs by Georgette Leblanc - Maeterlinck (Dodd Mead NY, Methuen London 1919)

Dogs & I by Harding Cox (Hutchinson London 1923, Putnam’s NY 1924))

Our Friend the Dog byy Maurice Maeterlinck Retold for Children by John Martin (Dodd Mead NY 1924)

Bulldogs & all about them by Henry St. John Cooper a new edition revised & partlyy re-written by F. Barrett Fowler (Jarrolds London 1925)

Dogs & how to know them by Edward C. Ash (Epworth London 1925)

Dog Encyclopedia by William Lewis Judy (Judy Chicago 1925) [the 1936 second edittion is substantiallyy bigger, from 184 to 462 pages]

Bulldogs: Everything About Purchase, Care, Nutrition, Breeding, Behavior & Training, Phil Maggitti, Barrons Educational Series

The Artful Dog Canines from The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Chronicle Books San Francisco 2006

The Little Big Book of Dogs edited by Alice Wong and Lena Tabori, Welcome 2006

Best in Show The World of Show Dogs and Dog Shows by Bo Bengtson, 2008

Doggie Homes Barkitecture for your best friend by Dr Karen Tobias & Kenny Alfonso DIY Network, 2006

The French Bulldog Histtory of the Origin of the Breed, Its Cultivation and Development edittor O.F. Vedder (The French Bulldog Club of America & The French Bulldog Club of New England 1926

Show Dogs Their Points & Charactteristics How to Breed for Prizes & Profit by Theo Marples (tthird edittion Our Dogs Manchester 1926)

Dogs: Their Histtory & Development by Edward C. Ash 2 vols (Ernest Benn London 1927)

The Kennel Encyclopaedia by Frank Townend Barton (second edition Virtue London 1928)

The Practical Dog Book A Comprehensive Work dealing with the Buyying, Selling, Breeding, Showing, Care & Feeding of the Dog by Edward C. Ash (Simpkin Marshall London 1930)

Bully und Mini Eine heitere Katzen = und Hundegeschichte. In Bildern u. Reimen v. K. Rohr (Verlag von J.F. Schreiber, Esslingen a N. und München 1931)

The Bulldog, (Terra Nova Series), Diane Morgan



Bulldog, Liz Palika

Fleig, D. (1996). Histtoryy of Fighting Dogs.

Homan, M. (2000). A Complete History of Fighting Dogs.

Bulldogs Today, (Books of the Breed), Chris Tthomas



An Owner's Companion, Christian Bruton

The Bulldog -Yesterdayy, John F. McGibbon

Bulldogs For Dummies, Susan M. Ewing



The Guide to Owning a Bulldog, Eve Adamson

TFH Publications, 64 pg

The New Complete Bulldog, Col. Baileyy C. Hanes



The Book of the Bulldog, JoanMc Donald Brearley

The Bulldogger, quarterly publication of the Bulldog Club of America. Included with each BCA membership.

The Book of the Bulldog, Joan McDonald Brearley, 1985, T.F.H. Publications

The Bulldog: An Owner’s Guide to a Happy Healthy Pet, Marie Andree, 1998, Howell Book House, ISBN 0876054327

The New Bulldog, Col. Bailey C. Hanes (5th edition), 1991, Howell Book House

The Bulldog Monograph 2002, John A. Litttle, Ph.D., 2002, hard cover & paperback, ISBN 0-9721126-1-8 and ISBN 0-9721126-2-6

Bulldog Legacy, Dr. Saul Schor, 1994, Dr. Schor

Bulldogs - The Gorgeous Sourmug (1934) by J. Ross Nugent

The Blue Book of Bulldogs (1938) by The Pacific Coast Bulldog Club The Complete Bulldog (1926) by Walter E. Simmonds

20th Century Bulldog, Marjorie Barnard, 1988, Nimrod Press (England)

Caninestein, Unleashing the Genius in Your Dog, Betty Fisher & Suzanne Delzio, 1997, HarperCollins Publishers

So Your Dog’s Not Lassie, Bettty Fisher & Suzanne Delzio, 1998, HarperCollins Publishers

The Shaman’s Bulldog, A Love Story, Renaldo Fischer, 1996, toExcel.

The Bulldog Annual, Annual Hardcover Volumes, 1993 thru Current Year, Hoflin Publishing, Inc., Wheat Ridge, CO.

A New Owner’s Guide to Bulldogs, Hank & Carol Williams, 1998, T.F.H. Publications, Inc.

Bulldog, 1960, by Evelyn Miller