The Bulldog or Old English Bulldog is one of the most popular breeds of dogs in the world. The wonderful dog is native to the United Kingdom and is widely believed to be a result of breeding Maltese Bulldogs with Old Mastiffs. The Old English Bulldogs have had a brutal history. They were used extensively for dogfights and people used to bet large sums of money. This brutal practice was banned in 1835. Although Old English  Bulldogs might appear muscular and intimidating at times, the truth is that they are very safe, brave, lively, affectionate, noble, kind, and calm dogs. It all depends on the training that is imparted from its puppy stage. A well trained Old English Bulldog is an excellent companion animal. In this post, we will find more about the Old English Bulldog and if you are planning to get one for yourself, this post should serve as a good starting point for you. Let’s go.

Old English Bulldog: All You Need To Know

Why does the Old English Bulldog have its peculiar appearance?

Other breeds are derived from the Bulldog, such as the bull terrier and bullmastiff. Currently, this dog has a very different appearance from its beginnings after being crossed with dogs such as the pug, which is why its muzzle is flattened.

What are some characteristics of the Old English Bulldog?

The Old English Bulldog has a very varied appearance and a lot of importance is placed on its character. This dog is currently part of canine beauty shows and stands out for its intelligence and cleanliness, and its relationship with children is very good.

These are some of its physical features:

Weight: approximately 25 Kg.

Height: between 30 and 40 cm.

Head: large in proportion to its body.

Muzzle: short with folds above the nose.

Eyes:  black, round and large

Nose: black.

Coat: short, smooth and elegant.

Coat color: red, beige, white, brindle and various shades of these.

Ears: short and pulled back.

Tail: short or docked.

How is the temperament of the Old English Bulldogs?

The Old English Bulldog adapts easily to living with other pets, since it is not usually conflictive. The English Bulldog is a dog of moderate temperament and very sweet, but at the same time, they can be incredibly playful and stubborn dogs. 

Old English Bulldogs are a champion of mischief that often make their owners laugh, and if you add to that their friendly nature, you will understand why Old English Bulldogs are considered such a popular pet. 

They love that you pay attention to them and if they don’t sleep, they will follow you home. While they are generally friendly with all people and other animals, they especially like children. The English Bulldog’s patience for children is almost unmatched. It’s a great breed to have if you have children

How long do Old English Bulldogs live?

Canines of this breed usually live between 10 and 12 years. It is a healthy dog, as long as it receives the necessary care, it is prone to some diseases such as cherry eye, entropion, ectropion, elbow dysplasia, patellar, hyperthermia and obesity. Keep them moderately active and don’t overfeed them, and your dear Old English Bulldog should be just fine. 

How to take care of the Old English Bulldog?

It is necessary to provide your Old English Bulldog with a balanced diet to prevent it from being overweight or obese.

Take your dog periodically to veterinary consultations for a general check-up and thus rule out possible health complications, also remember to have all his vaccinations up to date.

Take your Old English Bulldog out for a daily walk, physical activity is a fundamental factor in the health of every dog, but avoid participating in exhaustive exercises when there are very humid or very hot weather conditions.

It is recommended to brush an Old English Bulldog’s coat two or three times a week, it is something they enjoy. They are not a particularly furry breed so they won’t fill your house up with hair.

Clean the Old English Bulldog’s cute wrinkles regularly (1 or 2 times a week), this can be done with a soaked and soapy piece of soft cotton cloth, rinse and dry thoroughly to prevent the spread of bacteria.

Bathe it every 3 or 4 weeks to prevent fleas, mites and fungi, use a shampoo that does not alter the pH of its skin.

When you go to bathe an Old English Bulldog, use cotton to cover its ears and prevent water from entering.

Due to its origins, this dog is often very “biting”, especially during its young age, so try to provide an artifact or toy with which it can keep entertained.

Old English Bulldog: Trivia

• It is likely that the name “Bulldog” originated from a deformation of the name Band dog or “hardened dog.”
• The Old English Bulldog is considered a “psychoanalyst” dog because it tends to observe people’s behavior with concentration.
• Today it is considered one of the symbols of England.
• Dogs of this breed are often classified as “lazy” since physical activity is not their predilection.
• Because of their massive head size, Old English Bulldogs usually require a C section at birth.
• There are two other types of Bulldog that are the French and the American.

How to train Old English Bulldogs?

Its good-natured temperament makes the Old English Bulldog a great and friendly pet to have. However, with proper and consistent training, even the friendly bulldog can be tamed to bark when something suspicious is present, and for the vast majority of people it is sufficient. 

The laid-back nature and low-activity lifestyle make the English Bulldog the perfect breed for those who live in the city or those whose lifestyle is laid-back and less active. As we mentioned, this breed can be trained to bark if necessary, but just how smart and trainable are they? They are certainly capable of learning to behave at home and learn new commands, however they cannot really learn to perform difficult obedience commands or exercises. 

Unlike easy-to-train breeds like the German Shepherd or Poodle, the English Bulldog does not feel the need to please its owners. On the other hand, these dogs are selectively intelligent and certainly very happy to please themselves. For example, if they have reason to believe that obeying orders will give them what they want, like their favorite delicacies, for example, they can perform amazingly. 

So it can be said that these independent dogs are not trainable, but the owner must be a bit more creative with them than with many other breeds. An approach based on positive reinforcement will generally work best with a stubborn and strong-willed breed, but consistent and calm leadership is still important for your dog. The Bulldog needs guidance and direction from his owners, but when it comes to more obedience work and training, a small bribe will go a long way. 

The English Bulldog is a very calm, low-energy breed that doesn’t require a lot of exercise, making it the perfect dog for anyone who loves a laid-back lifestyle. However, the English Bulldog enjoys activities such as a relaxed ball game with its owner or a leisurely walk. To satisfy your love of entertainment and games, a few walks and games throughout the day are definitely enough. 

A great way to entertain your English Bulldog is to offer him a selection of different toys. This is especially useful if you need to leave the dog home alone for a few hours. Different specially designed intelligence toys can be tried to keep dogs busy. For example, a maze where you hide a dog treat or a piece of dog food that the bulldog needs to find. There are bulldogs that love water but it is very important to be careful near swimming pools and water sources since the bulldog cannot swim in deep water and it can easily drown.