|
|
ANCESTRY There is still much discussion and debate about the breed's exact ancestry ; but it is now generally agreed that the Bulldog and the Mastiff had the Allaunt as their forerunner although it is recognised that the term Mastiff was applied indiscriminately to all kinds of large dogs and would have included those also referred to as Bulldogs. The same is true of the name Bandogge, which was not originally applied to a distinct variety but to those dogs who spent most of their lives chained up or; as it was called in those early days, "bound". An anonymous writer stated in 1707: "Our Mastiffs especially those we call Bulldogs, are of the unmatchable courage." EARLY DESCRIPTIONS OF THE BREED A description of the Bulldog written by Captain Thomas Brown FRSE in 1829 shortly before the abolition of baiting, in his book Anecdotes of Dogs says: "His head is broad, his nose short and the under-jaw projects beyond the upper which gives him a fierce and disagreeable aspect. His eyes are distant and prominent and have a peculiar suspicious-like leer, which, with the distension of his nostrils, gives him also a contemptuous look; and from his teeth being always seen, he has the constant appearance of grinning while he is perfectly placid. He is the most ferocious and unrelenting of the canine tribe and maybe considered courageous beyond every other creature in the world, for he will attack any animal whatever be his magnitude. The Bulldog is one of the original and peculiar races of Britian, and may be ranked in point of originality with the shephard's dog and the Irish Greyhound. In various districts of England this breed is still preserved in its native purity, by that class of people who delight in bull-baiting and fighting of dogs; both of which amusements, alike inhuman, are now happily on the decline. But Bulldogs are not so numerous as they were, nor so carefully attended to, in consequence of the decline of what was anciently a favourite sport. At a Cornier period great numbers were purchased and transported to other countries, for which enormous prices were sometimes given." The great author of dog books, who wrote under the name of Stonehenge, said of the Bulldog that: "In brute courage and unerrring tenacity of purpose he stands unrivalled among quadrupeds....I believe that every breed of dog possessed of very high courage owes it to a cross with the Bulldog. He is not only the most courageous dog, but the most courageous animal in the world." RECENT HISTORY Although the Bulldog had many enthusiasts, the abolition of baiting brought with it a decline in the breed's popularity and several types of cross bred Bulldogs started to appear as demand for a "working " Bulldog no longer existed. By the mid 1800's the Pug had been introduced into some lines, bringing the size down drastically and shortening the muzzle still further, which many considered desirable. Also terrier blood had been introduced to improve the Bulldog's agility. The larger Spanish bulldogs, which had an average weight of between of 90 and 120lbs, were being imported by breeders who felt that the breed had lost some of its power and substance during the latter part of the 1800's. One such breeder, Mr.F.Adcock, introduced from Spain an immense dog named Toro who weighed around ninety pounds. As a stud dog Toro proved to be a great disappointment and his progeny lacked the attributes of their sire. A description of Toro appeared in The Field publication......"a massive dark chestnut or carroty brindled dog, with blackish muzzle, he has very deep flews, high temples, large nostrils, and is very much underhung, and, for his size, short in face.His eyes are tolerably full, and a good deal of the white is shown; the stop, or indentation between the eyes, is large and deep, and runs high up the head. The skin about the head is very loose, and falls into wrinkles and folds when the ears of the dog are erect; and a deep double dewlap runs from the angles of the mouth to the sternum. His ears have been cut out, very little of the burr being left, and this greatly detracts from the apparent size of the head. His neck is arched, short, very thick and muscular, and covered with quantities of loose skin; the shoulders broad and flat at the top, standing well out from the ribs; the forearm very thick, and slightly bowed; feet large and round, and furnished with very strong claws; the chest is great, and not only broad, but deep, and the ribs are very round.There is a considerable fall at the shoulders, and from that point the loins begin to rise, the arch terminating at the insertion of the tail. This is placed very low, has a downward crook at the root and another at the end, is very short and fine in bone, and is never erected so high as the level of the dog's back. The loins are strong and muscular, as are the hind-quarters, the stifles turning out slightly, and the hocks are rather close together. The whole of the hind-quarters are small, as compared with fore-quarters, and are considerably higher. The coat is very fine and smooth, and the hair very fine in texture. In showing condition Toro weighs 90lb......" It is believed that this dog may have been the product of a mating between a type of Spanish Mastiff and Bulldogs previously exported from England to the Continent ............With this new, but very real threat of cross-breeding the pure Bulldog lines which remain, several fanciers decided that the interests of the breed could be best protected by the formation of a breed club.............In 1864 a club was formed called " The Bulldog Club" and it's main objective would be: "the perpetuation and the improvement of the Old English Bulldog ." The club's motto was decided upon as "Hold Fast", but unfortunately this was not to be - the club lasted for just three years. However it was reconstituted in 1875 at "The Blue Post" London Public House. This club holds the distinction of being the oldest speciality breed club in the world. The Bulldog Club is accredited with writing the first Bulldog breed standard referred to as the "Philo-Kuon" in 1865. There are many similarities between this and the standard of our present day Bulldog Club Inc. Which was drawn up some ten years later, in 1875. Extract from "Bulldogs Today" by Chris Thomas, 1995.
Please
view Our Guestbook
(c)2001 Nth Bulldog Club and Maddesign
|
