English Bulldog

Everything You Need to Know About the English Bulldog

The English Bulldog is an instantly recognizable breed. However, its compact size won’t mean this dog will blend into the background. Instead, the English Bulldog is full of life, and it has way more character in its diminutive self than you could ever imagine.

Loving, funny, and guilty of snoring. The English Bulldog will never be a boring addition to your family.

But what should you know about this breed? Well, read on to learn all the facts about the wonderful English Bulldog.

Fast Facts

Group: Non-Sporting 

Weight - 53-55 Pounds (male) 49-51 (female)

Height - 12-16 Inches (male) 12-16 Inches (female) 

Hair Length - Short

Shedding - Moderate

Lifespan - 8-10 Years

The Classic Appearance of the English Bulldog

The English Bulldog does have a definitive and characteristic appearance that is loved by many. The stocky, compact body blended with a huge head and deep facial wrinkles help make this breed even more adorable than you would have ever thought possible.

These facial wrinkles also feel as if they end up covering the entire body as loose skin can be found elsewhere on the English Bulldog. However, that adds to their cuteness.

Their legs are short and thick, leading to large paws. The body of English Bulldog is muscular even though it is on a relatively small scale. Their tail is best described as being like a short corkscrew.

The shoulders of Bulldog are a dominant feature. Broad and muscular, they provide the English Bulldog with more of a gait than other breeds. Their back arches and their hips stick up above their backline, giving them even more of a powerful appearance.

This breed has a head that looks larger due to the number of wrinkles, but they have a blunt muzzle even when taking those wrinkles. This gives their face the appearance of being flat.

Their nose appears upturned slightly. The Bulldog’s jaw is dominant, and the lower jaw tends to stray out more than the upper jaw. Finally, their ears are high on their head but flop down over one another.

There is also a Mini English Bulldog and an Olde English Bulldogge, and while they both sound strange, they do exist. 

The Mini English Bulldog is simply smaller. They are created by breeding together two smaller-sized English Bulldogs leading to a more diminutive version. 

The Olde English Bulldogge goes in the other direction. They are larger and also have larger muzzles than the English Bulldog. This breed is more muscular as well, but they do appear as an over-sized English Bulldog.

The Colors of the English Bulldog

When talking about the purebred, the AKC has several colors that are accepted. Also, they will tend to have more than one of these colors.

The colors to look out for from breeders include:

• Brindle
• Piebald
• White
• Fawn
• Red

Aside from their appearance and colorings, what else should you be aware of with the English Bulldog? Well, what about their temperament?

The General Temperament of an English Bulldog

The English Bulldog may appear aggressive and a dog you would not want to mess with, but their actual temperament is entirely different. This dog must be one of the calmest breeds around.

This breed is mild-mannered, never appears stressed, and is rarely in a rush. They love attention from their owners, and they will certainly let you know when they want something from you.

They can also be described as being docile. You will have nothing to worry about if you have young children in the home either. An English Bulldog gets on well with everyone equally, and it won’t have any favorites.

Don’t expect them to do too much when around you apart from sleep. They can appear apathetic but don’t make the mistake of thinking that they are not paying attention. 

The English Bulldog should also have no difficulty getting on with other pets in the home. However, that doesn’t always extend to other dogs that they may encounter outside. 

Temperament can, of course, be improved by training even in a dog as laid-back as this. So, what is training an English Bulldog going to be like?

Training Your English Bulldog

Training your English Bulldog will require some patience on your part, and it’s primarily connected to the fact that they are not going to rush into anything. 

First, be aware that socialization will be critical with this breed, and it must be done as early as possible. They can develop problems associated with other dogs, so getting them used to encounter them is key.

Next, make sure training sessions are limited to between 5 and 10 minutes in length. Anything longer than that, and they will get bored, and you will be wasting your time. 

English Bulldog puppies work well with praise and treats. Ensure they understand this is a reward for something they have done well, and that should make a difference in teaching them basic commands.

Grooming Your English Bulldog

Even though they have short hair, there are still many grooming requirements to be aware of with this breed. 

You must clean their facial wrinkles regularly. Food and moisture can become trapped there, leading to infection and other skin issues. Checking it several times a week is essential for their health. The skin must remain clean and dry.

For their hair, brushing them two or three times a week will be sufficient. 

With shedding, thanks to their short hair, it is often not even noticeable. However, thanks to the fact it’s a year-round affair, the English Bulldog is not hypoallergenic.

Grooming does tie in with caring about their general health. So, what are the common potential health issues that could develop with this breed?

The General Health and Nutritional Needs of an English Bulldog

Generally speaking, the English Bulldog has relatively poor health. You must ask a breeder for information regarding health scans before buying your dog. Regular checkups will also be required throughout their life. Unfortunately, health problems can strike at any moment.

Do also remember that their poor health also affects their lifespan. The average is between 8 to 10 years, and this is significantly lower than with most breeds.

The most common health issues related to this breed include:

• Overheating 
• Breathing problems
• Cherry eye
• Skin Issues
• Joint Problems
• Hip Dysplasia

They often have issues with overheating, so they always need somewhere cool to hide if temperatures climb. Also, they will need access to water to help keep them cool. This is tied to breathing issues, which is due to their face structure and their excess skin.

Cherry eye is a common issue found in Bulldogs. This is where the third eyelid becomes mispositioned, leading to a large, red mass appearing. It is more commonly found in younger dogs, but it can occur at any point. If untreated, it can make closing the eye difficult, leading to pain and dry eye.

Hip Dysplasia is another medical condition commonly found in the English Bulldog. It occurs when the hip joint has not formed correctly and can result in hind leg lameness. Both hip dysplasia and cherry eye are often genetic conditions.

For their skin, issues like eczema and dry skin can affect any part of their body. However, dermatitis called intertrigo, and bacterial skin infections, are the main concern. 

Ensuring your English Bulldog is not overweight is also important due to the potential for so many joint-related issues. Feed them twice a day and limit snacking as much as possible. However, make sure you avoid giving your English Bulldog anything that contains soy. There is a risk that they may be allergic to soy, so check the ingredients.

Primarily, it should be meat that forms the basis of the food. They do better with wet food instead of dry as well. 

The total amount of food per day for an adult dog should only be between one and two cups. Also, English Bulldog puppies should be fed three times a day with exceptional puppy food to make sure their body gets the correct nutrients to help them grow and develop.

History of the Breed

It’s believed that Bulldog dated back to England in the 13th Century, so it has been around for a long time. It is also said it was developed for the sport of ‘bull-baiting’, which is as horrific as it sounds.

By the 19th Century, they were being cross-bred with other breeds to develop Pitbulls and Staffordshire Bull Terriers’ likes. The English Bulldog was then refined with its tough temperament being dampened down, eventually being accepted into the AKC by 1886. It is still considered a symbol of England.

Bulldog Mixes you would like to know about*

Dog crossbreeds or mixes are sometimes called designer dogs. The name fits since you are “designing” a new dog by mating two purebred dogs. It has become popular in recent times, and more and more breeds have several noteworthy crosses we could write about.

The thing with mixed puppies is that it is hard to know which characteristics they will inherit from their parents. You should research as much info as possible on the parent breeds to understand what you can expect. This way, you will find a mix that has all of the characteristics you want and love.

Read on to see the most popular Bulldog mixes:

• Old Anglican Bulldogge - Pitbull & English Bulldog Mix 
• Bullhuhua - English Bulldog & Chihuahua Mix 
• English Bull Dane - English Bulldog & Great Dane Mix 
• Bogle - English Bulldog & German Shepherd Mix 
• Bull Pug - English Bulldog & Pug Mix 
• Beabull - English Bulldog & Beagle Mix 

*Not all breed mixes are equal in quality! Pets4you.com neither condones nor endorses any example of unethical and unhealthy crossbreeding. We encourage everyone to research in detail before they choose to get a crossbreed.