History - English Bulldog

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The English bulldog is one of the most outstanding representatives of the canine species. This dog, who once fought against the bulls, is so brave and fighting that has become a symbol of the British nation. As the name suggests, before he became the inseparable companion of John Bull, bull dog was used, according to an ancient tradition whose primary objective was to improve the quality of meat, run to pray before taking them to slaughter because the traffickers had realized that this is getting the meat was more tender and flavorful. For this reason, the butchers used mastiffs, some dogs are brave enough to face the wrath of the bulls in Britain used the ancestors to play that papel.El mastiff mastiff origin is the subject of discussion among specialists .

Some believe that the Phoenicians and the Romans who introduced it in Britain. Although this hypothesis may be interesting at first glance, it must be acknowledged that Caesar himself states otherwise, in particular in his Commentaries, speaking of the conquest of Britain (meaning Britain) in which, as indicated, the Celts molosos launched against the Roman legions spread panic in them. So, the more likely that such molosos already exist in Britain (at least from the Celtic expansion) and that the Romans imported to make them fight in the circus, and they bring their dogs to combat Epirus know the inhabitants of the British Isles. This explanation is more plausible because, as noted in 8 BC the Roman chronicler Faliscus Gratius such dogs led Britain to measure precisely the Cornish molosos always emerged victorious. Otherwise, just know that the Celtic tribes that devastated the Greek and Roman cities did with the help of impressive size dogs. In addition, the museum of Copenhagen are beautiful pieces of art displayed Celtic which include pots decorated with monstrous-looking molosos.

Regardless of this, during the Middle Ages fighting between bulls and dogs soon became a diversion so exciting that ended up being considered as sporting events. However, by that time the mastiff would be reserved for the nobility, and "forest laws" promulgated in 1272 sanctioned the amputation of three fingers of the front legs of the great bulk mastiffs who belonged to villains. Consequently, those who did not have the honor of belonging to the British upper classes had no choice if they wanted to organize baitings bull, to use smaller sized dogs but no less combative. That is the origin of the English Bulldog.

Thus, Edouard de Langley (1344-1412), an officer of King Henry IV (in charge of pens, bulls and mastiff) mentions a Maystar of Game (Mastiff second category) stained with floppy ears and small eyes that had a reputation not to miss the part that was never caught. This animal was the ancestor of the English Bulldog. Since the beginning of the sixteenth century the exploits of the Bold feature-Dog (dog full of audacity), while in 1586 Willy Harrison said the Band-Dog (which is a powerful body dog with bloody and menacing aspect of strangeness, stubborn) that four dogs were sufficient to liquidate a big, strong bear designations Regardless of the time, no doubt of the existence in the sixteenth century the English bulldog, an animal whose essential role was to fight against the most diverse animals . The term Bulldog, however, did not appear until 1632. One such Earton Preston, established in San Sebastian, wrote to his friend George Willighan of London asking him to send a mastiff and two large bulldogs, to compare the exploits of the English dogs with the famous Bulldogs Burgos, also courageous fighters bulls.

The fighting of animals, in effect, had become an institution during the reign of Elizabeth I (1558-1603). This queen was even devoted to these activities on Tuesdays, and every week he went to see his mastiffs fight with bulls, bears, lions and other beasts. But not everyone looked good this fighting. And if, to Gromwell, it was a "pleasant and relaxing recreational fun to a quiet town," according to Samuel Pepys, editor of a journal about life in London between 1660 and 1669, "was a brutal and nasty pleasure." So, little by little, and although the national dog pride to some as the poet Christopher Smart for whom "is the best of all dogs out there," the English Bulldog ended up being rejected by a British population . The term British parliament to ban bull baiting in 1853, and although the game did not disappear completely from the counties away from London until the end of s. XIX, English Bulldog breeding was abandoned gradually. Only a few copies were converted to act in fighting between dogs (which are also prohibited but can be held easily in the backyards of the pubs, on farms or in private basements). But do not adapt well to this type of sport. Not to doubt their aggression or their value, but lack spectacular, and therefore prefer the bull-terriers born of crossing English Bulldog and Bulldog terrier.El was about to disappear by mid-century Century, and was not on the first dog show in 1859. Exposure was in Birmingham held the following year when they reported specimens of this race for the first time, and then in Sheffield and London. This represented a great victory that led some breeders to establish a club in 1864. Under the pseudonym "Philo Kuon" (friend of the dog) drafted a standard that the club treasurer, Sam Wickens, published the following year.

While describing a standard English Bulldog at the time, that is, a wide and compact animal much like the boxer, it is also true that the framers believed in a very different animal. So the breeders, who had known the former fighting dogs and remained the standard to the letter, turned to another type of dog, lower leg, even more compact, shorter, larger head and flat face.

although the time can seriously damage historical monuments had hitherto never degraded in a manner so grotesque a national symbol as our British Bulldog. Selected for a specific purpose (which no longer existed for a long time), the current issues are the result of a selection made based on things that are not found in any other dog. Nothing to verify the claim that they are bred today as they were sixty years ago

It is very curious that the English Bulldog standard remains essentially the same, only minor modifications have been made: in 1950 increased the weight from 22.7 to 25; in 1987 added some adjectives and adverbs so that there was more interpretations exaggerated ... However, the English Bulldog of 1875 bore little resemblance to that of the twenties, which judging by the opinion of current breeders have their own views, is also considered too high leg, not wide enough and with a head too small . The fact that this dog won popularity in spite of reasonable attempts to specialists as to discredit Rawdon Lee said that the British use it as a symbol of the qualities of Old England in its hour lower. It is no coincidence that it adopt this perro.El Churchill Bulldog English is now one of the most popular breeds in Britain and the United States. In the other countries is not as appreciated.

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