ONLINE SINCE 2001
AMERICAN BULLDOG
DIET:
Should I feed my dog raw meat and bones?
Can my dog eat a vegetarian diet?
Is commercial dog food safe?
Many of us wonder if we're feeding our dogs the best we can and two current trends feeding commercial food vs. raw diet known as a natural diet. A lot of advice is often self contradictory or based on misinformation. I would say try to use some common sense and here is my opinion for what its worth.
We feed ProPlan kibbles for Adults and Puppies. Meat is the main (first) ingredient. Here are a few links you may want to read.
Is a raw food diet the answer?
Also click on Mike Richards DVM
WHAT'S IN A NAME?
White English Bulldog, Alabama Bulldog, Country Bulldog, Plantation Bulldog, Old Southern White Bulldog, Old Time Bulldog, these are some of the earlier names for what would become the American Bulldog. There were also different blood lines of southern catch dogs that have since come together to create the modern American Bulldog. There are two distinct American Bulldog types brought about by two men namely Mr. Alan Scott and Mr. John D. Johnson. The Old White English Bulldog,also known as the Southern White Bulldog was the foundation stock of the American Bulldog breed. Mr. Scott and Mr. Johnson collected these bulldogs from across the American South, started a breeding program and began registration in the 1970's that surely saved the breed from extinction. There are also a few lines of southern catch dog, American Bulldogs, that have not been part of Mr. Scott nor Mr. Johnson's breeding programs.
American Bulldog Types
The "Standard Type", also known as Scott Type and Performance Type are smaller in stature (60 lbs to 115 lbs), but more athletic. This is the working type catch dog of the American Bulldog world and tend to be healty with longer life expectancies.
The "Classic Type", also known as the Johnson type is larger ( up to 140 lbs or more ), heavier and bully in appearance due to the English Bulldog infusion introduced by Mr. Johnson when he bred to "West Champs High Hopes" an AKC registered "English" Bulldog. The Johnson lines are popular among those who are drawn to extreme types that tend to be overall less active and can be highly inbred.
Most American Bulldogs today carry some blood from both the Standard and the Classic Types. Some people refer to this as a hybrid which accounts for yet another "type" although these types will vary in size and conformation from line to line or even from one breeder to another that could span any combination of the first two.
Old Southern White Bulldogs were the foundation stock John D. Johnson and Allan Scott collected for their breeding programs and 100% Old Southern Whites are still around too but, they are rare.
HYBRID AMERICAN BULLDOGS
Some famous successful breeders of hybrid American Bulldogs are Kyle Symmes (Sure Grip), Matt Boyd, Greg Souza and many others.
Sure Grips hybrid American Bulldog "Freddie Krueger"
I have never been completely comfortable with the term "hybrid" which seems to invoke the notion of outcrossing to a completely different breed or even species but the term "hybrid" within the American Bulldog community is used to describe any combination of bloodlines within the same breed. If Mr. Johnson considered the English Bulldog in his line to be another bulldog, then I certainly feel that a "hybrid" American Bulldog deserves no special title, but it does serve somewhat of an insight into the breeding of the animal in question I suppose. A hybrid American Bulldog can be any combination of Old Southern White aka White English, Johnson Type, Bully type, Scott Type, Performance Type, Painter blood lines etc. We are blessed among modern breeds to have the opportunity to distill the best qualities from the large genetic pool within the confines of the same breed.
American Bulldogs are not bred for any illegal sport or activity of any kind and in fact make wonderful family pets. When given the right environment they will blossom into a loyal and impressive member of the family.
WHAT ABOUT COLOR IN AMERICAN BULLDOGS?
If you want to speculate on possible ancient origins of this foundation stock I suggest you read about the fierce white "ghost dogs" of the ancient Celtic Tribes that hunted by night. A white dog is harder to loose and easier to keep up with in the brush and while hunting either by day or by night.
What is an American Bulldog?
There is much confusion surrounding the different bulldog breeds. Many people often confuse the American Bulldog with the American Pit Bull Terrier, The English Bulldog and even Boxer bulldogs. In Fact the modern American Bulldog shares its history with all these breeds, but not in the way you might expect.
Are American Bulldogs and English Bulldogs the same breed?
HAVE THERE BEEN OUTCROSSES?
The modern American Bulldog Breed has had some infusions of English Bulldog as was the case with the Johnson line. Mr. Johnson made no attempts to hide this outcross. I have read, in fact, that Mr. Johnson saw nothing wrong with breeding a bulldog to a bulldog. If you like a larger "Bully" type dog you can thank Mr. Johnson.
It has also been rumored that the Saint Bernard has contributed to the Johnson Type, but I don't think it has ever been proven and so I have no reason to believe this is true.
The foundation stock of the modern American Bulldog was primarily and historically a farm utility dog and used for hunting, mostly feral hogs. It is reasonable to assume that the dogs used for hunting had to be able to work side by side with you and your other dogs.
I feel confidant for obvious reasons that any undesirable Pit Bull contributions in the past would have been self eliminating by the nature of the dogs hunting activities.
Anyone who knows about fighting dogs knows that when striving to maintain dog aggressiveness within pit bulls, every breeding of champion fighters has always produced its share of curs, or dogs that will not fight! The dogs that Michael Vick destroyed are examples. The ability to maintain dog aggression in the offspring of the most dog aggressive dogs on earth is quite a task while any novice can quickly lose the trait by indiscriminate breeding.
A farm utility dog such as the foundation stock of the modern American Bulldog would not have been subjected to the rigorous pit testing needed to retain the illusive and hard to breed for trait of gameness combined with dog aggression. Even Pure bred American Pit Bull Terriers that are not regularly tested and culled will not be the same "Pit Dog" within only a few generations. In fact the majority of American Pit Bull Terriers are bred to be family pets. It is a sub culture of people and dogs even among the American Pit Bull Terrier breed that continue to breed solely for dog aggression and fighting ability.
Aren't American Bulldogs Just Pit Bull Crosses?
No. American Pit Bull Terriers have been used to add courage and tenacity to many breeds but, because of negative press you probably will not read about it in the various breed's histories.The original working White English Bulldog was crossed with a now extinct breed of white terrier in the area of Staffordshire England in the 1700's and 1800's and refined, if you will, in America to produce the world-renowned fighting dog par excellence, the American Pit Bull Terrier.
The American Bulldog is not the dog used in illegal dog pits
WHY DO SOME AMERICAN BULLDOGS RESEMBLE BOXERS?
Some of the original working English Bulldogs made their way to America where they continued in formidable tasks as farm utility dogs and remained very close in looks and temperament to their progenitors. Others of these working English Bulldogs made their way to Germany where they were crossed with now extinct German Breeds to create the Boxer bulldog, or Boxer. The Boxer is believed to be approximately 33% American Bulldog! In fact Boxers resemble some American Bulldogs, not the other way around!
STOP BREED SPECIFIC LEGISLATION NOW
Some common names and misspellings are: Bulldogge, Ol' Southern bulldogge, ol southern white bulldog, American Bulldogge, Pitbull, Pittbull, White English Bulldogge, Old Time bulldogge, Country bulldogge, Country bulldog, American Bull Dog, Catch dogs, Southern Catch Dogs, Hog Dogs, White English Bulldog, Old Tyme bulldog.
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