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English Bulldog Breed Standard

English Bulldog Breed Standard

From the history of the breed: 
Among all breeds, originating from the ancient Molosser dogs, English Bulldog has appeared later than the other ones. According to the name of the breed, Bulldog was bred for fighting. Even in times of Romans animal baiting was a very popular show in Europe until XVIII-XIX centuries; it is the English Bulldog who was a participant of this hardly attractive entertainment - baiting of bulls: a dog seized the bull's nose and didn't let him go until he decked. The show owed its development and popularity to a certain Earl Warren from Lincolnshire, who in 1209 saw how a couple of dogs had been fighting with the bulls and he decided that it was possible to arrange an interesting entertainment for a great audience. Reckless courage of this dog breed, which differed by a wide short and powerful muzzle protruding forward lower jaw and a sunken nose were mentioned in proverbs.

In 1835 dogs and animals that were involved in fights were banned in England, and therefore the number of Bulldogs had declined sharply; thus the English Bulldog breed was endangered to be vanished because it seemed that it did not suited for something else. However, a Bill George continued to breed English Bulldogs, and thanks to him this dog became a highly valued and reliable home friend. Since 1860, English Bulldogs have appeared at dog shows and a new Bulldog breed era had begun. In Britain, the first English Bulldog club was established in 1875. In New York English Bulldogs came into vogue in the early XX century. 

Country of origin: 
UK
General appearance: 
English Bulldog is short haired, sturdily built, stocky, broad, strong and very compact dog. The head is massive, impressively large in proportion to the body, but at the same time, not so big to break the general pattern of symmetry, "deform" his appearance or influence the balance during movements. 
Height: 
From 14 - 16 inches (35 - 40 cm) high at the withers. 
Coat: 
Soft, short, tight, smooth (if very strictly - short and tight, not wavy). 
Color: 
One-coloured or "smooth" (i.e. monochrome with black mask on his muzzle). Only solid color (which should be bright and clean) - striped, various shades of red, straw-coloured, dark yellowish-brown colour, etc., as well as white and spotted (i.e. combination of white with any of the above mentioned colors). Black and tan colors are highly undesirable.

Head: 
When viewed from the side it looks like high, deep and short from the occipital prominence to the tip of the nose. The forehead is flat; the skin on it and around the head forms a sharp fold, does not protrude and doesn't hang over the muzzle too much. The projection of frontal bones is relief, prominent, broad, square and high. Broad and deep groove can be traced from the stop to the top of the skull. The facial part from the top to the nose is short, skin is folded. The distance from the inner corner of eye (or from the center of the stop between the eyes) to the tip of nose does not exceed the length from the tip of nose to the corner of the lower lip. 
Ears: 
Set high - i.e. front edge of each ear (when viewed from front side) touches the external line of the skull in its corner, so they are set as wide as possible, as high as possible and as far away as possible from the eye. Ears are small and thin. Correct form - is the shape of a "rose", i.e. hanging loose and turned backwards to the back, upper or front edge is bent outward and back making a visible part of the so-called "backs of the tongue". 
Eyes: 
When viewed from the front are located low on the skull, at a good distance from the ears. Eyes and feet are on the same straight line at right angles to furrow. Wide apart, but their outer corners are within the outer line of the cheeks. Round in shape, of medium size, not sunken, but not prominent, the color is very dark - almost black - and when viewed from the front with no visible whites. There are no visible eye problems.

Neck: 
Of medium length, very thick, deep and strong. Well rounded on the top line, with a significant amount of excessive skin in thick folds under the throat, forming dewlap on each side of the lower jaw to the chest. 
Teeth: 
Jaws are broad, massive and square, lower jaw protrudes above the upper one and is curved upward. The jaws have 6 incisors set in a flat line between the fangs. The fangs are set wide apart. The teeth are large and strong, when mouth is closed they are not visible. When viewed from the front side a lower jaw is located directly under the upper one and is parallel to it. 
Body: 
Topline: slightly falls immediately behind the withers (the lowest part), and then must rise up to the waist (to the level more than the height at the withers), then with rounding lowers to the tail, forming a sail arch - the basic characteristic difference of the breed. 
Chest: 
Chest is wide, side-rounded, convex and deep. A rib cage is voluminous, round and very deep from the withers to the lowest part where it connects with the sternum. It is lowered short between the front limbs. It is large in diameter, round behind the forelegs (not flat in shape, well sprung ribs). 
Belly: 
Tucked-up, not flabby.

Tail: 
Low set, fairly straight at the base line, curved downward at the tip. It is round, smooth, without fringe or stiff hair. The average length – is rather short than long - thick at the base, tapering quickly to the end. Points down (without bending upward at the end), never rises above the back. 
The limbs (front and rear): 
The forequarters: limbs are firm and strong, well developed, broadly set, thick, muscular and straight, in looks their line is pretty bent, but the limb bones are large and straight, not crooked or curved towards the rear - short, but not enough the back to seem too long, or to reduce or affect the activity of the dog. 
The hindquarters: the limbs are large and muscular, longer in proportion to the front, due to that the waist is raised. The limbs are long and muscular from loins to the hock, their bottom part is short, straight and powerful. 
Attractive features: 
The character of the Bulldogs distinguishes them among the other dog breeds: if you treat dog with love and respect, your pet will also respond to you kindly. Friendly, cheerful, brave, peaceful and without a hint of aggression - this will be the Bulldog, as long as he/she is well treated. All these qualities can be observed not only in direct contact. The appearance of the English Bulldog reflects his manliness and kindness. 

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