time the dog is nine months old. This simply means that due to the variation of physical type within this breed, brought on by cross-breeding to other breeds of very different types in recent years, you will have to evaluate your dog’s type before a program of exercise is implemented. After all, the kind of exercise program that will benefit a fully grown, 85-pound, hardworking stock dog could very well kill a 130-pound dog of the Johnson line, for example.
American Bulldogs are very agile. How many other dogs can jump this high?
Again, the extreme range in type between the stock dog, the later Scott-line dogs, the old Painter-line dogs and the Johnson-line dogs is too great to view one form of exercise as being “right” for the breed. As such, it would be irresponsible of me to recommend a single exercise program as being adequate for all American Bulldogs. With this breed, you will have to evaluate the individual dog you want to keep fit and devise a program based upon what you know your dog to be. An exercise program for an adult dog may be as simple as a regular three-mile walk, three or four times a week on cool days. For working stock dogs, the program may be more strenuous, possibly including outdoor running or even weight pulling.
OWNER CONSIDERATIONS
The American Bulldog is a handsome and athletic companion dog. There is no doubt that this is a pure-bred dog that will continue to attract many admirers. Nonetheless, the American Bulldog is a breed that requires a special kind of owner. One of the most striking attributes of the American Bulldog is his agility. For a dog this size, no dog can compare to the American Bulldog for agility. Such athleticism and energy calls for an owner who has plenty of time to spend with his dog, training, conditioning and just horsing around. The owner himself must be fit and active to keep up with his American Bulldog. This is not to say that the breed doesn’t enjoy quiet time, but exercise is a must to keep this fellow trim, fit and mentally and physically balanced. If you are looking for a dog to sleep all day and get all of his exercise indoors or ambling about the yard, this is the wrong breed for you.
Generally speaking, the American Bulldog can be taught fairly easily. This Bulldog is not as stubborn as his Union Jack-clad counterpart. The American Bulldog enjoys spending time with his owner, so training time is a favorite time for this dog. New owners must comprehend that acquiring a dog is tantamount to settling down with a partner. The American Bulldog can live to be well over ten years of age. New owners must be able to predict that their lifestyle over the coming decade can accommodate an American Bulldog.
Fortunately, this breed is among the most versatile dogs in the world. As long as he’s by your side, this breed is equally content on a multi-acre estate as he is in an apartment. Provided that the owner is available to offer the dog exercise and attention, the American Bulldog will welcome any comfortable, loving household. An ideal situation, however, would be a home with a fenced yard in which the dog can stretch his legs. While it is unlike the American Bulldog to want to wander away from home, a fence is still a must for his safety. Also, since some American Bulldogs can be aggressive with other dogs, it’s best to prevent problems by fencing in the yard. The neighborhood cats will also appreciate that your dog can’t roam free!
An American Bulldog can be a great friend to children who know how to treat a dog properly. Introductions and interactions should always be supervised.
Since the American Bulldog will grow into a protective, dominant guardian, it’s important for the owner to be aware of the challenges of puppyhood. Adolescence promises that your Bulldog will begin to show his dominant instincts. Never permit a puppy to “bully” you about, since this sets a very dangerous precedent as the dog matures. Aggression toward people can never be tolerated, so be ready to show your American Bulldog who’s boss right from the start. Since some fighting-dog blood may be pulsing through your puppy’s veins, be ready to handle the puppy that growls at every other dog. While you can never totally change “the ways of the scorpion,” you can channel the pup’s instincts into acceptable behavior. Introductions to other dogs must become a part of your puppy’s socialization process. Just as you will want to expose the puppy to all kinds of people in a variety of environments, you will want to introduce your Bulldog pup to other pups and adult dogs. Assuring the American Bulldog pup that other dogs are not “the enemy” will pay off grandly in the later months and years. How you raise your puppy determines how he will react to other people, dogs and animals, so make sure to nurture your pup into a wonderful ambassador for the breed.
Although the American Bulldog is not AKC-recognized, other national organizations register and offer conformation showing for the breed.
FITNESS FOR LIFE
Walking is a basic necessity for every dog, whether he’s strong and tall like the American Bulldog or petite and delicate like the Toy Poodle. Owners of American Bulldogs can be sure that this breed loves the quality time on the road, and walking and running are ideal ways of conditioning your American Bulldog. Don’t encourage running with young puppies, since the breed matures slowly and excessive exercise when their bones and ligaments are growing may cause long-term damage. Once the American Bulldog reaches a year to 18 months old, the owner can concentrate on conditioning the dog. Many owners jog, hike and cycle with their dogs. Some owners even use treadmills and while these devices are often associated with dogfighters, they can also be responsibly used for exercise.
VARIATIONS IN BREED STANDARDS
A breed standard, by definition, describes what the “ideal” example of a particular breed looks and acts like. This written description is devised by fanciers of the breed, usually a parent club, and is submitted to the national kennel club for approval. Since there is such confusion in the American Bulldog breed, we will examine how the dissension among breeders has affected the writing of the breed standard. I began this book by saying that the American Bulldog breed is vastly misunderstood. In order to demonstrate just how misunderstood this breed is in its homeland of the United States, I am going to present to you two current breed standards that supposedly describe the same American Bulldog breed. The NABA (National American Bulldog Association) standard is more of a working-dog standard. The other, the UKC (United Kennel Club) standard is more of an “attempt to appease everyone” standard.
Despite variations in the different breed standards, the American Bulldog has an unmistakable look all its own.
A TRUE DESCRIPTION
Should you find yourself suspicious of the fact that the description of the American Bulldog breed the author has provided differs from one standard you’ve seen or another, simply take note of the fact that each standard differs from the other as well. Trust whichever standard or description provides you with the image of the breed that you can find in photographs that predate 1975. The best standard will be the one that most accurately describes what this breed has always been and not what
