Olde English Bulldogge History

The Olde English Bulldogge is a recreation of the bulldog that originated in England between 1600 and 1700. The original English Bulldog was bred primarily for use in the sport of bull-baiting. For this reason, English Bulldogs of the 16th and 17th century exhibited a functional build that contributed to the necessary physical stamina and endurance which allowed them to participate in such sports. The Old Bulldog was a courageous and loyal dog that could breath freely and move with agility. The sport of bull-baiting was popular throughout the mid 1800s in England and the bulldog lived and thrived during a time where its purpose was clearly defined by the people who participated in the sport.

In the middle of the 18th century laws were passed in England banning the gruesome sport of bull-baiting and, as a result, the Bulldog lost its purpose and the bulldog breed began to diminish drastically. Dog show fanciers took an interest in  resurrecting the breed, but they were in pursuit of a more aesthetically pleasing and less aggressive bulldog for the show ring. As a result, the original bulldog was bred down to the Pug and after years of breeding, the modern day English Bulldog evolved.  Unfortunately, the modern day English Bulldog is wrought with genetic health problems. The shortened muzzle & spine combined with the overall more compact structure of the English Bulldog contributes to the many health disorders that are prevalent within the modern English Bulldog breed.

While the English Bulldog was created to obtain a particular look desired by show fanciers, the Olde English Bulldogge was created for the purpose of obtaining health, ability and temperament. The Olde English Bulldogge is a comparable representation of the Old Bulldog that existed in England between the 16th and 17th century.  The Olde English Bulldogge should mirror the athleticism and the physical functionality of the Old Bulldog and should exhibit a stable temperament. The Olde English Bulldogge is free breeding, free whelping and free breathing. Various genetic crosses were used by breeders to obtain desired traits that exist in the Olde English Bulldogge. Some of the breeds used as a foundation in the creation of the Olde English Bulldogge are the English Bulldog, American Bulldog, Mastiff and APBT.

The picture above demonstrates the transition of the skull of the bulldog as breeders began to breed down Old Bulldogs with pugs. Notice the comparatively shorter skull in 1935 in relation to the skull of an 18th century bulldog. This shorter skull is a direct reflection of some of the health disorders that plague the modern AKC English Bulldog breed. English Bulldogs are prone to genetic health disorders such as Brachycephalic Syndrome and Cleft Lip/Palate.

NATIONAL BULLDOGGE ASSOCIATION OLDE ENGLISH BULLDOGGE STANDARD

NBA  OEB Standard General Description: The Olde English Bulldogge is a loyal, courageous dog, with a very stable temperament. They are medium height with large size, large strong head, and stout muscular body. Olde English Bulldogges are athletic and most importantly of very good health, males are free breeders and females are free whelpers. The Olde English Bulldogge is devoid of all breathing issues and is capable of enjoying outdoor activity with their family…a wonderful companion, protector, and family member.  they are very trainable, thrive on pleasing their owners,  and do well inside or out.  Life span averages 10 to 14 yrs. Head: The Bulldogge head was designed to grip and hold, it should be strong and powerful, and it should have that appearance. The head is large, with a broad skull, wide-set eyes, moderately  sunken between the eyes (medial furrow), with short, broad muzzle.  The circumference of the head should be equal to or greater than the dog’s height at the shoulder.  A narrow head or one that appears too small for the body is a fault.  Muzzle: The muzzle has a distinct stop, and moderately pendulous lips. It is broad, deep and short with moderate wrinkling. The bite is undershot, the lower jaw protruding beyond the upper and curving slightly upward. The incisor teeth of the lower jaw are in a straight line, with the canines preferably up front in the same line to give the jaw the greatest possible width.  The upper jaw is broad where attached to the skull and maintains this breadth, except for a very slight tapering to the front. The lips, which complete the formation of the muzzle, should meet evenly in front. The upper lip is thick and padded; filling out the frontal space created by the projection of the lower jaw, and laterally is supported by the canines of the lower jaw. Therefore, these canines must stand far apart and be of good length so that the front surface of the muzzle is broad and squarish and, when viewed from the side, shows moderate layback. Muzzle should be at least one [1] inch.  Not more than three  [3] inches. Muzzle too long (more than 3 inches), scissor bite or even bite are serious faults.  Wry jaw is a disqualifying fault.  Ears:  The ears should be set high on the head, the front inner edge of each ear joining the outline of the skull at the top back corner, so as to place them as wide apart, and as high as possible. In size they should be small and thin. The shape should be Dropped or Rose. The rose ear folds inward at it’s back lower edge, the upper front edge curving over, outward and backward, showing part of the inside of the burr. The dropped ears should fold into a nice triangle, and not be hound like. The ears should not be carried erect or prick-eared, and should never be cropped. Cropped and Prick-ears are a fault.  Eyes: The eyes should be low down on the skull, as far from the ears as possible, and the corners should be in a straight line at right angles with the stop. They should be quite in front of the head, as wide apart as possible, provided their outer corners are within the outline of the cheeks when viewed from the front. They should be round in form, of moderate size.  and not sunken nor bulging.. Crossed eyes or non-symmetrically shaped eyes are a disqualifying fault. And any color is acceptable. The lid should show no haw. . .pigment around eyes, or “eyeliner” is preferred. Nose: The Nose should be large, broad and a solid color with well open nostrils (nares).  The nose should not be pushed up between the eyes. From the stop to the end of the nose must be at least one inch, but less than 3 inches.  Lacking pigment is a major fault, lacking all pigment on nose is a disqualifying fault. Neck: Neck should be short, thick, muscular, and Powerful. and well arched at the back. The length should not excessive nor should the head just rest on the shoulders.  Body: The body was designed for power and agility, and should be shaped to allow good movement. The Bulldogge should be medium/large sized, well muscled, very strong, with a wide deep chest, Topline — There should be a slight fall in the back, close behind the shoulders (its lowest part), whence the spine should rise to the loins (the top of which should be higher than the top of the shoulders), thence curving again more suddenly to the tail, forming an arch (a very distinctive feature of the breed), termed “roach back” or, more correctly, “wheel-back.” Body–The brisket and body should be very capacious, with full sides, well-rounded ribs and very deep from the shoulders down to its lowest part, where it joins the chest. It should be well let down between the shoulders and forelegs, giving the dog a broad, low, short-legged appearance. Chest–The chest should be very broad, deep and full. Underline–The body should be well ribbed up behind with the belly tucked up and not rotund. legs are to the outside of the body to allow the dog to maneuver low to the ground with well-developed forearms they can present a rather bowed outline,  but the bones of the legs should be large and straight.  Excessive differences in the chest and rear size, or to narrow of hips is not desirable,  and can restrict good movement. Legs:  Forelegs should be straight and wide apart, neither bowing out nor turning in.  There should be significant bone substance.  Elbows should be relatively close to the body.  Lacking bone is very undesirable. Elbows that are loose or “fiddle fronts” are a serious fault. The hindquarters are strongly muscled,  The thighs are broad and curved. Straight or “posty” rear legs are a serious fault.  Movement:  Ground covering stride with a powerful drive emanating from a freely operating rear. Adequate reach should be evident to complement the gait.  Viewed from the front, the shoulders should remain trim and the elbows not flare out. The legs are parallel until gaiting narrows the track in proportion to increasing speed, the legs come in under the body but should never cross. The line from the shoulder down through the leg should remain straight although not necessarily perpendicular to the ground. Viewed from the rear, The hind feet should dig in and track relatively true with the front. The Bulldogge’s gait should always appear smooth and powerful, never stilted or inefficient.  Pacing or crabbing is a serious fault.  Feet:  Feet should be compact, turning neither in nor out, with well arched toes. Splayed feet a fault.  Height:  Males & Females 16 to 20 inches at the shoulder.   Weight:  Between 50 to 85 lbs.   Although height and weight above the standard is to be discouraged, there is no penalty, as long as the dog is well proportioned, otherwise correct and balanced.  Color:  Any color is acceptable with no preference for one over another.  Coat & Skin: The coat should be straight, short, flat, and smooth. (No fringe, feather, or curl) Long Coat Disqualified. Skin should be soft and loose, especially at the head, neck shoulder. Tail: Screw tail, Short, Docked, or Pump handle. No preference one over another. A tail that is curled or carried over the back is a serious fault.