Bulldogs are known for looking pretty
funny. Have you ever thought that his stature and wrinkles might
be that way for a reason?
Well...they are!
Bulldogs were originally bred for bull baiting. Bull baiting is a brutal sport where bulls and bulldogs were put in an arena and battled each other, sometimes to the death. The original bulldog did not look like the ones we have today, but there are throw backs in the Olde English Bulldogge (which is not recognized by the AKC). The features on today's bulldogs have a heritage in the old sport of bull baiting.
So, why are bulldogs selectively bred to enhance these features?
Density
Strong jaws
Flat face with upturned nose
Wrinkles
Short tail and vertebral anomalies
Density
Bulldogs are squat creatures. Though very heavy (males average 55 lbs), they are relatively small. They have very dense bodies. This shortness and density gives them a low center of gravity. Why would that be important? Consider the offensive lineman of a football team. His duty is to block. He cannot tackle, he can only keep his opponent from getting past him by being an immovable object. Offensive linemen try to lower their center of gravity by getting as close to the ground as possible. It makes it harder to push or pull them over and increases their success at blocking.
During a bull baiting competition, a bull will try to push a bulldog over. With the bulldog's center of gravity, that is a very difficult task for the bull. Bulldogs also play tug-of-war with the bull's nose, and his low center of gravity makes it easier to pull backward against the strength of the bull. The bull will also try reach under the dog. The lower the dog is to the ground, the more difficult it is for the bull to get under the dog.
The bulldog will spread his legs into a broad stance and center his gravity between his legs. It is instinct in these dogs, it is not trained.
Strong jaws
If a bulldog doesn't want to let go of something in his mouth, it will take the jaws of life to pry his jaws apart. During bull baiting, a bulldog locks onto the bull's jugular and holds on for dear life. The bull will try to shake the dog off as hard as possible. With the powerful jaws a bulldog possesses, he can hold on until he is ready to release or is commanded to by his handler. As such, the first thing you need to teach your bulldog puppy is to "release" and drop whatever is in his mouth.
Flat face with upturned nose
Bulldogs are notorious for their flat faces. In fact, the skull shape causes most bulldogs to have breathing problems. But why were they bred that way? As stated above, a bulldog is bred to clamp onto the bull and hold on as long as needed. The flat face and upturned nose allows the dog to continue to breathe with the bull's fur and skin in his face.
The shape of his skill comes from flat bone malformation. It was originally a mutation that was selected for breeding.
Wrinkles
One of the key characteristics of a bulldog is the wrinkles on his face. Though they can cause serious problems due to infection in the skin folds these wrinkles actually served a purpose so were continuously selected for breeding.
While a bulldog is clamped to a bull, it has pierced the skin and drawn blood. The wrinkles are shaped to channel the blood around his eyes and away from his nose. They keep the dog from being blinded or suffocated by the blood.
Short tail and vertebral anomalies
These features are not selected for breeding but are adverse results of selecting for the facial features. Many people talk about bobbing a dog's tail. Though needed in other breeds, it is highly discouraged in the bulldog. Most bulldogs are born with a naturally bobbed tail, but the AKC does accept the larger wavy tail of some of the breed.
Well...they are!
Bulldogs were originally bred for bull baiting. Bull baiting is a brutal sport where bulls and bulldogs were put in an arena and battled each other, sometimes to the death. The original bulldog did not look like the ones we have today, but there are throw backs in the Olde English Bulldogge (which is not recognized by the AKC). The features on today's bulldogs have a heritage in the old sport of bull baiting.
So, why are bulldogs selectively bred to enhance these features?
Density
Strong jaws
Flat face with upturned nose
Wrinkles
Short tail and vertebral anomalies
Density
Bulldogs are squat creatures. Though very heavy (males average 55 lbs), they are relatively small. They have very dense bodies. This shortness and density gives them a low center of gravity. Why would that be important? Consider the offensive lineman of a football team. His duty is to block. He cannot tackle, he can only keep his opponent from getting past him by being an immovable object. Offensive linemen try to lower their center of gravity by getting as close to the ground as possible. It makes it harder to push or pull them over and increases their success at blocking.
During a bull baiting competition, a bull will try to push a bulldog over. With the bulldog's center of gravity, that is a very difficult task for the bull. Bulldogs also play tug-of-war with the bull's nose, and his low center of gravity makes it easier to pull backward against the strength of the bull. The bull will also try reach under the dog. The lower the dog is to the ground, the more difficult it is for the bull to get under the dog.
The bulldog will spread his legs into a broad stance and center his gravity between his legs. It is instinct in these dogs, it is not trained.
Strong jaws
If a bulldog doesn't want to let go of something in his mouth, it will take the jaws of life to pry his jaws apart. During bull baiting, a bulldog locks onto the bull's jugular and holds on for dear life. The bull will try to shake the dog off as hard as possible. With the powerful jaws a bulldog possesses, he can hold on until he is ready to release or is commanded to by his handler. As such, the first thing you need to teach your bulldog puppy is to "release" and drop whatever is in his mouth.
Flat face with upturned nose
Bulldogs are notorious for their flat faces. In fact, the skull shape causes most bulldogs to have breathing problems. But why were they bred that way? As stated above, a bulldog is bred to clamp onto the bull and hold on as long as needed. The flat face and upturned nose allows the dog to continue to breathe with the bull's fur and skin in his face.
The shape of his skill comes from flat bone malformation. It was originally a mutation that was selected for breeding.
Wrinkles
One of the key characteristics of a bulldog is the wrinkles on his face. Though they can cause serious problems due to infection in the skin folds these wrinkles actually served a purpose so were continuously selected for breeding.
While a bulldog is clamped to a bull, it has pierced the skin and drawn blood. The wrinkles are shaped to channel the blood around his eyes and away from his nose. They keep the dog from being blinded or suffocated by the blood.
Short tail and vertebral anomalies
These features are not selected for breeding but are adverse results of selecting for the facial features. Many people talk about bobbing a dog's tail. Though needed in other breeds, it is highly discouraged in the bulldog. Most bulldogs are born with a naturally bobbed tail, but the AKC does accept the larger wavy tail of some of the breed.