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The Bull Terrier is a breed of dog in the terrier family. A thick-set muscular, well-proportioned animal, the Bull Terrier has a short, dense coat that comes in pure white, black, brindle, red, fawn and tri-color. Its most distinctive feature is its head, which is almost flat at the top, sloping evenly down to the end of the nose with no stop. The eyes are small, dark, almond-shaped and closely set. The body is full and round, while the shoulders are robust and muscular and the tail is carried horizontally.
Appearance: Bull Terriers are thick-set and muscular
with a short, dense coat. Acceptable colours are white, (skin
pigmentation and markings on the head are not to be penalised
in the show ring in the UK), any colour other than white, or
any colour with white markings (although Blue and liver highly
undesirable).
The AKC specifies that if all other things are equal, the
brindle coat is preferred. (White is preferred in the UK)
This terrier's most distinctive feature is its head,
described as 'egg shaped' when viewed from the front, almost
flat at the top, with a Roman muzzle sloping evenly down to
the end of the nose with no stop. The unique triangular eyes
are small, dark, and closely set. The body is full and round,
while the shoulders are robust and muscular and the tail is
carried horizontally. It walks with a jaunty gait, and is
popularly known as the 'gladiator of the canine race'.
There is no set height or weight of the breed but the
average is, Height: 20-24 inches (51-61 cm.), Weight: 45-70
pounds (20-32 kg.)
Sometimes bull terriers are mistaken to be American Pit
Bull Terriers, but they are separate breeds (although
related); both are generally friendly.
Temperament: Bull Terriers are friendly dogs with a
wonderful sense of humour. Their physical strength is matched
by their intelligence, and both body and mind need to be kept
active. They can be obstinate and are not ideal dogs for the
first-time owner. As a breed they are generally placid but it
has to be remembered that they were originally bred as
fighting dogs therefore they will react if challenged but they
will not normally make the first move.
They are very affectionate dogs and love company so it is
not a good idea to leave them alone for long periods of time
as with their strong jaws they can cause lots of damage if
bored. Bull Terriers are one of the better breeds of dogs to
have around children, but like all pets a watchful eye is
always needed.
Health: Bull Terriers are generally free of
disabling genetic diseases. All puppies should be checked for
deafness, as this sometimes occurs (most commonly in pure
white dogs) and is difficult to notice, especially in a
relatively young puppy. A common problem to many Bull Terriers
is a tendency to develop skin allergies. Insect bites, such as
fleas, and sometimes mosquitoes and mites, can produce a
generalized allergic response of hives, rash, and itching.
This condition can be stopped by keeping the dog free of
contact from these insects, but this is definitely a
consideration in climates or circumstances where exposure to
these insects is inevitable. Their lifespan is somewhere
between 10 and 14 years, although they can live longer -- the
oldest bitch on record being an Australian housepet dubbed
"Puppa Trout" who remained sprightly into her 17th
year.
The Bull terrier's coat is easy to maintain, but grooming
can keep it in near-perfect condition. Adding oils to their
meals can also vastly improve the quality of their coat. The
Bull Terrier requires a fair amount of exercise, but
overworking the dog at a young age will cause strained
muscles. Older dogs do require exercise, but in small doses,
whereas younger ones will be happy to play for hours on end.
The breed is renown for being extremely greedy; be sure to
maintain a good balance of exercise and food, or the dog can
become overweight. Also, be sure to check ears, eyes, nose and
mouth every day for signs of infection.
Although Bull Terriers will be happy to eat anything, it is
best to feed them a homemade meal, consisting of brown rice
and pasta, fresh vegetables, eggs and a small amount of olive
oil. Feeding the dog a wholesome meal will greatly improve
their appearance, and combined with exercise and a warm bed,
you will find yourself in the company of an extremely happy
dog. When it is said a Bull Terries will eat anything, it is
true. Many of these dogs will eat inedible, noxious objects
like plastic or wood or worst. It is a condition called pica.
As a result of this condition, a dog can experience intestinal
blockage: a build up of foriegn objects in the animal's
stomach that prevents it from moving its bowels. It is serious
and requires surgery.
Common Ailments: Deafness, Umbilical Hernia and Acne. Bull
Terriers can also suffer from Obsessive complusive behavior,
such as tail chasing, self mutilation, and obsessive licking.
History: The now extinct breeds Old English Bulldog
and Old English Terrier were crossed to form a new breed of
dog called the Bull and Terrier. It is also known that
Dalmatian comes into their genetics, and this can be seen by
looking on the stomach area, where dark, spotted pigment can
be seen on the skin.
Around 1860, the Bull and Terrier breed split into two
branches, the pure white Bull Terrier and the coloured forms
that lived on for another seventy years in the dog fighting
pits until they finally were recognized as a legitimate dog
breed called the Staffordshire Bull Terrier.
Pedigrees of Bull Terriers date from the period during
which the English Stud books were first written (circa
1874-6). Although the breed was developed from fighting dogs,
the Bull Terrier was intended to be a showdog and companion.
Miscellaneous:
Although the name causes confusion, Bull Terriers are
not directly related to American Pit Bull Terriers. Both
breeds do, however, descend from the same ancestors.
There is also a miniature version of this breed; this
distinct breed is officially known as the Bull Terrier
(Miniature).
Bull Terriers feature in several movies, including:
"Oliver!", "The Incredible Journey",
"Patton", "Babe: Pig in the City",
"Next Friday"and "Frankenweenie".
Bull Terriers have also featured in television shows
such as the 1970s television show "Baa Baa Black
Sheep", in the opening credits of the British
television show "Barking Mad", and in the short
lived Fox series "Keen Eddie".
The Bull Terrier is the only recognized breed with
triangular eyes.
The Bull Terrier is one of several breeds in which the
dog (male) and bitch (female) must have distinctly
different appearances.
Famous Bull Terriers:
Blue
Bullseye
Patsy Ann
Rude Dog
Spuds MacKenzie
Willie (William the Conqueror), owned by General George
S. Patton
Sergeant Stubby
Fauntleroy, a dog Peter Fox babysat a few times from
FoxTrot
Best in Show: Champion Rocky Top's Sundance Kid - aka
"Rufus" - Bull Terrier (Colored) - 2006
Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show
Grimm, from the cartoon Mother Goose and Grimm by Mike
Peters.
Marc Jacobs has two bull terriers; Daisy and Alfred
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