Old English Bulldog

Old English Bulldog

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The Old English Bulldog is for all intents and purposes an extinct breed of dog. The Olde English Bulldogge should be alert, with a symmetrical, well-proportioned body. The dog should be cobby, but have the appearance of an athlete. The head is large and square in proportion to the body. Deeply sunken between the eyes, extending up the forehead and moderately wrinkled. Its jaw muscles are large. The lower jaw turns up and is protruding. 

The bite is square, but undershot, with large tusks. The eyes are low and wide set. Its forehead is flat, while its muzzle is short and broad. The ears may be either rose or button and should be set high and wide. Dewlap will have two folds. Its neck should be short and nearly as wide as the head, while the shoulders are very broad and muscular. Its front legs may be slightly bowed or straight. The ribs should be well-rounded and the chest wide and deep, while the back is short, slightly arched and strong. Its belly should be well tucked up. 

The thighs are very muscular and the rear legs neither pigeon-toed nor cow-hocked. Tails must be straight. Its coat can be short and close or medium and fine, and comes in gray, black, brindle of red, brindle spots on white, fawn, red or black solid or with white. Pink noses and pink skin around the eyes are undesirable, but it is not a disqualification. The coat is short, close and medium fine. Colors include brindle of red, grey, or black. Brindle spots on white. Solid white. Fawn, red or black, solid or with white. Pink noses and pink skin around eyes are undesirable, but not a disqualification.

Appearance: The Old English Bulldog was extremely compact, broad and muscular as reflected in the well-known depiction “Crib and Rosa.” The average height was approximately 16 inches and they weighed about 45 pounds. A particular characteristic of the breed was the lower jaw that projected considerably in front of the upper jaw, which made possible a strong, vice-like grip. The nose was deeply set, which allowed the dog to get enough air as it gripped the bull.

May be susceptible to “bloat” – a painful and often fatal condition that can be brought on by too large a quantity of food consumed at one time. Like in all large breeds, hip dysplasia sometimes occurs. Breeders are working hard to keep it out of the Olde English Bulldogge, therefore, no dog with bad hips is bred.

History: The English blood sport of bull-baiting allowed for a specialized breed in the form of the Old English Bulldog. The main locations in London for these exhibitions were Westminster Pit, Bear Garden and Old Conduit Fields. The Olde English Bulldogge is a very new and rare breed developed by David Leavitt through the crossing half English Bulldog, and the other half: Bullmastiff, Pit Bull, and American Bulldog. In 1971 he became disenchanted with English Bulldogs due to their breeding and breathing problems. 

He discovered that they didn’t look like their ancestors who were healthier and less extreme. David’s goal was to produce a dog with the looks of the 18th century bulldog, with the temperament of today’s English Bulldogs, yet healthy, without breathing problems, or all the other aliments today’s English Bulldogs are prone to. This new breed can now breathe. They will never be like hounds, able to run for miles during the hottest weather of summer, but they’re three times better than the restricted modern Bulldog. 

Cesarean section births are not necessary. Artificial insemination, due to male ineptness and lack of drive, has been replaced by natural ties. Life span is over eleven years. All breeding stock have had hip x-rays. No dog with bad hips is bred. David says he is now achieving his goal of producing a Bulldog with the health and temperament to be able to serve people, instead of forcing people to serve him.

Breeding: Historians are fairly confident that the Old English Bulldog is derived from ancient war dogs, such as, the old Mastiff or Alaunt. Others believe that the true origin of the breed is not entirely clear. Depictions in old prints show that the variety was without doubt a small Mastiff, with a comparatively long head. 

The word ‘Mastiff’ was eventually dropped when describing these smaller Mastiffs, as the Mastiff proper was found too slow for bull-baiting. Eventually, the Greyhound was crossed into the breed increasing the mastiff’s speed, without losing the breed’s ferocity. This step reduced the Old English Bulldog’s size and weight, with the Greyhounds features seen in specimens of that time.

Description: Two other recognized members of the breed ‘Crib and Rosa’ can be seen in a painting of that period, with Rosa being considered to represent perfection in the shape, make, and size of the ideal type of Old English Bulldog; however, being deficient in wrinkles about the head and neck and in substance of bone in the limbs.

Decline: In England, the passage of the Humane Act of 1835 caused a decline of bull-baiting and dog fighting leading to a lack of interest in perpetuating the Old English Bulldog. Three dogs from the Duke of Hamilton’s strain of Old English Bulldog, ‘Wasp, Child, and Billy,’ were famously depicted in a painting and recognized as some of the last known members of the breed before they became extinct.

Despite the laws making dog fighting illegal the activity continued for many years. Breeders determined a cross between the Old English Bulldog and Terrier created a superior fighting dog with increased quickness and dexterity. This new breed of dog called the Bull and Terrier and precursor to the Bull Terrier and Pit Bull Terrier accelerated the extinction of the Old English Bulldog.

Reincarnations: Several breeders are attempting to recreate this extinct breed with some success. However, it should be noted that these recreations are not the Old English Bulldog, as the genetics from this breed are extinct.

Wilkinson Bulldog: Lolly Wilkinson of Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada, has been breeding a strain of Bulldog referred to as the Wilkinson Bulldog, for many years that is similar to the Old English Bulldog. Due to the small number of bulldogs and the potential for inbreeding it is of questionable quality; however, the Wilkinsons claim that it is a healthy breed and suffers few genetic diseases. In addition, the breed is not recognized by any major kennels. Whether this breed will gain worldwide popularity and more people accept that this is the real Bulldog, remains to be seen.

Olde English Bulldogge: The contemporary recreation of the breed is called the Olde English Bulldogge. A well-researched line-breeding program, with the aim of recreating the Old English Bulldog, was started in the 1970s. This modern day version with its similar physical abilities does not include the violent temperament of the Old English Bulldog. This recreation was done by inter breeding the healthiest bulldogs, Bullmastiffs and Pitbulls.

There are several other recreations but none have become popular, including but not limited too, Dorset Thyme Bulldog, Renaissance Bulldog, Victorian Bulldog and Winston Olde English Bulldogge.

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