American Bulldog. Abe Fishman
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Bulldogs in England were originally working dogs who drove and caught cattle and guarded their masters’ property. The breed’s strength, courage and familiarity with livestock led to its popularity in the brutal sport of bullbaiting. When this sport was outlawed in England, the original type of Bulldog disappeared from Britain and was replaced with the shorter, stockier, less athletic dog we now know as the English Bulldog.
An impressive head on a Dutch-bred American Bulldog.
The original Bulldog, however, was preserved by working class immigrants who brought their working dogs with them to the American South. Small farmers and ranchers used this all-around working dog for many tasks. By the end of World War II, however, the breed was almost extinct. Mr. John D. Johnson, a returning war veteran, decided to resurrect this breed. Along with Alan Scott and several other breeders, Johnson began carefully to breed American Bulldogs, keeping careful records and always with an eye for maintaining the breed’s health and working abilities.
Because of the many different types of work this breed can do, several distinct lines evolved, each emphasizing the traits needed to do a specific job. The best known lines are usually referred to as the Johnson and Scott types. The Johnson dogs are more massive, with a larger, broader head and shorter muzzle, and a definite undershot bite. The Scott dogs were somewhat lighter in musculature and bone than the Johnson dogs, with a less Mastiff-like head. Today, however, most American Bulldogs have crosses to two or more of these lines and are not as easily distinguishable.
The modern American Bulldog continues to serve as an all-purpose working dog; a fearless and steady guard dog; and a loyal family companion.
The American Bulldog was recognized by the United Kennel Club on January 1, 1999.
GENERAL APPEARANCE
The American Bulldog is a powerful, athletic short-coated dog, strongly muscled and well boned. The body is just slightly longer than tall. The head is large and broad with a wide muzzle. Ears are small to medium in size, high set, and may be drop, semi-prick, rose or cropped. The tail may be docked or natural. The American Bulldog comes in solid colors, white with colored patches and brindle. Gender differences are well expressed in this breed, with males typically larger and more muscular than females. Honorable scars resulting from field work are not to be penalized. The American Bulldog should be evaluated as a working dog and exaggerations or faults should be penalized in proportion to how much they interfere with the dog’s ability to work.
CHARACTERISTICS
The essential characteristics of the American Bulldog are those which enable it to work as a hog and cattle catching dog, and a protector of personal property. These tasks require a powerful, agile, confident dog with a large head and powerful jaws. The American Bulldog is a gentle, loving family companion who is fearless enough to face an angry bull or a human intruder. Note: It is common for young American Bulldogs to be somewhat standoffish with strangers and judges should not penalize this. By the time the dog is around 18 months of age, however, the breed’s normal confidence asserts itself. Disqualifications: Viciousness or extreme shyness; cowardice.
HEAD
The head is large and broad, giving the impression of great power. When viewed from the side, the skull and muzzle are parallel to one another and joined by a well-defined stop. The stop is very deep and abrupt, almost at a right angle with the muzzle. Despite the depth of the stop, the forehead is wider than it is high.
The broad head, relatively short muzzle, muscular cheeks and large jaws contribute to the overall expression so distinct in the breed.
An American Bulldog should appear confident and self-assured, like the Bulldog shown here.
Skull: The skull is large, flat, deep and broad between the ears. Viewed from the top, the skull is square. There is a deep median furrow that diminishes in depth from the stop to the occiput. Cheek muscles are prominent.
Muzzle: The muzzle is broad and thick with a very slight taper from the stop to the nose. The length of the muzzle is equal to 35 to 45 percent of the length of the head. Lips are moderately thick but not pendulous. The chin is well defined and must neither overlap the upper lip nor be covered by it.
The American Bulldog should have a complete set of large, evenly spaced, strong teeth. His large nose has wide nostrils; this dog’s dark nose is a desirable color.
Teeth: The American Bulldog has a complete set of large, evenly spaced white teeth. The preferred bite is undershot with the inside of the lower incisors extending in front of the upper incisors up to one-quarter inch. A scissors bite is acceptable. A level bite and extreme undershot bite are considered faults to the degree that the bite interferes with the dog’s ability to work. Teeth are not visible when the mouth is closed. Worn teeth or broken teeth are acceptable. Disqualification: Overshot.
Nose: The nose is large with wide, open nostrils. The nose may be any color but darker pigment is preferred.
Eyes: Eyes are medium in size, round and set well apart. All colors are acceptable but brown is preferred. Haw is not visible. Dark eye rims are preferred. Faults: Very visible haws.
Ears: Ears may be cropped but natural ears are preferred. Natural ears are small to medium in size, high set, and may be drop, semi-prick or rose.
Drop ears: The ears are set high, level with the upper line of the skull, accentuating the skull’s width. At the base, the ear is just slightly raised in front and then hangs along the cheek. The tip is slightly rounded. When pulled toward the eye, the ear should not extend past the outside corner of the eye.
Semi-prick ears: Same as drop ears except that only the tips of the ears drop forward.
Rose ears: Rose ears are small and set high on the skull. Fault: Hound ears.
NECK
The neck is where the American Bulldog exerts power to bring down livestock. The neck must be long enough to exert leverage, but short enough to exert power. The neck is muscular and, at its widest point, is nearly as broad as the head, with a slight arch at the crest, and tapering slightly from shoulders to the head. A slight dewlap is acceptable. Faults: Neck too short and thick; thin or weak neck.
The neck must be long enough to exert leverage, but short enough to exert power.
FOREQUARTERS
The shoulders are strong and well muscled. The shoulder blade is well laid back and forms, with the upper arm, an apparent 90-degree angle. The tips of the shoulder blades are set about 2 to 3 finger-widths apart.
The forelegs are heavily boned and very muscular. The elbows are set on a plane parallel to the body, neither close to the body nor turned out. Viewed from the front, the forelegs are perpendicular to the ground or may, especially in a dog with a very broad chest, incline slightly inward. The pasterns are short, powerful and slightly sloping