With its large egg-shaped head, the Bull Terrier is a breed that is as unique in appearance as it is character in the canine world. He is both a gladiator and a clown among the Terriers. Due to its extremely stubborn and dominant nature, combined with a primal strength, it is certainly a dog that needs a clear owner. With a solid and consistent upbringing, with love and understanding for its unique and not always easy character, the Bull Terrier can grow into a fantastic versatile dog.
History of the Bull Terrier
Around 1830 when it ”bull biting”, the fighting between dogs and bulls became banned and dog fighting became popular in England, there was a need for a more agile, faster and smaller breed, which also needed a lot of strength and stamina. It was obtained by the Bull (the ”old english”) to cross with Terriers. This ” Bull Terrier ” did not have the look of the Bull Terrier today. It had a lot longer legs and a lot less elongated head.
Around 1850, one James Hinks, the now extinct White Terrier, to cross. He is therefore considered the creator of the breed. After this, many more breeds were crossed, including hunting dogs such as the Barsoi, the Dalmatian and the Greyhound which have given the Bull Terrier its unique look today. It is not entirely certain which dogs were used further. Mr. Hinks was the only one who knew and did not reveal the secret before his death.
Character of the Bull Terrier
The Bull Terrier, like most Terriers, is extremely stubborn and willful. One should be well aware of this when purchasing a copy. It is therefore preferably a dog for the to experience owner. If you want a dog that is docile, submissive and easy to put under an apple, look further! However, this does not mean that the animal cannot be taught things. Training just takes a lot of time. You need to have a lot of patience during the education of the Bull Terrier and it is important that you have a pretty solid footing. Good socialization is a must because of its dominant and sturdy character!
Kicking and hitting education will make the animal neurotic and unreliable. The dog will never forgive you for this and unexpectedly present the bill. It is a dog that wants to get the best out of life and has an enormous will of its own. If the Bull Terrier has something in his head that he wants or that excites him, he is, as it were, ” East Indian deaf ” or in ” in ” trance ”, and is almost impossible to dissuade . It is a quality of which you can see the humor best. There is no point in annoying. It’s the nature of the beast.
It is also a dog that has a lot of energy and likes naughty adventures. If he cannot release that energy, he will start to express this in the form of undesirable behavior such as demolishing your interior or obsessively chasing the tail. Their love for people (and especially children) is enormous. Because of the extreme hardiness of the breed, one should keep an eye out for rough games with very small children.
With regard to conspecifics and other pets, especially those smaller than the Bull Terrier itself, caution is advised. The Bull Terrier has quite a dominant and possessive disposition, and there were true fighting dogs among its ancestors. Hence, he does not let the cheese eat from his bread. As befits a true fighting dog, an attack will come unexpectedly, as if from nowhere. Due to its speed, strength and enormous tenacity, this will not end well for most opponents. If one can handle these characteristics of the animal and if one is able to spend a lot of time with and in the Bull Terrier, then he will give this back to you in the form of a big chunk of dog love and a companion for life!
Types of Bull Terrier
The Bull Terrier was bred in a variety of sizes from the start. Hence there is also a smaller version, the ”Miniature Bull Terrier”. In addition to the white shape, there are different colors of Bull Terriers. Black, brindle (” Brindle ”), reddish-brown, roe-colored (” Fawn ”) or black-brown (” Black-and-Tan ”).
Physical
Bull Terriers are extremely compact and muscular dogs. In proportion to their body weight and size, they have the most muscle of all dog breeds! In the breed standard it is not specified how big the animal should be or what it should weigh. The weight varies between 8 and 32 kilos with a height of 40 to 56 centimeters (the Miniature Bull Terrier 35.5 cm).
Due to the fact that they are medium in size and do not bark much, they are not ideal watchdogs. The Bull Terrier has a short-haired coat that is not much in terms of grooming. An occasional brushing with a rubber bubble brush is sufficient. The life expectancy of the Bull Terrier is 10 to 15 years old.
Bull Terrier health
As with most purebred dogs, the Bull Terrier suffers as a result breeding through and inbreeding often with genetic problems. The white specimens should be tested for deafness. Many have skin problems in the form of red subcutaneous bumps that must be treated with cortisones. Kidney disease, heart disease and epilepsy are common. Finally, they have a predisposition to obsessive compulsive behaviors such as tail chasing or unexplained phobias.
It is therefore wise to buy a Bull Terrier from a well-recognized breeder with the correct papers of origin.