History And Origin Of The Bulldog
According to many historians, the bulldog breeds originate form the fighting dog breeds of the Greek Molossian dogs and the “pugnace britannicci” of British origins. However, it was not until the year 1632 when the word bulldog was first mentioned in writing in a letter from San Sebastian, Spain. In that letter, the word bulldog was used to refer to those fighting dogs that are smaller than the mastiff.
In the beginning, the bulldog has been used primarily for bull baiting because of its capacity to bite strongly and do not let go of the nose of the bull. Technically, the general built of the bulldog is such that it can actually hang on to its prey with such ferocity and do not let go. If you take a look at a bulldog, you will notice that it has a short and wide nose that allows it to breath even when its mouth is latched on its prey. The wrinkles around its neck are very suitable in protecting its vital organs during a fight. Furthermore, the squat solid limbs of the bulldog gives it stability and help it keep out of the harms way when the bull tries to retaliate during a fight.
The Bulldog As A Bullfighter
In the 17th and 18th century, bullfighting was very popular that almost very town have their own bullring where they hold some bullfighting activity. Unfortunately, as the bulldog was seen as a suitable bullfighter, most people began keeping bulldogs for bullfighting purposes. This cruelty to animals went on for many years that all over the world, bulldogs became few in the long run. Thankfully, the British parliament passed a law that banned animal fighting, as it is a form of cruelty towards animals. However, although the law has been passed, there are still some underground organizations that still continue to use the bulldog for animal fighting. Luckily, animal fighting did not drive the bulldog into extinction.
Some of the members of the British dog fancy community helped in promoting the renaissance of the bulldog. These dog lovers selected specimens of bulldog characters and used it to breed a new type of bulldog, which are the bullmastiff and the bull terrier. As more and more people come to view the bulldog not just as a fighting dog, the bulldog is now seen in another light. People begin to see the bulldog as a sheep in a wolf’s coat. Although the bulldog may appear to be ferocious in the outside, it is actually very good tempered and kind in the inside. In fact, over the years, the bulldog has been viewed with more respect especially on its courageous nature and loyalty to its owner. For more about bulldog temperament, please read separate article.
