English Bulldog History
 English Bulldog history is very interesting to say the least. The ancestor to the modern breed was the Old English Bulldog, a now extinct dog. The Old English Bulldog was bred specifically for baiting, a blood sport dating back to ancient civilizations and popular in England in the 1600's. Baiting, normally used either bulls (bull-baiting) or bears (bear-baiting) as the cornerstone animal. They were placed in a pit and tied to a pole with a limited range of motion. These pits were generally centralized in an arena where spectators could watch and even place wagers on the outcome. The Old English Bulldogs were then placed into the pit with the bull or bear at which time fighting would begin. At this point, it was kill or be killed. The dogs would try to bite and rip into flesh or bite the snout without letting go in an attempt to suffocate the other animal. The bull or bear on the other hand would try to mangle the dog by whatever means possible. Baiting remained popular until 1835 when it was made illegal.  After baiting was outlawed by the British Parliment, the demand of the Old English Bulldog was no longer needed. But there was a desire for a non-vicious, family pet version of the breed. Over time, the Old English Bulldog was bred with the pug to produce what we have today. Todays Bulldog is shorter, wider and has a much smaller muzzle than that of his ancestors. Even though he looks intimidating, the original baiting traits have all but been bred out of the breed. 
Looking back, we should be forever grateful to the few individuals in 1800's England, responsible for not letting this breed totally disappear from existence. They foresaw the many good qualities, kept them and eliminated the killer instict. For those of us who love these dogs, it is fascinating to know English Bulldog history and it's origins. Almost guaranteed, it will be forever etched in the back of our minds.
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