The Old English Bulldog is an extinct

breed A breed is a specific group of domestic animals having homogeneous appearance (phenotype), homogeneous behavior, and/or other characteristics that distinguish it from other organisms of the same species. In literature, there exist several slig ...

of dog.

Physical characteristics

The Old English Bulldog was compact, broad and muscular, as reflected in the painting '' Crib and Rosa''. Through John Scott's

engraving Engraving is the practice of incising a design onto a hard, usually flat surface by cutting grooves into it with a burin. The result may be a decorated object in itself, as when silver, gold, steel, or glass are engraved, or may provide an in ...

, this painting became the best-known and most reproduced painting of dogs from that period. As described in the Philo-kuon standard from 1865, the average height was approximately , and they weighed about .

History

Circle of James Ward (1769-1859) British

The

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ...

blood sport A blood sport or bloodsport is a category of sport or entertainment that involves bloodshed. Common examples of the former include combat sports such as cockfighting and dog fighting, and some forms of hunting and fishing. Activities char ...

bull-baiting Bull-baiting is a blood sport involving pitting a bull against dogs. History England Crowds in London during the Royal Entry of James VI and I in March 1604 were entertained by bull-baiting. During the time of Queen Anne, bull-baiting w ...

allowed for a specialized breed in the form of the Old English Bulldog. The main locations in

London London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...

for these exhibitions were the

Westminster Pit The Westminster Pit was a well-known blood sport arena in nineteenth-century London, England. It reached a zenith of popularity between 1820 and 1830, and hosted such spectacles as dog-fighting, cock-fighting, bear-baiting, badger-baiting, monk ...

, Beargarden and Old Conduit Fields.

Breeding

Historians are fairly confident that the Old English Bulldog is derived from ancient

war dog Dogs in warfare have a very long history starting in ancient times. From being trained in combat, to their use as scouts, sentries, messengers, mercy dogs, and trackers, their uses have been varied and some continue to exist in modern military ...

s, such as the old Mastiff or the extinct Alaunt dog. 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.

Description

Two other recognized members of the breed can be seen in the 1817 painting '' Crib and Rosa'', with Rosa exemplifying the form and size of the ideal type of Old English Bulldog, albeit deficient in wrinkles about the head and neck and in substance of bone in the limbs. Many authors bring us descriptions about the extinct bulldog, but this description by William Hamilton Maxwell stands out as one of the most extensive: Thomas Clayton - Kennel Boy And Bulldogs

Thomas Clayton - Kennel Boy And Bulldogs

Decline

In England, the passage of the

Cruelty to Animals Act 1835 The Cruelty to Animals Act 1835 was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom (5 & 6 Will. 4, c. 59), intended to protect animals, and in particular cattle, from mistreatment. Its long title is An Act to Consolidate and Amend the Several ...

caused a decline of bull-baiting and

dog fighting Dog fighting is a type of blood sport that turns game and fighting dogs against each other in a physical fight, generally to the death, for the purposes of gambling or entertainment to the spectators. In rural areas, fights are often staged i ...

, leading to a lack of interest in perpetuating the Old English Bulldog. Three dogs from the

Duke of Hamilton Duke of Hamilton is a title in the Peerage of Scotland, created in April 1643. It is the senior dukedom in that peerage (except for the Dukedom of Rothesay held by the Sovereign's eldest son), and as such its holder is the premier peer of Sco ...

's strain of Old English Bulldog, Wasp, Child, and Billy, were depicted in a painting and recognized as some of the last known members of the breed before it became

extinct Extinction is the termination of a kind of organism or of a group of kinds (taxon), usually a species. The moment of extinction is generally considered to be the death of the last individual of the species, although the capacity to breed and ...

. Despite the laws making dog fighting illegal, it continued for many years. Breeders determined a cross between the Old English Bulldog and

Old English Terrier The Black and Tan Terrier was a broad breed or type of terrier that was one of the earliest terriers breeds. Although it is now extinct, it is believed to be the ancestor of all modern Fell Terrier breeds and the Welsh Terrier, a breed recogni ...

created a superior fighting dog with increased quickness and dexterity. This new breed of dog, called the

bull and terrier Bull and terrier was a common name for bulldog and terrier crossbreeds of the early 1800s. Other names included half-and-halfs and half-breds. It was a time in history when, for thousands of years, dogs were classified by use or function, un ...

, was a precursor to the Staffordshire Bull Terrier,

Bull Terrier The Bull Terrier is a breed of dog in the terrier family. There is also a miniature version of this breed which is officially known as the Miniature Bull Terrier. Appearance The Bull Terrier's most recognizable feature is its head, descri ...

and

American Pit Bull Terrier The American Pit Bull Terrier (APBT) is a dog breed recognized by the United Kennel Club (UKC) and the American Dog Breeders Association (ADBA), but not the American Kennel Club (AKC). It is a medium-sized, short-haired dog, of a solid build ...

and accelerated the extinction of the Old English Bulldog.

English Bulldog

Often confused with the Old English Bulldog, the English Bulldog is noted for its sweet disposition; it does not have the speed and agility that were the definitive characteristics of the Old English Bulldog.

References

External links

A Brief History of the Bulldog
{{Extinct breeds of dog Dog fighting breeds Dog breeds originating in England Bulldog breeds Extinct dog breeds