Aug
Bulls And Dogs: The Origins Of The Bulldog
Bulldogs are heavy set, muscular dogs that typically have a wrinkled face and short nose. Bulldogs can be aggressive but when trained, they are very loveable and make great companions.
The bulldogs origins date back to 1500 in England, where it was spelled as Bondogge and Bolddogge. In modern day spelling, bulldogs were mentioned in a letter by Preswick Eaton in 1631 or 1632. The original bulldogs were thought to be so violent that they were almost unresponsive to pain; thus, bulldogs were used for dog fighting. The sport was so savage that dog fighting in England was banned in 1835 by the Cruelty to Animals Act. However, in the New World, bulldogs were used for a sport called bull baiting. In this betting sport, the dog was to attack a bull that was tied to a post, where they would fight to the death.
In 17th century New York, bulldogs were used to gather dangerous wild bulls that were invading the city. This job was too dangerous for humans; therefore, bulldogs were trained to corner and hold the bull by the snout until a rope was placed around the neck.
The original bulldogs were soon bred with the Pug, making the resulting dog thicker and shorter, all while maintaining the athletic abilities.
