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As its name suggests, the American Bulldog has a beefy, striking, muscular and powerful build and is medium in size. It reaches a height of up to 71 cm and weighs between 27 and 58 kg.
Although he may seem a bit scary at first glance, the American Bulldog is an extremely gentle, sensitive and intelligent dog, especially towards his family. In their environment he is extremely loyal, involved, difficult to provoke and gets along well with children.
As its name suggests, the American Bulldog has a beefy, striking, muscular and powerful build and is medium in size. It reaches a height of up to 71 cm and weighs between 27 and 58 kg.
The coat of the Bulldog is always short, close-fitting, shiny and very dense. However, as for the color, it is not so clear. Since the dog breed is not recognized by most governing bodies, there is no uniform standard. This results in very many different lines, which also vary in appearance depending on the application. Therefore, the coat of the dogs can be white, brindle, fawn, brown, red, and furthermore, solid or multicolored. The lines also differ in terms of physique, as there are slimmer and bulkier variants. Some also have a pronounced pre-bite, though the typical American Bulldog tends not to have one.
An American Bulldog from a serious breeding will live between 10 and 15 years.
Although he may seem a bit scary at first glance, the American Bulldog is an extremely gentle, sensitive and intelligent dog, especially towards his family. In their environment he is extremely loyal, involved, difficult to provoke and gets along well with children. However, if he meets strangers who are not welcomed by his family, the strong dog defends his territory vehemently. In general, the Bulldog can be prone to dominance. If there is a clear hierarchy, however, he subordinates himself and is a very pleasant, obedient companion.
He may become aggressive towards other dogs, especially dogs of the same sex, if not habituated to contact early.
In the case of poor or even abusive breeding, dogs have unfortunately been deliberately made aggressive, which has caused them to be unjustly discredited and
they also become dangerous if necessary. However, the nature of the original Bulldogs, like today’s dogs from serious breeding and with good education, are anything but. On the contrary, they are even very good companion and family dogs.
Keeping an American Bulldog requires experience. Although the dogs are basically gentle and friendly, you should not disregard their self-confidence and strength. If you don’t let your dog know from the start that you are above him in the pecking order, his dominance can quickly become a problem. However, make sure to train him with loving consistency and not harshness in order to achieve a strong bond.
As for interacting with other dogs, you should get your Bulldog used to it as early as possible, for example in a dog school.
You should also make sure that your dog is sufficiently exercised both mentally and physically, because otherwise he likes to chew on furniture and bark to himself. Occasional, short walks are not enough for him. If you want to do dog sports with your Bulldog, be aware that not all lines are suitable for every sport and it’s best to ask your veterinarian for an assessment. It is also relatively sensitive to heat.
American Bulldogs can also be trained as therapy dogs.
As for his home, the American Bulldog is relatively flexible. He can also be kept in a rented apartment, but optimal would be a garden where he can move freely. Just keep in mind that this should be well and high demarcated, because the dogs can sometimes jump very high.
The American Bulldog does not have particularly high demands on its food. Whether you use dry, wet or home-cooked food, however, you should make sure your dog is getting enough protein and that meat is the main component of the diet. Since the dogs are often also very greedy, you should always keep an eye on the weight. For the amount you should follow the activity and recommendations on the package.
Also, make sure your dog rests after eating, as the breed is prone to gastric torsion.
The coat of the American Bulldog is extremely low-maintenance. It is quite enough to brush or comb your dog every now and then, to remove dead hair and prevent parasite infestation. When grooming with a nubbed glove, in addition to grooming your dog’s coat, you can also do something good by strengthening your bond with him with a massage.
It is also recommended to get your Bulldog used to occasional bathing at an early age, in case it is ever necessary with heavy dirt. In this case, use mild dog shampoo.
In addition, it’s best to stock up on ear and eye cleaners, as American Bulldogs are prone to tearing and ear infections.
Breed-typical diseases are rather unknown in the American Bulldog. However, this could be due to the fact that very little is known about it. Only the white American Bulldogs suffer slightly more often from hearing loss and allergies.
With good breeding, many diseases are ruled out by examinations before birth. Due to the lack of standards and transparency, the responsibility for the health of the dogs is mostly in the hands of the breeders alone.
Like all other Great Danes, the American Bulldog descends from guard and shepherd dogs in ancient Greece. Their use in fights against bulls gave rise to their name “Bulldog”. British settlers eventually brought the dogs to the United States, where they were crossed with a wide variety of breeds. Depending on the lineage, the dogs were used there as hunting dogs, guard dogs, show dogs and especially companion and family dogs. Sadly, however, they have also been abused time and again for dog fighting or fighting with other animals.
To date, it has not been possible to define its own breed-typical characteristics of the American Bulldog, which is why it is not recognized as a separate breed by the most important associations, only by the United Kennel Club from the USA. However, since this has been repeatedly associated with dog fighting, it should be viewed very critically.
The American Bulldog is an extremely bright, very loyal and gentle dog that needs connection with his people and with whom you can build a very close bond. With a little experience and consistency, you can keep his dominance in check and gain a loyal companion who wants to read your every wish from your eyes.
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