Despite the stubborn nature of the breed, the English Bulldog is actually a very docile breed that has been extremely popular since the 1800's. Now a member of the non-sporting group and a devoted family pet, they were at one time bred for their ferocious and courageous traits. Literature from 1609 has the earliest reference to the English Bulldog.

The English Bulldog was originally bred for the purpose of helping butchers control unruly oxen, as a guard dog and as a hunting companion. The name of the breed actually comes from when they were used to fight the bull in a sport called baiting which was outlawed in 1835. In the year 1976, the English Bulldog was finally accepted as a member of the American Kennel Club. There is much to consider when it comes to this complex dog breed.

The English Bulldog can do well in apartments as long as they get the occasional walk outside or to the park. The English Bulldog is not particular keen on exercise since they don't have a lot of energy. Rather the English Bulldog prefers to spend much of its time just lounging around the house. They do enjoy the company of family and are excellent pets if you have children in the household. If strangers come near, the English Bulldog will alert the family by barking and growling.

Although they tend not to attack since their imposing figure is generally enough to scare off any threats. They typically stand twelve to sixteen inches at the shoulder and weight between fifty to sixty pounds when full grown. They are typically a medium sized dog that has a stocky build and broad chest.

They have a stocky build and broad chest, making them a medium sized dog. They have a bowlegged appearance with a tail that is often curled. Coat colors for the English Bulldog range from liver, tan, black, white and a combination of colors.

One area where the English Bulldog is lacking is obedience training. This is because the English Bulldog is a rather stubborn breed that doesn't follow instructions easily. Some attribute their unresponsiveness to mean the breed isn't smart. The lack of response however, just means that they are very smart and prefer to think things all the way through before acting.

Unfortunately the popularity of the breed has increased the number of disreputable breeders who don't focus on the dog's temperament. Therefore, there has been an increase in aggression among the breed. The key to reducing this aggression is to only get your dog from reputable breeders and properly socialize them when they are young. With proper care and training your English Bulldog can live a long eight to ten years.

Your English Bulldog can live to be about eight to ten years with proper care and training. A health concern that you need to be aware of with the English Bulldog is heat illness which occurs if they are exposed to excessive environment temperatures and don't have a way to quickly dissipate the heat.