The Bull Terrier was established by crossing the Bulldog and the Old English Terrier. It is also said that they have a bit of Spanish Pointer blood. These dogs were bred to attack bulls, and originated in 1830. During 1850 they were replaced with the White Cavalier. After that, the Bull Terrier has been used as guard dogs, ratters, herders and also as watchdogs. This breed performs particularly well in all of the activities.
Temperament
Bull Terriers are determined and stubborn dogs, and they have outgoing personalities. It is vital for these dogs to be socialised properly when still young, otherwise they will develop and aggressive nature later on. Seeing that these dogs are fighters by nature, they tend to be aggressive toward other dogs. Although the Bull Terrier is fine around children, they are not ideal for younger kids. The Bull Terrier may either greet strangers with a warm welcome or with a bit of hostility - this all depends on their character.
Care
This is a breed that is fairly easy to groom, and the Bull Terrier will be fine if their coat is brushed and combed on an occasional basis. The Bull Terrier is an average shedding dog, and will shed twice during the year. Loose and excessive hair can be removed by using a special rubber glove. You will notice that the white hairs are more evident than the coloured hair on furniture and on clothes.
Training
Seeing that these dogs are rather stubborn and self-governing, the Bull Terrier is very difficult to train. It is important that obedience training is started at a very early age in order to prevent problems later on. The Bull Terrier tends to have dominance issues, and therefore firm and dominant training is a must to prevent hostility when they are older. Bull Terriers are very keen to please their owners although they can be very stubborn and hard to train in any facet.
Health problems
Bull Terriers do have a few genetic and health problems that are found from time to time. A lot can be prevented if you buy your dog from a breeder with a good reputation and check the bloodlines. Some of the most common health problems include skin allergies - this breed is prone to flea and environmental allergies, obsessive compulsive disorder and deafness.
