Bull Terriers were bred in England in the 19th Century. Earlier the bull terriers tend to be aggressive and possessed more of a fighting personality. Today, in the 21stCentury, these breeds are now gentle, loving, and caring. But, as of their ancestors, they are still fearless and strong by nature.
Also, they are now preferred as family pets!
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What Breeds Make a Bull Terrier?
It was around 1835 when there was a crossbreed proposed between English terriers and bulldogs. And this resulted in the breed of Bull Terriers. Bull Terriers are endearing, rambunctious, and loyal companions.
They are a mischievous breed and are prone to draw attention with their physique and appeal. They usually grow up to have a height of 21 to 22 inches and a weight maximum of up to 70 pounds. This breed can live for around 12 to 13 years.
There is more to this breed that you must know to understand the making of them. Therefore, this article intends to put up a clear explanation to help you understand what breeds make a bull terrier and why they were chosen! So, follow till the end to get answers for the same!
Facts Associated With Bull Terriers Making
Here are some supporting facts to help you understand the choice of English terrier and bulldog in order to breed Bull Terrier. It will enlighten you about the motive of breeding, their noticed personalities, and other such attributes. The facts are:
1. Bull Terriers Were The Fighting Dogs
Bull Terriers were initially bred to be fighting dogs. Bulldogs being muscular and powerful in terms of strength, and the terriers possessing tenacious spirit and agile gave birth to an ultimate fighting dog.
At an early age, the bull terrier got its name as Canine Gladiator. But, dog-fighting and other blood sports with animals got a ban notice as per the laws of England. It was all under the Humane Act of 1835. Keeping this law in mind, bull terriers were then preferred for other tasks such as being gentleman companions and ratting.
2. Bull Terriers Got An Upgrade
James Hinks, in the year 1860s, found these bull terriers to be of high potential. He decided to make this breed distinctive. Therefore, he crossed this breed with white terriers (now extinct) and even with Dalmatians and border collies.
This breeding upgrade by James Hinks made the bull terriers pure white in color and without that bow legs or long face. Hence, this new breed possessed all kinds of improvements, and the looks were much more sophisticated than its predecessor.
Earlier, after the Hinks’s breed was out, people called bull terriers ‘white cavalries.’ But later, the bull terriers were again bred with the Staffordshire terriers to bring in the color to the breed of bull terriers. Moreover, the colors such as black, brown, brindle and red, came as options.
The popularity for this breed took place in the year 1897 when a club was established in America, by the name, “The Bull Terrier Club of America.”
3. Triangle-Shaped Eyes
Bull Terrier is the only dog breed today, across the globe, to have triangle eyes over their egg-shaped face. They have a Roman nose over a long slope-like head.
4. Muscle & Cuteness Are The Important Characteristics
Bull Terriers do have a muscular appeal due to their breeding with bulldogs. And this athletic appeal makes them look super appealing and a little intimidating. But, you should not judge them on their appearances, as they are not fighting dogs anymore.
They are sweet and gentle dogs and are fun-loving & goofy. Bull Terriers are, therefore, the perfect pick for active families who are looking for a cute yet strong breed of dog. Also, Bull Terriers love to play and get themselves into trouble. So, you need to keep this in mind!
5. A Different Yet Miniature Bull Terrier Breed Exists
It is technically a different breed but is accountable to be of the bull terrier family. It is a smaller version of the standard-sized bull terrier. This miniature breed grows to around 14-inches tall, while the standard ones can go up to 21 inches or more.
Another thing is that the miniature bull terriers are hypoallergenic in nature and tend to shed less in comparison to their standard breeds. So, you have the liberty to choose your desirable-sized breed for bull terriers.
6. Bull Terriers Are Familiar With OCD Problem
Bull Terriers commonly face problems with OCD (Obsessive Personality Disorder). The direct symptom of it is when you find your bull terrier chasing its own tail for quite a long time. As per studies, bull terriers & German shepherds have OCD conditions, and as a symptom, they chase their tails more compulsively than other dog breeds.
Some of the other signs of this problem include compulsive pacing, chasing the shadows, and others. In such scenarios, you can conclude that your bull terrier has OCD problems. To help them, you need to keep them busy by playing with you!
Protective Nature Of The Bull Terrier Dogs
The strength, agility, muscular appeal and other attributes that bull terrier possesses, are from the parent breeders, bulldog, and English terriers. This breed intends to pass on these characteristics to future breeds. Along with their loving appeal and cute, playful nature, they are also the protector of your house and family. They have the strength of their ancestors, and they are fearless to take on almost anything.
In fact, you need to understand that bull terriers are not the first option for first-time dog owners. It is because these breeds need a lot of guidance, training, and care from the owners. If you are not experienced with this factor, then it might be a problem for you to train a bull terrier.
Everyone in the family who shows love to the bull terrier is their friend. And this breed will be protective and possessive for them all. With ideal socialization and love, bull terriers develop the characteristics of loyalty and affection. When these dogs start to feel safe by being with you and your family members, they will become possessive & protective about you. Apart from the family members, they also develop affection towards other things around the house that they love, such as toys, bones, and other pets.
But there is no sense of worrying for the owners. It is because, with the right kind of obedience training, there won’t be any situations of unprovoked attacks on friends or family. One needs to invest time, patience, and money in training the bull terriers to maintain a specific discipline with strangers, friends, or family members.
And Bull Terriers are not just the breed for strength, but they are also intelligent. They are sharp enough to judge whether a threat is real or a person is just a common visitor or stranger. They let their instinct decide this for them!
Despite their aggressive nature, these breeds have evolved amazingly in the past centuries. People are now aware of how they can neutralize the over-energetic and aggressive nature of this breed.
You need to socialize and train your bull terrier to be familiar with other human beings and pets to tackle social situations efficiently. It will help your dog suppress its habits of excessive barking at strangers and being aggressive to unknown people such as mail persons, delivery men, and others.
Check out this YouTube video link to get a glimpse of the brief Bull Terrier breed review.
Related Questions
Are Bull Terriers Friendly With Any Other Dog Breed?
Bull terriers don’t seem to be kind enough with other canine breeds. It is because they are not ready to trust any other dogs around them, for which they could not mix up with others! But you can control these things by training the bull terriers with appropriate measures. Training should begin right at their puppy age to ensure that they develop the sense of being more social & gentle with other dogs or animals. To know more about it, you can go through this article that sheds light on the compatibility between bull terriers and other dogs.
How Much Do Bull Terriers Shed?
Bull terriers have the title of being the seasonal shedders. They do have shedding problems quite regularly, but it is within control and limits. But when it is the shedding season, the amount and frequency of shedding increases. Therefore, they will shed off their thick winter coat during the spring season, as it is not necessary anymore for the upcoming summers.
To know more about it, you can refer to this page. It will guide you with complete information about bull terriers shedding.
Conclusion
Bull Terriers are very popular beings of the canine family, and they have grown over time. From being the fighting dogs to becoming family companions, they have come a long way. Therefore, it is evident for you to understand their breeding history and other important attributes, to get an idea about the reasons behind their popularity. If you intend to buy a bull terrier anytime sooner, then a complete knowledge about that breed will make you a responsible owner!