Types Of Bulldogs Compared: English And French
The bulldog is one of the symbols of the United Kingdom. Although its appearance is very different from its original ancestor, it is an easily recognizable breed and admired for its prowess and wrinkles. In this article we talk about the two main types of bulldogs: English and French.
The beginnings as a fighting dog were hard: they made him fight against bulls, hence his name. Thankfully, he has now become a gentle and affectionate pet. Its French relative is smaller and comes from a cross between English and French bulldogs. Read on if you want to know more about the types of bulldogs!
The story of the two different types of bulldogs
The history of the English bulldog: from fighter to national symbol
Bulldogs were created in the 13th century for the brutal spectacle of “bullfighting” or bullbaiting , which consisted of making a bull fight a pack of dogs and bet on the outcome.
This means that the ancestors of the bulldog were huge dogs, with a very strong build, powerful jaws and great resistance to pain. They were larger and less compact than the ones we know today.
Once this type of event was banned, players continued to place their clandestine bets and began to breed larger dogs, born from the cross between bulldogs and terriers. This is how bull terriers were born.
Bulldogs took a back seat, but some breeders began the long process of transforming this dog from a fighting dog to a companion dog. Through this artificial selection they tried to modify the ferocious appearance of the bulldog and soften its character.
Finally, in the 19th century, the English bulldog was recognized as a breed due to its distinctive physical characteristics and affable character. Thus, it became the symbol of the United Kingdom and the mascot of many colleges in the United States, such as the famous Yale University.
The French bulldog: a Parisian aristocrat
The French bulldog has its origin in Molosser dogs, such as the English bulldog. Despite this, his beginnings were not so crude. It is believed to be the result of a cross between small 19th century French bulldogs and large English bulldogs.
He was initially chosen as a companion by the workers of Paris, and then became the mascot of Parisian high society and the world of artists. The breed was officially recognized in 1898.
Types of bulldogs compared: English and French
Although the two dogs have a common origin, we can highlight several differences between these two types of bulldogs.
The English bulldog
It is a short and heavy haired dog with a powerful and compact build. It has small ears attached to its head, which is quite large in proportion to its size. In general it has a symmetrical physiognomy.
His face is flattened: in fact, he is one of the most typical examples of brachycephalic dogs, which often have trouble breathing, snore and pant. Its jaw is wide and strong, and the lower part protrudes slightly forward from the upper one. Therefore, the lower teeth protrude from the mouth.
The most characteristic wrinkles are those above the nose and before the ears. The neck is very thick, deep and strong, with thick, wrinkled skin around the throat forming a dewlap.
The body forms a curve that falls towards the tail: this is another characteristic feature of the breed. The back and chest are deep and the abdomen is retracted. The tail is low, rounded, short and smooth.
English bulldogs walk with short, quick steps, as if walking on the tip of their paws, without lifting their feet too much. The coat is short, fine and smooth and can be single-colored, brindle, white or with spots.
The French bulldog
The French bulldog also has a Molossian body structure like its English relative, but it is much smaller: in fact it does not exceed 13 kilograms in weight, while the English bulldog exceeds 20 kilograms.
It is a compact but well-proportioned dog, with short hair, a backward facing muzzle and large, erect ears. It often has wrinkles, but not as deep as those of the English bulldog.
The head is broad, almost flat between the ears. In this case, the teeth are hidden by the lips, so they don’t stick out like in the English bulldog. The French bulldog’s neck is strong, but it does not have a double chin.
The body line rises progressively from the head towards the center of the back. This conformation is called roach back and is characteristic of this breed. The coat is smooth, short and shiny. The most typical colors are brindle, fawn and with white spots.
As we can see, these two types of bulldogs have various similarities and differences. Regardless of their distinctive characteristics, they are both excellent companion dogs.
