The Bull Terrier or English Bull Terrier is a breed of dog in the terrier family. Although bred as a companion dog, due to its breed heritage and appearance it is often lumped in as a Pit Bull and is subject in some jurisdictions to Breed Specific Legislation. The English Bull Terrier is also known as the gladiator of the canine race.

History

Around 1835 in Great Britain, dog fanciers wanted to develop the "Ultimate Fighting Dog." To accomplish this, the English Bulldog was crossed with the now extinct English terrier. This resulted in a dog referred to as the "bull and terrier" and was a strong compact little fighter weighing around 30 pounds. Eventually, the Spanish Pointer was added to increase the dog's size. Originally, the breed was often brindle in color. In 1860, a dog fancier thought that a pure white Bull Terrier would be a thing of beauty. He was correct and the white Bull Terrier quickly gained popularity. Due to his white coat and courageous personality, the white Bull Terrier is known to this day as the "White Cavalier." However, white Bull Terriers are more likely to be born deaf. In 1936, it was determined that white Bull Terrier and colored Bull Terrier should be considered separate varieties of the same breed, which means they are shown separately in the United States. Colored Bull Terrier can be any color other than white. If white is present, it must not dominate. The Bull Terrier is recognized by the American Kennel Club in the terrier group.

Appearance and Size

Bull Terriers are thick-set and muscular with a short, dense coat. Acceptable colours for show dogs are white, (skin pigmentation and markings on the head are not penalized in the UK show ring), any colour other than white, or any colour with white markings (although blue and liver are highly undesirable). The Bull Terrier's most recognizable feature is its head, described as 'egg shaped' when viewed from the front, almost flat at the top, with a Roman muzzle sloping evenly down to the end of the nose with no stop. The unique triangle-shaped eyes are small, dark, and closely set. The body is full and round, while the shoulders are robust and muscular and the tail is carried horizontally. It walks with a jaunty gait, and is popularly known as the 'gladiator of the canine race.' There is no height and weight standard for the Bull Terrier but most stand 21 to 22 inches at the shoulder and weigh 50 to 70 pounds.

Personality

Bull Terriers have a unique personality. They are friendly and pleasant dogs with a wonderful sense of humor. The breed is outgoing but can be dominant. As a strong and sometimes independent dog, he is not the best choice for the first time dog owner.

Wikipedia and GNU

The content of this entry is from the Wikipedia article "Bull Terrier" licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License.