American Bulldog: Characteristic, Health & Fun Facts!

Since I have been a dog lover and a dog owner for a long time, I think that I can give you some ideas regarding adopting these cute and fluffy dog babies.

This is an athletic breed and is a descendant of the English Bulldog. They demonstrate agility, friendliness, and great endurance. 

The American Bulldog is a super energetic dog and is loved by those individuals who have an active lifestyle.

They are a playful crossbreed between the American Staffordshire Terrier and the American Pit Bull Terrier. 

Parents who love to exercise and are playful might find this breed a perfect companion for themselves. They mature slowly and retain their youthfulness even when they become adults.

To know more about this super exciting breed, hold on to your breath and continue reading.

About the breed

American bulldogs were earlier used as bullbiting dogs. Still, their use was later transferred to guard dogs and working farm dogs. They make great companions in a family.

When World War II was coming to an end, this breed almost went extinct. Because of one fine man from Georgia, this breed was repopulated, and it’s not endangered now.

You will see a range of American bulldogs today, and they mainly differ in terms of color. Earlier, the most common color seen in this breed was white, but now there is a range of colors. 

This is an active breed that likes to roam in the yard. If left home alone, they will get bored very quickly. Apartments with big rooms are also good for their living.

People often confuse them with Dogo Argentino because of their looks, but these two are different breeds. American Pit Bull Terriers also look like American Bulldogs, though the latter is a bit bigger. 

American Bulldog Breed History

American Bulldog is a purebred, but it sure has its ancestors, that are, Old English Bulldog and Scott Bulldog. This breed came to America from England.

Around 800BC, ancient mastiffs were brought to England, and Amerian Bulldogs are considered their descendants. 

Their original use was for bullbaiting, but they came to be used as farm dogs too. By the end of World War II, this breed was on the edge of extinction, but they became lucky and were repopulated.

Now, this breed is out of danger because of John D. Johson. Bulldogs have been present for more than two centuries now. It’s a pretty old breed but still loved by many families. 

In the present times, this breed is used as hog dogs, which means hunting feral pigs or catching escaped hogs. They are widely used as guard dogs, family companions, and pets. 

American Bulldog Breed Job Card/Overview

Name of the Breed	American Bulldog
Other Names of the Breed	Bulldog
Type of dog breed	Pure breed
Origin	England
Born of	Old English Bulldog, Scott Bulldog
Height	20 – 28 inches
Weight	60 – 120 pounds
Expectancy of Life	10 – 16 years
Type of Coat	Short coat
Colors mostly common	Red, Black, Brindle, White
Level of grooming	Low maintenance
Level of shedding	Yes
Persona	Friendly, Loyal, Affectionar, Intelligent
Living in an apartment	Suitable for apartment living
Friendly with other pets	No
Health issues/Diseases	Cataracts, Hypothyroidism, Mange
Health in general	healthy
Level of reasoning	Very Intelligent
Easy to train	Easy to train
Level of energy	Playful
Activity interests	Active
Number of Puppies	3 – 4 puppies

Characteristics 

Adaptability

These dogs do not adapt quite well to first-time dog owners. Do they get easily bored like any other dog, when they are kept alone for a long time? Do they need a lot of playtime and access to outdoor spaces like a garden to keep their mind cheerful? They can’t adjust themselves to living in an apartment.

They require some running space, too. So owners with a small house, if considering adopting this happy breed, need to ensure to have a secure yard or a lawn to provide space for their playing time. They can’t be left alone for a long time.

They are neither comfortable in the hot climate nor the cold ones.

Friendliness

These breeds are super friendly with their family owners. They like to spend some good quality time with their parents, are quite social, and form strong bonds with their owners.

They are also playful with kids, but small kids need to be supervised by their parents. 

They are not very friendly with other pets and dogs and need proper supervision if they are around any other pets. They might turn hostile towards strangers. 

Personality 

American Bulldogs are known to be loyal, confident, lively, social, and ebullient breeds. They love to be around their families. They love it when their owners shower them with care, attention, and love. 

They are adorable breeds but not around someone they have not met before. It’s because of their history as guard dogs they feel protective of their family and can sense danger.

As puppies, they will have a more curious nature around strangers, but as they mature, they feel confident.

Socialization is a must for this breed because they become aggressive around things or persons they are not familiar with. 

You need to get rid of this aggression through training and socialization. If you don’t keep them engaged, they will tear out your shoes or break your furniture out of boredom. 

Temperament

Friendly with Children

As long as you have given your American Bulldog proper training and socialization, it will be good with children and other pets.

This breed generally has a friendly and protective nature with kids, but pets require socialization, training, and regular exercise.  

Proper training will keep their mind fresh, and they can bond more lovingly with everyone.

Amicable to Other Pets

This is an agile and confident breed that acts as a loyal protector for its family and has a powerful and athletic appearance.

He gets along with other pets, but you always need to watch your dog with your kids and pets because this is a strong breed. 

Barking Tendencies

These dogs bark a lot sometimes when they are bored or some unwanted situations happen to them.

They do not love to be kept alone, so frustrations can lead them to bark excessively. A good company will help them to ease their anger and calm their minds down.

Possibilities of Staying Alone

All dogs are social. They hate to be kept alone for a long time. Keeping them separated for a long period can develop some separation anxiety in them.

Try to keep them surrounded by people they love to be with. 

Also, these breeds can’t be left alone for a long time. They get bored easily. Since these are energetic and active breeds, they will need constant mental stimulation. 

Pros and Cons of the American Bulldog Dog Breed 

Male vs. Female Attitude

The size and weight of male and female American Bulldogs might differ a bit, but their attitude and personalities are generally the same. Some little differences can be seen but not that major. 

Appearance

General Appearance

They have a muscular body and are powerful ones. They have large heads and strong jaws. Their ears are folded short, along with thick and taping tails.

Their coats are short and thin and are white with black, red, and brown patches all over. 

Their eye color ranges from blue, hazel, brown, and amber. Their round black nose makes their appearance cuter.

They have short to medium coat lengths, and the color varies from brown, black, brindle, fawn, white, and red. Their coat texture is straight and has a sparse to normal density.

Coat Color

You will see American Bulldogs in a variety of colors. Commonly seen colors are white, but there will be patches of colors like black, brindle, or red. But you will see other color combinations, too. 

There will also be some patterns of colors like fawn, red, brown, or brindle. You will notice pinches of black around the eyes and the nose, but pink shades can also be seen. This breed has a short coat length. 

Shedding

This breed sheds moderately throughout the season as they have short coat lengths. During shedding, brush their coats to remove dead skin. Brushing also helps to improve the flow of natural hair oils. 

Size

The American Bulldog, a descendant of the Mastiff family, is a powerful and stocky breed that is large.

They look cute, but they have a very strong jaw and ears shaped like pendants. This breed is considered active, bigger, and faster than its ancestors. 

Their legs are very strong, which lets them jump high, even up to 6 feet, without any problem. They are well-built if a proper diet is fed to them.

They are heavier breeds, so don’t let them be unsupervised with children. 

Health 

American Bulldogs generally live a very long and healthy life, but there are some health issues that they can face in their lifetime. Owners should maintain a proper schedule of vaccinations and examinations as prescribed by the veterinarian. The diseases include:

Maintenance and Care

To channel the energy levels of American Bulldogs, you need to take them to puppy training classes and socialization.

They would listen to a dominant owner instead of an easy-going owner, as these are aggressive breeds.

Don’t be rough with them, as they would like some love from their owner too. Establish proper routines and boundaries from their puppyhood, so they adapt as they grow.

Give them proper care and training, and they will get comfortable with unfamiliar surroundings. 

Grooming

Grooming this breed is an easy task. Occasional baths are recommended for your pup if they become dirty.

Brushing them regularly will keep your dog clean and shiny. Their nails should be trimmed regularly, and ears should be cleaned once a month or as per your dog’s needs. 

Brushing their teeth has to be a part of their daily schedule so that dirt doesn’t build up. Seasonal shedding is common.

So you don’t have to worry about giving them extensive grooming. Weekly brushing and some baths a month will be enough to keep them healthy. 

Food and nutrition

Feed your pet a diet that’s similar to a giant or powerful breed. But make sure you are considering your vet’s advice as to what’s good for your dog.

Remember, the needs and energy levels of American Bulldogs change from their puppyhood to adulthood. When you bring this pup as your pet, make a proper diet plan with your vet.

Food cost

For your dog, 2-3 cups of dog food is recommended daily. Just divide them into 2-3 meals. 

Don’t make your dogs overeat. The average daily cost would be around $1.1-$1.5. The monthly costs come to be around $33-$50.

Exercise and activity level 

American Bulldog is an athletic breed. Puppies have weak bones, so focus on doing non-impact exercises with them to avoid joint and bone damage.

But as they mature, you can do activities ranging from tug-a-war exercises to jogs and then training exercises and hikes. 

Don’t leave them alone in your backyard because they will develop a lot of personality disorders. They want to spend time with their so get them only if you can give them enough time. 

Keeping in mind their energy levels, plan their training and exercise sessions accordingly. Plan their activities so that their energy gets utilized efficiently and they get trained at the same time, too. 

Trainability

The American Bulldog is an athletic dog and loves to be with owners who are active throughout the day. They will need to be trained since their puppy stage to decrease possible bone and joint damage.

They also love to be trained through regular jogs, hikes, tug-of-war games and various mind and body-stimulating exercises. 

Developing and working on his athletic skills will keep your dog fit and happy. They love to play around and will obey your every command if you train them from an early age.

It is very important to include positive reinforcement training methods while training this breed.

They are trainable in fields like tracking work. These kinds of skills have the advantage of their intelligence level. Early socialization will make your dog the world’s best one.

Conclusion 

You must be surprised to know that previous American Bulldogs were known as American Pit Bulldogs. But later,

The pit was removed from their name as it was creating confusion with the American Pit Bull Terrier. If you have seen the movie Return to Me, the role of “Mel” was played by an American Bulldog named Peetey. 

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