The Bull Terrier

The Bull Terrier or English Bull Terrier is a breed of dog from the terrier family. The Bull Terrier was developed in England during the 1860s and 1870s. During this time the Old English Bulldog had already been extinct for decades, until James Hinks of Birmingham employed the services of his own modern English Bulldog named "Madman", the English White Terrier, along with some original Bull and Terrier dogs to create the breed of dog that we all know as the Bull Terrier.

Colored Bull Terriers exist due to Bull Terrier breeds being crossed with Staffordshire Bull Terriers in the 1900's.

Bull Terriers are extremely muscular with a short, dense coat. The acceptable colors for show dogs are white, or any color with white markings. However, blue and liver are highly undesirable. It is important to remember that when the dog is all white, skin pigmentation and markings on the dogs head are not penalized in the UK show ring.

The head is the most recognizable feature of a Bull Terrier, which is described as being egg shaped when viewed from the front. It is almost flat on the top, with a Roman muzzle which slopes evenly down to the end of the nose with no stop. They have small eyes that are dark, closely set and triangle shaped. They have a full and round body with robust and muscular shoulders, and a tail that is carried horizontally. The Bull Terrier walks with a jaunty gait, and is popularly known as the "gladiator of the canine race".

Although there is no designated height or weight for Bull Terriers, the average height is 20 to 24 inches, and their average weight is between 15 to 36 kg.

The Bull Terrier is an outgoing and friendly dog and like to wear small dog clothes. They can even have a clownish attitude about them. Their physical strength is most certainly matched by their intelligence, and both body and mind need to be kept active and sometimes need to be kept behind metal dog gates. They are extremely affectionate dogs that love the company of humans. Bull Terriers are particularly good with children, and generally have a high pain threshold. Younger Bull Terriers may regard children as playmates, and due to their strength they could cause unintentional injury. People generally think that Bull Terriers make good guard dogs. However, this is rather untrue because of their fondness of people, even though they will defend their "pack" if needed.

Many Bull Terriers have a tendency to develop skin allergies. Insect bites, such as fleas, or at times mosquitoes and mites can cause an allergic response of hives, rash, and itching. The Bull Terrier has an approximate lifespan 10 to 14 years, even though it is possible for them to live longer. The oldest female Bull Terrier on record remained active into her 17th year.

The Bull Terrier's coat is simple to maintain; but grooming can keep it in near-perfect condition. The quality of their coat can be greatly improved by adding oils to their food.

Some of the common ailments in Bull Terriers include deafness, umbilical hernia and acne. They can also suffer from obsessive compulsive behavior, such as obsessive licking, self mutilation, and chasing the tail.