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American
Bulldog Puppies for Sale
American Bulldog
Coreah, the American Bulldog at 21 months old.
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Pronunciation |
American Bulldog |
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Description |
The American Bulldog remains higher on the leg,
more agile and swifter than its English counterpart. Some individuals are
reportedly able to leap six or more feet into the air. The American Bulldog is a
very muscular, sturdy dog with a large, powerful head and jaws. He is very
strong, but agile and light on his feet. The chest is wide and the muscular neck
tapers from shoulders to head. The neck may have a slight dewlap. The head is
square and broad with muscular cheeks and a furrow between the rounded eyes. The
strong muzzle is shaped like a box. The stop is sharply defined and deep. The
teeth should meet in a tight undershot, even or scissors bite. A variety of ear
types are acceptable including rose, half-pricked and pendant. Though some
people crop the ears, uncropped ears are preferred in the American Bulldog
Breeders Association Standard. Any eye color is permitted, but black eye rims
are preferred on white dogs. The nose is black or grizzle. In black-nosed dogs,
the lips should also be black, though some pink is permitted. The lips should be
loose. The heavy-boned front legs should be strong and very straight. The
hindquarters should be very broad and muscular. The low-set tail begins thick at
the base and then tapers to a point. The short, harsh coat comes in combinations
of solid or varying degrees of white, all shades of brindle, brown, red, or tan.
The sturdy and powerful, yet compact frame, is characteristically stockier and
heavier boned in the males and more refined in the females. |
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Temperament |
The American Bulldog is a brave and determined, but not hostile
dog. Alert and self-confident, this breed genuinely loves children. It is known
for its acts of heroism towards its master. These dogs have fought wild dogs,
bulls and even fire. It is said "fighting off one of these dogs is like
fighting an animal that possesses an alligator's head and a python's body."
Yet when called off by their handler, they immediately obey. No wonder they are
said to have "true grit, true devotion and true love." They have strong protective instincts, and need a firm, confident, consistent pack leader. Well-socialize and
obedience train them at an early age, to prevent them from becoming
reserved with strangers. Without that strong minded pack leader who can tell the dog what is expected of them, they may be aggressive with other dogs. They need to be around people and know their place in their pack to be truly happy. This
breed tends to drool and slobber. Without enough daily mental and physical exercise they will become high strung and may become hard to handle. |
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Height, Weight |
Height- Dogs 22-28 inches (55-70 cm.)
Bitches 20-26 inches (52-65 cm.)
Weight- Dogs 70-120 pounds (32-54 kg.) Bitches 60-100 pounds (27-45kg.) |
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Health Problems |
Prone to hip dysplasia. |
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Living Conditions |
The American Bulldog will do okay in an apartment
if it is sufficiently exercised. They are relatively inactive indoors and will
do best with at least an average-sized yard. |
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Exercise |
The American Bulldog should be
taken on a
long daily walk. |
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Life Expectancy |
Up to 16 years |
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Litter Size |
Average of 11 puppies |
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Grooming |
The short, harsh coat is easy to groom. Comb and
brush with a firm bristle brush, and bathe only when necessary. This breed is an
average shedder. |
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Origin |
Early Bulldogs were used in the bloody sport of
bull bating. Some of these dogs emigrated with their masters from England to
America. Eventually the English Bulldog was bred down in size and his
personality was softened, but the American version remained a larger, fiercer
dog. The American version has longer legs and more speed and agility than the
English show dog. Thanks to the efforts of John D. Johnson of Summerville,
Georgia the American Bulldog exists today. After he returned from WW II he was
disappointed to find that, like the English Mastiff, they were almost completely
extinct. He then decided to gather the best he could find from all across the
rural south and bring them back from the brink of extinction. He has been
breeding these dogs longer than anyone else in the world and his father bred
them before him. He is an old man now (in his 80's) and these dogs have always
existed in his family. He is the sole reason why they exist today. If it were
not for his efforts they surely would be gone. He has been breeding them
non-stop since then. The American Bulldog has also been used as a guard and in
hunting bear, wild boar, squirrel and raccoon. They have even been trained to
drive cattle and guard stock from predators. Farmers prize these dogs for their
stamina, protectiveness, intelligence and working abilities. Some of the
American Bulldogs talents are hunting, watchdogging, tracking, weight pulling,
and guarding. |
Group |
Mastiff |
Recognition |
ABA, ARF, UKC, NKC, NABA, ARBA, JDJB, ABCC, AABC,
NKC, CKC, APRI, ACR |
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ABA =American
Bulldog Association
ARF=Animal
Research Foundation
UKC = United Kennel
Club
NKC = National
Kennel Club
NABA= National
American Bulldog Association
ARBA=American
Rare Breed Association
JDJB=
John D. Johnson Bulldog registry
ABCC= American
Bulldog Club of Canada
AABC= All American Bulldog Club
NKC = National
Kennel Club
CKC = Continental
Kennel Club
APRI = American Pet Registry Inc.
ACR = American Canine Registry |
"These pictures of our American Bulldog, CeeCee, were taken by my husband, Mike, a week or two ago while on a walk through the woods near our property. We've had CeeCee about 5 months now and she has become a very much loved member of our family. Talk about personality! But we are grateful for Cesar Millan and his Dog Whisperer book, Cesar's Way, and his show and DVDs. If it weren't for his instruction, CeeCee would be unmanageable."
"Our other dog, a yellow lab named Shelby, adopted us nearly ten years ago (she was about 4 years old) and was just a buddy. We didn't train her to do or not do anything; she just did her thing and usually agreed with us and followed us around. I started walking for my sanity's sake and she enjoyed tagging along...no leash or rules, just companionship."
"CeeCee was another story. She was a little over a year old when she was given to us by friends who had to move across the country and couldn't take her along. So before she came to our house, we started reading everything we could find on American Bulldogs. I saw the info on the dogbreedinfo site about Cesar and devoured his book. We found the show and soon after I started ordering the DVD sets so I could watch the episodes over and over. As soon as she got here, we took her for a long walk together. We have continued to walk her 2 or 3 times a day for a total of 1-1/2 to 2 hours and she has become a calm, well-behaved young lady."
"She has a very dominant personality, so the adjustment was a big one for me, after our easy-going lab. We have to consciously be the pack leader 24/7. She thinks any package left by the delivery man is her new chew toy, and still gets too excited occasionally, but she is learning to sit still and control her impulses. Our neighbors have wolf-dogs that occasionally get loose and it doesn't scare CeeCee a bit (wish I could say the same for me). She holds her own and is gradually winning them over."
"Having to be the calm-assertive pack leader has been life-changing for me. CeeCee came to us during a time when I was grieving a very traumatic event. She was the catalyst for letting go of things I couldn't fix or change. At first, we were tempted to rename her Bessie. She had just had a litter of pups and the resemblance to your average Holstein was remarkable. Now, all trimmed up and dressed in her fancy black lipstick, she makes us all smile."
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"I've owned dogs all my life and have never been as challenged or rewarded as working with this dog. Rose was a rather destructive puppy, but only when left alone. I had to crate her during periods when my wife and I would both be away to keep her from destroying our home or ingesting foreign objects. By the time she was a year old, she could easily jump the 6+ foot fence surrounding our property and would at the sight of a dog walker, car, squirrel, or even once, a butterfly!. I thought we had taken on more than we could handle, but she learned commands and tricks faster than any dog I'd ever had. She would be so calm at home all day, but as soon as we'd have company, she'd run laps around the house, "attack" toys, and shove them into the thigh/crotch of our poor guests. We began educate ourselves, and the first step was to walk her 2 miles a day, play fetch and Frisbee for marathon sessions, built her a "spring pole" of sorts, and even take long bike rides with her on leash. Her excitability at newcomers decreased right away, and her furniture-chewing habit ceased. Currently at almost 4 years old, she's the best dog I could ever hope for. I shudder to think that we considered giving her up for adoption, and now people ask us how we have such a well-trained dog! "
"This animal needed lots of exercise. LOTS! And Rose required being handled a bit more sternly than the labs, rottie, and mostly mixed breeds I'd owned previously. Only one harsh correction was usually needed, two thousand light vocal reprimands meant nothing. Today if we are playing fetch and the ball goes over the fence, she looks at me almost trembling and I can either tell her "get it" (allowing her to hop the fence, retrieve, and hop back) or give her a stay command. At 18 months of age, I never believed this dog could restrain herself from any impulse. I only have one dog of this breed to draw on, but I'd venture to say that the American Bulldog needs stimulation, love, play, but most of all exercise and an occasional heavy hand early on, so we could establish her place in our pack. She has made my wife and I far more physically active than we had been, and even that is life enhancing."
"This dog (and perhaps breed) would not have been good for everyone, and it was a close call that we kept her long enough for her to turn out so perfect for us. They are incredibly powerful, playing tug with her has to be experienced to be believed. At only 78 pounds, Rose can jump, pull, and bite like nothing else. She once jumped up and bit a tree limb and just hung and shook after I took her rope toy down from the limb. Their enthusiasm is a big part of their charm, but I would not recommend this breed to a busy person who can't devote the time. She is great around kids, cats, other dogs, and even just barks or whimpers when she encounters a snake or turtle while we're camping. But Rose was on the fast track to being given up, when we realized she simply needed more exercise and for us to be more firm with her."
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"Zeus, my male American Bulldog at 2 ½ years old. He is a really big lap dog and loves to cuddle. He requires a lot of exercise or he can get himself into trouble (he is very strong). The most important thing in raising him was being firm and consistent on everything. He is very smart and learns things quickly even bad habits. He is somewhat protective of females and children around strangers but if introduced love everyone."
Zeus, the male American Bulldog at 2 ½ years old jumping in the lake.
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"This is Benelli, our American Bulldog, shown here at 6 months, weighing 62 pounds. Benelli is excellent with our 2 young children, ages 2 and 3. She's so calm and gentle that my 3 year old can hold the leash while we go for walks. She absolutely loves our cats and she gets along very well with our other dog. This is our first American Bulldog and we couldn't ask for a better dog!!"
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"Hello, this is my American Bulldog female, her name is Wanda at 10 months old. I have learned so much about your website it is very interesting and useful. I taught her how to sit and how to walk beside me not in front of me by your instructions. We live in El Salvador in central America."
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Shake and Milly - Photo Courtesy of D'la Perla Kennel - Miami, FL
American Bulldog Pictures 1
American Bulldog Pictures 2
American Bulldog Pictures 3
American Bulldog Pictures 4
American Bulldog Pictures 5
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