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'OLDE TYME BULLDOGGES' are MODERN DAY RECONSTRUCTIONS of an HISTORICALLY CORRECT OLDE BULLDOGGE. These dog's vary a great deal in terms of size, appearence and temperament. Olde Tyme/Olde English Bulldogges can weigh anything between 50 and 100lbs or more at 15-23"tall. Most are somewhere in between these sizes. All could be considered accurate if you research the history books. Though Most Olde Bulldogges are 17-22" tall at 65-95lbs) at different times the bull/bear-baiting fraternity experimented with large dogs of 100lbs, small dogs of 30/40lbs and all shapes and sizes in between. Size, shape, tenacity and gameness all played a part in the dogs ability as a bull/bear baiter. Obviously the modern day British Bulldog would be totally useless in it's original role. The British Bulldog as we know it was developed to prevent the breed becoming extinct when bull/bear baiting was made illegal in 1835 A collective of breeders sought to alter the breed to make it more suitable as a 'family pet'. This was achieved by crossing Olde English Bulldogges with Pugs. Sadly these dogs, (British Bulldogs), are plagued with health problems.
Some breeders, such as Gargoyles Olde English Bulldogges, breed for gameness and tenacity as well as structure athleticism and appearance. The dogs they produce are fully protection trained and are aimed at experienced owners. Though a modern day Olde Tyme Bulldogge wont be hanging off a bear's nose, some breeders believe that a dog shouldn't be called an Olde Tyme/Olde English Bulldogge if it is nothing like a genuine Olde English Bulldogge in every way. These Gargoyle Bulldogges are capable of doing the job they were once bred for though they are now used as personal protection trained working dogs, (like police dogs!).
J.D Leavitt, one of the best known OLDE ENGLISH BULLDOGGE BREEDERS, breeds his dogs for the appearance of the OLDE ENGLISH BULLDOGGE with the temperament of the BRITISH BULLDOG. Ultmately it boils down to what you want from your dog.
Personally I'd rather own an historically correct Bulldogge that has the energy and drive as well as the appearance.
The theory behind some breedings is that, out-crossing with one or more different bullbreeds and then breeding the British Bulldog back in will result in healthier progeny that maintain the look of a British Bulldog. The success or failure of this way of breeding depends upon how you assess the results. Compared to a cross breeding of several working breeds, dogs with too many British Bulldog genes produce progeny that are still very poor in terms of health. When compared to a British Bulldog they are considerably better/healthier dogs.
BRITISH BULLDOGS contain some genuine OLDE BULLDOGGE blood and are therefore used in most olde tyme breedings
APB, SB, or ASB Terriers are used in OLDE TYME BULLDOGGE breeding programs to add athleticism and drive taken away by the PUG genes in the British Bulldog.
As Bull-Mastiffs were bred from crossing the ENGLISH MASTIFF with the original OLDE ENGLISH BULLDOGGE they are used in most OLDE BULLDOGGE breedings.
AMERICAN BULLDOGS, (usually JOHNSON), are used to add bone/muscle mass.
Some breeders use DOGUE DE BORDEAUX or ENGLISH MASTIFF instead of, or as well as, the other breeds mentioned.
With the ammount of people currently breeding olde tyme bulldogges its only a matter of time before extreme and exagerated examples start to emerge as many breeders are producing remarkably similar dogs. Some breeders are breeding in french bulldog to produce smaller dogs while others are producing enormous dogs with a higher percentage of mastiff. I prefer the examples below. They are bred by GARGOYLES OLDE ENGLISH BULLDOGGES. These are without doubt the best olde tymes i have seen.
ALL OLDE TYME BULLDOGGES ARE MODERN DAY RECONSTRUCTIONS. Anyone telling you that their dogs are bred from ancient bloodlines kept alive by a secret cult of dog breeding monks living at the end of their garden could be lieing to you! All breeds we know today are the result of cross-breeding, then controlled in-breeding.
Gargoyles 'Black Omen'
Gargoyles 'Black Omen' doing protection training. Don't try this at home!
See the extracts below, taken from several OLDE ENGLISH BULLDOGGE breeders in the U.S.A. Although each breeder uses slightly different construction breeds the results, (in terms of appearance) are in some cases not worlds apart. Some aim to breed trustworthy pets, others full-on working dogs, though most are somewhere in between.
J.D Leavitt's breeding aims, construction breeds and breeding program.
I do not want the temperament of the original Bulldog. My dogs must be very loving. They must have courage and determination, without being overly aggressive. I’ve found that I can’t count on buyers to get their dogs under good obedience control. If I have to make a mistake, it must be on the friendly side, and if someone wants their dog to be sharper, all it takes is bit of training. I’d rather teach a friendly dog to bite, then vice versa.
I’m using a line-breeding scheme, developed for cattle at Ohio State University. You start with 3 unrelated dogs, two males and one female. Female pups from the first cross are bred to the second male. From this point, females are bred back to uncles, each generation. I have 2 unrelated schemes started, so future outcrosses will be possible. I’ve used breeds that all have old Bulldog in their background. My dogs are half English Bulldog, and the other half Bullmastiff, Pit Bull, and American Bulldog. The process of getting the dogs to match the old depictions is actually rapid due to the breeds used, and a dogs’ short gestation period. I try to get on to the next generation as quickly as possible, to make genetic progress and get consistent results. I’m up to the eight and ninth generations on the two lines, at the time of this printing in 1995.
My dogs can now breathe. They will never be like hounds, able to run for miles during the hottest weather of summer, but they’re three times better than the restricted modern Bulldog. Cesarean section births are not necessary. Artificial insemination, due to male ineptness and lack of drive, has been replaced by natural ties. Life span is over eleven years. All breeding stock have had hip x-rays. No dog with bad hips is bred. I’m now achieving my goal of producing a Bulldog with the health and temperament to be able to serve people, instead of forcing people to serve him.
Leavitt Bulldog
Below are the construction breeds used by Sandy Grove Bulldogges U.S.A.
The Olde English Bulldogge is a re-creation breed of the 18th century bulldog, consisting of half English Bulldog, and the other half Bullmastiff, Pit Bull, and American Bulldog. The goal was to re-create the 18th century bulldog with the temperament of today's English Bulldogs, yet healthy, without the breathing problems, or all the other ailments today's English Bulldogs are prone to. Unlike the English Bulldogs, Olde English Bulldogges should be free breathers, free breeders, free whelpers, and be able to physically handle the heat and cold. "The English Bulldog" of today is the result of crossing the Olde bulldogges of the past with pugs resulting in a shorter nose, and smaller height. This breeding has actually hurt the bulldog in many aspects...
Sandy Grove Bulldogges stud dog
Below and right, pup bred by Sandy Grove Bulldogges
The 5 foundation breeds used to create the Gargoyle line of
Renascence Bulldogges are...
1) American Bulldog
2) Hermes Bulldogge
3) English Bulldog
4) Bullmastiff
5) Bandogge (Old Family Red Nosed Pitbull/English Mastiff cross)
Hermes Bulldogge
Gargoyle Olde English Bulldogge
Olde Bulldogges bred by Carlos Woods 'Woody Bulls'
Pedigree - What your dog is supposed to be
Conformation Pedigree - What your dog appears to be
Performance and temperament - What your dog IS
British Bulldog. I'm not going to say a word. Just compare the dogs above to the dog in this picture.
