Olde English Bulldogge
| Olde English Bulldogge | |
|---|---|
| File:DSC00607.jpg Brindle and white Olde English Bulldogge | |
| Origin | United States |
| Breed status | Not recognized as a breed by any major kennel club. |
| Dog (domestic dog) | |
The Olde English Bulldogge] is a breed of dog that resulted from one American breeder, David Leavitt [1]. In 1971, Leavitt began breeding to restore the English Bulldog to its original standard of the now extinct Old English Bulldog, but without its aggressive tendency.
Appearance
See Olde English Bulldogge photo: (Click Link):
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Abigail2yrs3.jpg Olde English Bulldogge
General Description:The ideal Olde English Bulldogge is a loyal, courageous dog of medium size with a large powerful head and stout muscular body.
Olde English Bulldogges are athletic and most importantly of very good health, males are free breeders and females are free whelpers. The Olde English Bulldogge is devoid of all breathing issues and is capable of enjoying outdoor activity without concern except in extreme heat or cold.
The temperament is very stable and trustworthy making them a loyal companion, capable protector and the ultimate family member.
Old English Bulldogges thrive on pleasing their owners and are very trainable.
Their lifespan is between 10 and 14 years.
Head: Large and high, moderately sunken between the eyes (medial furrow). The circumference of the head should be equal to or greater than the dog's height at the shoulder. A narrow head or one that appears too small for the body is a fault.
Ears : Rose ears set well on the sides of the head are preferred. Dropped ears are acceptable as long they are small, not “hound like”. Pricked ears that stand up on top of the head (tulip ears) are a disqualifying fault.
Muzzle : Broad, deep and short with moderate wrinkling. The bite is undershot with the bottom jaw turning up noticeably. Lower canines should not protrude. Muzzle too long (more than 3 inches), scissor bite or even bite are disqualifying faults. Muzzle should be no shorter than 1 ½”. Wry jaw is a disqualifying fault.
Eyes : Wide apart and of moderate size. Any color is acceptable. However, odd eyes (one dark, one blue or light) should be considered unpreferred. Misshapen or bugged eyes are a serious fault. Lacking pigment around the eyes is undesirable. Crossed eyes or non-symmetrically shaped eyes are a disqualifying fault.
Nose : Broad with open nostrils (nares) with no sign of air restriction. The nose should not be pushed up between the eyes. From the stop to the end of the nose must be at least one and one half inches. The nose should be a solid color. Lacking pigment is a serious fault. A nose lacking all pigment is a disqualifying fault.
Neck : Short to medium in length and very muscular flowing into the shoulders and should not be set on the dog so it appears to stop at the shoulders.
Chest : Ribs should be well sprung (rounded) and the chest wide and deep. Depth of chest should be at least to the elbows. A hollow or narrow chest (slab sided) should be considered a serious fault.
Back : Males should appear square and balanced. Females should appear similar with consideration given for body length. Short with a very slight rise from the shoulders to a slight drop in the croup is preferred. A level back is acceptable as long as the tail does not come straight off the top of the back.
Shoulders : Shoulders should be well laid back with significant angulations to allow for good movement. Straight shoulders are a fault.
Legs : Forelegs should be straight and wide apart, neither bowing out nor turning in. There should be significant bone substance. Elbows should be relatively close to the body. Lacking bone and substance is very undesirable. Elbows that are loose or “fiddle fronts” are a disqualifying fault. “East / West” forelegs are a serious fault.
Rear legs should exhibit significant bend of stifle so to allow for good movement. They should be well muscled. Straight or “posty” rear legs are a serious fault. Cow hocks are a disqualifying fault.
Movement : Dogs should have a balanced gait that drives off the rear and is complimented by reach allowing the dog to cover ground with a sense of power. Dogs should single track. Pacing or crabbing is a serious fault.
Feet : Round, tight both front and rear, and the pasterns should be strong. Weak pasterns and/or splayed feet are disqualifying faults.
Height : Males - 17 to 20 inches at the shoulder. Females - 15 to 19 inches at the shoulder.
Weight : Between 45 to 70 lbs. for females and 60 to 80 lbs. for males. Although height and weight above the standard is to be discouraged, there is no penalty as long as the dog is well proportioned, otherwise correct and balanced.
Color : Any color, except merle, is acceptable with no preference for one over another. The coat is short. A wavy coat or a long coat is a disqualifying fault. There should be no signs of feathering on the legs or neck area, also a disqualifying fault.
Tail : A pump handle tail that naturally reaches the hock is preferred. The pump handle tail should be carried low and not over the back of the dog.
Temperament : Disposition should be outgoing and happy. While a watchful nature may be expected at home, human aggression without provocation is a disqualifying fault.
Revised July 4, 2006
History
The Olde English Bulldogge Kennel Club (O.E.B.K.C.) is the National Breed Club for the Olde English Bulldogge. The mission of the O.E.B.K.C. is first and foremost to assist its breeder organization in continually improving the breed through disciplined breeding programs that emphasize health, temperament, athleticism, and consistent conformation within the breed standard.
The Olde English Bulldogge was developed by David Leavitt, of Coatesville, PA. back in 1971. Mr. Leavitt used a line breeding scheme that was designed and developed by Ohio State University for breeding cattle. The goal was to recreate a specific breed of Bulldogge with the look, health and athleticism of the original bull baiting dogs, but without the extreme tenacity. The foundation crosses consisted of ½ English Bulldog, 1/6 Bullmastiff, 1/6 Pit-bull, and 1/6 American Bulldog. After many carefully planned crosses, the Olde English Bulldogge emerged and began to breed true.
In the early 1980's Ben and Karen Campetti from Sandisfield Massachusetts became deeply involved with Mr. Leavitt in breeding Olde English Bulldogges. By 1985 Mr. Leavitt had developed two true lines and was satisfied that the breed was sound, stable, and well suited for modern life. At this time, the Campetti's began showing the breed in Mollosser shows. Through the Campetti's efforts, the Olde English Bulldogge achieved much success in the Conformation ring, and a lot of recognition by rare breed fanciers. Due to this success, many breeders became interested in producing this dog. It was at this point that the Olde English Bulldogge Association (O.E.B.A.) was formed to maintain proper records and implement a breeder code of ethics and standards. Mr. Leavitt was diligent in maintaining detailed records of the foundation stock, and this information was converted into the OEBA registry.
One unwelcome by-product of the Olde English Bulldogges success in the Conformation ring, obedience trials, and in therapy work, was a rise in the use of the dog in Personal Protection training. Most of this training was being conducted by people that were unqualified to do so. The popularity of this breed in PP work can only be attributed to the breed's excellent health, agility, temperament, and it's classification as a Working Breed. Thus, creating much controversy over the breeds intended function. This controversy regarding the breeds intended function overwhelmed Mr. Leavitt and in 1995 he chose to discontinue his work with the breed and pursue other interests. At this point, Mr. Leavitt turned the OEBA registry and his personal breeding stock over to Michael Walz of Working Dog Inc. Over time, this decision turned out to be a bad one. Due to the inefficiency of the Registrar and the organization, Olde English Bulldogge owners and breeders could not get necessary information and registration papers.
In 2001, recognizing that the needs of the breed, the owners, and the breeders were not being met by the OEBA, The Olde English Bulldogge Kennel Club was formed by Tim Kelly, Karen Campetti, Louis Colon, Ray Schneider and several others. The American Rare Breed Association quickly adopted the OEBKC as the National Breed Club of the Olde English Bulldogge and continues to recognize it as such today. With the continued support of ARBA, the Campetti's and several of the breed's original breeders, the OEBKC maintains a registry database of over 375 dogs that are traceable to the original foundation stock. The enthusiasm and interest that the breed and club are attracting is exciting. The Club is attracting more and more Olde English Bulldogge fanciers that are interested in not only showing the breed in the Conformation ring but getting the breed involved in Obedience trials, Tracking and Agility trials.
The enthusiasm and involvement in the Olde English Bulldogge is stronger than ever and once again growing rapidly. This interest is not contained solely in the U.S. There are many Olde English Bulldogges as well as breeders throughout Canada and abroad.
Miscellaneous
The breed is recognized by IOEBA (International Olde English Bulldogge Assoc.) and CKC (Continental Kennel Club).
Further reading
- McDonald, Joan. The Book of the Bulldog, Neptune, NJ: TFH Publications, ISBN 0-86622-027-5
- Jenkins, Robert. The Story of the Real Bulldog, Neptune, NJ: TFH Publications, ISBN 0-7938-0491-4