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American Bulldog

loyal / self-confident
Foundation Stock Service >>

Average sizes and life
expectancy of the breed.

Height

22-25 inches (males); 20-23 inches (females)

Weight

75-100 pounds (males); 60-80 pounds (females)

Life Expectancy

10-12 years

Breed Traits & Characteristics

Affectionate With Family
How affectionate a breed is likely to be with family members, or other people he knows well. Some breeds can be aloof with everyone but their owner, while other breeds treat everyone they know like their best friend.
Good With Young Children
  • Not Recommended Good With Children
    70% 70%
A breed's level of tolerance and patience with childrens' behavior, and overall family-friendly nature. Dogs should always be supervised around young children, or children of any age who have little exposure to dogs.
GOOD WITH OTHER DOGS
  • Not Recommended Good With Other Dogs
    70% 70%
How generally friendly a breed is towards other dogs. Dogs should always be supervised for interactions and introductions with other dogs, but some breeds are innately more likely to get along with other dogs, both at home and in public.

Shedding Level

How much fur and hair you can expect the breed to leave behind. Breeds with high shedding will need to be brushed more frequently, are more likely to trigger certain types of allergies, and are more likely to require more consistent vacuuming and lint-rolling.

Coat Grooming Frequency

How frequently a breed requires bathing, brushing, trimming, or other kinds of coat maintenance. Consider how much time, patience, and budget you have for this type of care when looking at the grooming effort needed. All breeds require regular nail trimming.

Drooling Level

How drool-prone a breed tends to be. If you're a neat freak, dogs that can leave ropes of slobber on your arm or big wet spots on your clothes may not be the right choice for you.

Coat Type

Corded
Curly
Double
Hairless
Rough
Silky
Smooth
Wavy
Wiry
Canine coats come in many different types, depending on the breed's purpose. Each coat type comes with different grooming needs, allergen potential, and shedding level. You may also just prefer the look or feel of certain coat types over others when choosing a family pet.

Coat Length

Long
Medium
Short
How long the breed's coat is expected to be. Some long-haired breeds can be trimmed short, but this will require additional upkeep to maintain.

Openness To Strangers

How welcoming a breed is likely to be towards strangers. Some breeds will be reserved or cautious around all strangers, regardless of the location, while other breeds will be happy to meet a new human whenever one is around!

Playfulness Level

How enthusiastic about play a breed is likely to be, even past the age of puppyhood. Some breeds will continue wanting to play tug-of-war or fetch well into their adult years, while others will be happy to just relax on the couch with you most of the time.

Watchdog/Protective Nature

A breed's tendency to alert you that strangers are around. These breeds are more likely to react to any potential threat, whether it's the mailman or a squirrel outside the window. These breeds are likely to warm to strangers who enter the house and are accepted by their family.

Adaptability Level

How easily a breed handles change. This can include changes in living conditions, noise, weather, daily schedule, and other variations in day-to-day life.

Trainability Level

How easy it will be to train your dog, and how willing your dog will be to learn new things. Some breeds just want to make their owner proud, while others prefer to do what they want, when they want to, wherever they want!

Energy Level

The amount of exercise and mental stimulation a breed needs. High energy breeds are ready to go and eager for their next adventure. They'll spend their time running, jumping, and playing throughout the day. Low energy breeds are like couch potatoes - they're happy to simply lay around and snooze.

Barking Level

How often this breed vocalizes, whether it's with barks or howls. While some breeds will bark at every passer-by or bird in the window, others will only bark in particular situations. Some barkless breeds can still be vocal, using other sounds to express themselves.

Mental Stimulation Needs

How much mental stimulation a breed needs to stay happy and healthy. Purpose-bred dogs can have jobs that require decision-making, problem-solving, concentration, or other qualities, and without the brain exercise they need, they'll create their own projects to keep their minds busy -- and they probably won't be the kind of projects you'd like.

Affectionate With Family

How affectionate a breed is likely to be with family members, or other people he knows well. Some breeds can be aloof with everyone but their owner, while other breeds treat everyone they know like their best friend.

Good With Young Children

  • Not Recommended Good With Children
    70% 70%
A breed's level of tolerance and patience with childrens' behavior, and overall family-friendly nature. Dogs should always be supervised around young children, or children of any age who have little exposure to dogs.

GOOD WITH OTHER DOGS

  • Not Recommended Good With Other Dogs
    70% 70%
How generally friendly a breed is towards other dogs. Dogs should always be supervised for interactions and introductions with other dogs, but some breeds are innately more likely to get along with other dogs, both at home and in public.

Shedding Level

How much fur and hair you can expect the breed to leave behind. Breeds with high shedding will need to be brushed more frequently, are more likely to trigger certain types of allergies, and are more likely to require more consistent vacuuming and lint-rolling.

Coat Grooming Frequency

How frequently a breed requires bathing, brushing, trimming, or other kinds of coat maintenance. Consider how much time, patience, and budget you have for this type of care when looking at the grooming effort needed. All breeds require regular nail trimming.

Drooling Level

How drool-prone a breed tends to be. If you're a neat freak, dogs that can leave ropes of slobber on your arm or big wet spots on your clothes may not be the right choice for you.

Coat Type

Corded
Curly
Double
Hairless
Rough
Silky
Smooth
Wavy
Wiry
Canine coats come in many different types, depending on the breed's purpose. Each coat type comes with different grooming needs, allergen potential, and shedding level. You may also just prefer the look or feel of certain coat types over others when choosing a family pet.

Coat Length

Long
Medium
Short
How long the breed's coat is expected to be. Some long-haired breeds can be trimmed short, but this will require additional upkeep to maintain.

Openness To Strangers

How welcoming a breed is likely to be towards strangers. Some breeds will be reserved or cautious around all strangers, regardless of the location, while other breeds will be happy to meet a new human whenever one is around!

Playfulness Level

How enthusiastic about play a breed is likely to be, even past the age of puppyhood. Some breeds will continue wanting to play tug-of-war or fetch well into their adult years, while others will be happy to just relax on the couch with you most of the time.

Watchdog/Protective Nature

A breed's tendency to alert you that strangers are around. These breeds are more likely to react to any potential threat, whether it's the mailman or a squirrel outside the window. These breeds are likely to warm to strangers who enter the house and are accepted by their family.

Adaptability Level

How easily a breed handles change. This can include changes in living conditions, noise, weather, daily schedule, and other variations in day-to-day life.

Trainability Level

How easy it will be to train your dog, and how willing your dog will be to learn new things. Some breeds just want to make their owner proud, while others prefer to do what they want, when they want to, wherever they want!

Energy Level

The amount of exercise and mental stimulation a breed needs. High energy breeds are ready to go and eager for their next adventure. They'll spend their time running, jumping, and playing throughout the day. Low energy breeds are like couch potatoes - they're happy to simply lay around and snooze.

Barking Level

How often this breed vocalizes, whether it's with barks or howls. While some breeds will bark at every passer-by or bird in the window, others will only bark in particular situations. Some barkless breeds can still be vocal, using other sounds to express themselves.

Mental Stimulation Needs

How much mental stimulation a breed needs to stay happy and healthy. Purpose-bred dogs can have jobs that require decision-making, problem-solving, concentration, or other qualities, and without the brain exercise they need, they'll create their own projects to keep their minds busy -- and they probably won't be the kind of projects you'd like.

About the Breed

American Bulldogs are well-balanced athletic dogs with exceptional strength, endurance, agility, and a friendly demeanor. Historically, they were bred to be utility dogs for farm work.

The English Bulldog is the ancestor of the American Bulldog. The bulldog is thought to have arrived in America as early as the 17th century. They arrived in the 1800s with immigrants who took their working bulldogs with them. Small farmers and ranchers used this versatile working dog for a variety of roles such as farm guardians, stock dogs, and catch dogs. Because of its capacity to hunt and trap feral pigs, the breed has mostly survived, particularly in the southern states.

Before the term American Bulldog became the standard, the breed was known by a variety of other names. In different regions of the South, he was known as the White English Southern Bulldog, but he was most generally known simply as “bulldog.” The breed was dubbed a bulldog not because of its appearance, but because it performed an actual bulldog job.

What To Expect When Caring For a American Bulldog

Owning a dog is not just a privilege; it’s a responsibility. They depend on us for, at minimum, food and shelter, and deserve much more. When you take a dog into your life, you need to understand the commitment that dog ownership entails.

Health

The American Bulldog is a relatively healthy breed. Owners should follow their veterinarian's recommendations for exams and vaccines. Hip and joint disorders are a concern for this breed, thus hip and elbow exams should be performed as well. The American Bulldog, like other breeds, is susceptible to inherited health issues. Breeders should examine any possible mating partners for genetic problems ahead of time.

Grooming

Grooming your American Bulldog is a simple task. This breed does not require frequent bathing, only when they grow soiled. Brushing on a regular basis will help keep their coat clean and lustrous. Their nails should be clipped every few weeks, and their ears should be cleaned once a month or more frequently if necessary. Their teeth should be brushed on a regular basis. Seasonal hair loss is to be expected.

Exercise

The American Bulldog is a sports dog. To reduce the risk of bone and joint damage in pups, parents should engage in non-impact exercises. The American Bulldog will require a variety of activities as an adult, including jogs, treks, tug-of-war games, and training exercises. When left alone in the backyard, the breed does not fare well. Because pent-up energy can cause a range of behavioral issues. This breed demands regular exercise and stimulation. Developing his athletic ability will assist this breed in remaining fit and joyful.  

Training

Early socialization and puppy training programs are critical in channeling the enthusiasm of the American Bulldog. Rules and routines should be established early on and followed as the dogs develop. To create and maintain proper limits, they demand a firm yet kind touch. The more exposure they have to good training procedures, other dogs, and people, the better their chances of being controlled both inside and outside of their environment.  

Nutrition

American Bulldogs are healthy canines who will thrive on a variety of high-quality dog foods. For the first 14 months of their lives, American Bulldog puppies should be fed a large-breed puppy diet to guarantee moderate and consistent growth. Puppies should not be given calcium supplements until they have progressed to an adult diet. Adult dogs should be fed a high-quality large-breed chow with joint, muscle, and coat supplements.  

History

The American Bulldog is a strong-built dog whose initial purpose was as a farm utility dog, family companion, and protector. The American Bulldog is said to have come in America as early as the 1700s, and many came with their owners and families during the 17th and 18th centuries. The breed was well recognized for its ability to trap wild cattle and pigs, and it became a valuable tool for small farmers and ranchers. Because of this aptitude, the breed has mostly survived, particularly in the southern regions. Almost extinct during WWI and WWII, the remaining surviving canines were maintained on farms predominantly in the southeast. The two men who are recognized as the pioneers of bringing the breed back from possible extinction are John D. Johnson and Alan Scott. cx nm,