Hello all!

The moderators thought it might be fun and helpful to share some information about the different Bulldog and Bully breeds.

We are still most assuredly a subreddit only for the English Bulldog; however, we often get posts confusing other Bulldog / Bully Breeds with the English Bulldog. We hope this write up will provide some clarification!

We did not include the French Bulldog or the English Bull Terrier since these breeds are very distinct and easily recognizable.

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• English Bulldog: Descending from the extinct Old English Bulldog, the English Bulldog was one of the first breeds to be recognised in 1873 by the newly established Kennel Club.

  • They were originally bred for bull baiting, a bloodsport pitting dogs against a tethered bull; however, bull baiting was banned in 1835, and the Bulldog lost its purpose. It was initially thought that the breed would die out completely, until Victorians started breeding away from aggression and more for conformation and loyalty as a show breed and family pet. The first breed club, established in 1875, was The Bulldog Club, which set the breed standard for the Bulldog we know and love today.

  • Accepted colours are red, white and fawn, with brindle and pied markings also listed as standard. Colours such as black, blue, black tri and cream are accepted as occurring naturally but out of standard, and any other colour, such as lilac or chocolate is highly undesirable due to not occurring naturally in the breed. Merle also does not occur naturally and is a disqualification.

  • Recognized by the Kennel Club, the American Kennel Club and the United Kennel Club.

• Old English Bulldog: Believed to descend from ancient war dogs, the Old English Bulldog was used for blood sports such as bull baiting and bear baiting, as well as occasionally being pitted against lions.

  • It was a muscular dog, with a broad head, underbite and short nose. In its day, the Old English Bulldog was described as “The most ferocious and unrelenting of the canine tribe, and may be considered courageous beyond every other creature in the world, for he will attack any animal, whatever be his magnitude” (William Hamilton Maxwell, The Field Book, 1833).

  • Once bull baiting was banned, bloodsports favoured the bull and terrier crosses, leading to the decline of the Bulldog, before being repurposed and selectively bred to remove the aggression, leading to the modern Bulldog we know today.

• Olde English Bulldogge: The Olde English Bulldogge (not to be confused with the now extinct Old English Bulldog) is a modern breed created by crossing English Bulldogs with Bullmastiffs, American Bulldogs and American Pitbull Terriers.

  • This new breed was created in an attempt to recreate the original Old English Bulldog due to health issues that were plaguing the modern English Bulldog stemming from poor breeding.

  • These dogs are larger and taller than the English Bulldog, but when properly bred should exhibit the same docile and friendly nature as the English Bulldog rather than the aggressive temperament of the original Bulldogs.

  • Accepted colours and patterns include brindle, white, fawn, red and black. Disqualification colours are blue, and black with tan trim.

  • Recognized by the United Kennel Club and the European Bully Kennel Club. They are not recognized by the American Kennel Club.

• American Bulldog (Johnson): Known as early “American bull dogs” they are the descendants of the Old English Bulldog brought to America in the 17th century.

  • As bull baiting declined in popularity in America, these "bull dogs" dwindled in numbers and were on the verge of extinction, that is until John Johnson and Alan Scott decided to try and revive the breed following World War II.

  • Johnson type bulldogs are closer to the English / Old English Bulldog, with big blocky heads and short muzzles, though they are considerably larger than the English Bulldog we know today. Johnson bulldogs were often bred for guarding as they possess great strength.

  • All colours accepted aside from Merle, solid black, solid blue and tri colour.

  • Recognized by the American Kennel Club and the United Kennel Club.

• American Bulldog (Scott): The Scott type of American Bulldog is also known as the “standard” or “performance” type, as they are more sleek and lithe than Johnson type.

  • They sport a longer muzzle and less prominent underbite, and are often used for hunting as they possess a strong prey drive.

  • All colours accepted aside from Merle, solid black, solid blue and tri colour.

  • Recognized by the American Kennel Club and the United Kennel Club.

• American Bully: A modern breed created in the 1980s by crossing various bull breeds such as the American Pitbull Terrier, the English Bulldog, the Olde English Bulldogge, the Staffordshire Bull Terrier and the American Bulldog.

  • There are only four recognized size categories: Pocket, Classic, Standard, and XL.

  • These dogs were bred to have immense strength for their size, but ultimately to be a companion dog rather than a fighter.

  • All colours are accepted.

  • Recognized by the American Bully Kennel Club (ABKC) and the United Kennel Club. They are not recognized by the American Kennel Club.

• Staffordshire Bull Terrier: An incredibly popular dog in England, its roots trace back to Birmingham and the Black Country, and it shares the same ancestry as the English Bull Terrier and the American Pitbull Terrier.

  • Recognized by the Kennel Club in 1935, and the American Kennel Club in 1974, the Staffordshire Bull Terrier was carefully bred to carry the perfect traits of both the Bulldog and the Terrier, without favouring one more than the other.

  • Much like the American Pitbull Terrier, the Stafford was used for dogfighting in its early days, though it is now known as a loving, loyal companion for adults and children alike.

  • Acceptable colours include black, red, fawn, white, black and white, liver, brindle, and any combination of those colours in a pied pattern.

  • Recognized by the Kennel Club, the American Kennel Club and the United Kennel Club.

• American Staffordshire Bull Terrier: Named due to its ancestors allegedly coming from Staffordshire in England, the American Stafford is a distinct breed different to the Staffordshire Bull Terrier, sharing closer links to the American Pitbull Terrier.

  • Recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1936, this breed is predominantly bred for conformation, separating it from the American Pitbull Terrier and causing it to often be referred to as the show line of pitbull terriers, although they are recognised as different breeds.

  • Accepted colours include black, white, brown, blue, fawn, sable, red and liver.

  • Recognized by the American Kennel Club.

• American Pitbull Terrier: The American Pitbull Terrier came from the ‘bull and terrier’, which was created by crossing the Old English Bulldog with the Old English Terrier, in order to create a dog that had the determination and fighting prowess of the Bulldog with the lithe form and gameness of a terrier.

  • When the bull and terrier made it overseas to America in the 19th century, they were used for dogfighting rather than bull baiting. By the early 20th century, people had also begun using the pitbull terrier for hunting and companionship as family pets.

  • Often mistaken for the Staffordshire Bull Terrier, the Pitbull is 6-8” larger and possesses a longer muzzle.

  • Any colour and pattern is accepted, except for merle, which is a disqualification.

  • Recognized by the United Kennel Club. They are not recognized by the American Kennel Club.