General Information
The Bull Terrier is a breed known for its distinctive appearance along with its unique character. With the characteristically egg-shaped head it appears as a robust and muscular dog with well-balanced characteristics. A Bull Terrier has a smart and determined expression, is very active, enjoys life and requires an active role in the family. Both personality and temperament are multidimensional. They belong to this most affectionate breed, as they love and entertain their owners while being very friendly and protective with children.…
History.….
At the beginning of the 19th century the «Bull and Terrier» breeds appeared and were based on the «Old English Bulldog», the «Old English Terrier» and the «Black and tan Terrier», which are now extinct. In 1850 in England, James Hinks started breeding «Bull and Terriers» with «English white Terriers» trying to create a solid white coat, combined with elegance, all with perfect lines. The longer head was preferred as a response to the middle-class demand of the Mid-Victorian society for dog exhibitions dogs and as companion animals. Bull Terriers show similarities to their ancestor, the Bulldog, in strength and body and with Terriers, for their speed, grace and agility. The character of the breed has the courage, tenacity and determination of the Bulldog and the intelligence, and playfulness of Terriers. The Staffordshire Bull Terrier and the American Staffordshire Terrier along with Miniature Bull Terrier and the Standard Bull Terrier share the same heritage, in that they all go back to the bulldog and black and tan terriers, in the mid to late 1800’s. There is evidence in these early years, of the Hinks Bull Terrier being crossed with Dalmations. Quite possibly the use of Greyhounds, but no hard evidence to prove that. The modern Bull Terrier we know today, was refashioned around 1900. The development of the prick ear, the downface and egg-shaped head, as well as backcrossing with the brindle bull-and-terriers. Several lines were developed with these new characteristics in mind and in 1918, the birth of Lord Gladiator began the end of the old heads. He was a product of line breeding and this is still used today by breeders. Bull Terrier should combine general typical characteristics of the breed with their unique temperament. After many changes in breeding Bull Terrier and the Bull Terrier from the pit era (1800) are poles apart.
The modern Bull Terrier.….
The modern Bull Terrier is extremely loving, needs the daily contact with people and if you socialize it early, it can be the best friend of other animals. They are highly affectionate and loyal to their owners and constantly in a playful mood. A Bull Terrier wants to feel that it entertains us and wants to be the center of attention when there are visitors at home. It’s no wonder that they are often described as ‘clowns’. Additionally, they have the tendency to fiddle around with anything we are occupied with or with our activities.
You understand their joy when they run in the garden or into the house from one wall to another with tremendous speed and as a result you might fall if you accidentally are on their way. They also express their happiness by jumping about in circles. At this point you must be careful: Do not confuse this type of joy with the tendency of some Bull Terriers have an OCD disorder.
More over, they have an excellent elephant memory, so try to be nice and fair with them. Many people find them odd or ugly when they first meet a Bull Terrier, but they become eternal fans of them when they experience their multifaceted personality.
Are you ready to be owner of a Bull Terrier?.….
You should first collect information about the Bull Terrier breed either from books or from responsible breeders. You should not forget that it is essential both for you and the dog to be well informed about their real needs and their traits. Do not forget that you are going to share about 13 years of your life together with this dog. A healthy puppy with a good temperament should be the priority of any future owner. Think carefully about the reasons you want a Bull Terrier (companion, morphology, breeding…) and whether your daily economic environment in which you live in is suitable to properly and responsibly raise a dog. Another important issue concerns the breeder selection. You should know that Bull Terrier, as any purebred dog, is predisposed to specific genetic diseases. For this reason, breeders should examine the dogs before breeding and future owners should ask for the certificates of these examinations.
The breeder should stay in close contact with the owner so that they know how the dog is raised and the latter to ask for advice and information if needed. Bull Terriers are very curious about new stimuli, stubborn concerning playing and habits as well as when trained. We recommend beginner owners acquire a female puppy because they are more obedient. Bull Terriers have the inherent instinct to protect their masters so they should not be encouraged to learn aggressive behaviors towards other animals and people. Make sure that you are the master of your dog, meaning that in its psychology it is translated as safety towards it and as absolute respect from the dog towards you. Under no circumstances should you make it be afraid of people, but instead make it respect others, and act pleasantly and perfectly towards all. The early socialization of your puppy is essential and you might need to ask for help from specialized dog trainers at this point. The careful selection of the dog trainer will avoid negative methods used by some of them. The puppy should be socialized in relation to many factors (people, other animals, sounds, external factors). Beware of the period between 8 – 9 weeks as it is crucial for the puppy which, has a strong sense of fear, and it would be nice to ensure that it lives in a routine without any feeling of stress. You must be well informed about the breed you chose so that both you and your dog can be happy. As already mentioned, Bull Terriers are very energetic, and for this reason you should be prepared for many hours of playing so that you can avoid any damages of personal favorite items or home furnishing. Apart from this, a Bull Terrier should not be left alone (or) in the doghouse for a long time, because it becomes bored and will trigger bad habits, such as persistent tail hunting or paw licking etc..…. taking into consideration all the above mentioned, if you can positively answer the question on whether you can responsibly raise a Bull Terrier to be social, healthy and happy with you, we wish to make your dream come true, acquire a Bull Terrier and have a loving relationship during all the years of its life!!!
Useful tips
•Bull Terriers have a high pain tolerance and you should therefore be very observant not to lose valuable time until your dog starts demonstrating the pain. You should generally observe their appetite for food or play, their walking, their breath, their skin– coat because some suffer from skin diseases– allergies. Maintain good dental hygiene (teeth — gums), ears, eyes, nails.
•Make sure your pet has a routine. No abrupt and frequent changes.
•Avoid frequent exposure to the sun due to skin disorders, as well as various chemical shampoos.
•Be careful with their diet in order to avoid allergies and other diseases.
•Be careful when you first use the leash. You should be relaxed without pushing the dog and you’d better wear the leash during the game for the first time before get them walking.
•Avoid bathing your dog too often. They really like swimming but most of them do not like bathing. You’d better prefer a wet towel for frequent cleaning or a rubber hand to loosen dirt from the coat.
•In case of allergy, check: Food– diet, place (home, garden, grass, pollen, pests, sleeping material…), detergent– scented spray, season or any medicine received during an allergy or stress.
•Make sure that especially during the first months you will spend time to calmly and patiently teach the rules of the house to the new member.
We hope that we helped you make the right decision for the acquisition of a Bull Terrier!!! We thought it was necessary to introduce you to the unique natural beauty and their special characteristics as well as your obligations to your future puppy. Regarding their needs, they are not different from those of a child.
So what would you do for your child?
(For further information, please contact us)
With love and passion for breeding,
Labrini Maniati — Kostas Lentoudis
IMMORTAL SPIRITS KENNEL
–GREECE–
