A rare and popular breed, the Victorian bulldog makes for the perfect family pet. DogAppy provides some facts about this unique dog.
No Confusion
The Victorian bulldog is also known as Mollett Victorian bulldog. It is often confused with the Olde Victorian Bulldogge, which was developed by Carlos Woods. However, these are two different breeds with no similarities to each other.
The Victorian bulldog’s history is not very ancient. It was created sometime in the 1980s by English breeder Ken Mollett. Mollett’s intention behind creating this breed was to introduce to the world a bulldog that was active, healthy, and had a pure bloodline. He conducted a lot of research on the ancient bulldogs of the 1800s, which were the benchmark for his creation. For this purpose, he gathered dogs that were registered with the United Kennel Club (to ensure pure bloodlines), and bred them.
The breeds included English bulldogs, Staffordshire bull terriers, Bullmastiffs, Dogue de Bordeauxs, and Bull terriers. The resultant breed was taller than the current English bulldogs, leaner, more active, with more desirable personality traits, and almost completely free of diseases. Thus, the Victorian bulldog was born. This is a very rare species of bulldog, and genuine dogs are quite difficult to find. You will find some more information about the Victorian bulldog in the following paragraphs.
Appearance
The Victorian bulldog is slightly bigger in size than the typical English Bulldog. It stands between 16 and 19 inches in height, and weighs between 55 and 75 pounds. Males are bigger than females. The overall appearance of this dog is that of a taller English bulldog. It has a broad skull, wide muzzle, and short nose. Its ears are small, either rose or button. Its eyes are set wide apart, are round, small, and dark-colored. It has a very muscular frame, with long legs and smaller feet. It is deep-chested and broad-shouldered, with the back tapering towards the rump. It has a short, smooth coat that is not much help in extreme weather conditions. Coat colors come in a wide variety like white, fawn, red, fallow, brindle, pied, or a combination of the same. Some of these traits are characteristic to the Victorian bulldog, and will not be found in any other breed.
Temperament
Don’t go by its looks, the Victorian bulldog is one of the sweetest pooches you will meet. It is gentle, friendly, social, extremely loyal, good with kids, very affectionate, and reliable and trustworthy. You can depend on this dog to alert you of any danger, and maybe even protect you from it. It loves all kinds of people and animals, but there may be some friction with a new dog, especially if it happens to be of the same gender.
It is a good play companion for kids, as it loves being among people. Socialization helps to get the dog used to all the sights and smells around, so that it grows up to be a well-rounded individual with no behavior problems. It is actually an excellent option for a family dog; too bad it is so rare to find. It loves people, and basks in the attention. It cannot tolerate being by itself for extended periods of time, and needs its folks around. This breed needs a firm and consistent owner who will lay down the house rules and the consequences for breaking them. A dog like this can thrive under a good pack leader.
Training
Obedience school and socialization are two important aspects of training. The Victorian bulldog is a smart breed that can pick up commands quite quickly. However, it is slightly prone to stubbornness, but it is nothing a firm and consistent handler can’t fix. Positive reinforcement and encouragement are also effective. Only thing is that your dog must know that you are the boss, and yours is the final word.
Exercise
This is not a very hyperactive breed. It requires only moderate exercise, and maybe some playing in the yard, by itself or with the kids. One or two walks a day are more than enough in the exercise department. Just remember to cover your dog up in extreme weather conditions as it tends to heat up very fast, and feels very cold in a short amount of time. Thus, it is best-suited to places with a moderate climate. Keep your dog indoors when the weather is extreme, and limit the workout activity at such times.
Maintenance
Owing to its short coat, this breed is a low shedder. It does not require regular brushing, as once a week works quite well. Bathing frequently is not required either, and that program can be restricted to once a month. Drooling and snoring are two, and possibly the only, drawbacks of this breed. It is not necessary that your dog possess either of these tendencies, or he/she may possess both. In any case, you will have to be prepared for it. In other grooming needs, this dog’s snout needs to be kept clean, as food particles and other debris can get trapped in the deep wrinkles. This can lead to infections; it must hence be wiped with a clean, damp cloth.
Health and Living Conditions
The Victorian bulldog is one of the healthiest living dog breeds ever. There are no genetic health problems that seriously affect it. It has a lifespan of 12 to 14 years.
Being moderately active, the Victorian bulldog can do fine in apartments, or houses with a small yard. It does not need a whole lot of space as it does not move around much. Get your yard fenced before getting this dog as it may suddenly run after something suspicious or exciting.
A fascinating breed, the Victorian bulldog. Who would have thought that such a recently-developed pooch could be so loved, and so much in demand. A terrific pet to have as a member of the family!
