Fact: the dog called "English bulldog" today is a show bred animal developed well AFTER baiting was banned. Dogs with the brachycephalic nose and short, wide, deformed body of the show bulldog never were typical of animals used for bull baiting.
Rather, the true bull-dog was a 40 to 65 pound dog, long of leg, with a strong, medium, working muzzle, and a long, thin tapering tail. The watercolor above is by Thomas Rowlandson [1756-1827], who sketched scenes of English life, and often drew butchers, baiters, dog fighters and their dogs. The above is entitled The Bull Bait and shows the riff raff typical of baiting sports and their bull-dogs; identical to today's American pit bull.
Hunting boar in the colonies. Primarily used as an animal which could pin and control large and dangerous beasts such as boar, bear and bull, dogfighting was never the original purpose of the bulldog. Dog fighters will argue this point, but the evidence is quite clear. The animals pictured here could enter the ring and win as representatives of the American pit bull today.
Hunting boar in the colonies. Primarily used as an animal which could pin and control large and dangerous beasts such as boar, bear and bull, dogfighting was never the original purpose of the bulldog. Dog fighters will argue this point, but the evidence is quite clear. The animals pictured here could enter the ring and win as representatives of the American pit bull today.
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