THE BULL TERRIER
HISTORY
by Lorraine Jones
The Bull Terrier is a British breed of dog.
Its predecessors were developed for the purposes of pit fighting, in the
middle of the 19th century. The "sporting enthusiasts" of that
time loved to bet on dog fights, bull fights, bear fights, etc. Some of
them decided to mate two formidable breeds of dog, the Bull Dog and the
Black and Tan Terrier (which is now extinct). They wanted to combine
the Bull Dog's tenacity, courage and high threshold of pain, with the terrier's
lightening speed, agility and unsurpassed ratting (eg.,killing) instinct.
What resulted was an extremely rugged dog, well suited for pit fighting,
which is still popular in parts of the world to this day. It was
not a pretty dog. It had bowed legs, and its colors have been described
as "smutty". It was called the Bull and Terrier dog. On the
other side of this not so pretty picture, is the fact that the dog had
unfaltering devotion to its owner.
It got the reputation as a "canine gladiator",
a juggernaut in a fight and would fight to the death for his master.
Some of the owners of this breed found other uses for the dog as well.
They used it for sheep herding and hunting, as well as vermin control.
Mr. James Hinks, of Birmingham, England, decided to cross another dog into
the gene pool of the Bull and Terrier, that of the White English Terrier.
He thought that the gentlemen of the day would enjoy a distinctive looking
and loyal companion as well as a bodyguard. The result was an all
white Bull Terrier, refered to as "The White Cavalier". The White
English Terrier is another distinct breed that is now extinct, but its
genes are being carried by the Bull Terrier to this day. Other Bull and
Terrier breeders also utilized the "White Cavalier" in their breeding in
order that the colors of their dogs would become more defined. This also
gave the Bull and Terrier a more elegant line, a little more graceful in
bearing, and the legs were no longer bowed. It seemed that Mr. Hinks
decided to add in few other ingredients into the genetic soup as well.
The Dalmatian, Greyhound, the Spanish Pointer, Foxhound and the Borzoi
were used like a cook would use spices in the kitchen. A pinch here
and a dollop there. The Bull and Terrier went through many changes
at the hands of Mr. Hinks and other breeders, on its way to become the
Bull Terrier we know today.
In 1888 the Bull Terrier standard was published
by the Bull Terrier Club in England. The breed was recognized by
the American Kennel Club in 1895. In 1992 the A.K.C. recognized that
there were now two size differences, the Standard Bull Terrier - that measures
more than 14 inches in height to the withers. And the Miniature Bull
Terrier, that measures 10 to 14 inches in height to the withers.
That is the only difference. The rest of the standard is the same
for both.
The colored Bull Terrier gained recognition
as an A.K.C. variety in 1936. The colored Bull Terrier was a result
of the outcrossing of the Bull and Terrier breed with the Staffordshire
Bull Terrier. It may be important to realize that the white color
is a dominant trait in this breed. White crossed to white produces
white puppies.
In 1987, the
Bull Terrier gained quite an audience when Spuds MacKenzie made "his" debut
in the Bud Light commercials for Anheuser-Busch Beer Company. What
some people didn't realize was that "Spuds" was a she. Mostly, these
sets of commercials just showed that some people have no sense of humor.
The Bull Terrier Club of America and the breeders
of the Bull Terrier have done a good job of keeping the Bull Terrier a
healthy and consistent breed of dog. As with all things, there are
some good and bad in any group. Be careful when purchasing this breed,
as temperament is equally important as the body line and proportions.
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