In less than a week, my Bull Terrier, Miki, is expected to deliver her puppies! The puppies are kicking now, and Miki is doing great, which is always a relief. The whelping box, where the newborn puppies will live, and all the other supplies are in place, so we are just waiting for the big day. In the meantime, allow me to highlight the Bull Terrier as a breed and discuss what kind of home these puppies might do well in.
I caution everyone who inquires about the puppies that the bull terrier is not a dog for everyone. That may not sound like a glowing endorsement of my beloved breed, but I always want everyone who may be drawn to their looks to understand what kind of dog they are getting. Like most terriers, Bull Terriers are independent and free thinkers. They aren’t entirely untrainable, but there are times when you are going to have to think outside of every dog-training box you know. Bull Terriers aren’t for sedentary people, as they’re quite active and demand a great deal of attention from their owners.
Bull Terriers do not come from glamorous origins. During the 1800s in England, Bulldogs were used for the blood sport of Bull Baiting. At the same time, there was a breed of terrier known as the White Cavalier. When Bull Baiting was outlawed, those who made money off of animal blood sports took their endeavors underground and started fighting dogs in pits in the basements of pubs. Those involved in this pit fighting started crossing Bulldogs with White Cavaliers to capitalize on the strength of the Bulldog and the “gaminess” of the Cavalier. These mixes were called the “Bull and Terrier.”
When pit fighting was finally outlawed, the Bull and Terrier found themselves out of a job. Much like the Bulldog, people who liked the breed decided to breed them with less of a temperament of a gladiator and more of a temperament of a gentleman. A man named James Hinks is credited with creating the Bull Terrier. He knew that looks, status, and being on top of the latest trends were very important to Victorian-era Brits. Hinks mixed Dalmatians with the Bulldogs and terrier dogs from the pits to get the all-white coat. He also possibly mixed them with Pointers to straighten out the legs and get fewer wrinkles. As a result, their foreface was longer and their bodies more refined, creating the Bull Terrier, which was an instant fad. He improved their temperaments, making them civilized so they could be in the pubs and look fancy when ratting at home. Once they took off in England, they made their way into the American Kennel Club in 1885.
The Bull Terrier is not a small terrier. They are muscular and athletic, requiring daily exercise of both body and mind. They are not dogs that respond well to punishment-based training. If you hurt a Bull Terrier’s feelings or offend them, like most terriers, they will not forgive and forget.
What is most distinguished about the Bull Terrier is their egg-shaped head and their small, dark, triangular eyes. They come in two varieties, which are white and colored. Colored Bull Terriers are either brindle, tricolor, or red. If you see a merle-colored Bull Terrier on social media, it is not a Bull Terrier!
I can not say a Bull Terrier will like every dog it meets, but they always love people. My dogs are people magnets, and they worship the public. If a Bull Terrier does not like people, it is not a good Bull Terrier.
Bull Terrier breeders have worked diligently to improve temperaments, leading them to be called the clown of the terrier group and no longer the gladiator. I can attest to their clown-like behavior, as I live with three comedians, though I freely admit to sometimes not appreciating their brand of humor when it comes to what they decide to get into on any given day. While it was their looks that originally drew me to them, after having had so many now and breeding them, it is their unique charm and, what we call in the breed, “jaunty” attitudes that have kept me in it. I can’t wait until my next five contributions to the Bull Terrier world make their debut!
If you have any questions, please feel free to email me at heidi@fouronthefloordogtraining.net
Heidi Clayton started Four On the Floor Dog Training to provide positive, reward-based dog training in South Jersey. She breeds, trains and shows bull terriers under the SoraBully’s Bull Terriers kennel name. Email questions to heidi@fouronthefloordogtraining.net or learn more at https://fouronthefloordogtraining.net
