Bull terriers can rightly be called the most controversial breed of dogs. According to the owners, these are kind, loyal creatures, incapable of offending flies, perfectly suited as pets. But the media give a completely different characteristic to dogs - bloodthirsty and merciless. What is a true opinion, and what do experts say about bull terriers?
Content
- Как возникла и развивалась порода 1. How did the breed originate and develop?
- Описание внешности породы 2. Description of the appearance of the breed
- Черты характера бультерьеров 3. Character traits of the bull terriers
- Как ухаживать за бультерьером 4. How to care for a bull terrier
- Правильное содержание питомца 5. Proper pet maintenance
- Склонность к заболеваниям 6. Propensity to diseases
- Видео бультерьеров 7. Bull Terrier Videos
- Какова стоимость породистого щенка 8. What is the cost of a purebred puppy
How did the breed originate and develop?
The country of origin of the bull terrier breed is England. As early as the beginning of the 19th century, it was possible to meet on its territory the ancestors of the modern representatives of the breed - Old-Bull-End Terriers. Their grandparents are old-type bulldogs and white terriers.
Similar dogs at that time were used for bloody fun - fighting with the bulls, and this is the reason for the name - “bull” means “bull” in English. The dogs grabbed the animal by the nose and held it for as long as the bull was exhausted and fell exhausted.
To do this, the dogs had to have very strong jaws and developed muscles. The development of the breed took place in this direction. The dogs were bred with representatives of other breeds in order to improve the characteristics required for fighting. One of the main breeds were white terriers, which were used to fight rodents.
The descendants of white terriers and old-boules-terriers were dogs, known as boules-and-terriers. These are medium-sized dogs, not devoid of excitement, with exceptional endurance and mobility - ideal for "bull" fighting.
In 1835, in England, a law was passed prohibiting the baiting of large horned animals by dogs, which could not but affect the development of the old-bull-terrier breed. But the breed did not disappear, the dogs began to be used in other entertainments - the persecution of rats, and later in more cruel entertainments - dog fights.
However, at that time one of the enthusiasts, James Hinks, became interested in improving the appearance of the representatives. He decided that the breed is not bad for a family, but for this it is necessary to work with some characteristics. One of the directions was to change the aggressive exterior to a friendlier one.
First of all, dogs were crossed with Dalmatians . Work on the design of the breed took place later, it was carried out by the descendants of Hinks. Old-Bull-and-Terriers are the ancestors of not only the bulls, but also Staffordshire Bull Terriers, American Pit Bull Terriers, Manchester Terriers and other fighting breeds.
Breed appearance description
The modern bull terrier is a sturdy dog with a well-developed musculature and a compact build. The size of males is somewhat larger than the females. Dogs weight varies in the range of 18-30 kg, the average growth is 30-45 cm.
According to the generally accepted standard, the following are distinguished from other breeds of boules:
- The skull is oval, the head is long and deep. The area between the ears is flat.
- Jaws strong, powerful, with the right bite in the form of scissors. Lips are quite dry and tight to each other. The small eyes of a triangular shape are set slightly obliquely. However, in an excited bull terrier, the eyes become more expressive, they are noticeably rounded.
- The ears of representatives of the breed are small, triangular in shape, according to the standard should stand vertically. Nose dull, wide, with a black lobe, lowered down.
- The neck is long, with a pronounced muscular relief, wide in the shoulder area, closer to the head noticeably narrowed. The back is straight, even, smoothly passes into the lower back, which can be convex or in the shape of an arc. The thorax of the bull terriers is wide with a decent depth.
- The tail is short with a low rise. In the area of the base is thick, but by the end it becomes thinner. Holds the tail horizontally.
- The fore and hind limbs of the dogs are muscular, with strong bones and round paws. Moreover, the front paws are more developed than the rear.
- Coat hard, short, smooth, evenly covers all parts of the body of the animal.
There are several colors of bull terriers, which are divided into two categories - white and color. In the first case, the wool should be pure white, the standard allowed a slight pigmentation of the skin and minor spots in the head. Any color blotches with white color are a breed defect.
Colors of bull terriers
- completely black;
- brindle;
- deer brown;
- white;
- various tricolor variations.
Bull terrier character traits
This breed is quite specific, so it is categorically not recommended for beginners. And in this case we are not talking about the stupidity, lack of balance and aggressiveness of these dogs. On the contrary, their mental abilities are at a high level, which allows animals to "probe" the weaknesses of the owners and take over the relationship.
The fact that the bull terriers can be a dangerous and ferocious weapon, there is some truth, as the breed of fighting instincts in them have not gone away. However, an educated and trained dog will never allow itself to aggressively treat others.
Unbalanced, improperly bred dogs, as well as dogs, whose training was based on aggression and the development of hatred towards people and their own kind, are prone to attacks. Aggression is not included in the standard qualities of a boule, also cowardice and fearfulness are not typical for them.
Bull terriers are not stupid, they are very kind to family members, have boundless devotion and loyalty. But this does not affect their protective and protective qualities.
Some individuals may show jealousy and some capriciousness, therefore from an early age should explain to the pet his rights and existing prohibitions.
All members of this breed suffer from hyperactivity, and this quality does not disappear even with age. The old bull terrier can give odds to young dogs of other breeds. This should be taken into account when acquiring a four-legged friend, since it will take a long time to walk, and be sure to give your pet physical exertion. Only in this way will the dog feel good both physically and emotionally.
Bull terriers love children, and both teenagers and kids. A child for a dog is the best companion for games. But, naturally, it is necessary to observe their interaction with young children, as the dog is strong and powerful, in an outburst of excitement it can unintentionally carry out harm - push, drop, squeeze.
Purebred representatives can be extremely stubborn, so from the young claws should be stopped any freedom and refusals to obey.
Bull terriers require mandatory socialization, it is especially important in relation to other animals. But even a well-bred dog can suddenly start a fight with their own kind, but pugnacity is more common in males. Therefore, you should not leave your pet on the run unattended.
Bull terriers are excellent guards, defenders, companions. But the animal can show all its positive qualities only in experienced hands. They need an owner with a balanced character, self-confident and with plenty of free time.
How to care for a bull terrier
Dogs have a short coat that does not require complex care. It is enough 3-4 times a month to comb a pet with a rubber or silicone brush. To remove dust and dirt, you can wipe with a damp cloth. Shed out the bull terriers moderately. To reduce the amount of wool in the house during the season of molting, it is necessary to comb the pet more often. This will significantly improve the metabolic processes in the skin and accelerate the replacement of wool.
Eyes and ears also need attention. It is enough to periodically inspect and clean them as needed. What requires a special approach is the muscular build of the pet. Bull terriers need regular power loads to keep fit.
In addition, it is important to provide the dog with adequate nutrition . It is highly undesirable to overfeed the dog, as the representatives of this breed are prone to obesity, against which the animal can seriously ill.
As already noted, bull terriers need socialization, and training should begin as soon as possible. It should immediately acquaint the child with people, dogs and other pets.
To avoid mistakes of education and to gain a reliable, balanced defender, it is recommended to undergo a course of training at a professional canine. It is advisable to do this at a puppy age.
Proper pet maintenance
Choosing a pet for life in an open-air cage or on a chain, you should immediately abandon the idea of having a bull terrier. Firstly, their coat will not allow an animal to be in the cold for a long time, and the dogs are also not well tolerated by bright sunlight. Secondly, this breed is not a guard, but guards and defenders, they, as true bodyguards, need to be close to the object of protection. It is safe to attribute the bull terriers to apartment breeds.
When choosing a place for a pet, it is necessary to take into account that it must be kept away from drafts and heating appliances, as the dog may forgive, which often happens after heating up at the battery, the dog goes outside. A place to sleep should be a soft litter or mattress.
Bull terriers do not require a large amount of space, since they are, for the most part, active during walking, so you can start a pet even if you have a small apartment.
Propensity to disease
Bull terrier dogs can boast good health and strong immunity. Most often manifested diseases are hereditary. These include pathologies such as:
- hearing impairment, including deafness;
- kidney disease;
- astigmatism.
To protect your pet from such problems, when choosing a dog, you should be interested in hereditary diseases and carefully study the baby card. When buying from random breeders, this is unlikely to work, but kennel owners value their reputation and initially discard puppies with defects in appearance and health.
Among the acquired ailments worth noting obesity, heart and dermatological diseases. But with proper care, the risks of getting sick in bull terriers are quite small.
Video of bull terriers
What is the cost of a purebred puppy
The average price of a purebred baby is 15,000-25,000 rubles. You can buy a puppy from your hands and it is much cheaper - for 8000-10000 rubles. A high-class representative of the breed will cost much more - in 45000-50000 rubles. No matter how much a pet costs, he needs a strong hand, care and affection.