For this week’s Dog of the Week, I’ve chosen the English Bulldog, or just Bulldog. The English Bulldog is one of the most popular breeds in the US, and is ranked #1 in LA (along with the French Bulldog). At least 39 colleges, and close to 1000 high schools have the Bulldog as their mascot. Many celebrities own Bulldogs, but the dog that comes to mind for me is Meaty, from the show Rob and Big. It was an MTV series following the life of pro skateboarder Rob Dyrdek and his best friend and body guard Christopher Boykin (Big). Rob gets a Bulldog pup who he has many fun adventures with, and somewhere along the line, Meaty learns to skateboard – pretty darn funny.
What makes this squishy faced dog such a popular friend? Well, the squishy face for one. Don’t you just want to grab those jowls and plant one? Plus, Bulldog’s are very agreeable and laid back, maybe verging on stubborn (the ultimate in laid-back). But they make great companions for busy families and those living in apartments or condos, because this breed doesn’t need much exercise, and would prefer to lounge.
The Bulldog’s current status and form is quite a departure from its ancestors of the 1600’s, who were bred for the sport of bull (and bear) baiting. A bull would be tethered to a poll and men would place bets on which dogs would be successful at leaping up and latching onto bull’s snout. Thankfully that “sport” was banned. Now Bulldogs are bred for the show ring. In it’s current form, the Bulldog would fail miserably at its’ previous occupation, and that’s quite alright because it excels at its current role of being a lovable, amiable friend.
I will post my Bulldog design later this week and look forward to any comments you have – good, bad, or otherwise.
Shepherd's Grove Studio 