Bull Terrier before. History of the Bull Terrier breed

The Bull Terrier is a breed that is undeservedly attributed the qualities of a dangerous and aggressive dog towards humans. Undeservedly, because dog handlers are not even able to recommend a bull terrier as a guard or bodyguard dog; the dog does not show aggression towards humans. Puppies prone to aggression are immediately discarded.

History of the Bull Terrier

Let us dispel the misconception of people, deceived by the oblique cut of the dog’s eyelids, that the breed came “from Asia”. The homeland of the bull terrier is England. The father of the breed is considered to be James Hinks, who took up the development of a new breed in the 50s of the 19th century. Initially, the idea was to create a strong white dog with corrected shortcomings of the Staffordshire Terrier and English Bulldog. The intended result was obtained in 1862, when, as a result of crossing three breeds of dogs: English bulldog, white English terrier and Dalmatian, the first ideal bull terrier appeared.

The Bull Terrier dog has a two-hundred-year history: in 1820, English artists depicted animals in works of art. The breed was officially introduced to society in 1860. Birmingham was chosen as the location for the demonstration. Colored bull terriers began to be bred only in the middle of the 20th century.

But there is no smoke without fire. The Bull Terrier is not dangerous to humans, but an internal instinct makes the dog’s blood boil at the sight of another fighting dog. There are legends full of unpleasant details about the passion of dogs for hunting cats. Genes are to blame. The Bull Terrier was bred exclusively as a fighting dog. Not a guard dog, not a service dog, but a fighting dog, with a compact body, strong muscles, a steel jaw and low sensitivity to pain. Aggressive and furious towards rival dogs, calm and friendly towards humans.

For the British, the bull terrier breed symbolizes the animal’s unprecedented performance, unprecedented fury in dog fights, popular in the 19th century. Dogs taking part in fights were selected according to the following indicators:

desire to win,
endurance,
bravery,
courage,
no feeling of pain.

The listed qualities were better combined than others by bull terriers, endowed from birth with the fighting qualities of a bulldog and the agility of a terrier. The dog is small in size, but has enough courage and strength for two. A distinctive feature of the breed is unquestioning obedience to the owner.

It is a known fact that with timely socialization and a normal emotional climate in the owner’s family, the dog grows up calm in relation to other dogs. Some owners say that during daily walks their pets calmly walk with friends of the dominant breeds: Rottweiler, Staffordshire Terrier. Conflict situations are possible when dogs do not share a ball, a toy, or the owner’s attention.

Due to its character, a bull terrier can become invisible in the house. The dog has smooth short hair that is easy to care for. It is compact in size and loves to sleep in a secluded place. It’s hard to believe, but bull terrier owners claim that the fighting dog in the house is just a plush toy, turns pink after sleeping under his favorite cape and snores in his sleep. Children adore the pet, and the dog rejoices at the children.

Breed standard

Bull Terrier dogs are distinguished by high endurance and incredible activity. Any dog will be jealous of its health. Pets have a brave character; they will compete with anyone in courage. With proper training and care, the dog becomes docile and friendly to people, although sometimes it frightens with its menacing and fearless appearance.

The main quality of the breed is a strong attachment to the owner. However, you should not rely too much on character traits; a bull terrier is a dog that will need to be kept in tight, but loving, hands, paying close attention to its upbringing, spending a considerable amount of time and effort.

A description of the Bull Terrier breed would not be complete without mentioning the animal’s high level of conflict with other dogs living in the same area. Get a single dog - it is not recommended to take anyone in addition. It is not allowed to keep two males of the breed in the same territory - the innate qualities will ignite rivalry in the dogs, which will lead to dire consequences.

General form. The Bull Terrier has a strong, well-balanced overall appearance with pronounced, well-developed muscles.
Dimensions. Males are slightly larger than females. The average weight of a dog is 18-30 kg, height at the withers is 30-45 cm, although sizes are not limited.
Head. Preferably oval shaped, long and deep in length. A smooth curved arc is formed from the back of the head to the nose. Between the ears the skull is almost flat.
Muzzle. The massive jaws form a regular scissor bite. The lower jaw has a pronounced depth. Dry lips fit tightly to the jaws. The obliquely set triangular black eyes of the dog appear small in a calm state, but when excited they can become very round. Small, thin, triangular ears are set close, preferably erect. The nose with a downward tip is black.
Neck, shoulders. The well-developed, muscular neck is long and arched. It tapers from the broad shoulders to the head.
Back. Smooth and muscular, blending into an arched or slightly convex short, strong loin.
Breast. Wide and deep. The lowest point of the sternum is below the line of the abdomen.
Tail. Short, low set, dense at the base, tapering towards the end. Holds horizontally.
Forelegs. The girdle of the forelimbs is represented by strong muscular shoulders with shoulder blades tightly fitting to the sternum, massive legs with strong bones and rounded compact paws. The forelimbs are slightly more developed than the hind limbs.
Hind limbs. With well developed articulation angles. Muscular, with strong bones. When viewed from behind, they are set straight, strictly parallel to each other. The hocks are set low and point straight back.
Wool. Short, hard to the touch, smooth. Covers the dog's body evenly.
The color of the Bull Terrier is allowed white and colored. In the white color variant, the coat is pure white with acceptable skin pigmentation and minor spots on the head. Mottling on a white dog is considered a breed defect.

Colored representatives of the breed are:

Black;
Tiger;
Red;
Redheads;
Deer-brown;
Three-colored.

The temperament of the breed is defined as balanced and calm; any manifestation of unjustified aggression is considered a flaw; the same applies to cowardice. Close attention is paid to education, the main point in the normal formation of a dog.

Bull Terrier Character

Commentary on conversations about dog aggressiveness: “a dog only bites because it lives as a dog.” If the owner is a positive and balanced person, he will not grow up to have a vicious, aggressive dog.

About other aspects. The dog loves its owner extremely. She is ready to give tenderness and affection, but demands similar feelings in return. Bull Terriers love attention, you don’t need too much - just love and respect.

As a result of training, it is unlikely that it will be possible to turn a dog into an obedient doll; the breed is equipped with character. A subtle mind allows the Bull Terrier to carefully assess the situation and make independent decisions that do not always coincide with the decisions of the owner. Sometimes the dog can be harmful and stubborn.

Possessing a reserve of energy, the dog has a stable psyche. Please note that you cannot tease a dog; an overexcited dog is difficult to control.

Meeting cats is the moment when the pet simply loses his mind and rushes headlong into pursuit. Dealing with the fragile body of a small animal is a matter of seconds for a dog, bringing a lot of satisfaction, but the owner will have to blush from the hateful glances and comments of passers-by. It seems a bad idea to keep a dog together with a pet cat or other animals. Even if the pets grow up together, the nature of the bull terrier will take its toll.

Breed care

The basis of proper pet care is maintaining good health and external characteristics:

coat condition;
claws;
ears;
physical form.

Caring for a Bull Terrier's coat does not require physical effort. The coat is short, smooth, and sheds moderately.

Brush the dog a couple of times with a short brush and wipe with a damp cloth.
During the molting period, in autumn and spring, you will have to comb it more often so as not to clean up the fur around the house.
You should bathe your pet extremely rarely, unless the occasion requires it. Instead of bathing, for minor stains, it is recommended to wipe the dog with a damp sponge or towel.
It is not recommended to bathe puppies in the first months of life; a small coat of hair will contribute to diseases.
The main point directly related to the health of the coat is proper balanced nutrition.

In addition to the coat, proper grooming for a Bull Terrier includes taking care of your pet's claws. If the dog lives in the city, the claws wear down on their own while walking on asphalt and other hard surfaces. If the pet lives outside the city and walks exclusively on soft soil, its nails must be trimmed to avoid breakage and delamination. The haircut is carried out exclusively with a special device; damage to the claw is not allowed.

Caring for the ears and eyes of a Bull Terrier is standard. Your pet's erect ears require daily cleaning. Perform with a cotton pad. It is not recommended to use a cotton swab unless you have professional skills; the slightest mistake will lead to hearing loss for your pet. You will need to wipe your eyes daily with special wipes.

The muscular structure of bull terriers indicates two requirements for caring for a dog. First, the dog needs intense physical activity. Second: without sufficient exercise and a rich diet, the breed is prone to obesity. This is undesirable; for a strong and healthy dog, obesity threatens many diseases that can shorten the pet’s age.

In earlier times, cruel hobbies were commonplace and most dog breeds were bred not for home keeping or protection, but for hunting, baiting large animals, and especially dog fighting. For some it was entertainment and an opportunity to make money on bets. Others, mostly rich people, wanted spectacles to somehow diversify their measured lives. The Bull Terrier is a child of that harsh era. His ancestors were successful fighters. But thanks to perfectionist breeders, the breed has acquired a new stylish image. So, when cruel spectacles were banned, thanks to their original appearance, bull terriers found their place in the sun.

	Training
	Mind
	Shedding
	Guard qualities
	Security qualities
	Popularity
	Size
	Agility
	Attitude towards children

About the name of the breed

Like most terriers, Bullies were bred in Great Britain. So the name of the breed has English roots. “Bull” means “bull”, with which the bulldogs who participated in the selection of the breed fought in the arenas. And “terrier” refers to the second type of dog that took part in the selection.

History of the breed

For the sake of the public

Before the ban in 1835, bull baiting with dogs was popular in England. The ancestors of English bulldogs took part in it. Then the breed looked different: high legs and a square, wide head allowed it to deftly fight large animals. But when the authorities banned cruel entertainment, the organizers of bloody spectacles found other ways to make money - dog fighting and rat baiting. Moreover, an impromptu arena could be organized in any pub. There were both poor people and rich people here.

But it soon turned out that fighting bulldogs were completely unsuited to new types of fights. Here even greater agility and cunning were required. Alas, the short-faced strong bulldogs could not adapt: the battles became too dull.

Then fighting bulldogs began to be crossed with other breeds. Selection with terriers turned out to be the most promising. The resulting dogs did not lose their strength and tenacity, but in addition gained intelligence and dexterity. The new four-legged fighters were named simply - “Old Bull and Terrier”. They became the ancestors of modern bull terriers.

Chance of survival

The first Old Bull and Terriers looked awkward: overweight body, crooked legs, wide head with a blunt muzzle. But the “monsters of selection” coped with their fighting duties. In new generations, the features of terriers have become more distinct: the paws have become longer and the muzzle has become sharper. And yet they were far from the ideal of beauty.

This concerned dog dealer and fan James Hinks. He decided to improve the appearance of the breed while maintaining its fighting qualities. The breeder began his experiments in the mid-1850s. And already in 1862 he showed his best pet at a show exhibition in his native Birmingham.

As a true businessman, he realized that violent entertainment was gradually becoming a thing of the past. This means that the public will lose interest in ugly fighting dogs. And only a noble appearance could give the breed a chance to survive and attract the attention of aristocrats to it.

So Hinks decided to make his dogs completely white. To do this, he used white Old English terriers and Dalmatians in selection. This is how elegant, but still courageous dogs appeared. And so that the public would not confuse new dogs with unsightly ancestors, James gave his pets a simpler name - bull terrier.

The Bull Terrier revealed the most remarkable qualities that it absorbed from the dogs of its predecessors, namely endurance, high intelligence, and activity. In England, he immediately received recognition and love from dog breeders. Keeping a white bull terrier has become considered fashionable. And at the beginning of the twentieth century, they began to breed colored bull terriers.

White and colorful

In 1864, two of Hinks' dogs, white bull terriers Madman and Puss, became champions. And although they were still different from modern bull terriers, the breed was already gaining popularity. The military and migrants became interested in her, and so soon, together with the English colonists, Hinx's dogs settled on different continents. Then the noble “bulls” fell in love with students and teachers at Oxford University.

But there were still many problems that the breeders had to solve. In 1985, the English authorities banned ear cropping. This little detail almost deprived the breed of popularity, since uncropped ears spoiled the appearance. Fortunately, in a fairly short period of time, breeders managed to breed individuals with naturally erect ears.

But perhaps the biggest problem was discrimination against dogs of color. To many they seemed not noble enough. When colored bull terriers won at shows in England, most breeders protested the judges' decision. After all, if you give titles to non-white dogs and use them for breeding, then the white line of the breed may degenerate. Because of this, not only colored dogs, but also white ones, which had colored ancestors in their pedigree, were no longer used in matings.

But it was this decision that almost destroyed the breed. Long-term selection of white individuals has led to the impoverishment of the bull terrier gene pool. At the same time, the dogs inherited many defects from their relatives, the English white terriers: deafness, infertility, blue eyes.

By 1950, the number of affected puppies increased. And only then, in order to save the breed, it was necessary to recognize colored bull terriers and allow them to be bred. The breeders remembered in time that in 1936 the champion title in England and America was won by the male Rebel of Blighty, whose parents were colored bull terriers.

Wiped his nose

It is interesting that initially the breeders of Old Bull and Terriers did not take Hinx's white "Bulls" seriously. They said that beautiful dogs make bad fighters. Then James made a fateful bet. He put his white forty-pound bitch Puss against a sixty-pound old-style dog. In half an hour, Puss dealt harshly with her opponent. James, who won the bet, received £5 and a box of champagne. And his pet, which received a minimum of wounds, won the title at a dog show the very next day.

Standard: main characteristics of a bull terrier

Oddly enough, the standard for this dog breed is very vague. Weight can vary from 18 to 30 kg. And the height is from 30 to 45 cm. The Miniature Bull Terrier breed has a height limitation. Its height should not exceed 35.5 cm. With a weight of 18 to 30 kg, it is important that the dog does not look very fat or, on the contrary, very thin.

Everything agrees on the main thing - this is a very muscular, strong dog.

The head is set low, strong, long, and egg-shaped. There should be no bends or distortions on it. Strong lower jaw with a scissor bite. Pronounced, open nostrils.

The eyes are dark brown, narrow, triangular in shape. The ears are erect, close to each other. The legs are strong and muscular, very stable and strong. The bull terrier's torso is round in shape. The chest has pronounced muscles and is quite wide. The tail is short and tapers towards the end.

If the bull terrier is white, then colored spots can only be on the ears and head. If colored, then the colored suit should prevail over the white.

Masculine and stylish

Bull terriers of the modern type appeared only in 1928. The first model dog was Lord Gladiator. His muzzle was lowered - this is the so-called “downface”. In profile, it resembled an arc going down, like the claw of a crayfish or the fingers of a person grasping something. The head acquired an ovoid shape. It was this feature that made the Bull Terrier’s grip very powerful, and it also instantly distinguished the breed from other dogs.

Lord Gladiator retained the features that bull terriers already had. His muscular body was perfect. Harmonious proportions, slanting small eyes, a powerful lower jaw with a scissor bite, strong limbs - all this formed the image of a serious and courageous dog, but at the same time not devoid of style.

And soon, as a result of selection, others were added to the classic pure white color: black, brindle, red, red, and a tricolor combination. With this exterior, the breed has survived to this day. And the variety of coat colors has increased the number of bull terrier fans.

Mini course

At the beginning of breed selection, bull terrier litters contained dogs of different sizes. Individual breeders began to select the smallest individuals and crossbreed them. It is also likely that . The result was miniature bull terriers, which were initially used to bait rats. They are not much different from their relatives. Only their height is from 25 to 35 cm at the withers, and their weight is from 11 to 15 kg.

Character

The bull terrier dog breed is considered. She doesn't feel pain, she's strong, she's agile. But like other dog breeds, it all depends on training. If there is real friendship between a person and a dog, if the dog has learned from childhood that the owner is in charge, he is the leader and obedience to him must be unquestioning, then you cannot find a better friend than the bull terrier.

This is a very active, playful, restless nature. Before you take a bull terrier into your home, you need to be prepared for daily, many-hour walks. Therefore, such a dog is suitable for young, energetic owners, but not for elderly pensioners.

Initially, this breed, although bred as a fighting breed, is not directed against humans. According to the standard, only balanced, adequate individuals should remain in the litter.

Aggression and bitterness are developed in a dog in the process of improper upbringing and maintenance. The Bull Terrier is jealous and capricious. He will never agree to stupid submission and slavery. This must also be taken into account when purchasing this breed of dog. It takes a lot of patience, love and care to properly raise a dog and socialize it correctly. And since she has a high intellect and her own mind, she will happily respond to a kind and friendly attitude and will readily obey a fair leader, that is, an owner. And then you won’t find a more devoted friend.

How to choose bull terrier puppies and where is the best place to buy

Puppies should be selected at the age of 2 – 2.5 months. Be sure to take it from a nursery. Under no circumstances at the bazaar or through an advertisement where you can buy a mongrel or.

In the nursery, by this age, puppies will receive all the vaccinations necessary for this age, and those that do not meet the standard will be rejected. You need to pay attention to your teeth. By this time the puppy should have twelve of them, six at the bottom and six at the top.

Check your hearing: Bull terriers have a genetic problem with their ears, especially white ones - they are often born deaf. You need to clap your hands and look at the puppy’s reaction, make sure that he hears. Ideally, you should also look at the parents of this baby. If they have any deviations from the standard, then this can be seen without being a specialist.

The Bull Terrier is a smooth-haired dog. She does not require any special care. She molts twice a year - in spring and autumn. The fur can be easily removed with a special mitten or a fine brush. After a walk, she doesn’t need to give her a bath either. Simply wipe with a sponge or damp towel. Check ears and eyes for inflammation. Bull Terrier ears are usually not susceptible to inflammation. But prevention doesn't hurt. A dog's nails wear down on their own during walks. But if they begin to protrude beyond the pads, they need to be trimmed.

Since the Bull Terrier is very active, his walks should also be active. Let him run around to his heart's content, play with the ball, and jump over the crossbar. Firstly, this will always keep him in good physical shape (these dogs are prone to obesity), and secondly, at home he will already be peaceful and imposing, and this will create a calm environment for the owners.

Interest in bull terriers is consistently high. Most of society calls this dog a monster, but there are also those who adore it and consider it a baby in dog clothes who cannot help but love.

Such a different bull terrier

Most people call all dogs with the characteristic pig-like muzzle Bull Terriers. Meanwhile, dog handlers usually use the term pit bull. This name covers dogs with similar physical characteristics and includes the American Staffordshire Terrier (Amstaff), Bull Terrier, American Bulldog, Dogo Argentino, Dogo Canario, Italian Cane Corso, or any mixture of these.

However, not only ordinary people who have little understanding of cynology, but also lawyers in many countries do not bother with such nuances and equate any dog with bull terriers if one of its parents belonged to the above-mentioned breeds. The fact is that the genetic similarity of these dogs visually makes it difficult to determine “who is who.” In other words, not only here, but also in other countries, dogs with a square head and a powerful body are called bull terriers.

Mixed Bull Terrier and Rottweiler

Since 1979, in the United States, where these animals became iconic, they began to keep terrible statistics on bull terrier attacks on people. It turned out that 43% of all fatal dog attacks were attributed to them. It turned out that bull terriers are extremely touchy and vindictive. Thus, 94% of attacks on children occurred because the kids were screaming or crying loudly, while for other breeds this figure was 42%.

But the statistics of deaths turned out to be more terrible - three attacks out of ten ended in tragedy. However, the investigation of all these cases showed that in 84% of these incidents the owners were to blame for not taking the necessary precautions. But the real monsters, who killed in seven cases out of ten, were half-breeds from a bull terrier and a Rottweiler.

Diseases

Despite their menacing appearance, bull terriers get sick more often than other dogs. Among them, hereditary nephritis, caused by small and poorly developed kidneys, is developed. As a result, the level of protein in the urine increases sharply, leading to the death of animals within three years. However, modern medicine allows these dogs to live up to 6 or even 8 years. Another problem with white bull terriers is deafness in one or two ears. They also suffer from heart disease, and also suffer from severe skin allergies to detergents, dust and mold.

Jaw lock

There is a common myth among people that Bull Terriers have a physiological "jaw lock" or "death grip" mechanism. However, as numerous studies have shown, they have nothing special either in their muscle or bone structure. And although they can bite a cat or small dog and do not unclench their teeth, despite the efforts of people, it is only a matter of natural strength. The easiest way to open the jaw is with a broken ampoule of ammonia, the smell of which these dogs cannot stand. “Don't try to manually release the tooth clutch when the bull terrier has grabbed the victim,” says dog trainer Mike Stevenson of Chicago, “a stupid idea. If there is no ammonia, use a stick as a lever.”

Allow cannot be prohibited

US legislation is considered the most effective. If accidents regularly occur due to the fault of bull terriers, they are simply banned. Such restrictions apply in many states and are a good warning for those regions where these dogs are allowed. Owners are automatically held legally liable for injuries caused by their animals. Homeowners are also required to purchase expensive policies with liability limits of up to $300,000, with insurance companies requiring special restrictive measures. It is interesting that in England, where weapons for personal use are prohibited, bull terriers began to be used for street attacks for the purpose of property gain. In this case, the owner is held criminally liable as a robber with a weapon.

Heroes

There are real heroes among bull terriers. For example, a dog named Vila saved 32 people, 29 dogs, 3 horses and even one cat during his service in the police. And the bull terrier Deboy defended his family from a bandit, receiving three bullets. He died, but never let go of the criminal’s stranglehold on his throat. They wrote in American newspapers about the dog Lilly, who carried her unconscious owner to people after he lost his leg in a railroad accident. There are a great many such stories in the world.

The Bull Terrier is an old English breed. The name itself speaks of its origin from two radically different sources. Bull - speaks of the ancestor of the bulldog, terrier - emphasizes that this dog belongs to the large family of English terriers. Then, therefore, he is a crossed breed, a crossbreed? A completely logical question. Many dog owners are very surprised when a proud bull terrier lover emphasizes that the bull terrier, as a single, systematically bred dog breed, is much older than almost all known German dog breeds. In canine literature and the example of old engravings, the Bull Terrier can be shown as early as 1820 as its own breed of dog. He made his triumphant move into the canine world from Birmingham in the center of the Black Country around 1860 after James Hincks, the father of the modern Bull Terrier, managed to consolidate this type of breed so much that from then on we can talk about a fairly uniform picture of the phenomenon with clear outlines.
Dog breeding in the 19th century differed from dog breeding in the 20th century, primarily in that in the 19th century the successes of the dog expected by man were in the foreground, and the external picture of the phenomena was often neglected. In the 20th century, on the contrary, the external form, the single, anatomically uniform type of the breed is at the forefront of dog breeding - unfortunately, the essential features of setting goals for dog breeds are too often neglected. This is often shamefully kept silent and yet is of such fundamental importance. The origin of the Bull Terrier is associated with dog wrestling, an incredibly popular entertainment of the people in the 19th century in old England. Civilized people at the present time can only hardly imagine the extent to which brutal animal fighting spread throughout the British island, and from there penetrated into many countries of the world.
Dog fighting required a very special dog. Passion for the game, passion for fighting, toughness, courage, insensitivity to pain and endurance were the main prerequisites for surviving a fight in the ring. At the same time, four-legged gladiators must be small in size and capable, mobile and dexterous in order to have the necessary speed in the fight. However, physique mattered only secondarily; combat strength, dexterity and successful combat endurance were in the foreground. Such a dog fight continued mercilessly round after round, it was carried out according to precisely established rules, it could last for hours. One can hardly imagine that here the passion for competition and the vanity of two-legged people contribute to cruelty. And so it is important to know, since ultimately the Bull Terrier breed emerged from the fiery furnace of this dog fight.
What is decisive for us is that in the process of selection from more than 100 generations of dogs, the character of the Bull Terrier was determined, which is significantly different from other dogs. The goal was an intelligent dog with an iron will, ready to fight at any time, who knew how to die.
Consciously, courageously, again and again, to fight for your own life - this is the fate of a fighting dog.
And it is also very important: in relation to a person, a fighting dog must be constantly affectionate, and in no way should direct its weapon against a person, otherwise, with all its strength and danger, a person would not be able to subordinate it to his power.
The Bulldog and the White English Terrier are the two main roots from which the Bull Terrier originated. However, it is also necessary to name the Dalmatian, which has a great influence on the bull terrier, because it became related in order to give the bull terrier a physique suitable for long trotting.

10 years, 2 months ago

In the 19th century, one of the entertainments of both the working class and nobles was dog fighting and bear and bull baiting.

Dogs endowed with a fighting spirit were valued; their appearance did not matter much, the main thing was that the dog could fight and win, and this required courage, dexterity, passion and fearlessness. But dog fighting became banned in England in 1835, and the entertainment did not lose popularity. Enterprising Englishmen began to have smaller dogs for these purposes, which could easily be hidden under a coat in case the police came. James Hinks from Birmingham, who was passionate about breeding and trading dogs, crossed different breeds and was able to breed the first bull terrier, which was very different from the modern one. The first bull and terriers bred were considered gladiator dogs who fought to the death for their master.

James Hinks searched for the perfect dog for him through various dog breeds. It is likely that bull terriers were developed by crossing old-type bulldogs and English white terriers. The ancestors of the bull terrier had massive and short heads, blunt muzzles like a bulldog, compact bodies, barrel-shaped limbs and did not look very attractive.

The history of the Bull Terrier breed continued. By the end of the 50s, Hinks, conducting numerous experiments involving not only English terriers, but also Dalmatians, bred a family of pure white dogs, which were already called bull terriers. The features of the bulldog had already been largely lost, the head became long and smooth, the muzzle was strong and without drooping lips, the neck was long and strong, the animal became more energetic, while all the best qualities were preserved - courage, vigilance, muscularity, intelligence and intelligence. Hinks, whose goal was to breed white and graceful dogs, attempted close inbreeding, mating blooded individuals, that is, mother and son, father and daughter. It is not known exactly on the basis of which breeds, besides those listed, the Bull Terrier was bred, but there are assumptions that there is an admixture of blood from greyhounds, hounds due to the birth of puppies with ears like hounds, with a muzzle like greyhounds, as well as foxhound, greyhound, Spanish pointer .

As a result, it was possible to develop a more elegant and attractive dog that did not lose its stubbornness, strength and power. Hinks preferred white dogs and his “gentlemen in white” won the love of many people, conquering everyone at shows and quickly gaining popularity. White bull terriers were called white cavaliers or gentlemen for their manners and ability to protect their owner and his family, while controlling their aggression towards strangers.

After several attempts, the first bull terrier club was created in England in 1887, and in America the club was created in 1895. The first modern bull terrier named Lord Gladiator was born in 1917.

Since the 19th century, miniature bull terriers, which weighed up to 3.6 kg and were considered excellent rat catchers, began to gain popularity in England. In the 1820-1850s, toy bull terriers weighing 2-3 kg were especially popular in England, and both were used to participate in battles. Miniatures are obtained by crossing standard bull terriers and toy terriers. Their breeding was accompanied by difficulties due to health problems of the dogs. In the 1900s, the breed was divided according to weight category - medium and heavy. In 1914, only dogs weighing up to 5 kg were classified as miniature, and later the popularity of mini bull terriers began to decline, and by that time toy bull terriers had already completely disappeared, and the weight limit was raised to 8 kg.

To create a modern type of miniature bull terrier and fix its size, the smallest bull terriers and fox terriers (or Jack Russell terriers) were crossed. The breed type and conformation of miniature dogs was improved by crossing them with standard bull terriers. The first Mini Bull Terrier club was founded in 1938, and a year later the breed was recognized by the English Kennel Club.

In the 1900s, Ted Lyon crossed a white Bull Terrier with a colored Staffordshire, creating the Colored Bull Terrier, which has been the subject of much controversy. Controversy arose due to the fact that the first colored dogs suffered from deafness, were born with blue eyes, and many feared that crossing white and colored dogs would lead to the loss of important qualities, including a decrease in intelligence. At one time, white dogs born from colored parents were even prohibited from participating in club prize shows. But, despite all the ups and downs, in 1939 the Canadian Kennel Club recognized the colored bull terriers as an independent breed, and in 1942 the AKC identified the colored dogs as a separate variety. At the beginning of the 20th century, colored bull terriers began to be actively bred and they were no longer divided into types.

The appearance of bull terriers in Russia

Dogs of this breed were first brought to Russia in 1970, but high prices, lack of interest in dogs and the dogs’ reluctance to reproduce did not allow the breed to take root in Russia. In the 80s, interest in the breed began to grow, but breeding occurs very slowly. Year after year, dogs participate more often in exhibitions, dogs gradually become fashionable, and in 1986 the country's first Bull Terrier club, MGOLS, was created. In 1992-94, the peak of popularity reached its maximum, more than 3,000 puppies were born per year, in addition, during this period new exotic breeds appeared, and interest in bull terriers began to decline again, as did their numbers. Throughout history, bull terriers have either gained or lost popularity. Nowadays there is no strong excitement around the breed, although, undoubtedly, the breed attracts many and is included in the list of the most popular breeds in Russia.