Live Life Team
The Old English Bulldog, while once very popular in the United Kingdom, is now extinct. Although some breeders are working to recreate the breed, these new incarnations won’t be official Old English Bulldogs since the bloodline has officially died off.
Old English Bulldogs soared into popularity centuries ago as a fighting dog. Some believe that they are decedents of war dogs used in large-scale wars through Europe and the Middle East. While it can’t be said for sure, the Old English Bulldog definitely had an angry streak. Several centuries ago, Old English Bulldogs were featured prominently in bull-baiting, which was a popular blood sport of the day. Essentially, the Old English Bulldog would lure the bull by biting and attacking it, often until the bull died. This blood sport was banned in the beginning of the nineteenth century as it was seen as cruelty to animals.
After bull-baiting was banned, Old English Bulldogs were then used for classic dog fighting. Different owners would pit their dogs against each other so that the Old English Bulldogs would fight to the death. Since this dog breed had a fiercely locked grip, they often did very well in competitions. When the United Kingdom passed the Cruelty to Animals Act in 1835, dog fighting was banned. Since the owners couldn’t use the Old English Bulldogs for fights anymore, popularity in the breed waned. Eventually, the breed became extinct and there have been no Old English Bulldogs for many decades. Old English Bulldogs are no longer available for ownership.
