The first English Bulldogs were notorious as butcher dogs, and their uses were for safe and effective killing of cattle. Many people have always favored the bull"s meat, and they believed that the meat tasted better when the bull was dog-baited. Not only was bull-baiting a household matter, but it also used to be one of the most popular forms of entertainment.
The tradition of bull-baiting originated in the 1200s, when William Warren, the Earl of Stamford, contemplated a bullfight on the meadow near his castle. Then a bunch of butcher dogs was set upon the fighting bulls, and several dogs chased one of the bulls across the town. This so impressed the Earl, that he came up with the idea of presenting his castle meadow to local butchers, providing that they should find a big fighter-bull six weeks before Christmas.
This decision paved the way for a long-lasting and popular tradition that was bull-baiting. The essence of the show lay in a bunch of butcher dogs, played against a bull or another large animal. The dogs would attack a bull and grab it from all sides, using their firm jaws. Bulldogs seized the bull by the nose and pinned it to the ground, while other dogs continued to tear its flesh, turning the bull"s body into a bloody mess. This was a brutal scene.
The dogs had striking endurance and incredible courage. While attacking, they seemed to be completely oblivious to blows and other traumas and continued to hold on to the bull even if they were on the brink of dying. Many Bulldogs ended up with broken teeth, crashed skulls and broken legs. Bull-baiting continued on for centuries, until it was banned in 1835 as an overly brutal and blood-shedding sport.
Since then the breed lost its original purpose, and there was a danger of it becoming extinct. It is only due to a group of dog-fanciers, who devoted their lives to salvaging the breed that these dogs have not died out. Throughout the last century and a half, breeders have worked against breeding the dog"s initial ferocious temper, and worked towards retaining and accentuating its tough and severe appearance. These efforts have resulted in the appearance of the most loving and amusing companions, modern English Bulldogs, which feature none of their previous vicious traits. |
