Some time ago, we decided we wanted
to have a Bulldog due to their beautiful soft natures and 'only a mother could
love' looks. We considered an English Bulldog long and hard on several
occasions, but were always dissuaded by the exaggerated features such as
massive head, extremely wide shoulders, very short legs and narrow hips that
have lead to many of its present day health problems. We could not go ahead
and buy an animal that would, through no fault of its own, be unable to
function as a dog due to its impractical conformation and would require all
sorts of human interventions such as air conditioning just to remain
comfortable and, in some cases, alive as we live in a hot climate. The long
list of health problems common in British Bulldogs, such as breathing
problems, breeding problems, mobility problems and whelping problems, caesarean
sections being required to deliver pups, not to
mention things like its very short life span convinced us to steer clear. What
has been done to the English Bulldog over recent generations is very sad, as
it was not always the invalid of the canine world and was once admired for its
strength, courage and athleticism. Unfortunately, the present breed appears to be a
caricature of itself, where even the most healthy modern English Bulldog looks like a
cartoon character.
Therefore, we shelved the idea of a
Bulldog for a few years, however, when we discovered the Australian Bulldog
breeding program, with one of its aims being to reduce many of the anatomical exaggerations that have been
bred into the modern English Bulldog
we decided to get involved.
We were impressed that most
Australian Bulldogs were mating and whelping naturally and that many of the
health issues that have plagued the modern English Bulldog have been minimised
in the Australian Bulldog. We were also impressed that the program was
consistently producing dogs that were taller, longer and more athletic with
longer noses, smaller heads, narrower shoulders and broader hips that were
still 'Bulldog' in appearance. This was achieved by carefully selecting
appropriate breeds to outcross with sound English Bulldogs that have shared a
similar ancestry. Bull Mastiffs, Boxers and American Bulldogs were the primary dogs used in the
early days of the program
with the view to keeping 75-85% English Bulldog blood in the lines. Today, the
breed is significantly strong and consistent in type and many of the broad
goals have been achieved, so much so, that Australian Bulldogs are no longer
being outcrossed with other breeds at all, or for that matter English
Bulldogs. The Australian Bulldog Society only registers Australian Bulldog
litters that have Australian Bulldog parents and have done so since 2004. In
time, the Australian Bulldog Society aims to have the Australian Bulldog
officially recognised by the ANKC and has an ongoing dialogue with that body,
keeping them informed the progress of the breed and also working towards set
of ANKC determined goals that need to be achieved to gain official status with them.
(For further information on this - see http://www.australianbulldogsociety.com/)
We purchased our first Australian
Bulldog in 2002, Cauchis Venus, and were so impressed by her temperament,
looks, athleticism and health that we decided to breed Australian
Bulldogs. We have since added several more Australian Bulldogs to our
program and have had several naturally whelped litters. The natures of the
Australian Bulldogs we have bought and bred are extremely outgoing,
affectionate and personable. We are members of the
Australian Bulldog Society, a democratic breed club dedicated to furthering
the breed's cause and a place where like minded breeders can come together to
share information about their breeding programs to achieve a common goal.
The philosophy we apply to our
breeding program is that the health of the breed is paramount. An Australian
Bulldog should not look just like an English Bulldog, if it does, it is likely
to suffer similar type health problems as its English cousin which is
counter-productive and would not meet the A.B.S. Australian Bulldog breed
standard. An Australian Bulldog is not a 'poor man's' English Bulldog, it is a
wonderful breed in its own right. We proudly breed Australian Bulldogs that
are leaner, taller and more athletic than English Bulldogs. Our dogs are
certainly 'Bulldog' in appearance but are not hindered by their conformation.
As breeders, we have intentionally
kept our program on a small scale because we want to be able to treat our
animals as pets. As a result, our puppies are reared in a family environment
and we pride ourselves on the high level of socialisation and handling that
our pups have experienced before they move to their new homes.
