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THE CANINE GLADIATOR

The beginnings of the Bulldog as a breed are found to be recorded as the observations of the blood sports known as bull baiting and bear baiting.  These popular pastimes of the masses can be traced back to the year 1209, and were finally banned, but not forgotten, in 1835 in England.
The following is a description of bull baiting, and how the influence of this blood sport directed the breeding and the peculiar features of the Bulldog.
Bull baiting probably got its start in England from people observing the butcher's dogs attempting to restrain livestock. Of course, there are always those people who will say, "I'll bet that dog of mine can do better that that!"  And the natural response is, "Oh, yeah?  Put your money where your mouth is!" (it could be words to that effect). Well, who can resist such temptation?
The fight was staged in a field, a pit or an arena. The idea of bull baiting was for the dog to engage the bull.  It didn't necessarily have to be one on one.  It could be several dogs against one bull. The dogs were trained (if the training was done correctly) to creep upon its belly close enough to be able to grab the bull's nose. The bull, knowing this is the dog's intention, lowers it's head where the horns are ready to defend by tossing the offending creature into the air, or perchance to gore the dog and stomp its guts out.
Every gambler wants to have the proverbial "ace up his sleeve", so they would observe which dogs were successful, and which were not. What was it that worked to the dogs' advantage?  What were it's strengths and weaknesses?  What about the bull?  These were full grown animals that they were using in these fights.  How did bulls fight?  What was the posture?  How did they attack?  How did they defend themselves?  Where can we find somebody better?
The Bulldog is the result of mankind's desire to shape an animal about a specific purpose.  The shoulders of the Bulldog are placed on the outside of the body, allowing the dog to crouch low to the ground shielding the dog from the bull's horns when it charges.  As the bull passes by, the head and forequarters are very well developed, so that the dog is able to spring to the bull's ears or throat.  Once the dog has latched on, the hindquarters of the Bulldog are not as well developed as the forequarters, allowing the dog to be shaken violently without suffering any spinal injuries.  Should the Bulldog be successful in latching onto the nose of the bull, the dog's rib cage is well developed and padded, so when the bull whirls the dog around and brings it down to the ground it can take the brunt of the blow.  The legs are short and sturdy, allowing the dog to easily spring to its feet and avoid the crushing hooves of the bull.  We now come to the head of the Bulldog.  Even this part of the dog was part of the fighting machine.  Specifically, the jaws and the vise like grip that they exert.  The jaws are short, and the lower jawbone (mandible) is longer than the upper jawbone, which enables the dog to hang onto whatever it wants with a surprising tenaciousness.  The amazing ability of this grip is demonstrated by the dog being able to move the jaws in a manner that it can hang onto the throat of the bull and shred the flesh, sinew and muscle until it reaches the jugular artery. Even if the Bulldog is knocked out during the fight, the jaws of this breed of dog, once locked, remain locked (most Mastiff breeds also retain this ability that is similar to that of snapping turtles, and eels).   As the Bulldog continues to hang on, the bull is brought down by it's bleeding to death.  The dog's face being wrinkly, the bull's blood flows down the dog's face under it's chin, rather than into it's eyes.
Should the Bulldog be able to latch onto the bull's nose, the Bulldog has a short snout and the nares face upward to allow breathing, while retaining its grip on the bull's nose.  The bull is, in the meantime, suffocating, due to the loose jowls of the Bulldog blocking the passage of air.
If you have ever observed the power, strength and agility of the bull during a rodeo, the cowboy, that is trying to ride for eight seconds, is hanging on for his life.  Now replace the cowboy with dogs, and both combatants are fighting for their lives.
The Bulldog of the age of bull baiting and bear baiting was a tenacious animal, but it also possessed unlimited devotion to it's master.  It could be injured, bleeding, indeed dying, but if the master ordered the dog to attack once again, the Bulldog would engage it's opponent without hesitation.
Today's Bulldog has been bred so that the combatant urges are no longer there.  The Bulldog doesn't see any sense in attacking a bull.  But let anyone, or anything, threaten it's master, or his family ... the old nature of combat, kill or be killed, will resurface.
The tenacious personality of the Bulldog is one of the reasons why this breed is the mascot of the U.S.Marine Corps.

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