Stylish and comical, the Bull Terrier is a favorite mascot and companion.
Heritage
When bull-baiting was outlawed in England in 1835, dog fighting became more popular to fill the void. Bulldogs were crossed with terriers to create a smaller, more agile dog for fighting. This created the Bull and Terrier. When dog fighting was then outlawed, Bull and Terrier breeders decided to concentrate on creating a stylish personable dog as a gentleman's companion. They crossed in White English Terrier and Dalmatian, which produced the all-white Bull Terrier. The breed was nicknamed the “White Cavalier” because of its chivalrous and brave nature.
Around 1900, color was reintroduced into the breed by crossing to Staffordshire Bull Terriers. In 1936 the breed was split into two varieties, the White and the Colored Bull Terrier.
Few breeds are as personable and as comical as the Bull Terrier. This is a very people and toy oriented breed. They can be tough on toys, so choose accordingly.
Upkeep
It's important to prevent your Bull Terrier from getting overweight, which can add stress to the joints. When dieting a dog, you must make sure he gets enough vitamins. We suggest supplementing with a good multi-vitamin, probiotics and, if the coat is dry, a fatty-acid supplement.
Bull Terrier coat care is easy. The coat requires weekly brushing to remove dead hair. Bathe as needed using a good all-purpose shampoo. If you want, you can use a color-enhancing shampoo to brighten whites or (on colored Bull Terriers) deepen dark colors. If your Bull Terrier has itchy skin, choose an oatmeal or avocado oil based shampoo.
Bull Terrier ears are generally healthy, but you should still check them weekly. Apply an ear cleanser any time the ears start to accumulate dark secretions. Some ear wax is healthy; a lot is not. If you must apply ear medication, use the ear cleanser first to remove thick secretions that would block the medication from reaching the surface of the canal.
Brush the teeth daily.
Clip the nails every two weeks or so using a heavy-duty dog nail clipper.
Bull Terriers retain their heritage of ignoring pain, so you need to watch out for the slightest signs of arthritic changes with age. Besides any intervention recommended by your veterinarian, a soft cushion to lie on and glucosamine chondroitin supplements added to the diet can help soothe aching joints, and keep him going strong.
