Refining The Weird Look Of The Bull Terrier
It wasn’t until the mid 1800’s that a particular gentleman by the name of James Hinks took a particular interest in the bull and terrier breeds and began to breed the now extinct English White Terriers with his Bulldog “Madman”.
Hink was looking for a more gentlemanly, and cleaner appearance in the breed. The Bull Terrier James Hinks began breeding did not yet have the egg shaped head we now know but kept the stop in the dog’s nose.
These dogs were called the “Hinks breed” and the “White Cavalier”. James Hinks pursued a breed that was for a gentleman’s companionship rather than a blood sport champion.
This breed of dog was instantly popular and breeding continued, using Dalmatian, Spanish Pointer, and Whippet to increase elegance and agility; and Borzoi and Rough Collie to reduce the stop.
It wasn’t until 1917 when “Lord Gladiator” came onto the scene that the breed was officially recognized by the AKC. Lord Gladiator was the first Bull Terrier dog with no stop at all.
James Hinks initially bred the Bull Terriers to be completely white, adding to their gentleman’s companion persona. Sadly as with many pure white breed dogs, many health problems, including predispositions to deafness, ensued.
The introduction of breeding Staffordshire Bull Terriers into the line began in the early 20th century creating the now separate colour varieties of Bull Terriers such as red and brindle Bull Terriers.
Though Lord Gladiator was recognized as the first modern Bull Terrier, even his appearance from today’s Bull Terriers are noticeable. It took many more decades of selective breeding for the more downward curved appearance to reach the Bull Terrier we know today.
Bull Terriers Haven’t Always Looked So Weird.
When you think of the English Bull Terrier you immediately begin to imagine the oval shaped head surface. Devoid of hollows or indentations, much like an egg shape.
A curve from the top of the skull to the tip of the nose and a flat forehead from ear to ear. This odd looking version of the Bull Terrier has only really been around since the 1950’s even though the breed has been recognized by the AKC since the 1860’s.
Taking a trip into the way back machine we know that like many of the other bully breeds in existence today, the English Bull Terrier originated from the early 1800’s “bull and terrier” dog. These dog were a cross between an Old English Bulldog and various terrier type dogs.
The main purpose of this was to create a tenacious vermin hunter and a blood-sport competitor. By combining the speed and agility of the terrier with the tenacity and pain tolerance of a bulldog we produce a “bull and terrier”.
The appearance of these early “bull and terrier” breeds were not as important as the performance was in the various blood sports. Therefore any sort of breed standards at the time were loose at best.
This eventually led to a divergence in the breed to what we now know as the Bull Terrier and Staffordshire Bull Terrier.
History of the Development of the Bull Terriers Nose
During the 19th Century, dog dealers like James Hinks often maintained large dog yards where they crossed various sizes and breeds of dogs. They hoped to develop a hybrid that would be eye-catching, attract attention and gain fame.
James Hinks began breeding his Bull Terriers with a goal in mind. He wanted the resulting breed to wash down the meaty, bulky, heavy appearance inherited from the Bulldog parent breeds. James wanted a less threatening-looking dog that still had the tenacity of the Bulldog.
Hinks mixed the American Bulldog with the English White Terrier and bred them with dalmatians and more white breeds to maintain the Bull Terriers distinguishing pure white coat color. Experimental breeders like James in the 19th Century didn’t have a proper breeding record, so it’s not entirely clear the order in which Hinks mixed the various dog breeds he used.
James added Greyhounds or Pointer dogs to his breeding concoction to straighten his breed’s legs. These dogs also have pointy noses, which could have contributed to the Bull Terriers’ nose development.
James went on to breed his white hybrid breeds with other dog breeds like the Rough Collie, Spanish Pointer, Borzoi, and Whippet. The Bull Terrier’s nose became longer, broader, and with fewer wrinkles as the stop between where the lower face and muzzle disappeared.
The Bull Terrier first appeared at a Birmingham show in May 1862. They spotted a non-threatening white coat, triangular eyes, and a long egg-like muzzle that made them appear good-natured. As deceiving as their looks were, this dog breed still had the canine chivalry it inherited from its Bulldog parents.
This chivalrous trait coined the Bull Terriers’ nickname, The White Cavalier. After getting this breed off to a great start, James, unfortunately, passed away. New breeders took up the responsibility of maintaining this breed’s line towards the 20th Century.
In the 20th Century, Bull Terrier breeders began focusing on breeding the shark-like pointed nose of this breed to perfection. Their highest priority was to make the head wholly filled in an oval outline. Bull Terrier’s frontal profile slopes gracefully from the top of the skull to the tip of the nose with no stop.
As the Bull Terrier’s unique egg nose became standardized, breeders began introducing color to the breed by crossing them with Staffordshire Bull Terriers. This crossbreeding resulted in new Bull Terriers that could be either white, red, fawn, brindle, black, or a combination of the mentioned colors.
| Trait | Information |
|---|---|
| Height | 20 to 24 inches (standard) 10 to 14 inches (miniature) |
| Weight | 45 to 80 pounds (standard) 24 to 33 pounds (miniature) |
| Life Expectancy | 10 to 12 years |
| Litter Size | 1 to 9 puppies |
| Potential Health Problems | slipped patella heart defects kidney failure skin and flea allergies |
Why do bull terriers have an egg-shaped head?
Dogs are the most beautiful animals in the eye of the beholder. No owner would ever use the word “deformed” to describe their furry companions.
However, that doesn’t mean that plenty of modern dog breeds, such as the Boxer or the Dachshund, aren’t the result of dog deformities.
That’s right – in order to achieve a particular look that we believe to be adorable and cute, these dogs had to become deformed through several generations of breeding.
Interested in knowing more? Well, stayed tuned! In today’s article, we’re diving into the topic of dog deformities and how these 8 popular dog breeds have been affected by it.