When it comes to the countless different breeds of dogs out there, it can become increasingly more difficult to try and understand what characteristics separate one dog breed from another. There are usually a variety of aspects that professionals look for when they are working with dogs and trying to determine the breed.

Some people look at the type of dog they are working with and whether it is a hound, a working dog, a hunting dog, or another category of dog. Other people might look at defining characteristics such as height, stature, and facial features. More often than not, determining the right breed of your dog is going to be entirely dependent on these factors. This will be important to keep in mind when you are trying to decide what specific breed of dog to invest in. For instance, if you are positive that you want to own a bulldog, you might not know what kind of bulldog to adopt.

The two most common bulldog breeds are the American bulldog and the French bulldog. Before you adopt a bulldog of your own, you should understand what the main differences are between the breeds as well as the characteristics of each subcategory of bulldogs. Once you have learned a little bit more of what goes on with bulldogs, you will be able to make the best decision possible for your family.

The History of Bulldogs

In the beginning, bulldogs were originally bred for a similar purpose as pit bulls were: to work with butchers. Many people believe that bulldogs came before the pitbull and even date back to the 15^th century, although this is hard to prove.The main goal that most bulldogs were given was to control the livestock that the butcher worked with.

Unfortunately, many people used these dogs for sport as well, often gruesome and cruel sports solely meant to entertain the audience watching. Thankfully, this tradition for bulldogs has died down significantly. As mentioned earlier, these dogs were bred to help control livestock. Most butcher livestock involves horses, cows, and even boars. This means that the bulldog had to be bred for strength and durability since it had to handle potentially noncompliant bulls.

Over the course of time, many people began investing in more agile and robust dogs to work with livestock, meaning that the popularity of working pit bulls has decreased tremendously.

However, bulldogs have been coming back more and more due to their unique facial features and their overall appearance. In fact, it is becoming easier than ever to find bulldog puppies of both American and French variants.

What Is There to Know About American Bulldogs?

American bulldogs are known to be fearsome creatures despite having the potential to be incredibly sweet with the right owner and the right training. However, without that training, a full-grown American bulldog can be one of the most terrifying dogs out there due to the strength of its jaw if it really wants to bite down on something.

These dogs tend to have more energy and are more robust than their French counterparts, which contributes to some of the potential weight problems that your dog can develop if it is allowed to eat freely within the house.

If you have young children in the house, you should make sure that they understand how to play with dogs properly so that they do not injure themselves by annoying the dog too much. These dogs, if they are not cared for properly, can become increasingly violent on their own, which is something that nobody wants to have happened.

With that being said, the average weight of the dog can be anywhere from 65 to 100 pounds. Male American bulldogs tend to reach about 22 to 28 inches. Because of their history as working dogs, they have an extremely stocky, muscular build and those muscles aren’t just for show. There have been plenty of instances where an American bulldog has been able to jump six or more feet into the air.

In general, American bulldogs are less sociable and amicable than French bulldogs, simply because they have been bred to be working dogs. Of course, you shouldn’t become discouraged at the idea of not having a friendly dog within your family. With dedication and the right training, you can make sure that your dog turns out to be soft and sweet to anyone who passes by. You should just be prepared to know that the American bulldog is not a dog that appreciates spending time sleeping in your lap. Instead, they would much prefer to be the family guard dog with the right training.

What Is There to Know About French Bulldogs?

These dogs are typically companion dogs and more than happy to be pampered with love and affection. It is important to notice the difference in the weight and height of French bulldogs compared to American ones.

French bulldogs tend to be between 19 and 28 pounds. The height of the French bulldog comes in at around 10 to 12 inches, making them considerably smaller than their American counterparts. Compared to the American bulldog, these dogs have a more squished-in face, which can present breathing and eye problems later on in your dog’s life. If you want to be able to prevent this, then you will need to make sure that you talk with the breeder that you are adopting the dog from.

With all of this being said, you can expect that the French bulldog is one of the calmer breeds of dog that one could own and they are also quite easy to train, making them perfect family dogs. These dogs do tend to have issues with other animals in the house, though, so keep that in mind if you are planning on adopting another new pet at some point. Aside from this, the French bulldog is well known for its friendly behavior toward its family and other people.

In fact, if you are looking for a relatively small dog that will relax in your lap after you have had a long day at work, then the French bulldog is going to be one of the first types of dogs that you should consider. If you are looking for a friendly bulldog that will enjoy playing games of tug-of-war with you and hanging out with you, then the French bulldog should be the one that you consider over the American one. These dogs are also much better as a companion dog for families who want dogs that they can play with over working dogs. This is important to think about if playtime is an important bonding experience for you and your pets.

How Does Their Care Differ?

These two bulldogs can differ wildly in a few different areas with the most obvious factor being the size of the dog. An American bulldog is going to be about twice the size of a French bulldog, potentially even three times as large, depending on how large your individual dog grows up to be.

French bulldogs are also somewhat less hard-working, more intelligent, and more suitable for people who have allergies for dog hair. Thankfully, if this is a predicament that you are in, you could consider the idea of getting a French bulldog.

When it comes to meeting strangers, both of these dogs appear to have some issues. The American names is not friendly toward anyone except children and its own loyal family. These dogs are not able to live in an apartment or office environment.

Likewise, French bulldogs seem to be quite friendly with strangers and even people who have stranger dogs while not being that affectionate toward other pets or children in the house. Because French bulldogs have an easier time welcoming strangers, many people find that they can also train their dogs as therapy dogs and are able to bring their dogs to visit sick people in the hospital.

For many families all around the world, one of these two bulldogs will make one of the most suitable pets. The American bulldog is considered to be one of the better guard dogs and working dogs out there and its ferocious appearance and muscular build can help support that statement. On the other hand, French bulldogs are considered to be companion dogs. These are dogs that are meant to be like traditional pet dogs; they stay by your side and they wag their tails immensely once you give them treats.

When all is said and done, what matters most is making sure that you have the right care supplies to make sure that not only are your bulldogs in good health and good shape but that they are in good spirits. In the end, choosing the right variant of bulldog for your family is going to make all the difference in your life for the next decade or more as your bulldog will become an integral member of your family.