In the time of Queen Anne of Great Britain, bull-baiting was practiced in London at Hockley-in-the-Hole, twice a week – and was reasonably common in the provincial towns. At Stamford and at Tutbury, a bull was annually hunted through the streets.

The bull was usually placed in a specially constructed ring for the purpose, and tied to an iron stake so that it could move in an area of about 30 feet. The object of the sport was for the dogs to immobilise the bull.

Before the event started, the bull's nose might have been blown full of pepper to enrage the animal before the baiting. The bull was often placed in a hole in the ground. A variant of bull-baiting was "pinning the bull", where specially-trained dogs would be set upon the bull one at a time, a successful attack resulting in the dog fastening his teeth strongly in the bull's snout. The Old English Bulldog was bred especially for this sport. So was the Boxer, an ancestor of the English bulldog.

A Bill for the suppression of the practice was introduced into the British House of Commons in 1802, but was defeated by 13 votes, and it was not till the year 1835 that it was finally put down by Act of Parliament, called the Cruelty to Animals Act 1835, which forbade the keeping of any house, pit, or other place for baiting or fighting any bull, bear, dog, or other animal.

Appearance: The Old English bulldog was compact, broad and muscular, as reflected in the well-known depiction Crib and Rosa. The average height was approximately 15 inches, and they weighed about 45 pounds. A particular characteristic of the breed was the lower jaw that projected considerably in front of the upper jaw, which made possible a strong, vice-like grip. The nose was deeply set in the face, which allowed the dog to get enough air as it gripped the bull.

History: The English blood sport of bull-baiting allowed for a specialized breed in the form of the Old English bulldog. The main locations in London for these exhibitions were Westminster Pit, Bear Garden and Old Conduit Fields. One of the breeders who spanned the transition period between the Old English bulldog and the modern bulldog was famous dog dealer Bill George.

Breeding: Historians are fairly confident that the Old English bulldog is derived from ancient war dogs, such as the old Mastiff or Alaunt. Others believe that the true origin of the breed is not entirely clear. Depictions in old prints show that the variety was without doubt a small Mastiff with a comparatively long head. The word 'Mastiff' was eventually dropped when describing these smaller Mastiffs, as the Mastiff proper was found too slow for bull-baiting. Eventually, the Greyhound was crossed into the breed, increasing the mastiff's speed without losing the breed's ferocity. This step reduced the Old English bulldog's size and weight, with the Greyhound's features seen in specimens of that time.

Description: Two other recognized members of the breed can be seen in the 1817 painting Crib and Rosa, with Rosa exemplifying the form and size of the ideal type of Old English bulldog, albeit deficient in wrinkles about the head and neck and in substance of bone in the limbs. They are faster than regular bulldogs and have an average speed of 7 miles per hour.

Decline: In England, the passage of the Cruelty to Animals Act 1835 caused a decline of bull-baiting and dog fighting, leading to a lack of interest in perpetuating the Old English bulldog. Three dogs from the Duke of Hamilton's strain of Old English bulldog, 'Wasp, Child, and Billy,' were famously depicted in a painting and recognized as some of the last known members of the breed before they became extinct.

Despite the laws making dog fighting illegal the activity continued for many years. Breeders determined a cross between the Old English bulldog and Old English terrier created a superior fighting dog with increased quickness and dexterity. This new breed of dog, called the Bull and Terrier, was a precursor to the Bull Terrier and Pit Bull Terrier and accelerated the extinction of the Old English bulldog

Olde English Bulldogge

Re-Incarnation: One contemporary recreation of the breed is called the Olde English bulldogge. Starting in the 1970s, a breeding program developed for cattle at Ohio State University was used, with the aim of recreating the Old English bulldog. This modern day version, though possessing similar physical abilities, does not have the violent temperament of the Old English bulldog. This recreation was done by line-breeding to create a breed with a foundation of half bulldog, and the other half bullmastiff, American pit bull terrier, and American bulldog.

Others

There are several other recreations but none have become popular, including but not limited to, the Able bulldog, Old Tyme bulldogge, Renascence bulldogge, Victorian bulldog, Aylestone bulldog, Bulldog, and the Spanish bulldogge

HEALTH: The Olde English Bulldogge may be a healthier breed of dog than many modern bulldog breeds, though they can be affected by many of the same disorders that occur in any breed if bred irresponsibly. The Olde English Bulldogge is known for its ability to breath freely and live much longer then the Modern English Bulldog. The Olde English Bulldogge is also quickly becoming well respected in many working venues such as weight pull, therapy training, obedience and several others. They have become excellent breathers and do not have to be kept in an air conditioned environment on hot days. Artificial insemination is not a standard protocol when breeding Olde English Bulldogges; natural ties are the standard. Caesarean sections are only needed in the event of unexpected complications at delivery like with almost any breed of dog.

Leavitt and the rebirth of the Olde English Bulldogge

The Olde English Bulldogge is an attempt to recreate the "Regency Period Bull Baiter" and was developed by David Leavitt of Coatesville, Pennsylvania. Mr. Leavitt began his project in 1971 utilizing the cattle line breeding scheme of Dr. Fechimer from Ohio State University. The goal was to create a dog with the look, health, and athleticism of the original bull-baiting dogs, but with a much less aggressive temperament. The foundation of the Olde English Bulldogge can be traced to a mix of English bulldog, American Bulldog, American Pit Bull Terrier, and Bullmastiff. After many carefully planned crosses, the Olde English Bulldogge emerged and began to breed true. Thus, Leavitt formed the Olde English Bulldogge Association (OEBA) to maintain the breeds stud book and issue registration papers to future offspring.

During the 1980s Ben and Karen Campetti from Sandisfield, Massachusetts, worked closely with Leavitt in breeding the Olde English Bulldogge. Soon they achieved great success showing the breed in Molosser breed shows across the country and internationally. For several years the Olde English Bulldogge was the top rare breed in rare breed conformation shows across the US. In 1993 Leavitt stopped breeding and turned the OEBA registry as well as his personal breeding stock over to Working Dog Inc. which was owned and operated by Michael Walz of Pennsylvania. In 2005, Leavitt re-emerged and joined the Olde English Bulldogge Kennel Club. Leavitt declared that he was merging the OEBA registry with the registry of the Olde English Bulldogge Kennel Club before he developed another club called the Leavitt Bulldog Association.

Despite recent controversy over the name that Leavitt assigned to the breed, today's Olde English Bulldogge is still breeding true to form and possesses excellent health, agility, temperament and a consistent look to that of the old working Bull Baiter of the English Regency Period.

(ALL ABOVE INFORMATION COURTESY OF WIKIPEDIA)

(Below is the standards courtesy of IOEBA [International Olde English Bulldogge Association])

General Description:The ideal Olde English Bulldogge is a loyal, courageous dog of medium size with a large powerful head and stout muscular body.

Olde English Bulldogges are athletic and most importantly of very good health, males are free breeders and females are free whelpers.

The Olde English Bulldogge is devoid of all breathing issues and is capable of enjoying outdoor activity without concern except in extreme heat or cold.

The temperament is very stable and trustworthy making them a loyal companion, capable protector and the ultimate family member.

Olde English Bulldogges thrive on pleasing their owners and are very trainable.

Their lifespan is between 10 and 14 years.

*Head :Large and high, moderately sunken between the eyes (medial furrow).
The circumference of the headshould be equal to or greater than the dog's height at the shoulder. A narrow head or one that appears too small for the body is a fault.

*Ears: Rose ears set well on the sides of the head are preferred. Dropped ears are acceptable as long they are small, not “hound like”. Full pricked ears that stand up on top of the head should be considered a serious fault.

*Muzzle: Broad, deep and short with moderate wrinkling. The bite is undershot with the bottom jaw turning up noticeably. Muzzle too long (more than 3 inches), scissor bite or even bite are disqualifying faults. Muzzle should be no shorter than 1 ½”. Wry jaw is a disqualifying fault.

*Back: Males should appear square and balanced. Females should appear similar with consideration given for body length. Short with a very slight rise from the shoulders to a slight drop in the croup is preferred. A level back is acceptable as long as the tail does not come straight off the top of the back.

*Shoulders :Shoulders should be well laid back with significant angulations to allow for good movement. Straight shoulders are a fault.

*Legs: Forelegs should be straight and wide apart, neither bowing out nor turning in. There should be significant bone substance. Elbows should be relatively close to the body. Lacking bone and substance is very undesirable. Elbows that are loose or “fiddle fronts” are a disqualifying fault. “East / West” forelegs are a serious fault.

Rear legs should exhibit significant bend of stifle so to allow for good movement.
They should be well muscled. Straight or “posty” rear legs are a serious fault.
Cow hocks are a disqualifying fault.

*Movement: Dogs should have a balanced gait that drives off the rear and is complimented by reach allowing the dog to cover ground with a sense of power.
Dogs should single track. Pacing or crabbing is a serious fault.

*Feet: Round, tight both front and rear, and the pasterns should be strong. Weak pasterns and/or splayed feet are disqualifying faults

*Height:Males - 18 to 20 inches at the shoulder. Females - 17 to 19 inches at the shoulder.

*Weight:Between 50 to 70 lbs. for females and 65 to 85 lbs. for males. Although height and weight above the standard is to be discouraged, there is no penalty as
long as the dog is well proportioned, otherwise correct and balanced.

*Color:Any color, except merle, is acceptable with no preference for one over another. The coat is short. A wavy coat or a long coat is a disqualifying fault. There should be no signs of feathering on the legs or neck area, also a disqualifying fault.

*Tail:A pump handle tail that naturally reaches the hock is preferred, screwed short
or a docked tails are acceptable. The pump handle tail should be carried low and not over the back of the dog.

*Temperament: Disposition should be outgoing and happy. While a watchful nature may be expected at home, human aggression without provocation is a disqualifying fault.

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