American Bulldog

The American Bulldog is a breed that was developed in the United States and is descended from English Bulldogs brought to America by British immigrants. The breed dates back to the early 1600s and actually began as a beast of burden. They were used on farms throughout America, hauling milk carts, pulling plows and keeping livestock away from predators.

After World War I the breed almost became extinct due to changes in farming practices caused by industrialization. Thankfully during World War II owners recognized their historic value and efforts were made to revive them. In this time two different versions arose known as “Old Southern Whites” bred for tracking wild hogs and “Johnson dogs” reared for fighting pests such as rats, foxes and raccoons.

The American Bulldog was officially entered into the AKC Studbook in 1991 although they remain rarer than their English counterparts due to stricter breeding standards put in place by the AKC which have kept numbers lower than expected over time.