Bull Terrier
Temperament, Lifespan, & Facts
Bull Terrier, breed of dog developed in 19th-century England from the Bulldog, the White English Terrier (a breed now extinct), and the Dalmatian; other breeds including the Spanish pointer, foxhound, and Greyhound may also have been incorporated.
Bull Terrier
The Bull Terrier was developed for the dogfighting pits as a courageous fighter but not as an aggressive fight provoker. It is a muscular dog and has a short coat; a tapering tail; erect ears; small triangular deep-set eyes; and a distinctive egg-shaped, or convex, head. It stands 21 to 22 inches (53 to 56 cm) tall at the withers and weighs about 50 to 70 pounds (23 to 32 kg). The miniature Bull Terrier, recognized as a separate breed, stands 10 to 14 inches (25 to 35 cm) and weighs 24 to 33 pounds (11 to 15 kg). In both sizes the coat may be coloured (i.e., any colour but white, including brindle) or white (i.e., all white or white with darker head markings). The Bull Terrier is active, loyal, and playful—even clownish—and is considered for its weight as one of the strongest of all dogs.
| Bull Terrier breed facts | |
|---|---|
| other names | Egghead, Wedgehead, Bully |
| area of origin | England |
| breed group | terrier |
| height at withers | 21–22 inches (53–56 cm) |
| weight | 50–70 pounds (23–32 kg) |
| life span | 12–13 years |
| Did you know? | Perhaps the two best-known Bull Terriers were featured in ad campaigns for Anheuser-Busch’s Bud Light beer and Target. In the late 1980s “Spuds MacKenzie,” portrayed by a female Bull Terrier named Honey Tree Evil Eye, began starring in TV commercials for Bud Light. According to The New York Times, Spuds helped increase sales by 20 percent between 1987 and 1988; the dog was pictured on everything from T-shirts to billboards and even appeared in movies. However, it was also the subject of controversy when some accused the company of glamorizing alcohol consumption and encouraging underage drinking. The dog-based campaign was retired in 1989. Ten years later “Bullseye,” a white Bull Terrier, became the popular mascot for Target. The company emblazoned its logo, a red circle around a dot, surrounding the dog’s left eye, but it did so with a nontoxic vegetable-based paint that was easily removable. |
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