Olde English Bulldog Breeders

The first among the Olde English Bulldog breeders was David Leavitt. In 1971, he decided to create a dog with the looks of the ancient Bulldog, but with no health problems of the present-day Bulldog and no aggressiveness of the 19th century Bulldog.

Other Olde English Bulldog breeders who wanted to recreate the original Bulldog are Lolly Wilkinson, Jan Dirk Van Ginneke, Ken Mollett, and Steve Barnett. They created separate varieties of the breed with improved characteristics, but only the Olde English Bulldog of David Leavitt received official recognition and enjoyed world wide popularity.

The breed standard for the Olde English Bulldog is not very strict concerning the appearance of the dog. Unlike English Bulldog breeders, Olde English Bulldog breeders don’t breed for exaggerated features. The current standard was developed in 2007 by the Olde English Bulldogge Kennel Club at the request of the United Kennel Club that prepares official recognition of the breed. Nowadays, the breed is recognized by the OEBKC, NKC, and CKC. The height of the dogs and dams should be over 16 inches at the withers; the weight should exceed 50 pounds. The purebred dogs should be compact, muscular, well balanced, and with no exaggerated features. Almost any coat color and pattern is accepted in this breed: black, gray, brindle, fawn, or red with white spots. The only accepted eye color is brown; the only nose color is black.

The Olde English Bulldog is actually a more natural English Bulldog without its exaggerated appearance and health problems. Olde English Bulldogges can breathe even in hot weather. Though they cannot compete with most other hounds in running and jumping, they are far more agile than their ancestors that are unable to exercise in hot and humid weather because of breathing difficulties. Olde English Bulldog males are able to mate and no artificial insemination is needed. Females can give birth without a cesarean section. The lifespan of the new breed is over 11 years, which is too long for the English Bulldog. The main aim of the Olde English Bulldog breeders is producing dogs that are able to serve people, but not make people serve them.