Bull Terrier - English
Breed Profile
Group: Terrier
Origin: England
Colour: White, black, brindle, red, fawn and tricolour
Lifespan: 11 to 13 years
courageous • feisty • tenacious • obsessive • obstinate
Owner's Guide
Exuberant and powerful, English Bull Terriers are courageous and have strong jaws. With their high pain threshold and hard bite, they play roughly, and careful training and socialization is needed to prevent this becoming a problem. They are usually friendly with people, but early socialization is needed to ensure they remain tolerant of other dogs.
Originally bred for dog-fighting.
Special characteristics
Tenacious and courageous, English Bull Terriers have a strong bite.
Exercise requirements
Medium. Expect explosive bursts of energy.
Attitude to
owners affectionate, devoted
children good if raised with them
other pets may kill small pets, may injure cats unless raised with them
strangers good if well socialized
unfamiliar dogs can be problematic. Adequate early socialization is required
Perfect owner
Experienced, active owner who has time and energy to play, train and exercise this powerful lovable character safely.
Potential problems
Tendency to be aggressive to other dogs unless well socialized. Dogs from some lines may display tail-chasing and other repetitive movement disorders. Lack of exercise may lead to destructiveness.
White dogs will need protection in high ultraviolet conditions to avoid sunburn on exposed pink areas of skin.
Articles

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- Why we love Bull Terriers and common misconceptions
- Bull Terriers hit the headlines too frequently, often after a reported savage attack on a child, but these stories skew the truth. News is only news when it is unusual, of the 'man bites dog' variety. For the vast majority of Bull Terriers in this country More »
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- Pet Insurance - Do You Really Need It?
- Today, there are an ever-increasing number of insurance companies offering pet insurance and it is now possible to insure most pets from dogs to cats, rabbits to tortoises and birds to horses. More »
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- My dog seems really depressed and she's not eating that much. What could be the reason?
- I have a one and a half year old Pit Bull that lately seems really depressed and she is not eating that much. I am concerned that she might have eaten something she was not supposed to when I was out of the house. Is there anything I may give her to flush More »
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- DFS Crufts 2010: The World's Most Amazing Dog Show
- One of the largest and most well-known dog shows in the world will take place at the beginning of March at the NEC in Birmingham. More »
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