Despite its ferocious ancestors, this breed has been developed exclusively as a pet animal. Although it looks intimidating, it is never used as a guard dog. It is sometimes called the Australian Bulldog.
This is a new breed, developed in Queensland, Australia, towards the end of the 20th century. It is the creation of dog-breeder Pip Nobes of Toowoomba, who loved the British Bulldog but was upset by the health problems it was encountering in its exaggerated, modern form. The stated intention was `to eliminate defects seen in. many Bulldogs, such as breathing difficulties due to an elongated soft palate, skin fold eczema, and caesarean births’.
Of course, bulldog experts are themselves undertaking selective breeding to eliminate these hazards, but Nobes took a more drastic step, using a mixture of breeds to create the ‘perfect Australian Bulldog.
By making a series of controlled crosses with Boxer, Bullmastiff and Bull Terrier, a new bulldog breed was created. It was one that retained the temperament of the traditional bulldog, but gave it a healthier body. It has longer legs, a smaller head and chest, a less flattened muzzle and broader hips. Its height is 16-20 in (40-50 cm), compared with 12-14 in (31-36 cm) for the British Bulldog. Its weight is 55-77 lb (25-35 kg), compared with 50-55 lb (23-25 kg). In colour it is usually red or fawn or brindle, with white.
The Aussie Bulldog has a temperament that has been colourfully described as ‘affectionate, elephantine and lazy’. When it does become excited, it reveals a ‘bulldozing nature… that can bowl over unsuspecting adults’. It is praised, however, for its friendly and outgoing personality, completely lacking in shyness, which makes it an ideal pet dog. Because it has been created purely as a household companion, no attempt has been made to draw up a breed standard, and there is no intention to enter it in competitive dog shows.
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