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Breed Info

The Olde English Bulldogge originated in England between 1600 and 1700. These were the early ancestors to many of the Bull breeds that exist today including the English Bulldog and the American Bulldog. The early bulldogs were bred to participate in blood sports like bull baiting. This so called sport, became quite popular in England through out the middle of the 18th Century. Bull baiting primarily consisted of staking out a bull and allowing several Bulldogges to attack it. A dog of great courage and agility was needed for bull baiting. This dog was of medium size; larger dogs were considered to be the result of mastiff crosses.


Around 1835, laws were passed in England prohibiting bull baiting and the Olde English Bulldogges main purpose of existence vanished. Within a decade the numbers of bulldogs declined drastically almost to extinction.

Dog show fanciers eventually decided to reconstruct the breed, but wanted to tone down the aggressive temperament of the original Olde English Bulldogge. They crossed the remnants of the existing stock with the pug and over the years that followed they developed the modern English Bulldog. Unfortunately though, this modern dog is wrought with all kinds of genetic health problems.


The modern Olde English Bulldogge is a reconstruction of the original Olde Bulldogge of the 17th and 18th century. Various genetic crosses have been used in carefully and thoughtfully planned breeding programs to obtain this goal. The foundation of most of today’s Olde English Bulldogges can be traced to English Bulldog, American Bulldog and Mastiff.


These dogs were used very selectively in various combinations to obtain the desired physical and mental traits of the original Olde English Bulldogge. The result has been a good looking Bulldogge of great athletic ability that is much healthier and physically fit without most or all of the problems that plague today’s modern English Bulldogs. The goal of all Olde English Bulldogge breeders should be to produce genetically healthier Bulldogges that are free breathers, free breeders and free whelpers.


Today’s Olde English Bulldogge is recognized and registered with the International Olde English Bulldogge Association (IOEBA).

The IOEBA is the most recognized and widely used association by breeders and owners of Olde English Bulldogges worldwide. The IOEBA’s detailed breed standard is the best guide as to what the perfect Olde English Bulldogge should look like according to the International Olde English Bulldogge Association.

Temperament & Personality

Generally speaking Olde English Bulldogges have great temperaments. Bulldogs should be reserved but confident. Our Olde English Bulldogges tend to be quiet and easy keepers. They usually are indifferent to others approaching unless a real threat is perceived.

The breed is always eager to please, we receive many compliments from our customers regarding our dogs and how easy they take to obedience train. Our dogs and Olde English Bulldogges as a whole tend to form strong bonds with their families. Olde English Bulldogs are generally great with humans of all ages having a natural instinct to be more docile with smaller children.

Our Olde English Bulldogges are first and foremost loyal family companions. All of our dogs and breedings are carefully vetted to ensure the correct temperament is had and achieved.
All of Rio Bravo Bulldogges puppies come with a written LIFETIME Temperament Guarantee.

Health

The average life expectancy of a Olde English Bulldogge is approximately 10 to 12 years. As breeders one of our primary focus needs to be health. Olde English Bulldogges generally should be much heathier then a common English Bulldog.

Bulldogs as a whole can be prone to several common health issues including hip and joint issues, eye problems, breathing problems, skin problems and allergies. Here at Rio Bravo Bulldogges we try our best to not introduce and rid our bloodlines of these issues by using breeding stock that do not carry any known health issues.

Bulldogs in general can also be prone to hip dysplasia, it is no longer believed that hip dysplasia is solely a genetic issue as new research has shown that hip dysplasia is commonly connected to other contributing factors like obesity, environmental issues(lack of traction while dogs are growing and developing), improper nutrition and sometimes excessive exercise while developing.
All of Rio Bravo Bulldogges puppies come with a Written 1 year Health Guarantee.

Excellent housekeeper

Olde English Bulldogges can make excellent watchdogs with proper encouragement. Oldes tend to have a natural instinct and will alert their people to approaching strangers, but it's not their style to bark without cause.

Exercise

The OEB like any other dog requires daily exercise. This helps them to maintain a health weight and live a happy long life. Olde English Bulldogges can easily be included in an active families lifestyle but they do not require an excessive amount of exercise. As a whole they love to just relax on the couch with their family.