The Bulldog – Between Each Line Of Pain And Glory

by Lee Connor

Bulldog has long been considered Britain’s national dog. We commonly speak, when describing the British, of their ‘Bulldog spirit’ (exemplified in the Second World War) and the breed is still looked upon by many around the world as being emblematic of an Englishman.

Vero Shaw wrote this back in 1881:

‘Few can be found who refuse to award the Bulldog the honour of being considered our national dog, for no variety of the canine species is so universally identified, both at home and abroad, with Great Britain, as the subject of the present article. Bulldog pluck and endurance are qualifications eagerly cherished by Englishmen of all classes, and it would be manifestly unjust to deprive this dog of the title which has been so universally awarded him.’

I have long been an admirer of the Bulldog and in 1991, when studying at college, the news broke that the last Crufts show was going to be held in London (it subsequently moved out of the capital and up north to its new home in Birmingham). I felt I simply had to be part of the last Crufts to be held in London and decided to skip classes and jump on the train to attend this historic event. This last show also coincided with the show’s centenary celebrations (and it went down in the Guinness Book of World Records as the largest dog show ever held with nearly 23,000 dogs being shown in conformation classes). When I made it into the crowded great halls of Earls Court, I immediately made my way to the Bulldog ring.

Back then, Bulldogs weren’t as commonly seen on our streets (or in the ring) as they are nowadays and I wanted to see the finest of this very British breed ‘in the flesh’.

I can still recall my bitter disappointment on reaching that Bulldog ring. I managed to secure a seat and watched in horror as some stunted, sluggish, wheezy creations were very, very slowly paraded before me.

Some of the examples looked exceedingly strange indeed, like an Accordion when it had been snapped shut – with massively large heads, deep wrinkles and tiny curly tails – looking for all the world like a monstrous canine tadpole!

None of the dogs in the ring that day bore any resemblance to the ‘stars’ whose black and white photographs I had poured over in my dog books. Fan- tastic examples like Ch. Noways Chuckles, Ch. Basford Revival and Ch. Leoride Beau Son. Not one of the dogs before me displayed the fire and domi- nant outlook that Beau Son did (even in a black and white his fiery personality was clearly evident.)

Short URL: http://caninechronicle.com/?p=133740

Posted by Alex on Oct 19 2017. Filed under Current Articles, Featured. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. Both comments and pings are currently closed.