The American Bulldog has a very beautiful yet intimidating appearance as an athletic dog. Their personality is a complex mix of happiness, protectiveness of their owners and high energy. The American Kennel Club, despite their growing popularity as a working dog and family pet, doesn't yet recognize the breed.

The breed was originally used to catch livestock, guard homes and in the sport of bull baiting in the 17th and 18th century. Then the Bulldog was transferred to the United States for the purpose of gambling and as a working dog. The United Kingdom then outlawed bull baiting as a sport in 1835 and the English Bulldog progressed as a popular family pet. Less change has occurred to the American Bulldog.

However through the years the American Bulldog has experienced less change. During World War II, the American Bulldog wasn't very popular and actually almost became extinct. But through preservation efforts the breed remained to become a beloved family pet, a competitive athlete and a strong working dog today.

The dog is very muscular with an overall stocky appearance. The dog can have an expression on their face ranging from goofy and fun loving to stark intimidation. White, fawn and brindle are the most common coat colors for this breed. When full grown the breed will typically weight between sixty and one hundred twenty-five pounds with a height of twenty to twenty-eight inches tall at the shoulders. There are two variations on this breed. The classic variation is larger than the standard, which has a shorter muzzle. There are also mixes of these two variations.

The American Bulldog is a devoted family pet and great with children as with all other Bulldogs. In fact, throughout the years the breed has become known for their acts of heroism. However, this same protect nature makes them aggressive to strangers and other animals. If you are going to choose an American Bulldog you need to make sure you have a lot of time to devote to the dog.

In order to have a well-behaved American Bulldog you need to train and socialize them from an early age. They can even become friendly with other animals as long as you thoroughly train them from an early age and are very selective about when to use their guardian instincts. They have a very low maintenance coat, which means you only need to brush and bathe them as needed. However, they will slobber a lot because of their large and droopy jowls.

Hip dysplasia and elbow dysplasia are two bone conditions that can affect the breed. Some eye conditions to be aware of include prolapse of the third eyelid, retinal dysplasia and Enropion, which the eyelid rolls inward. At birth the American Bulldog can be deaf or it can develop when they age.

A congenital birth defect common to the breed is Patent Ductus Arteriosis, which is when the blood vessels of the lungs don't properly close after birth and as a result extra amounts of blood flows into the lungs. You can avoid common health problems and take proper care of your dog. By doing this your American Bulldog can live a happy eight to fifteen years.