I've been involved with the breed going back to the 1970's. Always a pleasure to introduce bull terriers to people who have only read about them but haven't actually seen one ... they're fairly rare. Responsible BT breeders prefer it that way and actually cringe when BT's get highlighted in some way, such as the Budweiser commercials featuring Spuds Mackenzie. More recently Target stores has featured a BT in some of their ads. Like all terriers a BT is a lot of dog, especially as a puppy. They are high energy and don't really mellow out until they're at least three ... with some taking even longer. They all have distinct personalities and are real characters with a impish sense of humor.
I went through the same thing with the “Amazing Dobermans” movie series.
[and to a lesser degree, Magnum PI]
Backyard breeders sprung up like toadstools after a summer rain.
There was an entire decade in which I was rescuing a Dobe every month, whether it be a shelter or just some “giveaway” in the local paper.
It nearly destroyed the breed and we’re still trying to recover from all the previously rare genetic issues rampant in the breed today.
[and in my area, they’ve become so scarce that it took me years to find another when my last one passed...bad for me...great for the breed]
You do well very to stay small and rare.
I remember being horrified over the “Spuds” commercials because I knew what it meant for the breed.
Then the BT won Westminster BOS 2 years in a row [if I’m not mistaken] and the dread returned.
Ibizan Hounds, for the first time since they came here in the 50s suddenly gave rise to backyard breeders because “Bunny” made it to the Westminster BOS ring 2 years in a row.
[the Ibizan Hound club is still “cleaning up the mess” from that]
When I got my first Ibizan in 1990, there were *perhaps* a few hundred in the whole US.
Now, scores of litters are being born every year and they are NOT for people who expect or want a “nice obedient family dog” so a lot end up in shelters or are killed because the owner didn’t bother with proper fencing or understand that NO OFF LEASH runs really was a -must-.
BTs sound a lot like Dobes...which is probably why I love them.
[and who could ever resist those triangular little “laughing eyes” and that eternal smile? they even *look* impish]....;-D