I have noticed that there are always more pit bulls/American bulldogs at animal control. It wasn’t always that way. Do they just have more pups, are people less likely to get this breed fixed? It seems every 3rd kennel holds one. The next most common is the chihuahua or some blend of.
You find a lot in shelters because some of them become more aggressive once they are adults. This may be why some opt to have their dog neutered, before the full impact of hormones has been reached in the animal.
Quality English bulldog puppies sell for at least a grand, American bulldogs, for about half that. Both have large heads and breeding is difficult. It is unlikely you are seeing either at the pound.
Helen Keller and Teddy Roosevelt owned Americans. The RCA Victrola dog is an American.
What you are probably seeing at shelters are ‘bully dog’ mixes. Bulldogs are to the dog world what the Irish (or Germans) are to the people world: a lot of us have one or the other, or both. It is unlikely that you are seeing pure-bred bulldogs. All the American bulldog is, is the English bulldog before they started crossing the breed with pugs, after bull baiting was banned in Angleland to make them more docile.
My American is a dog and a half.
Except for slamming gangbangers and dogfighting, let’s lighten up on the “breed-specific” legislation talk. Give it a rest.
As BBell recognizes, it sounds like histrionic lefty talk about guns and it makes our libertarian cousins flinch.
For any neo-cons that afraid of them, carry a gun. Or pick on French poodles. Or head over to DU and vent your spleen there.
But keep in mind, if it isn’t a bulldog it’s just a dog.
I have a Chihuahua Pug mix. Not a mean bone in her body, full of energy, just plain old fun family dog. Doesn’t eat much either.