Australian Bulldogs are loyal, outgoing and affectionate large size dogs that have been developed to better suit the Australian climate. They love people, crave human attention and make great companions.
| Recommended for | Families with older kids |
| Breed Classification | None |
| Other names | Aussie Bulldog, Australasian Bosdog |
| Lifespan | 12-15 years |
| Size | Large |
| Temperament | Loyal, affectionate, good-natured |
| Intelligence | Above average |
| Tendency to bark | Moderate |
| Maintenance Level | Medium |
| Health Risk | This breed has an around average probability of having health issues in its lifetime, hence it is one of the more affordable breeds to insure. |
Breed history of Australian Bulldogs
The Australian Bulldog is a very new breed of domesticated dog, first developed in the 1990’s in Queensland, Australia. Pip Nobes first mated an English Bulldog with an Australian pig hunting dog of bull terrier origin. The mix produced a taller and more athletic Bulldog with fewer health problems and a greater tolerance for the Australian heat.
The English Bulldog was developed in England for the purposes of bull baiting, a practice where dogs would attempt to latch on to the snout and face of an enraged bull. It was believed that by getting a bull’s spirits up and heated, the animal’s meat would be more tender and delicious upon slaughter. Bull baiting was also a popular spectator event and other animals like bears would be baited as well.
With the abolishment of bull baiting in the 1930’s the English Bulldog was swiftly put out of work. Although no longer required to fight, many people in England had developed a fondness for the Bulldog’s great loyalty, tenacity and strength. The breed was developed into a companion dog and while it remained strong and loyal, its aggressiveness was soon replaced with a joyful and affectionate nature.
Upon arrival in Australia, the modern English Bulldogs were particularly ill-suited to the country’s extreme heat. Nobes’s development of a healthier Australian Bulldog breed was featured on Burke’s Backyard in 1998 and it was positioned as a bulldog with a great temperament and particularly healthier than the English Bulldog. From then on the Australian Bulldog captured the nation’s interest and the breed has enjoyed a great deal of success. In 2003, Pip Nobes founded the United Aussie Bulldog Association (UABA). She later left that group and formed the Australian Bulldog Society (ABS) in 2004. The group’s aim is to have the Australian Bulldog formally recognised by Dogs Australia (previously the Australian National Kennel Council or ANKC).
Physical description of Australian Bulldogs
The Australian Bulldog is distinctly bulldog-looking. It is a solid, thickset, large-sized dog with a powerful, compact build that shows strength and stamina.
The head is large, strong and square, but in proportion to the body, with a broad, short muzzle that is turned up, loose folds of skin across the nose, wide-set eyes and small, wide-set ears.
The coat is smooth, short and tight to the body and comes in a variety of colours. To reduce the incidence of skin cancer in the Australian Bulldog, dark pigmentation on the sensitive areas exposed to the sun is desirable.
| Weight range | Males 28 to 38 kg; females 24 to 30 kg |
| Height range | Males 43 to 52 cm; females 43 to 50 cm |
| Colours | Colours include red and white, fawn & white, and brindle and white and varieties of these |
| Coat length | Smooth & short |