English Bulldog

Temperament

The modern English Bulldog has little in common with its fearsome look. The British Kennel Club describes it as calm, gentle and very attached to its family, children included, as long as their interactions are supervised. At home it would rather lie at its owner's feet, but it also enjoys short play sessions and walks. It is stubborn and not among the fastest learners: short sessions with rewards work better than firm corrections, to which it often responds by planting itself and refusing to move. It is usually sociable with people and other animals, though it stays watchful toward strangers on its turf. It rarely barks. It does snore, snort and grunt loudly, and some of those sounds are not charming at all but a sign of labored breathing.

Energy

calmvery energetic

Affection

independentvelcro pet

With children

not idealgreat

With other pets

difficultgreat

Trainability

stubborneager to learn

For first-time owners

for experienced ownersyes

With strangers

waryoutgoing

Playfulness

dignifiedeternal puppy

Shedding

minimalheavy

Grooming

easydemanding

Being left alone

strugglescopes well

Apartment living

needs a house and yardgreat in a flat

Barking

quietvocal

With other dogs

difficultgreat

Protectiveness

lowhigh

Drooling

hardly anya lot

Cold tolerance

feels the coldexcellent

Heat tolerance

strugglescopes well

Scores of 1–5 compare the breed with other breeds of the same species, based on the sources at the bottom of the page. Every animal is different. How we score traits

Who is the English Bulldog for?

A Bulldog can suit a calm person or family in an apartment who aren't planning long outings and are ready for higher vet bills. When choosing a puppy, look for a breeder with breathing test results for the parents. This isn't a dog for active athletes, for people living in a hot top-floor apartment, or for anyone unwilling to care for skin folds every day.

Size and looks

Care and exercise

Two or three easy walks a day are enough for a Bulldog, around 30–45 minutes in total. On hot days, go out early in the morning and in the evening, and keep the dog somewhere cool during the day: overheating is a real threat to life in this breed. A tongue hanging far out and turning bluish instead of pink is a warning sign. Bulldogs can't swim, so they always need supervision near water, and stairs are hard work for them. Brush the coat with a soft brush for a few minutes two or three times a week. Every day, clean and dry the facial folds, the area under the tail and the ears. Trim the nails every two weeks. Watch its weight, because every extra kilogram makes breathing worse.

Health and breed-related conditions

The English Bulldog is one of the breeds most burdened by health problems caused by its build. A 2022 VetCompass study by the Royal Veterinary College, covering more than 2,600 Bulldogs, found they were twice as likely as other dogs to have at least one disorder in a given year. The risk of skin fold dermatitis was 38 times higher, prolapsed third eyelid gland 27 times, underbite 24 times and brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome 19 times. The authors called for an urgent change to the standard toward a more moderate build. In a 2024 UK study, the median lifespan was 9.8 years. The Kennel Club recommends assessing the parents' breathing on the RFGS scale.

• brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome (BOAS)A VetCompass study found Bulldogs had 19 times the risk of BOAS compared with other dogs.
• skin fold dermatitisAbout 38 times the risk of other breeds; the folds need daily cleaning.
• prolapsed third eyelid gland (cherry eye)About 27 times the risk of other dogs.
• underbite and dental problemsA protruding lower jaw is more than 20 times as common in Bulldogs.
• overheating and heatstrokeThe short muzzle limits the body's ability to cool down, so heat can be life-threatening.
• hip and elbow dysplasiaThe Kennel Club recommends X-raying the parents as good practice.

This is general breed information, not a diagnosis. If something worries you, talk to your veterinarian.

Breed history

According to the FCI standard, the name Bulldog came into use in the 1630s, though dogs of this type were known earlier. They were used for bull-baiting, a popular pastime since Norman times, and for fighting in dog pits. After fighting was banned in 1835, the breed lost its job and began turning into a lower dog with an ever shorter muzzle. The Bulldog appeared at shows in 1860, and the British Kennel Club recognized it in 1873. Since the early 2000s the Kennel Club has been revising the standard to curb exaggerated features, and the current FCI standard treats labored breathing and noisy respiration as unacceptable.

Fun facts

• The FCI standard explicitly treats labored breathing and excessively noisy breathing as unacceptable.
• The British Kennel Club doesn't register merle Bulldogs because of the risk of hearing and vision defects.
• The Bulldog is a symbol of Britain and of John Bull, the personification of the Englishman.
• In the VetCompass study, only 9.7% of Bulldogs were over 8 years old, compared with 25.4% of other breeds.

Frequently asked questions

This breed also appears in

• Medium dog breeds
• Best dogs for apartments

Sources

1. 1FCI – wzorzec nr 149 Bulldogfci.be
2. 2AKC – Bulldogakc.org
3. 3The Kennel Club – Bulldogthekennelclub.org.uk
4. 4O'Neill i in. 2022, English Bulldogs in the UK: a VetCompass study (komunikat EurekAlert)eurekalert.org
5. 5McMillan i in. 2024, Longevity of companion dog breeds, Scientific Reportsnature.com

Last reviewed: November 12, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.