Color Breeding Ethics
–We are committed to making breeding decisions without bias on color – instead prioritizing the structure, health characteristics, and temperament of each individual bulldog.
Specific bulldog colors will neither be favored or rejected, rather viewed as genetic information that makes up the Bulldog breed.
There has been much debate and stigma related to the rise of rare colors into the English Bulldog breed. On a personal level, we have been conflicted on our approach to this issue. We appreciated the tradition of the breed. History and precedent should most often be honored as they create stability and order. For many years we rejected the rise of rare colors, citing mostly greed and capitalism as the primary motives for their popularity – a position we still hold to.
Given our commitment to health and genetic research, rare colors were a distraction we were not interested in. While we still condemn the practice of color breeding – breeding decisions based on producing a specific color. Our view of the rare color bulldog as potential breeding genetics has changed over time for two primary reasons: desirable phenotype characteristics and advancements in genetic studies by major universities.
Desirable Characteristics.
We first noticed that many (not all) non-traditional color bulldogs represented the health qualities that we strive for. Non-traditional color bulldogs often carry lighter wrinkle sets, are more athletic and breathe cleaner. Through radiographs, we have learned that many have wider tracheas and suffer less from elongated soft palate issues. From DNA testing, we have found they often offer more genetic diversity and their inbreeding coefficients are statistically lower than their traditional counterparts. Most Bulldog breeders acknowledge that historical outcrossing is a likely contributor of non-traditional color – thus explaining the lower inbreeding coefficient and improved genetic diversity numbers that we have seen. Many non-traditional color bloodlines have moved farther away from show breeding standards and have benefited from it. This group of English Bulldogs still maintain their AKC purebred status and represent a large pool of genetically diverse English Bulldogs.
2025 Non-Standard Color Study.
Personal observation is certainly not enough to include or exclude an entire color structure. Bruiser Bulldogs conducted the largest (to our knowledge) blind English Bulldog health survey in 2025. Over 381 current English Bulldog owners participated. Questions focused on the current health issues that bulldog owners see in their bulldogs. Owners were asked about the color of their bulldog. 23% of respondents owned non standard color bulldogs, while 77% owned standard color bulldogs. The following is data from the survey:
Health Survey: Standard vs Non-Standard Color Bulldogs
| Health metric (outcome) | Standard colors (n=292) |
Non-standard colors (n=89) |
Difference (Std − Non, pp) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Moderate to severe breathing complications | 55.8% | 53.3% | +2.6 |
| Moderate to severe skin & coat issues | 51.7% | 48.9% | +2.8 |
| Moderate to chronic digestive problems | 29.4% | 32.6% | −3.2 |
| Moderate to severe eye issues | 35.9% | 37.0% | −1.1 |
| Partial or complete hearing loss | 7.7% | 3.3% | +4.4 |
| Moderate to severe allergy & immune issues | 38.3% | 35.9% | +2.5 |
How to read this: These are “bad outcome” rates — lower is better. “Difference” is in percentage points (Standard − Non-standard).
The survey demonstrated a few key takeaways:
- There were no meaningful health differences between non-standard and standard color health metrics in English Bulldogs. Non-standard colored bulldogs were overall statistically healthier, but the differences were not meaningful.
- The skin and coat reputational issues that surround non-standard colors were not supported in the survey results. This data is similar to our own personal observations – over the past 15 years we have only observed one case of skin related issues connected to a non-standard color.
- Health issues affect both non-standard and standard color bulldogs at the same rate. There are good and bad bulldogs in each group. Health metrics can only be created based on the individual bulldog, not the coat color.
- Eliminating non-standard color bulldogs from the genetic pool only hurts the bulldog breed. Reducing the gene pool through false health narratives increases inbreeding coefficients and distracts from solving real health issues in the bulldog breed.
Clinical Studies.
A couple monumental clinical studies have supported the inclusion of non-traditional colors as a means of maintaining genetic diversity. The often cited 2016 study by UC Davis and Niels Pederson found the English Bulldog breed to be lacking genetic diversity and in need of health focused breeding programs or possible outcross programs. Through extensive communication with Dr. Pederson, the researcher, personally advised the breeding for longer legs, wider nostrils, and examining trachea and tongue while maintaining as much genetic diversity within the breed as possible. While he rejected rare color focused breeding practices, he encouraged utilizing all color variations within the breed to maximize genetic diversity. His insights and mentorship in regards to our breeding program remain impactful to this day.
An additional study by Purdue University in 2019 led by Dr. Kari Ekenstedt demonstrates the prevalence of hidden color gene variants within the historical genome of purebred dog breeds. The study focuses on the rigid color standards of breed show clubs insufficiently reflecting the actual genetic potential of the associated purebred breed. Purebred show clubs created color standards before science metrics were able to properly understand DNA sequencing. As our understanding of genetics improves, our acceptance of breed colors should as well. Proven science should always dictate how tradition evolves. In the case of the English Bulldog, show club standards dictate that we ignore a significant portion of the genetic information that exists in the English Bulldog pool. This approach is in direct opposition to the clinical studies that have already proven the breed needs as much genetic diversity as possible.
Our Belief.
Current show breeding standards as well as color focused breeding practices are unethical and detrimental to the breed. Both parties have equally contributed to reducing the breed’s genetic diversity by selecting for physical traits that do not improve the breed’s health – while implementing diversity reducing line breeding practices.
Bulldog show culture has been quick to condemn color breeding behavior while conveniently ignoring the fact that they have actively bottlenecked breed genetics by rejecting scientifically proven breed colors. Neither party is actively engaged in ethical breeding practices and does not breed for health. This type of behavior is unsustainable and will certainly result in the need for additional outcross programs if continued at the current trajectory. With that said, there is valuable genetic diversity within rare color bulldogs and many have the health characteristics that can improve the breed.
The most ethical and health focused approach is to maintain a colorblind approach to English Bulldog color. Science has proven non-traditional colors are genetically valuable and undeniably a part of the English Bulldog breed history – they should be included but not favored in breeding decisions.
At Bruiser Bulldogs, each bulldog will be judged on their health and temperament characteristics alone. Further, to ensure color breeding is never incentivized in our decision making, we commit to color-blind pricing as our pups’ adoption price will only ever reflect structure and personality and never color.
