Why The AKC English Bulldog is Being Destroyed (2024)
Why The AKC English Bulldog is Being Destroyed
The AKC Sets the Rules
Ever feel like the rules are stacked against you? Like you literally cannot win no matter how hard you try? Recently, I took a trip to beautiful Las Vegas, Nevada – the land of fun and fantasy. The buildings, food, and even the shows are dripping with luxurious entertainment. It’s easy to forget that Las Vegas is simply a business model with rules designed to take money out of your wallet. We are drawn to the allure of winning big, but casinos are simply another algorithm for making money. The rules mean that there are many losers and just enough winners to keep everyone playing. Its science really, human emotion and probability. Casino owners are always going to be the big winner because that is what the rules dictate.
So what does a bulldog puppy have to do with Las Vegas? Ever consider who creates the rules for bulldog breeding? Who dictates what the bulldog breed should look like? What would a poorly bred bulldog look like? Even a better question, what should an ethically bred English bulldog look like? It’s a complex question. However, we can make a good argument that the breed standards of the American Kennel Club shape the AKC English Bulldog.
“Before scrolling down this page, please check out more articles about Bruiser Bulldog’s breeding program.”
1. Should You Adopt Local? Click Here
2. How to Select The Correct Bulldog Puppy – Click Here
3. What to Look for in a Breeder – Click Here
The AKC is many things: gatekeeper of the purebred dog, generator of canine show culture, and registrar of canine genealogy. The club has been instrumental in the formation of modern purebred breeds. Largely this has been a good thing. Breed standards are important as are a culture that reinforces them. Most modern dog breeds have benefited greatly from the guidance that the American Kennel Club provides. Unfortunately, the bulldog breed has not been one of those breeds.
History of the Bulldog: A Evolving Problem
Historically, the English bulldog breed was a symbol of not only toughness but also agility and vigor. From the ’40s, through the ’60s the breed was athletic and didn’t suffer from the health problems we see today. Unfortunately, breed standards created by the AKC in the ’70s and ’80s and enforced by English bulldog show clubs around the country gradually evolved the breed. They made rules to sink the snout into the forehead and shorten legs and back quarters while compacting the skeletal structure to create the cartoonish look we know today. Unfortunately, these structural changes created a sea of health problems related to breathability, eye problems, and joint issues.
What The AKC Should Do
The bulldog evolved from a symbol of vigor to a walking vet bill due to the changes the AKC made in its breed standard. Bulldogs and adopters alike have suffered immensely. Even the media in recent years has recognized and voiced with displeasure the problems with the modern bulldog. Yet, bulldog show breeders along with the show clubs they represent backed by the American Kennel Club turn a blind eye to the problem. Most bulldog breeders will deny that a show bulldog is unhealthy at all. But they have to ignore the gasps for air caused by elongated soft palates and small tracheas. Instead, they focus on their ribbons and trophies, addicted to the endless cycle of politics and egos that drives show culture. Forgotten are the adopters that actually fund these habits.
Ideally, the AKC would admit that the bulldog breed standards they require to win in the show ring are simply making the breed unhealthy. They would also create a new set of standards that would allow for a slight snout, elongating the skeletal structure of the breed. The AKC could advocate for the health of the bulldog breed instead of padding its bottom line with the unethical circus that is bulldog show breeding. Hopefully, the rules will change and the breed that so many of us love will stop suffering.
Click Here to See Our Available Puppies For Sale
Greetings from the Wysongs!
Northern Indiana based, Bruiser Bulldogs offers purebred English Bulldog Puppies for sale to loving adopters seeking to find a higher quality English Bulldog. As English Bulldog breeders, Mitch and Erica Wysong have dedicated themselves to a lifelong journey of changing the culture and societal pressures of poor breeding practices within the English Bulldog Community.
Mitch and Erica believe in producing a healthy English Bulldog puppy first and foremost. Through years of research and development, Bruiser Bulldogs is leading a new movement away from the overdone, wrinkled bulldog that has been long plagued by health problems. By embracing a healthier, more athletic look they are able to ensure that each and every English Bulldog Puppy for sale by Bruiser Bulldogs is supported by a platform of health tested, clean genetics.
Upon adoption, each family that takes on the responsibility of a Bruiser Bulldog enters into an active and vibrant communal family of bulldog owners. Mitch and Erica believe it is their responsibility to provide emotional and mental support for the lifetime of each and every English Bulldog puppy they produce. To ensure the success of every adoption, Bruiser Bulldogs will always be committed to helping Bruiser Bulldog adopters care for their English Bulldogs to the best of their ability.
Bruiser Bulldog’s Reviews
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I've grown up with english bulldogs my whole life. I am familiar with common and uncommon health problems they may face so when my boyfriend and I decided we were ready to adopt our own english puppy finding a reputable breeder that prioritizes health was most important to us. Erica and Mitch of Bruiser Bulldogs are just that. They are experienced, ethical and quality breeders. I was referred to them by my friend that I trust after I saw their gorgeous healthy puppy. Our Puppy Primrose is the light of our lives! Bruisers was there to assist us every step of the way. We would highly recommend Bruisers Bulldogs to anyone looking for their own happy, healthy pup!
Leah H.4/08/2021 -
We, like many of the other people who found Bruisers, did a lot of research to find a responsible breeder, especially since English Bulldogs can have health issues and because there is a trend now for "trendy" bulldogs (blue, etc.) which have even more health issues. We were lucky to have come across Bruiser Bulldogs and even more so the fact that they were near our family and hometown made it even better. We have had Clementine (Callie) for four months now, and she is a wonderful dog. Her personality is amazing, and I think part of it is breeding and the other part is Erika and her family lovingly raising the puppies in their home with plenty of attention and snuggles. I also was impressed that, rather than send the puppies out right at 8 weeks, Erika kept ours for a few extra weeks because she was tiny and not read to leave her mom yet. It's that care that differentiates Bruisers from other breeders.
Emily R.4/08/2021 -
We found Bruiser Bulldogs after researching healthy breeding line for bulldog puppies. Erica was easy to work with thru the entire process from application to adopting and now beyond as we host our new family member, Chief. Her on-call support and willingness to provide open, honest advice to all of our questions and concerns continues to be appreciated. We would highly recommend Bruiser Bulldogs to anyone looking for an English Bulldog to join their family.
Elizabeth W.4/01/2021 - Lady L.3/25/2021
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Bruiser Bulldogs are 5-star breeders! They are experienced, responsive and knowledgeable about all things bulldog related. They went above and beyond for us and are truly dedicated to all of their pups! We love our little girl so much and would recommend Bruiser to anyone looking for a healthy beautiful bully.
Jonathan E.3/22/2021 -
Bruiser Bulldogs is a 5-star breeder in every way. Erica and Mitch are trustworthy, excellent communicators, fair, passionate, and produce the best bulldogs.We were at the top of the waiting list for months and Erica reached out every litter to see if we were finally ready for a bulldog. When we were, she was very easy to work with. Her knowledge on bulldogs is outstanding. We had many questions on the process and she always knew what was best for the puppy.We've had Penny (formerly Blair) for two months and she is very healthy, energetic, playful, and sweet. She is great with other people and dogs. We are so happy with our pup.When we are ready for bulldog #2, we will only consider Bruiser Bulldogs.
Mitch C.2/22/2021 -
We waited a while to write this review so that we had a better sense for the overall health of our Bruiser Bulldog “Bowser”. Bowser was born April 2020 and is an integral part of our family. When we were first exploring English Bulldog breeders our biggest concern was the overall health of the dogs. We decided to work with Erica at Bruiser Bulldogs because we liked their focus on improving the breeds breathing abilities and the fact that the puppies are raised within her family environment before coming home with their new owners.As for Bowsers health, he’s a health energetic English Bulldog that has no problem keeping up with the kids, going on 2 mi walks and camping with us on a regular basis. Bowser also breaths clearly and our vet was impressed with his overall health from the moment we brought him home. All that said we know English Bulldogs have a predisposition to many health issues and that his current health can not predict the future. With that In mind its important to start with a breeder that open to answer any of your questions as Erica has ours, and that strongly believes in improving the breeds overall health profile.
Adam B.2/22/2021 -
After the loss of our first English Bulldog due to health issues it was very important for us to find a breeder who did not breed only for aesthetic but more importantly for health. My sister ended up finding Bruiser Bulldogs and we knew right away that they were the breeder for us.In September we ended up driving 9 hours to pick up two Bruiser bulldog puppies- one for my husband and I and one for my mom. Jackson and Penelope have been nothing but a joy. They are very social and very friendly to everyone they meet including kids and other dogs/animals. They are both very athletic and healthy. They are also HUGE snugglers and always want to be with you. It is an absolute pleasure having these two bullies in our lives! My sister and her fiancé also fell in love with them and now are on the waitlist themselves for a Bruiser bulldog!Erica is very knowledgeable about the breed. She is very hands on throughout the process and is just overall a kind and honest person to work with.With all that being said I cannot recommend Bruiser Bulldogs enough!
Collyn C.2/22/2021 -
We fell in love with our puppy the moment we saw him. One of the reasons we chose Bruiser Bulldogs was due to the claims about breeding for health. During our first visit at our vet's office, he told us that our pup was one of the healthiest English bulldogs he had ever seen. He is healthy, happy and social. Would recommend to anyone.
Christina S.2/22/2021 -
What an awesome experience! We seen our dog on their website and sent them an Email. Mitch called us and personally walked us through the process and made sure we had the right dog for our family. We couldn't be happier when we picked up our dog Ramsey, Erica made sure we had everything we needed and then some. They are truly amazing people who breed truly amazing dogs!
Jim T.2/22/2021
