Both bear and bull baiting were prevalent in other countries such as Spain, Portugal, Germany, and France; but England was by far the epicenter of the sport’s activity.(58) Bull dogs were rapidly bred and improved throughout England as bull-baiting arenas became increasingly commonplace in townships until its peak in the early nineteenth century.(59)(60)(61) Bylaws requiring bulls to be baited before slaughter were even passed, as the meat was believed to be tenderized by the process of baiting.(62)

Bull-baiting and fighting between animals of any variety was eventually outlawed in England with the Cruelty to Animals Act of 1835. Unfortunately, this only set the stage for the underground emergence of dog fighting. The size of the arena required for dog fights—far smaller “pits” than those required for the baiting of larger animals—made it difficult for authorities to discover these illegal activities and enforce the law, and the sport flourished underground throughout Europe. By the end of the Civil War, interest and participation in dogfighting was widespread across the United States as well.

The New Book of the Dog; A Comprehensive Natural History Of British Dogs And Their Foreign Relatives, With Chapters On Law, Breeding, Kennel Management, And Veterinary Treatment (1907, Cassell).

Bull dogs of many varieties have been developed since the dawn of the world’s first original bull-baiters bred in England. Though bull dogs are some of the most companionable pet dogs in the world, bred largely for their exceedingly good nature with people, bull dogs of many kinds have also continued to be selectively bred for their astonishing fighting attributes as the illegal world of dog fighting has continued to flourish into the twenty-first century.

Bull dogs have been used for other valuable jobs over the years, from defense against and the hunting of aggressive feral hogs to personal protection and companionship. They remain one of the most popular groups of dogs in the world, valued for their remarkable temperaments and adaptiveness to pet lifestyles outside of the contest environment.

Upbringing

Parenting a bull dog puppy right means creating positive and constructive exposure to a wide range of people, animals, and circumstances. In particular, it is valuable for your bull dog to gain conflict resolution skills with other dogs of various ages and personalities. You would be wise to find some super-cool older dogs to teach your puppy the ropes about manners and the subtler forms of communication so he can learn that, when it comes to play and trouble, less is more. You can also help him to stop rough play before it escalates, with a quick break to cool off, if he gets too worked up.

Show him what he can do with all that might and courage. Provide large and durable toys and encourage him to wrestle them in order to target his natural full-body athleticism on something other than people and animals who might not find these kinds of games so much fun.