The Bull Terrier or also known as the English Terrier is a breed of dog that originated from England. In Africa, people call this breed the Varkhond meaning pig dog and this is due to the fact that the Bull Terrier's head and eyes resemble that of a pig. Another theory is that during the time of bush-pig and warthog hunting in South Africa, Bull Terriers were mostly used as companions.

This breed can trace its roots from the Bull and Terrier breeds of the 18th century. These Bull and Terriers were born aggressive, unwary and agile in fighting monstrous animals in bull baiting. The sports of bull baiting and bear baiting were famous blood sport during the middle of 18th century; they were so popular that even the royals favor this past time.

By 1830, breeders have decided to develop an even more combatant and agile dog breed that won't back down in bull baiting. By crossing the Bulldog, Old English terrier and Spanish Pointer, the Bull Terrier arrived. However, much to the dismay of the breeders, the Bull Terrier did not come out superior in the bull baiting.

However, although not as popular in the fighting pit, the Bull Terrier became famous as a fashionable pet. People as high as the aristocrats became fancier of this breed and sometimes this breed can be seen as guard dogs, watch dogs and vermin catcher. Presently, the fanciers can also enjoy a miniature of the Bull Terrier called Miniature Bull Terrier.

The Bull Terrier is a stocky and well-proportioned dog. What sets it apart from other Bull and Terrier descendants is its unique head which is often termed as egg-shape. This head is broad and flat at the top and narrows at the end of the nose.

The eyes of the Bull Terrier are almond-shaped, small, dark and closely placed beside each other. The coat is short, dense and skintight. The coat can be colored in black, brindle, pure white, red, fawn and tri-color.

The Bull Terrier is naturally powerful and not very biddable. However, it is very bright, dependable and lively. It is affectionate and loves the companionship of the family and it is also gentle with children.

The female Bull Terriers are especially protective of younger children. This dog is active and a bit rough but gets along well with other animals. To keep the Bull Terrier healthy, exercise everyday is necessary.

Posted under Dogs

The Standard Bull Terrier is well known for being a descendant of the bull baiting breed. It goes to say that this breed is a fearless fighter but because of further breeding, it mellowed down to become the gentle companion that it is today. The Miniature Bull Terrier, the small version, possesses the same characteristics only in a smaller package.

The Miniature Bull Terrier possesses the distinct head of the Bull Terrier breed described as an egg shape. The eyes are triangular and closely set while the tail is carried horizontally. The body of the Mini Bull Terrier is muscular, robust, full and round which gives it the appearance of great strength.

Its body is wrapped with a skin-tight short, course and glossy coat. Usually, this breed comes out in colors of either full white, white with markings of other colors, or fully colored. The coat colors may include white, black, red, fawn, brindle and tri-color while any shade of blue or liver is considered a disqualification.

The first Bull Terrier actually came out looking like a Miniature Bull Terrier. But for gaming purposes, breeders developed it to be much larger and so they cross-bred it with the Spanish Pointer. In the early 1900s, there had been lots of Bull Terrier sizes that some ended up like a Chihuahua.

By the 1970's, a weight limit for the breed was established to determine the standard from a miniature. For the miniature-sized Bull Terrier, the established height should be under 14 inches but not less than ten inches. The weight was agreed to range between 25- 35 kilograms.

The Miniature Bull Terrier, like its standard counterpart is also fearless and ferocious in defending the human masters. But like a natural terrier, this breed has the tendency to have bouts of stubbornness. This dog is too energetic to be handled by small children and so training for the dog and instruction for the kids are necessary to avoid knocking them over.

This breed is every inch a warrior when it comes to fighting because even at times that the opponent is a much larger breed, it doesn't back down and fights as long as circumstances allow. This dog is also very loyal and in fact will defend the master against harm. On peaceful moments, however, the Mini Bull Terrier is playful, overly active and sociable towards humans.

If you have a small place, adopting a Miniature Bull Terrier would be a good idea because they are not as active as they are outdoors. What's important is that the Mini Bull Terrier gets plenty of exercise outdoors in order for it to stay fit physically and mentally. This breed also requires minimal grooming since its short coat is kept neat through combing or brushing once a week only.

Posted under Dogs