Bulldog Pedigree History
The content below is extracted from the Wikipedia entry on bulldogs, whilst encyclopaedic sources tend to be tertiary, this makes the information appicable as background information and should not be referenced in footnotes or bibliographies.
The term "Bulldog" was first mentioned in literature around 1500, the oldest spelling of the word being Bondogge and Bolddogge. The first reference to the word with the modern spelling is dated 1631 or 1632 in a letter by a man named Preswick Eaton where he writes: "procuer mee two good Bulldogs, and let them be sent by ye first shipp".[11] The name "bull" was applied because of the dog's use in the sport of bull baiting. The name “Bulldog” is also translated as “bull dog” and is connected with the main purpose – to attack the bull. In ancient documents that have survived to modern times, the authors argue that the Bulldogs, as well as other breeds, far gone from its original form, are difficult to breed: females are not too susceptible, and males often suffer failure on the love front. Despite the slow formation and the fact that growing up is rarely achieved by a half years, their life is short and to the five-six years of age they are starting to show signs of aging.[12] The original Bulldog had to be very ferocious and so savage and courageous as to be almost insensitive to pain. In 1835 dog fighting as a sport became illegal in circuses. Therefore, the Old English Bulldog had outlived his usefulness in England and his days were numbered. However, emigrants did have a use for such dogs in the New World.
In the 17th century, Bulldogs were used for bull baiting (as well as bear baiting)—a gambling sport popular in the 17th century with wagers laid while trained Bulldogs leapt at a bull lashed to a post. The Bulldog's typical means of attack included latching onto the animal's snout and attempting to suffocate it.