BT HISTORY Referred to as Bull Terriers, Bullies, or EBT's, Bull Terriers were originally bred as a gentleman's sporting companion when the blood sport of dog fighting was still legal. Dog fighting, bull baiting, bear baiting and cock fighting were popular 19th Century gambling sports in England. To this day, the Bull Terrier breed still displays it main characteristics of strength, courage and agility. Through many years of careful breeding, today's Bull Terriers are playful, fun loving, affectionate and sensitive dogs, who make excellent pets and companions, despite their 'tough' appearance. Now an affectionate companion, the Bull Terrier arose from the "Bull and Terrier" crosses, originally bred for dog-fighting. When bullbaiting was outlawed in England in 1835 the "sport" of dog-fighting became popular and a smaller dog breed was needed, that could be more easily hidden under one's coat at the arrival of the police. These dogs also had to be more agile and light as the dog fights usually lasted longer than bull fights. This new type of fighting dog was created by crossing the olde type bulldog with different Terriers, among which the Manchester Terrier (or Black and Tan Terrier) - before it was dwarfed down. This Bull and Terrier cross combined the alertness and agility of the Terrier with the power, tenacity and high treshold of pain of the Bulldog. It got the reputation of a 'canine gladiator' which would fight to the death to
please his master. It was much leggier than the Bull Terrier we know today and its head more closely resembled that of the early Bulldog. In the early 1850, James Hinks, of Birmingham, England, first standardized the breed by selectively breeding the old type Bull Terrier with other breeds, including the White English Terrier (now extinct), to obtain a longer head and a more symmetrical body and get rid of the bowed legs, The result was an all white Bull Terrier with a cleaner outline, tight shoulders and well bent stifles. Bull terrier 1804: Manchester terrier: Whiite english Terrier: For his entire life James Hinks only bred white dogs, which he called 'Bull Terrier', in order to definitely distinguish them from the Bull-and-Terrier which was very similar to today's Staffordshire Bull Terrier. The breed was first designated as the "Hinks Breed" and was also referred to as "The White Cavalier", as he was bred to defend himself and his human family but not to instigate hostiliy.
The Bull Terrier was reputedly the best fighting dog of its day. Declared as the 'Gladiator' of the canine world, this breed had to be strong and courageous. Bull Terriers were bred 'for gentlemen, by gentlemen in an era that valued fair play and scorned liars and deceivers in any game'. The dogs were trained to defend both themselves and their master courageously - yet they were not permitted to provoke a fight. Because of this trait, the true white Bull Terriers became known as 'the white cavalier', a title that the breed holds with distinction to this day.
Which other breeds were further crossed along the generations to obtain the modern Bull Terrier with the unique egg-shaped head is still a matter of conjecture. Most sources agree that Dalmatian blood was infused to confer the breed a more elegant look and gait and longer legs. Some authorities believe the Spanish Pointer, Greyhound, Foxhound and/or Whippet were crossed along the lines. Borzoi and Collie may also have been crossed into the gene pool to elongate the head even more and to arrive at a type of dog with a stop ever less marked.
In the 1850s and 1860s, fanciers of these dogs thought that an all white Bull Terrier would be fashionable. Due to problems associated with the white color coat (deafness, albinism) some experts suggested to introduce other colors in the breed. The man who is known for the development and acceptance of colored bull terriers in the ring is Ted Lyon, whose preferred color was brindle. This led to the two modern varieties of Bull Terriers: colored, and white, with additional crosses with the White English Terrier. In 1936, the colored Bull Terrier became recognized as a separate Variety of the Bull Terrier breed. By 1880, the Bull Terrier had become a breed noted for its beauty, balance and power. Its egg-shaped head and Roman nose distinguished it from other breeds. Dog fighting was eventually banned, and the Bull Terrier survived as a successful purebred show dog and family companion. Since 1897, the Bull Terrier Club of America has been the National Club recognized by the American Kennel Club as the parent club for the Bull Terrier. President Teddy Roosevelt shared the White House with a Bull Terrier. The first Bull Terrier Club was created in England in 1887. In 1888, the Bull Terrier Standard was published by the Bull Terrier Club. The breed was recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1895. In 1992 the AKC recognized two different sizes, the Standard Bull Terrier and the Miniature Bull Terrier.
HEAD DEVELOPMENT The original designer of the down faced head is Harry Monk. The dog who created the foundation of the modern bull terrier head is Bloomsbury Charlwood, who is noted to have possessed an excellent head and ear placement. The person responsible for the carrying on this head and improving the egg shaped face is Billie Tuck. Breeders over the years have carried on the tradition to improve the Bull Terrier head and strive to come as close to the standard as possible.
William the Conqueror, Gen. Patton's Dog
General George S. Patton, Jr. was an animal lover with a particular attraction to bull terriers. During World War II, on 4 March 1944 at the height of Patton's fame, he purchased the famous white bull terrier named Willie, short for "William the Conqueror." When General Patton bought Willie, he wrote in his diary, "My bull pup... took to me like a duck to water. He is 15 months old, pure white except for a little lemin [sic] on his tail which to a cursory glance would seem to indicate that he had not used toilet paper..." Willie was devoted to General Patton and followed him everywhere.willie wore jingle bells on his collar so everyone would know when he was around and he was rumored to be a prodigious "lover." For the rest of Patton's life, Willie and General Patton went everywhere together.willie had his own set of "dog tags," and had quite a reputation with the "lady" dogs. Gen. Patton doted on the dog and even hosted a birthday party for him.
Bill Mauldin Meets Patton: Not everyone was charmed by Patton and Willie. When Sgt. Bill Maudlin, Stars and Stripes cartoonist, met Gen. Patton in March 1945, he described Willie this way: Beside him, lying in a big chair, was Willie, the bull terrier. If ever dog was suited to master this one was. Willie had his beloved boss's expression and lacked only the ribbons and stars. I stood in that door staring into the four meanest eyes I'd ever seen.
Willie Loses His Master: The Death of Patton On 9 December 1945, Gen. Patton suffered injuries as the result of an automobile accident. He died 12 days later, on 21 December 1945 and is buried in a simple grave at the U.S. military cemetery in Hamm, Luxembourg, among the soldiers who died in the Battle of the Bulge. Photo taken right after Gen. Patton's death, as Willie waits with personal belongings to be shipped to the United States. This photo was taken in Bad Nauheim, Germany in January 1946, right after the death of General George S. Patton Jr. on 21 December 1945 at the Army hospital in Heidelberg, Germany, the result of a tragic automobile accident. The photo shows Patton's papers that have been packed in trunks to be sent to his aide, Colonel Charles R. Codman, his briefcase, and above all his faithful friend Willie, Patton's pet bull terrier.
Willie, Patton's constant companion during the war, was sent to the United States, and lived out the rest of his life with the General's wife and daughters. A twelve-foot-high bronze statue of Patton and Willie has been erected at the General Patton Memorial Museum, off Interstate 10 in Chiriaco Summit, CA, not far from the former site of the Desert Training Center. It was there that Patton, as the first commander in 1942, began developing the armored tactics for Operation Torch in North Africa and later campaigns of World War II.