Olde English Bulldogge

Breed Profile

In the past 30 to 40 years, several breeders from around the world have attempted to return the Bulldog to one of it’s earlier forms. Some have tried to recreate the dog of the bull baiting era while others aim towards a more modern Bulldog often referred to as the “English Bulldog”. Unfortunately, not all breedings have been thoroughly investigated and this has resulted in producing many bloodlines of alternative Bulldogges, some with health and social problems as well as completely different appearances from bloodline to bloodline.

The following four breeds of Bulldogge have been developed by Breeders, breeding to their own program and standard. These have each been named differently in order to distinguish their own creation. In order to keep these lines going, these Breeders now work with other dedicated Breeders.

• The Olde English Bulldogge: The dog known as The Olde English Bulldogge is the product of the breeding program launched by Mr. David Leavitt of Pennsylvania in 1971. Mr. Leavitt loved the Bulldog breed’s nature but was deeply troubled by the breed’s physical limitations. With considerable knowledge on breed history and genetics, Mr. Leavitt embarked on an ambitious breeding program aimed at recreating the old style Bulldog. After many carefully planned breedings, Mr. Leavitt achieved his goal when the breed known as the Olde English Bulldogge began to breed true. By 1988, Mr. Leavitt had developed two true lines and realized his dream of a sound, stable Bulldog perfectly suited to modern life.Today, the Olde English Bulldogge Kennel Club (OEBKC) continues to register pure bloodlines from the OEBs that David Leavitt started developing over 30 years ago and all stock from the OEBKC is from original Leavitt lines.In 2006, Mr. Leavitt formed the Leavitt Bulldog Association and named the breed the Leavitt Bulldog.
• Olde Style Bulldogge: The United Bulldoggers of Ontario and the Better Bulldogge Breeders Association have united many of the Breeders with different lines of Oldes in Canada under one distinct and tight standard. The BBBA requires that all registered dogs be health certified and that breeders breed towards the same standard. BBBA Oldes are bred to be as close to the modern look as possible, slightly taller, leaner and free of the “Bulldog” health concerns. The Olde Style Bulldogge as it is recognized by the UBO and the BBBA is of the Bulldogge type found at the turn of the 20th century, as close as possible to the “English” Bulldog and does not contain the American Pit Bull cross.The Olde Style Bulldogge can only be registered with the UBO and the BBBA.The name “Olde Style Bulldogge” is in the process of being copy written under Canadian copyright laws.
• The Renascence Bulldogge: The Renascence Bulldogge Kennel Club was started by Chadde JoliCoeur and Jody Willingham when they became frustrated by the lack of uniformity and consistency in the alternative bulldogge recreations currently being produced and labelled under the “catch all” name of Olde English Bulldogge. The name “Renascence” means “rebirth” and this was fitting to their breeding goals — the rebirth or recreation of the larger, more physically functional, athletic Bulldogge that existed from about 1820 to 1900. Chadde and Jody have assembled a dedicated group of breeders with established bloodlines who’s breeding programs were all aimed at producing this same style of Bulldogge in order to establish the core breeding foundation for the Renascence Bulldogge breed.The name “Renascence Bulldogge” is trademarked.
• The Olde Victorian Bulldogge: The Olde Victorian Bulldogge, or OVB as he is commonly known, is a line created by Carlos Woods of My Bulldogges/Wood Bulls in North Carolina. The Olde Victorian Bulldogge is being bred and shown to the victorian era standard. Male dogs measure 18 to 20 inches and females 17½ to 19½ inches with weight in proportion to height. The OVB is a smooth-coated dog with a wide heavily built torso and chest. He has a large head with thick bones that does not impede vigor. He has a broad muzzle and short face but not so short as to hinder breathing capabtilities. The hindquarters are slightly higher than the foreparts and the body is symmetrical and well muscled. The Olde Victorian Bulldogge is loyal, courageous and must have a stable temperament.The name “Olde Victorian Bulldogge” is registered and trademarked.Olde Victorian Bulldogges can only be registered through the Victorian Bulldogge Association.

A Word of Caution:

The Alternative Bulldogge

In addition to the Bulldogges listed above, there also exists an “alternative” Bulldogge being bred nationwide and commonly called the Olde English Bulldogge. Unfortunately, this name as become a common term used for dogs of the Bulldogge type being bred as cross-breeds. As with any breed, and as previously stated, it is of utmost importance to research both the Breeder and the Registry before making a purchase.

As with some of the very popular breeds, the newer breeds often fall prey to irresponsible breeders attempting to cash in. Buyers must be especially selective in choosing a responsible and reputable breeder. Buyers should also be cautious about “registries” that register first generation cross-breeds as Olde English Bolldogges and issue purebred certificates with no proof of pedigrees. (For more information on selecting a breeder, see the articles on the General Information page.

Health Issues

If you are considering the adoption of a Olde English Bulldogge puppy, or any breed, it is very important to be selective in choosing a responsible and reputable breeder. Ensure that the prospective puppy’s parents have all health clearances. Breeding of any dog should not be done until after they have been proven to be free of evidence of significant hereditary diseases.

Health Resources:

• Health and Nutrition — Growing section of the Canada’s Guide to Dogs website which includes information on several health and nutrition related issues.
• Canine Health Information Center (CHIC) — Providing a source of health information for owners, breeders, and scientists that will assist in breeding healthy dogs. CHIC is a centralized canine health database jointly sponsored by the AKC/Canine Health Foundation (AKC/CHF) and the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA).
• AKC Canine Health Foundation — Working towards developing scientific advances in canine health.
• Canine Eye Registration Foundation (CERF)
• Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA)
• Ontario Veterinary College (OVC)
• University of Pennsylvania Hip Improvement Program (PennHip)
• HealthGene — HealthGene Corporation is the leading provider of veterinary DNA diagnostic services in Canada.
• Labgenvet — Laboratory of Veterinary Genetics is a Canadian diagnostic laboratory that offers a comprehensive service of DNA tests for veterinary genetic diseases.

Grooming Information

• Grooming — This section of the Canada’s Guide to Dogs website includes tips, articles and information covering all aspects of dog grooming along with a listing of Groomers from across Canada.

Training Resources

• Training — For training information, see this growing section of the Canada’s Guide to Dogs website for tips, articles, as well as listings of training centres across Canada.

Additional Information

• The Bulldog Information Library — Olde English Bulldogge — The Bulldog Information Library is a website dedicated to all Bulldog breeds.
• Clubs, Sports & Activities — For information on the many sports and activities you can get involved in with your dog.
• Working Dogs — The Working Dogs section of the Canada’s Guide to Dogs website provides information and listings of organizations that are involved in various dog jobs, such as Guide Dogs, Therapy Dogs, Police Dogs, Protection Dogs, and much more.