The Bulldog is an amazing animal. This breed originally had the difficult job of grabbing a bull by the nose and laying on the ground to hold its head down so the rancher could brand it. Its muzzle is designed especially for the task, and it later became a formidable fighting dog. But today, we know it as a wrinkly, chunky, snuggler and a wonderful companion animal.
If you are thinking about getting one of these dogs for your home but would like to learn more about the differences between the male and the female before you do, keep reading while we discuss the size, personality, breeding, and more of each pet.
Visual Differences
At a Glance
- Average height (adult): 12–16 inches
- Average weight (adult): 49–51 pounds
- Average height (adult): 12–16 inches
- Average weight (adult): 49–51 pounds
Bulldogs 101
As we mentioned earlier, the Bulldog has a long history of wrestling bull and dog fighting, but the modern Bulldog is one of the friendliest breeds you can get. It makes a fantastic family pet that’s tolerant of children and protects your house without a lot of barking. Its fur requires little maintenance, and you won’t need to set aside too much time each day for exercise. This dog loves to lounge around under a tree or in front of the television.
Male Bulldog Overview
Personality
The male Bulldog is the more aggressive of the two sexes, and it will take more early socialization than the female to get a boy Bulldog used to other pets. However, males are a bit more affectionate toward their owners and strangers that come to the house. These dogs like to play games with children and enjoy a good game of tug of war.
Training
The male Bulldog tends to be slightly easier to train because it’s more affectionate towards people, so getting them interested in a training session is easier. Holding short training sessions at the same time each day can get your dog into a routine, and it will know what to expect and is more likely to arrive focused and ready to learn.
Giving a dog a treat when it follows your commands is a great way to help it learn quickly, but even the smartest dogs can take several weeks to learn a new trick, so patience and consistency are your keys to success.
Health & Care
- Brachycephalic Airway Syndrome: Brachycephalic airway syndrome is a common health problem for all bulldogs. The word brachycephalic means flat head, and it refers to the scrunched-in face of the Bulldog, which narrows its nasal cavity to the point where it can be hard to breathe properly. Forcing the air through can cause inflammation which can make it even harder to breathe. The most common symptom of this health issue is a high-pitched sound as the dog breathes, and it is slightly more common in males since they tend to be more playful and get excited easily.
- Overheating: Another problem many bulldogs face because of the scrunched-in face is overheating. Since the dog cannot breathe enough air, it struggles to maintain a cool body temperature and overheats quickly in warm weather or too much exercise. Most owners recommend keeping the dog in an air-conditioned room during the warmest days of summer because overheating can cause other health problems for the dog, like cardiac arrest. All bulldogs are susceptible to overheating, but it occurs more often with males because they are more playful, especially puppies.
Breeding
If you want to breed your male Bulldog, you will first need to have it tested for any genetic problems that it might pass on to the puppy, like hip dysplasia. Once you determine the Bulldog is healthy enough to breed, you can start doing so when the dog is 6 to 7 months old. The best way to get a female to breed your dog is through local advertisements and online.
- Friendly
- Playful
- Calm
- Aggression
- Prone to overheating
Female Bulldog Overview
Personality
The female Bulldog is very similar to the male in many ways. It’s just as friendly, and she enjoys being around family members and children. The biggest difference between the male and female is the female tends to be more territorial. The female Bulldog is more likely to chase cars or bark at passing dogs, but it is less likely to be aggressive for other reasons and usually gets along with other house pets better than a male.
Training
Training a female bulldog is slightly more challenging than a male because it’s more territorial and difficult to keep focused on the task at hand when she’s worried about Intruders. Once again, we recommend holding your short training sessions at the same time each day to get your dog into a routine. Treats will also help as the female Bulldog is very motivated by food.
Health & Care
- Dystocia: Dystocia is a term that means a difficult birthing experience, and many female bulldogs suffer from it. Dystocia occurs because of the shape of the Bulldogs body and birth canal. Most puppies are born via C-section to preserve the health of the mother and puppies.
- Obesity: Bulldogs like to spend much of their time lounging around, so they are prone to obesity. Females are even more prone to gaining weight because they often forgo playing and other exercises to watch over their territory. Since they spend most of their time in a sedentary position, it’s even more important to pay close attention to the portion size when feeding as obesity can lead to many health problems, including heart disease, kidney disease, and diabetes.
Breeding
Breeding your female Bulldog can be dangerous and is better left to experienced breeders because of the problems with dystocia that we mentioned earlier. It’s best to breed her only a few times and to do so before she reaches five years old for the healthiest puppies.
- Likes children
- Less aggressive
- More food-oriented
- Territorial
- Harder to train
- Difficulty breeding
Which One Is Right For You?
Both male and female bulldogs make excellent pets that are lovable and easy-going. They like to play with children and will snuggle with you on the couch to watch television. If you are looking to breed your dog, we recommend choosing a male because people pay you to use the dog, and there are no further concerns. Female bulldogs require an experienced breeder who can help them through a difficult pregnancy and delivery.
Featured Image Credit: Top – Zanna Pesnina, Shutterstock | Bottom – Annmarie Young, Shutterstock
