AUSTRALIAN BULLDOG SOCIETY INC.
AD HOC NOTES - ISSUE 6 BREEDING AUSTRALIAN BULLDOG TO AUSTRALIAN BULLDOG THE SMOKE AND MIRRORS OF 'PERCENTAGES'
There seems to be a lot of unnecessary worry and queries recently about percentages of
British Bulldog in the Australian Bulldogs especially among those beginning to breed
these dogs. How much % British Bulldog blood etc. is there and should there be etc. etc.
We would like to make the point that the Australian Bulldog is NOT meant to be a look-alike
British Bulldog or a poor man's version of a British Bulldog.
Obviously there is a certain percentage of British Bulldog as well as 'percentages'
of other breeds behind the Australian Bulldog. Very nearly all registered Australian Bulldogs
are the correct 'percentages' of British Bulldog blood as discussed in History - that
is 75%-81%. In the past however we have seen dogs that are 95% British blood that you
would hardly know had any bulldog in and others of 62% which were very similar to
British Bulldogs!! Do not get 'hung up' on it. For instance, do Tenterfield Terrier
breeders list the percentage of Chihuahua in their dogs?!
Breeders need to start looking forward and not worry about 'percentages' now - they
need to be concentrating on looking at their Australian Bulldog, reading the Breed Standard,
and looking for an Australian Bulldog that will complement their own dog so that the
progeny will come further into line with the Standard. At the same time, they should
be looking at the Generation of their Australian Bulldog and choosing a mate that will increase
the generation of Australian Bulldog to Australian Bulldog wherever possible - for instance
when looking at possible studs - if there is, say, a choice of two dogs that will complement
the 'look' of your dog equally well, but one is third generation Australian to Australian
and the other is fourth generation, then you should go for the fourth generation.
This is why the Australian Bulldog Society Inc. breed certificates list the Generation
of Australian to Australian, not percentages of british bulldog blood.
The Australian Bulldog is a unique bulldog in its own right - look to the Future.
ABS Inc. Management Committee
April 2006
