Mary Allen
# 13 In 1835, after years of controversy, bull baiting was banned in England and many believed that the bulldog would also disappear as it no longer served a purpose.
At the time, the Bulldog was not a loving companion. For generations the most aggressive and courageous dogs had been bred for bullbaiting.
# 14 They lived to fight with bulls, bears and everything else in front of them. That was all they knew.
Along with all this, many people admired the bulldog's endurance, strength and tenacity. These people decided to protect the breed's prestige and continue breeding them so that the dog would have an affectionate, gentle temperament instead of the aggressiveness he needed for the baiting arena.
# 15 And so the bulldog was revised.
Dedicated, persistent breeders began to select only those dogs for breeding that had a good-natured temperament. Aggressive and neurotic dogs were not allowed to reproduce. By focusing on the Bulldog's temperament, these breeders managed to transform the Bulldog into the gentle, loving dog we know today.