Official ICCF Breed Description
Brief Historical Overview
The English Bulldog is an ancient British breed descended from fighting dogs once used in the Middle Ages for bull-baiting. After such cruel spectacles were banned in the 19th century, breeders redirected their efforts toward softening the breed’s temperament while preserving its powerful build and determination. The Bulldog evolved from a fierce fighter into a calm, balanced companion with a bold spirit and a noble heart. Today, the English Bulldog stands as a symbol of England—embodying strength, resilience, and dignity—while remaining a gentle, loyal, and even-tempered family pet.
General Appearance
The English Bulldog is a low-set, muscular, and broad-chested dog with a short, sturdy body. The overall impression is compact power and balance. The head is large and massive with typical skin folds on the face, and the muzzle is short, wide, and slightly upturned. The back is short with a gentle rise toward the loin, and the legs are straight, solid, and strong. The tail is set low, short, and either straight or slightly curved. Despite its imposing appearance, the Bulldog moves with steadiness and confidence. The breed’s overall look conveys strength, composure, and noble dignity.
Important Proportions
The English Bulldog has a short, compact body of low, massive build with a broad chest and powerful bone structure. The body length is only slightly greater than the height at the withers. The head is large in proportion to the body, the muzzle short and wide with a distinct wrinkle above the nose. The tail is low-set and short, and the limbs are strong and straight. Every feature emphasizes the breed’s compactness, balance, and noble strength.
Temperament and Character
The English Bulldog is calm, confident, and deeply devoted. Courage, loyalty, and composure define the breed’s character. Despite its powerful appearance, it is affectionate, patient, and excellent with children. Bulldogs are intelligent, dignified, and persistent, with a quiet strength and steady temperament. They are reliable, attentive guardians but never aggressive or timid. Their demeanor reflects the essence of British nobility—calmness, courage, and unwavering loyalty.
Head
The head is large, broad, and square, harmoniously proportioned to the body. The skull is wide and flat with prominent cheeks, and the forehead shows visible wrinkles. The stop is deep and abrupt. The muzzle is short, broad, and slightly upturned with a distinct nose wrinkle. The nose is black, broad, and has large open nostrils. The jaws are strong and square, with an undershot bite. The overall expression is imposing yet kind, radiating calm strength and confidence.
Foreface
The muzzle is short and wide, with a deep wrinkle above the nose. The nose is large, black, and wide-nostriled. Lips are thick, with the lower lip slightly drooping but covering the teeth entirely. The chin is firm and well-defined, showing the typical undershot jaw. Cheeks are rounded, giving the face its characteristic fullness. The foreface expresses both determination and friendliness, creating the Bulldog’s distinctive, thoughtful look.
Eyes
The eyes are medium-sized, round, low-set, and wide apart but far from the ears. They align with the nose, giving the dog a kind and attentive expression. The color is dark brown, as dark as possible. The gaze is direct, intelligent, and calm. The whites of the eyes should not be visible when looking forward. The eyes reflect the breed’s composure, reliability, and gentle nature.
Ears
The ears are small, thin, and set high and wide apart. They are rose-shaped, folding backward and outward to reveal part of the inner ear. The ear line should be above the eye level. They must not be upright, drooping, or overly large. Correct ears highlight the width of the skull and the Bulldog’s intelligent, confident appearance.
Neck
The neck is short, thick, and muscular, slightly arched and merging smoothly into the shoulders. The skin is loose, forming characteristic folds and a small dewlap. It should be strong but not overly heavy, allowing for natural movement. The neck contributes to the impression of strength, balance, and stability.
Body
The body is short, broad, and powerful, with a deep and wide chest. The ribs are well sprung, and the forechest is prominent. The back is short and strong, with a characteristic rise over the loins. The croup is broad and slightly rounded. The belly is moderately tucked up. The topline forms a gentle arch, creating the typical Bulldog outline. The body conveys stability and strength without heaviness.
Tail
The tail is low-set, thick at the base, and tapering to a fine point. It is short, straight, or slightly curved downward but never coiled or carried high. It lies close to the body in repose and should never be raised above the backline. The tail complements the Bulldog’s compact, harmonious silhouette.
Forequarters
The forelegs are short, strong, and well-boned. Shoulders are broad, sloping, and well-muscled. The forearms are straight and set wide apart, providing a solid front. Pasterns are short and firm. Feet are round and compact with strong pads and well-arched toes. The front assembly gives stability and strength while maintaining the breed’s balanced proportions.
Hindquarters
The hind legs are strong and muscular, slightly longer than the forelegs, producing the typical rise of the topline. Thighs are broad, with well-developed muscles. Stifles are moderately bent, and hocks are low and strong. Feet are compact and round. The hindquarters provide the Bulldog with power, endurance, and balance.
Gait and Movement
Movement is heavy but steady and rhythmic. The stride is short, firm, and distinctive, with a side-to-side roll of the shoulders. The front moves smoothly, while the rear supplies strong propulsion. The back remains stable without bouncing. The gait expresses the Bulldog’s strength, solidity, and calm confidence.
Coat
The coat is short, fine, smooth, and glossy, lying close to the body. It is even in length across the body, firm to the touch, never soft, woolly, or wavy. The coat emphasizes the muscular build and compact proportions. It should appear healthy, clean, and shiny, reflecting the breed’s noble and dignified nature.
Color
Accepted colors include solid and parti-colored combinations of red, fawn, brindle, or white (e.g., red and white, brindle and white, fawn and white). The color should be pure, rich, and evenly distributed. Black, black-and-tan, or liver colors are undesirable. The nose, eye rims, and lips must always be black.
Size
The English Bulldog is a medium-sized, compact, and muscular breed. Males stand about 31–40 cm at the withers, females 30–38 cm. Weight is proportionate to height: males 23–25 kg, females 20–23 kg. The proportions must reflect harmony, strength, and balance, expressing the breed’s solid and noble character.
Faults
Faults include any deviation from breed type or imbalance in proportions. Narrow chest, weak back, overly light or coarse bone, elongated muzzle, small head, light eyes, long ears, or soft coat are undesirable. Excessive skin folds, poor movement, or lack of composure also reduce quality. Behavioral faults include timidity, irritability, or uncontrolled stubbornness.
Disqualification
Disqualifying faults include incorrect bite (overbite or underbite with visible teeth), asymmetrical jaws, blue or uneven eyes, depigmentation of the nose, eyelids, or lips, straight or upward-curved tail, spinal deformities, or severe respiratory defects. Dogs showing aggression, fearfulness, or unstable temperament are disqualified. Any cosmetic alteration changing the natural appearance leads to disqualification.
Notes
The English Bulldog represents courage, dignity, and the indomitable British spirit. The ICCF values proper proportions, strong health, stable temperament, and balanced movement. The breed’s noble appearance pairs with gentle loyalty and calm behavior. Only dogs with official ICCF documentation proving pedigree and conformity to the standard may participate in breeding or exhibitions.
Conclusion
The English Bulldog symbolizes resilience, nobility, and loyalty. With its unique combination of strength and gentleness, it stands as one of the world’s most iconic companion breeds. Within ICCF standards, it is prized for its stability, structure, and temperament, remaining a proud representative of the finest British canine heritage.
