The Bull Terrier Club
The Bull Terrier Club
ESTABLISHED 1887
The Bull Terrier Club has been standing up for the breed and its owners since it was established in 1887.
It aims to bring together enthusiasts of this very special breed, not only in its country of origin but from all over the world.
We hope that this site will help anyone who owns, or is thinking of obtaining, a Bull Terrier with all the information you will need, not only about The Club itself but about the all-important issues of management, training and health. With the breed’s great strength and extrovert nature, it’s essential that anyone hoping to own one is fully informed about what’s involved.
The Club caters for all owners of the breed, whether your dog is primarily a companion or if you wish to become involved in the worlds of showing and/or responsible breeding.
Full details can be found on this site of the events that The Club runs, including its famous ‘Trophy weekend’; a long-standing tradition unique in the world of Bull Terriers in the UK.
We also produce a yearly Bulletin for our members, which is full of wonderful information about the ‘show world’, the health of your Bull Terrier, along with lots of interesting articles relating to the breed too.
You can find details of how to become a member of the club and receive our yearly bulletin HERE.
We really do hope that you enjoy the site and find it useful for answering any questions you may have about Bull Terriers, The Club, and any of the activities we support. For further information, please do not hesitate to CONTACT The Club secretary or members of the committee.
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Written by Simon Parsons on behalf of The Bull Terrier Club
BRIEF HISTORY
The ‘New Bull Terrier’ with a resemblance to today’s breed first appeared at a dog show in Birmingham in May 1862. It was shown by James Hinks, a dog dealer who is generally accepted as the founder of the modern Bull Terrier. Hinks would no doubt have used many breeds and types of dogs in his quest to breed his ‘Gentleman’s Companion’, but it seems likely that the Bulldog, the (now extinct) English White Terrier and the Dalmatian were the main contributors. His preference was for a white animal and his ‘White Cavalier’ quickly gained popularity, catching on at many of the early dog shows which were rapidly becoming popular in the late Victorian era. The popularity of the ‘New Bull Terrier’ quickly spread beyond the West Midlands and in 1887, after several attempts, the Bull Terrier Club was formed. Over succeeding decades, careful breeding has developed the Bull Terrier into a much-loved family pet. The breed is extremely affectionate with people, and is particularly noted for a fondness towards young children.
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Nevertheless, the Bull Terrier remains a strong and powerful animal, and it should always be remembered that he is a first and foremost a Terrier with a competitive spirit and may not always be tolerant of other animals, though many live together in a household quite happily with other pets. As with any breed, it is vitally important that prospective owners make contact with breeders who make sound temperament and good health their priorities. There are nowadays a number of health tests which all serious breeders will use.
In its early years, the breed consisted mainly of white specimens, the coloureds generally being of a different type more closely resembling today’s Staffordshire Bull Terrier. Shortly after the 20th century began, determined efforts were made to breed coloured Bull Terriers. These were successful and since the middle of that century the coloureds and whites have made an equal contribution to the progress of the breed - as an example Ch Abraxas Audacity, the white Bull Terrier who made history by achieving Best in Show at Crufts in 1972, was the son of a coloured male.
Whites very often carry coloured head markings, and the other colours in the breed Standard are: brindle; red or fawn; black and brindle; or black and tan - all usually with white markings of varying degrees.
A number of excellent books on the history and development of the breed have been written over the years and these are well worth researching.