In general, we can summarize the Bull Terrier story from the actions of James Hinks. James Hinks, the father of the Bull Terrier Breed, made several breedings to create a more agile and aggressive breed that felt little pain to fight bulls in arenas in England. This sport had a peak at the time, and today it is obviously prohibited.
It’s difficult to say that a dog bred to fight large animals is now docile. The truth is that a Bull Terrier loves its owners like no one else. But we will always have to be careful with Bull in relation to other animals!
For you who want to go deeper into the history of the breed, we provide below a complete and inspiring text about these dogs that date back to the year 1860.
The English Bull Terrier is a breed whose origin is linked to dog fighting in England in the 19th century - although it was not developed or used on a large scale for this purpose - being derived from a type of dog, now extinct , with a very similar name, the bull-and-terrier.
In the 19th century in England the old bulldogs were used in fighting bulls, a practice called bull-baiting. Once the law banning animal fights was implemented in 1835, bull-baiting dog combats with badgers became more popular, and dog fights only, the easiest "sports" to hide. According to the Sporting Magazine of June 1812, an author reports, taking as an example a famous dog called Dustman, that the mixture of bulldog and terrier was perfect for badger-baiting (a bloody sport that used a badger as bait for dogs ), as this dog was firmer than a terrier and less powerful than a bulldog, allowing for longer-lasting combat with the badger. For this and other reasons, those most fond of these "sports" began to breed bulldogs with terriers more and more frequently, and this type of dog became popular, also acting in other bloody sports, including in the fight with bears -baiting, and dog fighting against dogs. Under the name of bull-and-terrier (bulldog + terrier), came the first examples of the type of dog that would later serve as the basis for the formation of all breeds of the so-called group of bull terriers - including: StaffBull, Pit Bull and AmStaff - among them the English bull terrier, which had a lot of influence from the now extinct bull-and-terrier.
In the 1860s, animal breeder and trader James Hinks, influenced by the success of bull-and-terriers, idealized his own strand for wealthier classes and crossed an old bulldog dog with an english white terrier - specifically using this terrier, considered to be beauty, seeking to establish only the white color - and presented the result in dog shows, winning admirers and customers from middle to upper class. Subsequently, Hinks began to introduce other breeds at crosses, probably the Dalmatian, the whippet and the Spanish pointer, to add elegance, and the rough collie and borzoi to lengthen the skull. Soon the new type of dog produced and initially called Hinks' bull terrier or The White Cavalier, became popular for its striking appearance with the characteristic elongated head, triangular eyes, white fur and ears commonly cut long upright. Shortly afterwards the breed became known only as a bull terrier. The breed served as a brave companion dog for the English of the middle class to the hall of the nobles.
After the death of James Hinks in 1878, his breeding of an English bull terrier continued through his son, James Hinks jr (James Hinks II).
The breed was first registered in 1887 with the founding of The Bull Terrier Club in England, and since then it has always had enormous success and tradition in dog shows for its exotic beauty.
