THE AMERICAN BULLDOGS EARLIEST HISTORY IS VITUALLY UNKNOWN.  THE FIRST DOCUMENTED HISTORY RELATING TO THE AMERICAN BULLDOG WAS DURING THE LATE 19TH CENTURY.  DOGS RESEMBLING TODAYS AMERICAN BULLDOGS WERE USED IN EUROPE AS "BUTCHER DOGS" AND GUARDIANS.

     MANY YEARS LATER THE AMERICAN BULLDOG WERE KNOWN AS THE ENGLISH WHITE, SOUTHERN WHITE, GEORGIA GIANT AND THE AMERICAN PIT BULLDOG.  THESE DOGS WERE USED FOR BAITING UNRULY CATTLE SWINE ALONG WITH GUARDING PROPERTY AGAINST THEIVERY.  OVER TIME THESE DOGS BEGAN TO BECOME RARE.  THAT WAS UNTIL THE MID 1940'S WHEN JOHN D JOHNSON BEGAN COLLECTING THE BEST REPRESENTATIONS OF BULLDOGS HE REMEMBERED FROM HIS YOUTH.  THESE BULLDOGS HAD GROWN SCARRIS IN THE NORTHWEST REGION OF GEORGIA.  JOHN D DESIRED A DOG WITH THE SAME STAMINA AND GRIT TO PROTECT HIS FARM AND LIVESTOCK.  AFTER YEARS OF WORK AND DEDICATION TO THESE DOGS HE WAS THE FIRST BREEDER TO HAVE HIS DOGS OFFICIALLY REGISTERED.                 

GENERAL APPEARANCE:

BEING THAT OF A GREAT POWERFUL DOG SHOWING STRENGTH, ENDURANCE AND ALLERTNESS.  POWERFULLY BUILT, BUT ACTIVE.

SIZE AND WEIGHT:

MALES SHOULD BE 23-28" AT WITHERS.  WEIGHT 90-150 LBS. (SLIGHTLY LARGER AND SMALLER IS NOT A FAULT).  FEMALES TO BE 20-26" AT WITHERS.  WEIGHT 70-130LBS. (SLIGHTLY LARGER OR SMALLER IS NOT A FAULT).

HEAD:

EXPRESSION: INTELLIGENT WITH KEEN ALLERTNESS.  THE HEAD SHOULD BE SQUARE OR HAVE A ROUND BASKETBALL LOOK, AND WELL MUSCLED.  THE "STOP" SHOULD BE DEEP AND ABRUPT.

MUZZLE:

SHOULD BE BROAD, NOT LONG AND NARROW.  LENGTH OF "MUZZLE" NOT LESS THAN 1 INCH TO NOT MORE THAN 3 INCHES. (PREFERRED LENGTH 2 TO 2 1/2 INCHES) 

BITE:

AT LEAST 1/4  TO 1 INCH (UNDERSHOT) DEPENDING ON SIZE OF DOG AND SHAPE OF HEAD.

EYES:

ALMOND-SHAPED TO ROUND, MEDIUM-SIZED: NORMAL COLOR, BROWN, ACCEPTABLE COLORS: GRAY, GREEN OR LIGHT BLUE EYE(S).

NECK:

SLIGHTLY ARCHED OF MODERATE LENGTH. VERY MUSCULAR-ALMOST EQUAL TO THE HEAD IN SIZE.

BODY:

FAIRLY COMPACT WITH WIDE DEEP CHEST. THE LOIN IS WIDE, MUSCULAR AND SLIGHTLY ARCHED.

TAIL:

STRONG AT THE ROOT AND TAPERING TO THE HOCKS (NORMAL, RELAXED POSITION; HOWEVER, MANY WILL CARRY THEIR TAILS OVER THEIR BACKS, ESPECIALLY WHEN  EXCITED OR WALKING.

COAT:

SHORT AND SOFT

COLOR:

SOLID WHITE ONLY.  ALL SHADES OF BRINDLE (WHITE, RED, YELLOW, BLUE, BROWN, BLACK OR GRAY); RED AND WHITE; FAWN AND WHITE; BEIGE AND WHITE; BUCKSKIN AND WHITE; BLACK AND WHITE; BROWN AND WHITE; MAHOGANY AND WHITE; CREAM AND WHITE.

FOREQUARTERS:

THE COMBINED FRONT ASSEMBLY FROM ITS UPPERMOST COMPONENTS.  THE SHOULDER BLADES DOWN TO THE FEET SHOULD BE MUSCULAR AND SLIGHTLY SLOPING.  THE "FORELEGS" ARE TO BE STRAIGHT.  BONE STRUCTURE: MEDIUM TO HEAVY. TO BE ABLE TO CARRY A LARGE DOG.

HINDQUARTERS:

BROAD WITH MUSCLES TAPERING WELL DOWN THE LEG TO SHOW SPEED AND STRENTH, BUT NOT QUITE AS LARGE AS SHOULDERS.

DISQUALIFICATIONS:

FULL BLACK MASK; COW-HOCKED; SPLAY FOOTED; EVEN AND SCISSOR BITE; GLASS EYE(S); DOCKED TAIL (CAN BE REGISTERED, BUT WILL BE PROHIBITED FROM THE "SHOW RING").