The first WEB (White English Bulldog) written of was King of the 1870s, as used by the US Army. A drawing of King shows him to appear as a large Pit Bull. The breed APBT did not even exist at this time! The WEB is not really white as white is not a color. The WEB is not really English as it developed in South USA. The WEB is not really a Bulldog or is it?
"Much can happen to change a breed of a dog in fifty years and by inbreeding and breeding with a fixed purpose in view, between the years of 1686 and 1735, a dog of definate type and of an average weight of 50 to 60 lbs, was produced. The dog of 1735, was smaller in skull than the Bulldog of today 1933, longer in face, higher in shoulder, not so wide in front, lighter in bone and body, and less exaggerated in every way." Our Dogs, Voss, 1933
Interesting, as the drawing of King, of the 1870s does fit this definition. In fact, the pups from Marsh and Dixie look like King. Well, Marsh is half Carr and Dixie is full Carr, so the offspring look like pure bred Carr. Many have tried to tell me a Bulldog should be very large, over 100lbs, but I find no reason to believe that. To begin with, the Bulldog, as defined in England was the small Mastiff, of 50 to 60lbs. The OWE are larger, however, Bulldogs of over 100lbs, like Marsh, are either a cross of strains or breeds. For example, Marsh is a cross of Lockhart WE and Carr WE, and thus is a hybrid of two OWE strains.
"The crossing of two distinct and unrelated breeds of dogs may produce mongrels of great stamina in the first generation, mongrels whose average size at maturity will be greater than the mean size of the two parents. Such mongrelism will also bury many of the traits of each breed which have been selected and preserved through many generations. In the breeding of such mongrels, either among themselves or to purebred mates of the same breed of either parent, the stamina derived from heterosis is lost and at least some of the attributes of the purebred lines will appear. The stamina is for the hybrid generation only, not for the strain. Any purebred attributes which are recessive are only buried and not lost, although it may require many generations of selective breeding to eliminate from the progeny of such mongrels all of traits of the outcross parent.
The hybridizing of strains within a breed brings results which are in kind, even if not in degree, analogous to those which derive from the hybridization of breeds."
The New Art of Breeding Better Dogs, Onstott, 1977
Sadly, most people selling and buying Bulldogs as a seperate breed from the APBT, go out of their way to produce overly large mongrels to prove they have not any APBT in their bloodlines. (Keep in mind, the pure bred Staffs and APBT are usually less than 30 pounds.) Some of these breeders have twisted the standards, which were written loosley to included the larger size Bulldogs produced by hybrid vigor, like Marsh.
While my Brindle Bulls and Big Red Bulldogs were reconstituted from crosses, all the Bulldogs in their peds were obtained from farmers/cattlemen in the Alapaha River Region. And, like King, the WEB of the 1870s, they too look like large APBT, as well they should. Even Ponce de Leon's war dog looked like a large APBT. For those interested in a larger dog, I do plan to breed Bandogs, however, as written in 1790, the Bandog "is lighter, smaller, more active and vigilant than the mastiff."
The Story of King "Bulldog vs. Buffalo" - As it originally appeared in Outing Magazine in October of 1887.
"Among the many stories about dogs bothering buffalo, probably the best was told by R. G. Carter, an Army officer at Fort Concho in West Texas. The post was one of the newest and most remote military establishments then on the western frontier. Vast numbers of buffalo could be found near the post. On March 25,1871, as Ranald S. Mackenzie, and five companies of the Fourth Cavalry were ordered to proceed to Fort Richardson, about 230 miles northeast, and relieve the Sixth Cavalry, then under marching orders forKansas. The troopers set out. By March 31 the column moved from a high mesa to a vast area of plains. As the soldiers emerged, they saw an almost ending prairie covered by buffalo. For a time the column pushed along beside them, but soon there were too many buffalo that the march was halted. What happened next is told in Carter's own words:
'Mackenzie, becoming a little impatient at the blockade, seized a rifle from one of the men, and dismounting, attempted, by firing at the heads of the herds, to swerve the immense throng, which were now so crowding upon the advanced company as to become positively dangerous, the horses showing great fear and becoming almost unmanageable. He fired several shots. The nearest herd swerved; but, contrary to their instincts, came roaring down beside and parallel to our mounted troopers. This was a little too much, even for well-trained, disciplined cavalry soldiers, and the men, in their intense excitement, forgetful of orders, commenced a rattling fusillade from their saddles. The buffalo veered off, but not before several were wounded. The firing was sternly ordered to cease.
One gigantic bull, a leader, was nearest; he was badly wounded. As was the case on nearly all marches of troops changing station on the frontier, many dogs of all ages, sizes and degrees, had, under protest, accompanied the column to the Colorado River; here many of the worthless curs were left or drowned while fording; but there were several remaining, and it was these that had turned the buffalo down the column. There was among them a large, white English bulldog, belonging to the regimental band. He was a powerful brute, and had been trained to pull down beeves at the slaughter corral at Fort Concho. He was, withal, a prime favorite with the soldiers, not withstanding his ferocity. The pack of dogs were in full cry after the stampeding herds of bellowing beasts as they rushed and tore along the column with their peculiar, rolling gait. But "King," the bulldog, singled out the immense wounded leader, who had now slackened his speed and was faltering in his tracks. He sprang at his throat with great courage, fastening upon him, and the battle commenced, with the column as silent spectators. It was a novel spectacle.
The bronzed troopers, the great, shaggy beasts thundering by; the white-topped wagon train closed up and halted; the fleeting shadows, and the almost limitless stretch of surrounding prairie and vast solitude. The bull went down on his knees, but so great was his strength that he quickly arose and whirled the dog in great circles above his head. "King" had been taught to never let go. The entire command now watched with breathless attention the apparently unequal struggle, expecting every moment to see the dog crushed to death. Down went the bull again on his knees, this time not from any weakness, but to gore the dog; rising, he would stamp his feet in rage, then shaking his a while, he would resume swinging and snapping him like a whip cord through the air. The foam, now bloody, flecked the long, tawny beard of the bison bull. His eyes, nearly concealed in the long, matted hair that covered his shaggy head, flashed fire, and his rage knew no bounds. The dog, which had commenced the fight a pure white, now turned to a spotted crimson from blood which had flowed from the buffalo's wounds, and still his brute instincts, tenacious courage and training led him to hold on. Had he let go for a moment, the crazed bull would have gored him to death before he could have retreated. The bull grew perceptibly weaker; he rose to his feet less often. He could no longer throw the dog in circles above his head.
The blood stained "King" to a more vivid red, and begrimed with dirt, he had lost all semblance to his former self. All were anxiously looking for the struggle to end. Impatience was already displayed upon the men's faces, when suddenly General Mackenzie shouted, "Kill the animal and put him out of his misery!" It was a merciful command. Two men stepped forward to the enormous beast, now on his knees and rocking to and fro, the dog still holding on--and placing their carbines behind the left shoulder, to reach a vital point, fired. He gave one great quiver, one last spasmodic rocking, and spread himself upon the vast prairie dead. Not till then did "King" let go!
So great had been the courage of this favorite dog in his fearful struggle, that months after when and order had been issued for all cur dogs--always an accumulative nuisance at a frontier post-- to be exterminated, "King," the white bulldog belonging to the Fourth Cavalry band, was exempted by a special order.' "