As we have mentioned, the American Bulldog is a fantastic, all round dog suitable to many different roles. However before you purchase one you must take into account what you want in a dog and what you want to get out of it. American Bulldogs may not suit everybody so choose carefully!!
The American Bulldog is very adaptable and can vary a lot between strains and breeders, so you need to choose the dog with the ability to do what you require. The best way to do this is look at what the breeders do with their dogs, and purchase one from the people that are achieving what you want. For example if you want a good looking dog that just sits around the house and is loyal and protective, there are many Johnson type dogs out there that will fit this role. If you want to get into competitions and shows, go along to these events and have a look at who is doing well in what. If you want an athletic dog for endurance, personal protection or hunting, again make sure you get one from people who have dogs that are capable of this, this type of dog must have high drive and be physically capable of doing the job. The last thing you need is to want a lounge lizard and you get a performance type dog that does not stop running all day!! We keep saying the American bulldog is very capable and adaptable but make sure you get one that suits your needs. Now a word of warning, as with any breed of animal you get people who are dishonest and just want your dollars. From our experience this situation is very common in rare breeds and it is certainly rife within the American Bulldog community. The best advice I can offer any new comer to the breed is to not be in a hurry, look around at many breeders, ask lots of questions, buy dogs that are only registered with ABRD. Ensure the parents of your dog are hip and elbow scored at a level less than 18.5 as this will reduce the chance of dysplasia, (hip problems) in the dog. Check to see if the owner has tested for NCL (a genetic disorder) and that he has a DNA profile on the parents to guarantee they are what they say. Also ask for a written health guarantee for the dog.
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