Bulldogs

Bulldogs are sturdy dogs with a confident and gentle demeanor. This useful guide includes activity ideas and training advice specifically suited to the physical needs of this short-nosed breed.

Children's Literature

Bulldogs, part of the Edge Dogs set of breed-specific books "All About Dogs," is designed to aid children in the process of selecting a bulldog as a pet. Presented in an "edgy" graphic style, Bulldogs consists of four chapters including "A Funny Frown," "History of Bulldogs," "Wrinkles and Short Legs" and "Caring for a Bulldog". The Bulldog History chapter is quite interesting, since the bulldogs depicted in the "bullbaiting" illustration look nothing like today's bulldogs. In fact, they appear more like the dogs we now call "pit bulls". The section about "Saving the Breed" describes the creation of a breed standard by individuals in England who didn't want to see the breed disappear after bullbaiting was outlawed. Discussion of the number of "bull breeds" that were crossbred to create the bulldog we know today is quite detailed. Photos and illustrations are engaging throughout with callout paragraphs of "Edge Facts" such as "Most bulldogs can't swim. Some owners put a life jacket on their bulldog to keep the dog afloat in water." The book's consultant, Sharon Dykes, is chairperson of the Bulldog Club of America Education Committee, and information relating to the breed's standard, and the importance of buying from a breeder, are stressed. "A Bulldog's Personality" describes the various stages of a bulldog's life and temperament, important when considering adding one to the family. A nine-word glossary contains several words specifically related to the bulldog. The Read More and Internet Sites chapters offer opportunities for further study and research and may require assistance. The Internet Sites listing offers an invitation to visit www.facthound.com by typingin a special code for age-appropriate sites related to this particular book. Reviewer: Debra Lampert-Rudman

Tammy Gagne is a freelance writer who specializes in the health and behavior of companion animals, and is a regular contributor to several national pet care magazines. She resides in northern New England with her husband, son, dogs, and parrots.