The Bullenbeisser (also known as
the German Bulldog) was a breed of dog known for its strength and agility. The
breed was closely related to the Bärenbeisser (some believe that the two breeds
were the same; the names mean "bull-biter" and "bear-biter,"
respectively), and the Boxer. It was, in all its aspects, similar to the
present Alano Español (Spanish Bulldog) and very alike to the Dogo Argentino,
not only in aspect, but also in usage. There were two regional varieties, the
Brabanter Bullenbeisser and the Danziger Bullenbeisser. The breed is now
extinct.
Extinction
The
Bullenbeisser became extinct by crossbreeding rather than by a decadence of the
breed, as happened with the Old Time Bulldog, for instance. The size of the
Bull Biters varied from about 40 to 70 cm by 1850; the smaller lived from what
today is Netherlands and Belgium, and the bigger, in Germany. In the late
1870s, German breeders Roberth, Konig, and Hopner used the dog to create a new
breed, today called the Boxer. Some 30 Bullenbeissers were already crossed by
the Boxer Kennel Club of Germany at 1900 in with Bulldogs brought from the
British Isles. The blood composition was 50/50 at that time, however, the
German owners started crossing their dogs with all kinds of Bulldogs and
Boxers, which produced an undistinguishable breed after World War II. One reason
why such quantity of German blood was used to create the Boxer dog was the wish
to eliminate the excessive white colour of the breed, and the necessity of
producing thousands of dogs for one of the most popular breeds in the world.
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