Three alternative dog breeds for prospective English bulldog buyers to consider

The English bulldog is one of the most distinctive and easy to recognise dog breeds in the world, and this homegrown favourite is in great demand with puppy buyers from all walks of life seeking to add a new dog to their homes.

The English bulldog is in fact the 7th most popular dog breed in the UK overall, out of a total of over 240 different dog breeds and types, which reflects the level of demand for dogs of the breed and how common they are all across the UK with prospective puppy buyers.

There are a lot of plus points for many puppy buyers who choose an English bulldog too – they tend to be fairly sedentary and happy with just a couple of short walks per day, they’re very affectionate and love their families and home comforts, and they have short fur that doesn’t need a lot of brushing and grooming.

However, on the flipside, English bulldogs are prohibitively expensive to buy, with average advertised prices of almost £1,700 per dog for pedigrees and over £1,400 for non-pedigrees, which means that choosing even a non-pedigree dog of the breed is outside of the budget of many buyers.

Additionally, keeping English bulldogs can be expensive too, and the breed as a whole is one that is widely associated with quite a wide range of health issues that relate to the dog’s conformation and genetic heritage, and which can have a significant impact on individual dogs.

English bulldogs today are generally bred to be shorter, more muscular and with flatter faces than they were historically, often with significant amounts of wrinkling on their faces and muzzles too. Exaggeration of these traits has a direct negative impact on the dogs that possess them, which can affect their health, longevity and quality of life.

Whilst choosing a healthy puppy that isn’t overly exaggerated in terms of conformation can help to reduce the chances of health problems developing, English bulldog ownership is still a big commitment, with a lot of variables to consider along the way.

If you love English bulldogs but are concerned about the breed’s health or your ability to afford one, you might wish to consider exploring some alternative options too before making a purchase, and think about selecting an alternative dog breed or type that shares the traits you want, but without many of the potential disadvantages.

In this article we will introduce three dog breeds and types that prospective English bulldog buyers might wish to consider instead. Read on to learn more.

The American bulldog

First of all, the American bulldog isn’t recognised as a pedigree dog breed within the UK, and so it is correctly referred to as a dog type rather than a dog breed.

American bulldogs are actually closely related to English bulldogs, and were developed from them, and so they share a wide range of physical and temperament traits in common as a result. However, the American bulldog is rather taller and slightly leaner than the English bulldog, which provides a fitter and more agile conformation.

American bulldogs have brachycephalic faces like English bulldogs do, but they tend to be a touch longer and less exaggerated. In fact, most American bulldog breeders work hard to produce moderate examples of the breed that have a fit, healthy conformation, and that moves the breed away from the trend for exaggerations found in English bulldogs.

In terms of pricing, American bulldogs are quite economical to buy compared to English bulldogs, with average sale prices of around the £650 mark, which is less than half the cost of the average English bully!

The Staffordshire bull terrier

The Staffordshire bull terrier’s appearance is quite distinct from that of the English bulldog, but they do also have a lot in common. Staffys are a little taller than English bulldogs but still within the same sort of size range, and they’re also compact and muscular dogs with a very business-like appearance.

Staffordshire bull terriers don’t have brachycephalic faces but they are handsome dogs with a lot of presence, and they’re around the middle of the pack in terms of their energy levels, intelligence, and grooming requirements. Staffys and English bulldogs have very similar coat styles, but Staffordshire bull terriers are much less prone to suffering from skin allergies and other problems.

As another bull breed, there are a number of parallels between the Staffy and the English bulldog temperament too, but Staffys are a little smarter and tend to be more biddable.

Staffordshire bull terriers vary in price considerably between pedigree and non-pedigree specimens, with pedigrees commanding prices of around £965, and non-pedigrees around £468. This makes the Staffordshire bull terrier a more economical purchase, particularly for non-pedigree dogs.

The Boxer

The boxerdog breed is one that most dog lovers in the UK know and recognise, although they’re not as common today as they used to be. Boxers are large, energetic and comical dogs that are very loving, loyal and affectionate with their families but that like the English bulldog, are often a little speculative of strangers.

Boxers have brachycephalic faces like English bulldogs, although the breed is once more less prone to widespread conformation exaggerations that can harm the breed’s health. The boxer coat is again similar to the English bulldog and so, doesn’t need a lot of care, and boxers make for nice quiet companions within the home assuming that all of their needs are met.

Boxers aren’t among the cheapest of dog breeds to buy, but they do represent a significant saving compared to buying an English bulldog. Pedigree boxers cost around £1,130 on average, whilst non-pedigrees change hands for around £970 each.