If you are looking for that extravagant, pink tongued, enchanting smile – this mix is for you. The English Bulldog Pitbull bloodline comes with impressively old heritage and inbred loyalty. This mix is independent and fearlessly protective of home and family, but will also be a wacky entertainer given the chance.
This article focuses on the English Bulldog and American Pitbull Terrier mix. A Pitbull is sometimes instead bred with an “Olde English Bulldogge.” “Pitbull” also means the American Staffordshire Terrier, English Pitbull Terrier, English Staffordshire Terrier, or Staffordshire Bull Terrier.
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Appearance
Given that both parents have Bull Mastiff lineage, you will have a medium-sized, stocky, well-muscled, sporty, and handsome dog with a tall posture. Most likely, it will have a large head, a strong jaw, a deep chest, and large feet proportionate to its muscular body with a short tail.
Weight & Height
The Bullypit’s size depends on which parental bloodline dominates, as the English Bulldog can weigh up to 120 pounds (54 kg). You can expect this mix to weigh between 30 to 70 pounds (13.6 to 31.75 kg) and be between 15 to 20 inches (38 cm to 51 cm).
Gait
This type of English Bulldog Pitbull will likely inherit its Bulldog parent’s distinctive “waddle” or “rolling gait.” You can also expect the shoulders of your dog, which will be significantly wider than its rear, to influence its endearing, jaunty walk.
Coat Color
The Pitbully, as it is also called, can have a wide variety of coat colors: black, tan, golden, blue, yellow, gray cream, white fawn, and brindle. There are many acceptable color combinations and patterns, except for merle. Your dog can be mostly one color or a pleasing mix of several.
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Coat Length & Thickness
The coat will be short unless there was a serious deviation in the bloodline. It might be fine, but it is more likely to be thick and almost stiff to the touch. Either way, it should be glossy and be a single coat.
Temperament
This mix is of the Pitbull bloodline, so this means you must check for legal restrictions in your area for owning Pitbulls. Hopefully, the highly-charged Pitbull crossed with the laid-back Bulldog will produce a balanced temperament with manageable energy levels, and a playful, affectionate, kind, and friendly disposition.
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Does Not Mind Some “Alone Time”
The English Bulldog Pit Bull mix is sensitive to noise and emotionally sensitive as well. It will have an independent trait and needs a place for “alone time.” Your dog will be happy having space for a short while, and then chose to rejoin the family when it is ready.
Could Bark and Chew If Bored
The Bulldog parent of the Bullypit tends to bark if it is surprised or encounters strange people or dogs. It is also very vocal if it wants your attention. If it is left alone for long periods, this English Bulldog Pitbull mix may bark and become destructive.
Possible Aggression but Responsive to Training
Your puppy requires socialization and training from an early age because of its tendency for aggression. Both parents have histories of formalized fighting, with a “holding” not “nipping” bite. Luckily, both parents want to please and are adaptable: they respond well to training, so this mix should be as well.
Prefers a Temperate Climate
It is highly likely that the English Bulldog Pitbull mix will not tolerate extreme temperatures well, especially heat and humidity. Both parents of this mix are brachycephalic, so your Pitbully will likely be inefficient at panting and you will need to monitor it for heatstroke.
Companion or Suitability Factor
Both parents have a lineage in blood sports, which were outlawed in 1835. Breeders then concentrated on suppressing aggression in their breeding stock and focusing on breeding herding farm dogs who were intensely attached and loyal to their owners. Because of this, this mix should be a great companion.
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Kid-Friendly but Needs Supervision
This mix is said to enjoy being with children, especially babies. Regardless, never ever leave any child unattended with any dog. Teach your youngsters how to interact safely with the dog. For example, they should never wake it when it is sleeping, try to take food away, or tease it.
Is Not Apartment Friendly
Most Bullypits are not apartment friendly. They are instead very active and need to be kept busy, with space to roam. If your mix is heavily influenced by its English Bulldog parental bloodline, it could be trained to be an apartment dog with sufficient exercise and social interaction.
Is a Perfect Watchdog
This English Bulldog Pitbull mix is intelligent and reasonably easy to train. Once it understands what you want, it will never forget it, which is what you want in your guard dog. This mix is fearless, self-assured, and often over-protective. It will defend its family and property.
Not Suitable for Senior Citizens
An older person should consider avoiding a puppy, and instead rescuing or adopting an adult dog. It will then have been professionally evaluated to determine whether its high-energy Pitbull or laid-back Bulldog genes dominate, its health issues should be mostly known, and it will be past its puppy antics.
Tends to Get Along with Other Pets If Trained Properly
A Pitbully will need early and consistent training to be comfortable with, and non-threatening to, other animals. The larger your mix is, the bigger the chance that even a well-meaning Pitbully could unintentionally hurt smaller animals. If its Pitbull bloodline dominates, you may have a problem on your hands.
Needs Caution Around Water
This mix often cannot swim and should wear a life jacket, especially if it ends up with a large head on a short body or a flat face. The weight of its head and its short snout can make it hard to keep its head and nose above water.
Intelligence & Training
Historically, Bulldogs and Pitbulls were intelligent enough to be trained in specific ways to survive as fighters. They were taught the extremely difficult feat of distinguishing their owners or handlers during the frenzied heat of battle, which is an ability that is often seen in the bloodlines today.
Below Average Intelligence
The parents of the Bullypit score from above average to low on Stanley Coren’s intelligence test, with the Bulldog parent ranking #136 out of 138 dogs. Thankfully, there is other information that indicates the Bullypit could be of “average” and even “high” intelligence depending on its precise genes.
Challenging to Train
Bullypits are confident, proud dogs. They may try to assume the Alpha position or be too excited to obey well. Training sessions should be short (15 minutes), twice daily, firm, consistent and positive. Also, consider joining a club and continually expanding the ways you keep them mentally and physically challenged.
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Physical Needs
This type of mix is an indoor dog that needs a place of its own to sleep, preferably near you. It will thrive if it has a variety of mental and physical activities that involve its family members to keep it challenged and feeling like part of a pack.
Adults Eat 2½ to 4 Cups Dry Food a Day
This dog needs a high-quality diet, and if it has a flattened face, consider kibble designed for Bulldogs. Consider supplementing its diet with fish oil, glucosamine, Omega 3 and 6, and chondroitin. Use healthy, raw treats, and make a constant supply of fresh water available. Avoid obesity at all costs.
Needs At Least an Hour of Exercise Per Day
Your Pitbully is likely to be a “chewer.” To keep this tendency from becoming destructive, it will need indestructible chew toys and from 60 to 90 minutes of walking or running a day to tire it out, preferably divided into two sessions. Its average lifespan is 6 to 8 years.
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Needs Moderate Regular Grooming
Brush its coat and clean his teeth at least three times a week. Use a damp cloth to wipe the face, eyes and ears. If it has skin folds on the head or neck, check that the skin in the folds is clean and DRY. Clip nails once a month.
Shedding & Bathing
This mix will usually have a single coat, and, living indoors means it will shed lightly all year. Be sure to groom it regularly and have a good vacuum cleaner. Bathe it about four times a year with a dog shampoo for sensitive skin, or if it gets really dirty.
Background & Pricing for a Puppy
The Bulldog and Pitbull ancestors were bred for blood sports, but for three centuries breeders have concentrated on weeding out the ferocious tendencies. For the most part, breeders have reportedly succeeded, and this mix is said to be athletic and strong, but also a gentle and reliable family dog.
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Background
The Old English Bulldog Pitbull mix is a “designer dog” created in the 1990s. It also goes by the names Bullypit and Pitbully. There is confusion over which breeds of Bulldogs and Pitbulls are “Bullypits,” with “Bullypits” also referring to mixes between other varieties of Bulldogs and Pitbulls.
Price for a Puppy
It is difficult finding a breeder who will supply a copy of the genetic mapping of the pup and background data for each parent. If they can’t, stay away. Breeders will charge US$250 to US$2,000. But many similar – and cheaper – dogs are waiting for a loving owner in rescue and shelter organizations, abandoned by people who did not investigate the mix.
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Health Issues
The Bulldog parent of this mix became immensely popular for its “childlike appearance and demeanor.” This encouraged conformational changes that negatively affected their health. A staggering 95% have to be delivered by Caesarian section, as the head has become too large for the pelvis. The Pitbull parent has hereditary dysplasia, also found in Bulldogs. Unless your pup received the healthiest genes possible, you will be facing expensive veterinary bills.
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Brachycephalic Syndrome (Problems Caused by a “Flat Face”)
Both parents have “flat faces” which can cause an elongated soft palate, pinched and narrow nostrils, underdeveloped cartilage rings in the windpipe, and soft tissue narrowing the windpipe. This is why many “flat faced” dogs have difficulties breathing, react so badly to heat, and have limited activity levels.
These conditions can be managed by having surgery, but unfortunately, your dog will be seriously at risk while under anesthesia due to the breathing difficulties themselves. The only way you can avoid this situation is by insisting that the breeder supplies you with breeding clearance certificates for the parents.
Hip Dysplasia
This mix should be an active dog that enjoys running and jumping, but any thick-set, well-muscled dog with short legs is prone to hip dysplasia. Signs of this include avoiding activity, lameness in the back legs, a “bunny-hopping” gait, or difficulty climbing stairs. Consult your veterinarian if these signs occur.
Consider asking the breeder for the hip score for each hip, as well as for each elbow, and discussing both hip and elbow dysplasia with your veterinarian at the first check-up. Hip dysplasia can usually be managed with a specially designed diet and a modified, energetic exercise regime.
Hypothyroidism
Your puppy may be predisposed to hypothyroidism. If you notice weight gain, lack of energy, heavy shedding, and dull, thinning coat, feeling the cold and constipation, consult your veterinarian. It can be easily diagnosed by a specific test, but, it can also be disguised by other problems and go unnoticed.
Larger dogs seem to develop this condition from 3 to 4 years old. Once it is correctly diagnosed, it can be controlled with medication, but it will be for life. This is another reason why it is essential you receive some kind of written health guarantee from the breeder.
Brandon Miller has a B.A. from the University of Texas at Austin. He is a seasoned writer who has written over one hundred articles, which have been read by over 500,000 people. If you have any comments or concerns about this blog post, then please contact the Green Garage team here.