We have all seen that bulldog on the billboard or magazine advertisement and it caused us to smile.  Maybe you elbowed someone close to you and said, "check out that bully," and then you both laughed.  There is no doubt about it bulldogs can make you smile.  Why else are they used so often by the media?  But, here's the thing:  Not all bulldogs exhibit these desired traits.  Maybe you are wondering, "Wait, isn't a bulldog a bulldog?"  No.  Not all bulldogs are created equal.  Some do not cause the smiles and this is why quality breeding is important.  

We may be justly proud of the Bulldog we know today, and we must express our gratitude to our British cousins, who realized the value of the English Bull sufficiently to preserve him for posterity.

The Bulldog, to the best of our knowledge, had its origin in the British Isles. The name "bull" was applied because of the dog's use in the sport of bull baiting, which was extremely cruel. The original Bulldog had to be very ferocious and so savage and courageous as to be almost insensitive to pain.

In 1835 dog fighting as a sport became illegal in England. Therefore, the English Bulldog had outlived his usefulness and his days were numbered. However, there were dog lovers who felt deep disappointment at the passing of the bred, and they set themselves the task of preserving it. They proceeded to eliminate the undesirable fierce characteristics and to preserve and accentuate the finer qualities. Within a few generations, the English Bulldog became one of the finest physical specimens, minus its original viciousness.

Taken from http://www.akc.org/breeds/bulldog/history.cfm

This link will provide an overview of the bulldog standards.  

For information on raising and caring for puppies, see http://www.purinaone.com/topics/puppies.