​Appearance 

The Olde English Bulldogge is a muscular, medium sized dog of great strength, stability and athleticism. It is well balanced and proportioned with no exaggerated features. It has the appearance of a dog capable of doing its original job of bull baiting. Excessive height would have been detrimental for the old working bulldog as it had to “play low” to avoid the bull’s horns and fasten onto its nose. A heavyweight dog would also have been at a disadvantage, as the bull 's nose would have been likely to rip sending the dog flying.

Temperament

The disposition of the Olde English Bulldogge is confident, courageous and alert. Olde English Bulldogges are very friendly and loving.They are extremely strong so socialization and obedience training are important.

Overview of history

Bull baiting dogs, referred to today as bulldogs, were bred to bait animals, mainly bulls and bears. Baiting sports, often referred to as "Blood Sport", were extremely popular from their inception around the 12th century until they started being banned across Europe in 1835. During "Bull-baiting" the dog would attempt to flatten itself to the ground, creeping as close to the bull as possible, then darting out and attempting to bite the bull in the nose or head area. The bull would often be tethered by a collar and rope which was staked into the ground. As the dog darted at the bull, the bull would attempt to catch the dog with his head and horns and throw it into the air. The dog owners would often try to catch the dog before it fell to the ground to minimize the dogs injuries so that the dog could continue tormenting the bull.
In 1835, the Cruelty to Animals Act was passed in Parliament that outlawed "Blood Sport" in Great Britain. The bulldog's work was suddenly over and the bulldog rapidly started dying out. Around 1865 dog fanciers began developing dog clubs which eventually culminated into conformation shows. Many fanciers utilized various remnants of the dog utilized for "Blood Sport" to resurrect the "Bull" dog and ultimately developed today's modern English bulldog.
The Olde English Bulldogge is an attempt to recreate the "Regency Period Bull Baiter" and was developed in the early 1970s by David Leavitt, of Coatesville, PA.[citation needed] Mr. Leavitt began his project in 1971 utilizing the cattle line breeding scheme of Dr. Fechimer from Ohio State University. The goal was to create a dog with the look, health, and athleticism of the original bull-baiting dogs, but with a much less aggressive temperament. The foundation crosses consisted of ½ English Bulldog, and the other half Bullmastiff, American Pit Bull Terrier, and American Bulldog.[citation needed] After many planned crosses, the Olde English Bulldogge emerged and began to breed true.[citation needed] Thus, Leavitt formed the Olde English Bulldogge Association (OEBA) to maintain the breeds stud book and issue registration papers to future offspring.
During the 1980s Ben and Karen Campetti from Sandisfield, Massachusetts, worked closely with Leavitt in breeding the Olde English Bulldogge. In 1993 Leavitt stopped breeding and turned the OEBA registry as well as his personal breeding stock over to Working Dog Inc. which was owned and operated by Michael Walz of Pennsylvania.
In 2001 the Olde English Bulldogge Kennel Club (OEBKC) was formed to address the unmet needs of owners and breeders alike. The OEBKC is currently the recognized Parent Club for the breed with both the American Rare Breed Association (ARBA) and the Canine Developmental Health and Performance Registry (CDHPR).The breed has been enrolled with the CDHPR since August 2008, and is being evaluted for full recognition within the United Kennel Club (UKC) as a prebred breed of dog.