The Bulldog And Its Ferocious Ancestor

Not much of the history behind the dog breeds is as interesting as the history of the Bulldog. Information about its ancestors contains mythic tales about the god Zeus and aiding in the hunt for large herbivores, participation in war and the Roman arena. The ancient dogs had such enormous strength and courage that it made up for what the dogs lacked in their sense of smell or in speed. The prehistoric dog was valued for its indispensable use as a hunting partner and a guard dog. These huge dogs were used in Europe, Africa and Asia.

The huge ancestor dog of the Bulldog became bonded to its human family and through their dependency upon one another trust between the species came into being. The dogs were depended upon to not only be a capable hunting partner, and then became trusted to guard the family and their property. Eventually, the huge dog joined in combat.
The ancient ancestor of the Bulldog is presumed to originate in Epirus, Greece since the Molossi tribal people of northwestern Greece bred it.

Any Bulldog information about Bulldog history is incomplete without a mention of its ancestor's role in Greek mythology. According to ancient Greek myth, the Molossian dog was descended from Laeleps, the Demonesian bronze dog with a soul, which was given to the god Zeus from Hephaestus, the heavenly master forger, and son of Aphrodite. Laeleps passed into the hands of different owners after Zeus and the dog eventually changed from bronze to stone. Laeleps fathered descendants before turning to stone. The Molossian is said to be a descendant of the dog of the gods, Laeleps.

The Molossian dog was accepted as a hunting ally and became a trusted ally in war as well. As a guard dog, the Molossian dog could be relied upon. The exact location of the dog origin is lost in time, although it is believed that Epirus, Greece is the home of the Molossian. Eventually, this ancestor of the Bulldog became a valuable trade commodity among the Phoenician traders, who traveled the ancient world and distributed the goods including the Molossian dogs. The Molossian dog arrived in Briton around 800 BC.

Bulldog information about the breed's past involves the tribal people of ancient Briton. Celtic tribes kept and bred the dog because of its invaluable services as a hunting partner and guard dog. The dog was used to be a fighting dog that helped the Celtic tribes to protect their home, property and territory. When the Romans invaded in 50AD, they did not expect the war dogs of the Celts.

These war dogs could cause a horse to toss its Roman rider by biting and holding onto a horse's nose. The horse would kick and through its exertions, the rider was thrown off. The Romans called the dog Canix Pugnax or Pugnace Britannicii. The Romans admired the dog's ferocity, bravery and enormous strength. As a fighter in the arena, the Pugnace was pitted against human fighters and wild predators. Since these ancient and violent times of the Bulldog's history, these ferocious tendencies have been effectively bred out of the Bulldog so that the Bulldog is now a fine companion.


Bobby Callahan has great experience with many breeds of dogs as an owner, breeder and researcher who is enamored of the working and companion breeds of dogs. The Bulldog is known for its excellent character and is a trusted and beloved friend to its human family. The ancient history and general Bulldog information can be found in this article.