One of Britain's most famous breeds, the Bulldog of today is a very different dog compared to its Alaunt ancestors, not only in appearance, but also in personality. Descended from the old fighting, hunting and bull-baiting mastiffs and bandogges of Europe and common butcher's dogs of Britain, it has been bred away from its blood-sport past over the course of the last two centuries of the previous millenium. Unlike its Spanish and American counterparts, who had remained relatively unchanged and still continue being primarily employed as working dogs used for guarding, hunting and livestock-controlling duties, the English Bulldog was given a new role, that of a reliable urban pet. By selecting smaller and friendlier specimens of the old British bulldogge population and then crossing them with imported Pai dogs, Pugs and possibly French Bulldogs, the developers of the modern English Bulldog created a well-mannered and devoted companion dog, which was recognized by the United Kennel Club in 1935 and has remained a very popular breed worldwide to this day.