Colorado Bulldog

Sharing its name with a popular alcoholic beverage, the Colorado Bulldog was developed in the United States from Johnson lines of American Bulldogs crossed with working AmStaffs and Pit Bull Terriers, although other breeds have been suggested as being part of the programme too, most notably the Bullmastiff, but this hasn't been confirmed. Although it had existed in various forms since the 1960's and was bred by a number of enthusiasts both within and outside of the state of Colorado, the present-day incarnation of the breed was developed in the early 1990's by Todd Smith and his wife, who are also responsible for giving their strain its current name, as well as having the breed recognized by the A.R.F. registry in 2002. A few varieties still exist in the breed, mostly separated by size, such as the Northwoods, Ameristaff and Pit-Bulldog types, without noticeable difference in temperament and overall built, apart from height. Regardless of type, the Colorado Bulldog is truly an impressive Molosser, well-suited for dog sports, such as Weight Pull and Agility, thanks to its drive, physical strength and trainability.

This is a substantial and intimidating breed, very territorial and reserved with strangers, making a superb property guardian and watchdog. Although some specimens can be stubborn, the breed is generally easy to train. Due to its APBT ancestry, it needs to be handled with caution around other dogs and requires early socialization. This isn't an overly dog-aggressive breed, but it can get confrontational if provoked. Devoted to its master and gentle with children, it makes a good family companion, when raised responsibly. Wide-chested, massive and well-proportioned, the Colorado Bulldog is said to be a long-lived Molosser, healthier than most modern bully breeds.

The coat is short, dense and smooth, coming in all common bulldogge colors, mostly white with patches of red, brown, brindle and other shades. Average height for the Colorado Bulldog is around 27 inches.

It should be noted that while commonly seen as strains of the Colorado Bulldog, the tenacious Northwoods Bulldogge and the powerful Ameristaff variety are also considered to be breeds in their own right by many of their fanciers, separate both from the Colorado Bulldog and from each other.