Indian Bullterrier

This Indian gladiator is directly descended from English and Irish bull-n-terriers introduced to India by the British Colonial Forces. The "sport" of dog-fighting was and still is quite popular in certain parts of India and Pakistan, where a number of breeds was developed for this very purpose. Many British officers brought their own fighting dogs and pitted them against each other and indigenous Indian dogs. Since old British bull-n-terrier breeds proved to be superiour fighters, many Indian and Pakistani breeders decided to improve their stock by crossing them with local Bully Kutta dogs. From these experiments a few distinct types were established, such as the Gull Terr, Gull Dong and others.

The Indian Bull Terr was developed primarily from British dogs, namely Irish and English strains of the Staffordshire Bull Terrier, the original English White Terrier and the immensely popular Hinks Bullterrier breed. In appearance, the Indian Bullterrier is very similar to the old type English Bullterrier, meaning without the modern trademark "egg-shaped" head. Many fanciers of the Bull Terr in India believe that this breed is in fact the same thing as the old English White Terrier, while others claim it is the original Hinks Bullterrier, both of which were brought into the region by the British colonnial forces, but neither of these theories are very popular outside of India and Pakistan. A valued pit-fighter, the Indian Bully is also commonly employed for bear-baiting, as well as a property watchdog. This is a very powerful and aggressive breed, handled only by experienced enthusiasts. Muscular, agile and fast, the Bull Terr is an athletic Molosser, with long legs and a strong-boned body. Sadly, an overwhelming majority of Indian Bull Terrs are born deaf, have skin allergies and some are even prone to going blind at an early age, many suffering from weak nervous systems and unstable temperaments, due to the generations of inbreeding.

The coat is short and flat, preferably solid white in colour with small dark markings on the head, but fawn, red, brown and brindle dogs are quite common as well. Average height is around 19 inches, although much taller dogs can be found, some reportedly reaching over 27 inches at the withers, but many authorities doubt the purity of the giant variety.