Leavitt Bulldog Standard

LEAVITT BULLDOG ASSOCIATION Dedicated to the Promotion and Preservation of the Leavitt Bulldog LEAVITT BULLDOG BREED STANDARD Working Group History The Leavitt Bulldog is David Leavitt’s re-creation of the 1820 Bulldog. The present dog must match the looks of the old bull baiting dog, but with a friendly up-beat demeanor. Leavitt Bulldogs today are family companions that can also work as therapy, weight pull, and personal protection dogs. General Appearance The perfect Leavitt Bulldog is a muscular medium sized dog, showing great strength, vigor, stability and athleticism. Appearance must be well balanced and proportional with no features exaggerated or standing out. Expression should show courage, determination, tenacity, along with intelligence and even temper. The dog must possess excellent agility to reflect the original Bulldogge, who would not have survived without it. Head A) Large. Well proportioned to body. Circumference of head at least equal to height at shoulders. B) Stop is deep and broad, extending up the head, perpendicular to the layback of the nose. C) Jaw muscles large. D) Skull flat with a crease from stop to occiput. E) Slightly wrinkled forehead acceptable. Muzzle A) Square, wide, deep, with definite layback. B) Muzzle length from tip of nose to stop should not be greater than 1/3rd the distance from tip of nose to occiput. Longer muzzle is a FAULT C) Height of muzzle, from bottom of chin to top of muzzle should be equal to or greater than the length of the muzzle, thus producing the deep square muzzle. D) Muzzle slightly to moderately wrinkled. E) Flews: semi-pendulous BITE A) Bottom jaw must extend beyond nostrils to create an obvious layback. B) Undershot and horizontally straight. Any thing else is a DISQUALIFICATION. Underbite should be 3/4“ or less. C) Lower jawbone moderately curved from rear to front. A lower jawbone that is flat and only curved in front is a MINOR FAULT. D) Broken or chipped teeth are acceptable. There should be 6 corn-row teeth. E) Tusks, large NOSE A) Nostrils wide with line running vertically between nostrils from the tip of the nose to the bottom of the lip. B) Large and broad in relationship to the width of muzzle. C) Pigment: Black. Pink skin on nose is a FAULT. EARS A) Rose, button or tulip. Rose preferred. B) Set high and to the rear of the skull. C) Set wide as possible on the outside of skull. D) Size: Small to medium. EYES A) Round medium sized eyes set wide apart with outside corner of eye intersecting with the outside vertical line of the skull. B) Set low at level of muzzle where stop and muzzle intersect. C) Glass or blue eyes are a DISQUALIFICATION. D) Eye rims: Black. Pink is a FAULT. E) Eye color is brown NECK A) Short, wide and slightly arched. B) Tapers from shoulders to head and slightly smaller than head where the head and neck come together. C) Double dew-lap. CHEST A) Ribs well sprung. B) Wide with outward slanting shoulders. C) Deep muscular brisket. D) Shoulders to forelegs heavily muscled. FORELEGS A) Medium to heavy boned. In proportion to body. Too light or heavy is a FAULT. B) Straight vertically on inside of legs. C) Well muscled legs giving a bowed appearance from the shoulder down to feet. D) Legs set wide apart, coming down from shoulders. E) Slight outward turn of elbows. Exaggerated outward turn is a SERIOUS FAULT F) Medium length in proportion to body size. G) Pasterns must be straight and strong. Weak pasterns are a disqualification. SHOULDERS A) Separation between shoulder blades. B) Outward slant from tip to bottom of shoulder blade. Straight shoulders are a SERIOUS FAULT.. C) Broad and well muscled. RIBS A) Well sprung, rounded, and deep. Narrow rib cage is a SERIOUS FAULT B) Ribs fullest directly behind shoulders. LOIN A) Well cut up B) In proportion to body. Too long or short is a SERIOUS FAULT in dog. BACK A) Top line: Roached. Rising just after withers and upward incline to stern; then downward, making a rounded stern over the hips. Any other top line is a FAULT. TAIL A) Tapering from base to end. Same circumference from base to end is a FAULT. B) Pump handle or straight. Pump handle preferred. C) Carried down, horizontal or high. Tail curling 360 degrees is a FAULT. D) Length: To hocks or just below hocks. E) Crook, screw, bobbed or docked tail is a DISQUALIFICATION HINDLEGS A) Longer than front and well muscled rump and thighs around hips. B) Distance between front legs greater than distance between back legs. C) Stifles must have good angulation. Poor angulation is a DISQUALIFICATION. D) Cow hocks are a disqualification. FEET A) Medium sized and front feet rounded (cats’ foot). B) Well split up, but not splayed. Splayed is a SERIOUS FAULT C) Strong and well knuckled. COAT A) Short, close and medium fine. Fringe, feather or curl in coat is a SERIOUS FAULT COLOR Brindle of red, gray or black. Brindle spots on white. Solid white. Fawn, red or black solid color or with white. GAIT A) Rolling gait. B) Hind legs appearing to skim the ground. HEIGHT A) Dogs: 17" to 20" B) Bitches: 16" to 19" C) All points being equal, a slightly smaller or larger dog should not be faulted just for its size. WEIGHT A) Dogs: 60 lbs. To 80 lbs. B) Bitches: 50 lbs. To 70 lbs. EXPRESSION and TEMPERAMENT A) Alert, confident and courageous. B) Tolerant of strangers. C) Shyness in a mature dog is a FAULT D) Some animal aggression within sex is not unusual

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Last updated on MD: 30 July 2006