If you want to perpetuate an entire line of quality dogs, you must select only the dogs who will help you reach that goal. Breeding dogs are tools in our toolbox which we use for our project. An OEB breeders project should be breeding top quality OEB's that raise the bar of the breed and better the next generation. Therefore, as a breeder, you must know what good/bad traits your dogs posess, how they will affect your line, and breed according to that knowledge.The dogs you select, will be what you produce. The dogs you breed, will be what you produce. Not very often do you breed subpar dogs and get exceptional offspring. Not very often do you breed exceptional dogs and get subpar offspring. As Brian Miller explained in his post about x-raying hips on dogs, if a dog has some area where it is lacking, that doesnt mean you need to scrap the dog from your program. Learn what you can and cannot work with. Learn how to breed through the issues. Im not saying breed your dog with demodex, or entropion. What I am saying is not every flaw should be a fatal one. A breeder who knows their pedigree, dogs, and bloodlines well will be able to easily determine which flaws are ok to work through, and which flaws must remove dogs from the breeding plan.
Decide what kind of dog you want to produce, and use only dogs who can help you produce what you're after. Don't settle for just any animal because they're available. Choose wisely, make informed moves.
There should be specific testing and specific requirements for every dog within your program. If the dog does not meet these requirements, it should not be allowed in your program. Do not select a breeding dog based on easy things. (Dont breed because of its bloodline, color, size, etc). The dog makes the dog, not the bloodline, color, or head size.
Also, another question breeders must ask themselves when evaluating breeding stock is: does this dog produce better than itself? If a dog is not capable of breeding better than itself, how can it help you to raise the bar? How can it help provide you with a better generation?
You get what you work for. If you want great dogs, you must select and breed for great dogs.
The best way to do this in my opinion is to have a clear, defined goal within your breeding program. Have a blueprint. Know where you want to be in the next 2 years. A running back with no endzone to run to plays a pointless game. Get the ball in your hands, keep your eyes on the goal line, and dont let anybody or anything stop you from reaching your goal.

TIME AND CHANCE

TIME AND CHANCE

This is something that I had developed for different purposes, but I realized I could apply it to my program as well, and hopefully it can help someone else, like it helped me.

I believe that time and chance happen to us all. The rain falls on the just and the unjust. While I believe we all "make our own luck", I also believe that luck visits each of us from time to time. Good a...nd bad visits each of us in our breeding programs. It is how we capitalize on the good, and how we work through the bad that decides how successful we can be. When breedings end up producing better than you expected, how do you capitalize on this success? When things in your program dont go as you hoped, do you give up or work harder? You see, breeders are not necessarily more successful because they're smarter, breeders are more successful because they work harder, and because of how they respond to adversity. "The race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, niether yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favor to men of skill, but time and chance happeneth to them all" -
Ecclesiastes
I dont think this passage is saying that men of skill dont gain favor, or the battle doesnt go to the strong, I think what its saying is that when time and chance happened to them all, he who is strong capitalized on his opportunities.
The difference between breeders is their breeding principles & their work ethic. Do we capitalize on time and chance? Make every moment count!

The Mouth of the Olde English Bulldogge

THE MOUTH OF AN OLDE ENGLISH BULLDOGGE

side note: I have heard argument for a reverse scissor bite, but don't know enough proof to believe its superior to an undershot. Read on.

Different than most breeds, the OEB should not have a scissor bite. A scissor bite is when the upper incisors overlap and touch the lower incisors ( this puts wear and tear on the incisors as years go by). A bulldog should not be overshot, where the top jaw is longer than the bottom. They should be 1/4 to 1/2 inch undershot. This helps create the typical look of the bulldog, and by slightly extending the lower jaw, you gain better leverage and a stronger bite. Think: Crocodiles. They too have a slight undershot jaw and have much greater jaw power than the caiman and the alligator, who have a sort of scissor bite. OEB's are supposed to have a full set of teeth, I have heard 42 in number. However, many of them are missing a pre-molar on one of thier top maxille or bottom mandibles.The pre-molars are located right behind the canines. There should be 4 pre-molars behind each canine. After the pre-molars, there are 2 big molars on the top jaws and 3 big molars on the bottom jaws. These pre-molars get bigger as they head toward the back of the mouth, the 4th one being the biggest. If the bulldogge is missing one or more of these molars ( on the top OR bottom), it can weaken the jaw and bite! THIS IS A GENETIC TRAIT. This is a very easy trait to fix: Don't breed to other dogs who are missing teeth, and there will be little risk of it passing to future generations. You can have dogs with stronger jaws and bites in 1 generation by adhering to this rule.

In general terms, the bulldogge teeth are his only tool for offense and defense. This is also how he eats. An OEB's teeth are very important. For bulldogs, it is best if the teeth do not meet crown to crown or for the top to overlap (scissor bite). The bottom jaw should be slightly longer than the top. Most other working breeds are not this way, but because the manner in which the bulldog bites, attacks, holds, crushes, and chews, an undershot is desirable. Besides that, it helps create that distinct look (Im not talking extreme EB look here). When you study your dog's mouth, move the pendulous lips and cheek tissue completely out of the way. The placement of a bulldogges teeth are affected by these things in order : genetics, jaw structure, other teeth, and the habits of the dog (what they bite, how they bite it).
As breeders, we need to look at how the teeth relate to each other & how they respond to the jaw. We need to know about the whole mouth, not just the teeth. Don't stop at counting number of teeth and checking the bite. Those 2 things alone do not account for a good mouth. It's about every part of it. The number of teeth, the bite, the depth, length, and width of the jaw, jaw curvature, excessive flews, tongue size (and size when dog is heated), deepness and clearness of throat,gum strength and depth, and pallate. All of this should be processed when considering dogs for breeding.

WRY JAW
A wry jaw occurs when: Either the 2 upper or lower jaw bones are a different length than each other, or in drastic cases, all 4 are different lengths. This is genetic as well, & a dog with wry jaw should never be bred. Since one of the top or bottom jaw bones grows too fast in comparison to the others, it pushes out the relative facial area, giving it a swollen and twisted appearance ( a.k.a. "wry"). Dogs who have wry jaw will have extreme difficulty with a proper bite and hold, and many even have difficulty chewing food with normalcy. The bulldogges mouth is just one of many important factors in the OEB, but it is very important.

STUDY ON THE HEAD OF OLDE ENGLISH BULLDOGGES

HEAD STUDY ON THE OLDE ENGLISH BULLDOGGE

I see much emphasis & bragging on the head of the OEB, but truth be told, the OEB is not a "head breed". It is a total package dog that has far too many factors for it to be a one part dog. I do believe that the OEB head is the biggest way to identify the breed, but is by far not the biggest factor in the breed. Head structure and build is important.

SKULL
A large, thick skull is desired but only if it is proportioned to the rest of the head. In most breeds, the heads of the females are smaller than the males, this is not always the case in the OEB. The OEB head should be broad and squared. Far too many Olde's have round, bowling ball heads. The skull should be broad, flat, and thick. No one should ever brag about an exaggerated head. In the OEB, its all about proportions. For a functional bulldog of any breed, the head should be 2/3rds the width of the front of the dog. Meaning the head fits into the middle 66% of the chest, with a remaining 17% on the left side of the head, and 17% on the right side.The skull and the muzzle should be joined together by a distinct stop.

MUZZLE
The stop is slightly more vertical than that of an apbt. The nose should abruptly end the muzzle & not turn upwards into the topline of the muzzle. The nose should be thick, broad, and pronounced. It should have wide open nares. Variations of brown colored noses are also ok but pink and dudley noses represent a lack of pigment and should be avoided. The nose should be wedge shaped, not circular or triangular. The muzzle of the OEB should be wide, deep, and box like. A wider, deeper muzzle allows for a longer, stronger grip. It also contributes to a more powerful masseter & mandible which equals more jaw strength and biting power. Muzzle should be 2/3rds total head length(not as short as an EB or as long as typical bullmastiff) The bottom jaw should slightly curve upward. the lips should be dark pigmented, relative to the nose color, and should be full and pendulous. The bottom jaw should be deep and visible. The cheek muscles should be visible but not bulky. If the cheek muscles are too heavy or thick they will detract from the jaw power and will encourage overheating in the dog. They should be chiseled, proportioned muscles which overlay the cheek bones. The cheek muscles should be pronounced but not wrinkly. The deeper the jaw goes into the head, the more power and leverage the jaw has.

EYES & EARS
The eyes of the olde should be round or almond shaped, and rest on top of the muzzle line. Dark colors are preferred. Eyes should be open, communicative and full of expression. Eyes should be well protected by a furrowed brow. They should never bulge like the EB, BT, or pug. Ears should be set even and proportioned to the head. Forward flap or rose eared preferred.
That does it for now. Lets build some bulldogs!

Its time to step it up

As a passionate dog breeder, Ive seen firsthand the devastation that careless breeding brings in a dogs life, and in the breed as a whole. Our shelters are full of beautiful dogs whos lives will be cut short because of foolish breeding and careless owning. Many breeders today still follow the same patterns of carelessness and irresponsibility that the previous generation did. While so many breeders have worked hard & sacraficed to make the breed better, they often feel as if they carry this weight alone. History has proven, that a breed bred without a purpose is a breed that will be destroyed. many of us have dealt with tragedies in the game and we have learned what works and what doesnt. We have learned how powerful each breeding is, and how crucial a role we play in helping our breed.

I believe that every breeder needs to take it upon themselves to save the breed. The call has been made, the need has been made known. I am aware that so many read this board who do not comment. So I say this: Who will step up? Who will help to raise the bar? Who will do whatever it takes to make our breed better & make them the legendary bulldogges they could be? But more than just breeding dogs, we must train them and study them. We must help others along the way. We must provide a visual representation of what the Olde ought to be. We should model how to walk with integrity and treat others honestly. We should call out others to become responsible breeders, who breed these dogs for what matters in the breed.
Some people will hear this and mock it. Or ignore it. But I believe that as a breeder, we are all accountable for the dogs we produce. Its not "To each thier own". We cant wake up one day & find out that our personal preferences had no impact, no value to the breed.
Some people will hear this and agree with it, yet have no guts to put it to action. Instead they will manipulate the breed for themselves & waste the opportunity to produce a better generation for the future.

But there are some breeders, who regardless of thier past mistakes, regardless of what others do, will give thier hearts and minds to producing dogs that are better than the last generation, and whenever possible, will mentor others to grow. Come hell or high water, I will do what it takes to make the Olde English Bulldogge reach its full potential. I'll accept the responsibility of doing whatever I can, whenever I can. I will health test every breeding dog, and be honest about the results.
I want prosperity in my line. Any good breeder does. Prosperity is done with quality not quantity. the only way a bloodline can be prosperous is if it makes the breed better. Its not about personal gain. Its about the breed as a whole. Ask not what the Olde English Bulldogge can do for you, ask what you can do for the Olde English Bulldogge.

PRIORITIES OF A BREEDER

PRIORITIES OF A BREEDER

(1) To learn a standard and breed structure
(2) To understand the breeds original purpose, & how important it is
(3) To only allow personal preference to come into play when it will not affect the breed in any negative way
(4)To have a basic understanding of genetics & in what way they apply to each breeding we do.
(5) To learn the importance of culling & how the opposite of this practice affects the breed
(6) To know the common ailments of the breed & how to identify them
(7) To test for every common disease and defect within the breed
(8) To breed for purpose not popularity
(9) To learn how to identify people and place the right pup in the right home
(10) To learn to say "No". (dont be swayed by money or peer pressure)
(11) To attempt to make the breed and the bloodline better in every breeding

A BLOODLINE SHOULD BE...

A BLOODLINE SHOULD BE...

(1) COPYABLE
Your ideas, philosophies, & the basic outline of your program should be for the betterment of the breed.If a breeder is all about the betterment of the breed, he should make certain things available to other breeders who also want to make the breed better.

(2)TRANSPARENT
If you plan on selling dogs, your pedigrees should be real and honest.Transparency is a rarity these days. However, it is a tool that has been used to engineer some of the top kennels in the world.

(3)MYSTERIOUS
A bloodline should have some mystique to it. People should say " I know how the breeder does it, I know why the breeder does it, but I can't always get the same results". I am not telling you to be dishonest in any way. I am telling you that the whole world doesn't need to know everything you do and think.

(4)QUALITY
A quality bloodline is a service to the breed.In the long run, working harder for better quality will be of service to the breeder as well. A bloodline should permeate the breed with health and quality.It should challenge other breeders to raise the bar in thier own program.

(5)IDENTIFYABLE
A bloodline should have its own distinct traits. A bloodline should identify with an ideal standard. A bloodline should create dogs that look like the breed. A bloodline should create dogs that signify the breed so much, when people think of the breed, dogs from that bloodline come to mind.

Irish Jackson

I just finished a pretty good book, and as I read,I take notes and write my own thoughts from it. Here are my notes from one of the chapters.

I believe that breeders who are capable of breeding good dogs who are quality representatives of the breed can operate a successful kennel.IMO, the best breeders have integrity, knowledge, and plainly put: The best dogs. These breeders must also be able to apply this knowledge. Brian Miller said to me the other day " Intellectualism is worthless". Its true. I know many who are smarter than I, but they cannot relate to people and transfer thier knowledge. Ethical breeders are the ones who last. Those who only have ethics when it's convenient will never make a positive impact on the breed.
To me, quality is a by-product of ethics. Your kennel, your website, your paperwork, your language, and your dogs should all mirror quality. You must behave ethically with other breeders, clients, and the dogs themselves. An ethical breeder has zero tolerance for money motivated breeders, animal cruelty, and breeders who do not have enough sense to blow the fuzz off a peanut.
In the Olde game, its like a free for all. Whoever has an Olde, breeds an Olde. Especially if its a desirable color. I have seen more dogs that should be spayed or neutered used in breeding programs this year than ever before. Breeders go along with whatever and pat people on the back because they dont want to "rock the boat". I dont just want to rock the boat, I want to capsize it.
BEING ETHICAL MEANS YOU DO THE RIGHT THING WHEN NO ONE ELSE CAN SEE YOU. Only YOU can protect your good name and kennel reputation. These are not flexible lines we're talking about, they are straight drawn guidelines desgined to make the Olde better, not worse. As breeders, we will face issues we have never thought about before. So if we decide now how to handle these situations, and decide that ethics will be our guide, we will not fail in future issues.
If your stock is not of REAL, LEGITIMATE quality, scrap it and start fresh. There are breeders who will help you. lets raise the bar this year! Lets regain our honor and respect in the dog world by fixing this breed that so many have screwed up!