Iago and his siblings came to us from a rescue in Georgia. Iago was adopted several months ago but his adoptive family doesn't have the time to spend with him. This is what they said about him:
He pretty much needs to be walked every time he is let out of the crate. After he pees he knows to sit right away and then shake and then we give him a treat, and the same for when he goes #2. He is very good in his crate and goes right in when you ask him to, and enjoys a treat when he is in there. He is good with cats and dogs as long as the other animals like to play. He is a very playful dog and likes to jump and playfully bite the other animal so I wouldn't suggest a small dog. I have never heard him bark at another animal when playing, walking, or even at the dog park. I took him to petsmart and a bunch of little kids wanted to pet him and he just sat there and let them, no barking or anything. :) He knows sit, shake, and stay. He pulls on a leash, but we have tried to train him to walk next to us. After a few tugs he gets the point. As soon as he is let out of his cage you must be there with a treat and while he is eating the treat the collar needs to go right around him and taken outside or he usually pees from excitement. After his bathroom break he likes to run and he is just full of energy running all over the house into each bedroom. Since we live in a small home and are very busy he does not get the exercise he needs at all. He needs a family that is home a lot and will play with him and let him out a lot, along with patience. He wakes up pretty much every morning at 6am and will start barking if he is not taken outside. He may bark a little when he is put in the crate and hears you in the living room. We tell him to be quiet firmly and that usually calms him down. He is a very loving and sweet dog and needs lots of attention. I think being in a house with another dog would be good if the dog is his size and the house is big for them to play and chase each other. He is a very rambunctious puppy.
According to www.dogbreedinfo.com, early Bulldogs were used in the bloody sport of bull bating. Some of these dogs emigrated with their masters from England to America. Eventually the English Bulldog was bred down in size and his personality was softened, but the American version remained a larger, fiercer dog. The American version has longer legs and more speed and agility than the English show dog. Thanks to the efforts of John D. Johnson of Summerville, Georgia the American Bulldog exists today. After he returned from WW II he was disappointed to find that, like the English Mastiff, they were almost completely extinct. He then decided to gather the best he could find from all across the rural south and bring them back from the brink of extinction. He has been breeding these dogs longer than anyone else in the world and his father bred them before him. He is an old man now (in his 80's) and these dogs have always existed in his family. He is the sole reason why they exist today. If it were not for his efforts they surely would be gone. He has been breeding them non-stop since then. The American Bulldog has also been used as a guard and in hunting bear, wild boar, squirrel and raccoon. They have even been trained to drive cattle and guard stock from predators. Farmers prize these dogs for their stamina, protectiveness, intelligence and working abilities. Some of the American Bulldogs talents are hunting, watchdogging, tracking, weight pulling, and guarding. An American Bulldog should never be confused with uniquely different breeds such as the American Staffordshire Terrier or the American Pit Bull Terrier. The American Bulldog is a brave and determined, but not hostile dog. Alert and self-confident, this breed genuinely loves children. It is known for its acts of heroism towards its master. These dogs have fought wild dogs, bulls and even fire. It is said "fighting off one of these dogs is like fighting an animal that possesses an alligator's head and a python's body." Yet when called off by their handler, they immediately obey. No wonder they are said to have "true grit, true devotion and true love." Because of its strong protective instincts, the American Bulldog should be well-socialized and obedience trained at an early age. Some may be aggressive with other dogs and reserved with strangers. They need to be around people to be truly happy. This breed tends to drool and slobber. They have a life expectancy of up to 16 years.
