Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1902-03-13
The Bulldog is Strong.

IN point OI slIeuBtu, teusSA'J
endurance no animal in the world
can compare, size for size, with a we'll
set-up bulldog. Its fighting qualities
are, of course, proverbisl. Most peO-
pie, however, only know its exploits
from the pictures in the comic papers.
Anyone who will take the trouble to
examine the peculiar equipment OF
one of these powerful little engines
will end by hsvinga greatly increased
respect for its qualities, says the New
York World
The enormous strength Of the bull
dog lies not so much in the size of lie
muscles as in their arrangement.
Years of careful breeding have devel-
oped great layers of muscles where
they may be used to the best possible
bulldog advantage.
Compared with most dogs bulldog
may be said to be deformed. The
head, shoulders and forelegs have
been developed at the expense of the
rest of the body so far as symmetry Is
concerned. 1t would almost seem
that the breeders had gone out of their
way to produce as ugly a specimen OF
dogAesh as possible.
A bulldog, of course. never runs
away. There is no object, therefore,
in growing legs on him which would
give him speed. His appearance, on
the contrary, suggests batterlngrsm.
The muscles seem to be placed on the
legs for pulling, not for propelling the
body. In extreme cases We hud the
bulldog bowlegged, which gives great
er power to drag heavy objects or to
resist being dragged. The shortne's
of the legs, by bringing the body as
near as possible to the ground, also
suggests great stability. In training
bulldog it is found that all super
auous flesh disappears more quickly
than in the case of other dogs, and
that bulldog in condition carries less
superhuous weight than any other
breed.
The heaviest layers of muscles are
laid on the bulldogs head and neck.
The efficiency of "a fighter is, of course,
measured principally by his quickness
and the strength Of his jaws. Every
well-set-up dog, it will be found, has
thick bunch of muscles at the side OF
its jaws. In any other breed Of dogs
this abnormal development would be
considered deformity. 1t is this
powerful little group Of muscles which
given the Jaw it's vise-like grip. The
form of the Jaw is particularly well
adapted to the work it is called upon
to do. 1t is long and broad and set
with unusually heavy teeth.
The two long teeth which help to
give the bulldog its ferocious appear
auce are also very valuable weapons.
They serve, as it were, to lock up the
vise-like jaws when they are once
closed upon an object.
The most powerful muscles in the
entire frame of the bulldog are those
which control the jaws. In case the
prey, whatever it may be, clips from
this grip, it is certain to be caught
and held by the interlocking teeth IN
the front of the jaw.
Almost any bulldog, whether in or
out of condition, can support its own
weight by the grip Of its jaws. The
marvellous tenacity Of this grip is
largely due to its ability to hold its
own weight by the grip Of its front
teeth.
Even the young bull pup can lift
its own weight by the grip Of its jaws.
AS the dog grows this grip becomes
30 strong that bulldog may be swung
and jerked about violently without
disturbingits hold.
The muscle, come to maturity about
the fourth year. A bulldog is con-
sidered capable of doing its best fight
ing in its fifth and sixth years.
The average life Of a bulldog is IA
years.
CraaL aLing of rOetrv we alyayg like