PRESENTED BY
THE DOMESDAY BOOK OF DOGS
The Bulldog.
"The Bull-dog is indisputably of British origin, and has never been permanently introduced into any other country. In brute courage and unyielding tenacity of purpose he stands unrivalled among quadrupeds....I believe that every breed of dog possessed of very high courage owes it to a cross with a Bull-dog. He is not only the most courageous dog, but the most courageous animal in the world."
John Henry Walsh (Stonehenge) 1810 - 1888
An arbite, Dwarf versus Bulldog, Hanley, Staffordshire. 1874.
"There was no need to encourage the red eyed ' Physic' (the dog) ; he was too eager for the fray. He did not bark, but he was frenzied with passion to that degree that tears trickled down his blunt nose, and his gasping became each moment more shrill and hysterical. He needed no urging on for the first 'Round' at all events. As soon as the umpire called 'let go', the dirty, glaring, furious brute sprang forward with an impetuosity that caused the last link of its chain to click with a ringing sound against the staple which held it. The dwarf (Brummie), however, was not to be stormed and defeated all in a moment. Once the ghastly fight began, there was a dire fascination in it; and I now noted closely the combat. The man was on all-fours when the words 'Let go' were uttered, and making accurate allowance for the length of the dog's chain, he arched his back catwise, so as just to escape its fangs, and fetched it a blow on the crown of its head that brought it almost to its knees. The dog's recovery, however, was instantaneous, and before the dwarf could draw back ' Physic' made a second dart forward, and this time its teeth grazed the biped's arm, causing a slight red trickling. He grinned scornfully, and sucked the place; but there was tremendous excitement among the bull-dog's backers, who clapped their hands with delight, rejoicing in the honour of first blood. The hairy dwarf was still smiling, however, and while Dan'l held his dog, preparatory to letting it go for 'Round 2', he was actually provoking it as much as he could, 'hissing' at it, and presenting towards it the bleeding arm. The animal, flushed possibly with his first success, made for its opponent in a sudden leap, but the dwarf leapt forward too, and smote the bull-dog such a tremendous blow under the ear as to roll it completely over, evidently bewildering it for a moment, and causing it to bleed freely, to the frantic joy of the friends of the man-beast. But they in turn were made to look serious, for with astonishing energy 'Physic' turned about, and with a dash was again at the dwarf, and this time contrived to fix its teeth in one of his hairy arms, a terrible gash appearing as the man snatched the limb out of his ravenous jaws. The bull-dog was licking his lips, and had fewer tears in his eyes as his master drew him back. As for the dwarf, he retired to his corner for a whet of brandy and a moment's comforting with the towel. He was ready and smiling again, however, for 'Round 3', and this time it was a fight in earnest, the dog worrying the man, and the man dealing it terrific blows on the ribs and on the head with those sledge-hammer fists, till in the end both the man's arms were bleeding, and a horribly cheerful business was going on behind the ropes at 2 to 1 on 'Physic'. But let me make short work of the ensuing seven 'Rounds,' which in some of their details were so shocking that more than once I would have left the place if I could. The company generally, however, were made of far less sensitive stuff. The more furious the ghastly fight the keener was their relish for it, and in their excitement they leant over each other's shoulders and over the rope, and mouthed and snarled and uttered guttural noises when a good hit or snap was made, just as the dog and the dwarf were doing. By the time 'Round 10' was concluded, the bull dog's head was swelled much beyond its accustomed size; it had lost two teeth, and one of its eyes was entirely shut up ; while as for the dwarf, his fists, as well as his arms, were reeking, and his hideous face was ghastly pale with rage and despair of victory. Fate was kind to him, however. In ' Round 11, the bull-dog came on fresh and foaming with awful persistence of fury, but with desperate strength the dwarf dealt him a tremendous blow under the chin, and with such effect that the dog was dashed against the wall, where, despite all its master could do for it, for the space of one minute it lay still, and the wretch who had so disgraced what aspect of humanity was in him was declared the victor". - James Greenwood, special correspondent to The Daily Telegraph, 1874. Via Trove
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| Early 19th century bulldog by Lieut.-Col. Chas. Hamilton - Smith. |
Human baiting in Hanley.
Richard Ault. 2017.
Lion bating in Warwickshire
Arbeit in the Potteries
Chapter one of Low-Life Deeps by James Greenwood, 1876.
Our debt to the dog: how the domestic dog helped shape human societies.
Bryan D. Cummins. Carolina Academic Press. 2013.
The natural history of dogs : canidae or genus canis ...
Lieut.-Col. Chas. Hamilton - Smith. Publisher Edinburgh, W. H. Lizars.
Arbites, Dog Fights and Bestiarii.
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