You’re probably already aware that there are a whole host of names associated with one particular dog breed: the bulldog. Today, we’re going to talk about the olde English bulldog (or bulldogge,) and why it differs from the old English bulldog and the modern bully of today.
Shall we dive straight in?
What are olde English bulldogs mixed with?
Olde English bulldogs, also known as ‘olde English bulldogge’ is a ‘project’ of a dog, in reality – and it’s a breed that has only received official registration in the United States. It is not an official breed here in the UK, and it is not the same breed as the original bullbaiting ‘old English bulldog,’ which is now extinct.
(The bully world is a complicated one; that’s for sure!)
The olde English breed was also known as Leavitt bulldog for a while (or bulldogge,) named after the man who campaigned and engineered to bring the original bully breed back.
Officially, the olde English bulldog is a mix of the following breeds:
- Bulldog
- American bulldog
- Bullmastiff
- Others
The ‘new’ olde English bulldog is a creation of a chap called David Leavitt, from Pennsylvania, and first came about in the early part of the 1970s. Leavitt’s intention was to bring back the “original” bulldog from the 1800s, referred to as ‘Regency Period Bull Baiter,’ so he got to work on breeding in – or out – the newer and dysfunctional features, such as short legs, flat face, lots of wrinkles, and oftentimes, heat sensitivity and serious breathing difficulties.
It took Leavitt several tries to finally breed back the original bulldog traits, and the breed wasn’t officially recognised by the American Kennel Club in the US until 2014.
Olde English bulldogs mixed with bulldogs
Genetic testing on the Leavitt bulldog (which we will use as the name from this point onwards to avoid confusion,) showed that the breed was far healthier than the modern-day wrinkly bully, despite still being at risk of developing or having some of the same medical issues, such as hip or knee dysplasia.
Because of their improved health, Leavitt bullies have been considered the best breed to introduce into English bulldog pools to breed out some of their dysfunctional features. Switzerland has already implemented this, and several breeders have brought together modern-day bulldogs with Leavitt bullies (olde English bulldogge) to create what is now known as the continental bulldog – a much healthier and far less troubled version.
The continental bully, known fondly as ‘Conti,’ is only registered and recognised in Switzerland and not here in the UK. It was first bred in 2001, then officially recognised as a new breed in 2004.
Olde English bulldogges UK
The legislation around bulldog breeds in the UK is complex. Certain breeds, including the olde English/Leavitt and American breeds aren’t recognised, but American XL bullies are banned in the UK, under the Dangerous Dog Act 1991, which was updated in 2024 to also cover XLs.
There is NO breed standard for XL bullies, aside from defined characteristics, features, and dimensions. You can find more information about the specifics right here: Guidance for enforcers: Applying the XL Bully breed type conformation standard.
Several bulldog owners have expressed anxiety online over their dog fitting those banned characteristics and descriptors. This is more so the case when the bulldog is a mixed breed or not ‘traditional’ English bulldog looking.
Due to the American bulldog lineage and the fact that Leavitt (olde English) bulldogs don’t look the same as breed standard English bullies, you might find yourself constantly having to argue your pet’s case against authorities and the general public.
(I, personally, love the XL bully breed. I think they’re beautiful and probably shouldn’t all be tarred with the same brush – but the law is, sadly, the law.)
Olde English bulldogs (Leavitt bulldogs): conclusion
I think we have firmly established that the bulldog world is a confusing one, with lots of names for one dog… and lots of incorrectly used names, too.
The olde English bulldog (or bulldogge) is the Leavitt bulldog – created by David Leavitt to bring back traits (as close as possible) to the original breed. A mix of American bulldog, English bulldog, bullmastiffs, and ‘others.’
Old English bulldogs – original bulldog, likely a mastiff-style breed, now extinct.
English bulldogs – also known as bulldogs or British bulldogs, they are the modern-day bullies that we know and love today.
In the UK, only two dogs are recognised as official bully breeds: [English] bulldog and French bulldog.
The American Kennel Club, on the other hand, has four dogs listed under officially recognised bulldog breeds:
- American bulldog
- French bulldog
- Bulldog [English]
- Bullmastiff [bulldog X mastiff]
I hope that I’ve answered your old English bulldogge questions today, but, as always, please feel free to reach out and contact us with any others you have! We can’t wait to hear from you.
Thanks for stopping by and checking out Planet Bulldog today. We hope you and your pets have a fabulous day!
