More than most other breeds, the bulldog’s character and personality are often misunderstood; even their intelligence is sometimes questioned. Of course, like in all breeds, individuals differ greatly, but bulldogs are not agressive guard dogs nor are the lazy couch potatoes that many people have in mind. The attributes that best describe a bulldog are faithful, affectionate, docile, friendly, dependable, compassionate, protective, intelligent, devoted and fiercely loyal. All these attributes are found in a unique balance in each bulldog, the joy of discovery and helping shape your puppy into the perfect companion for you is the first chapter in your life with a buldog. These are noble and wonderful dogs for those who value and care for them, they can be the "pet of a lifetime".
If a prize was to be awarded for companionship, among all breeds, the winner would without a doubt be the bulldog. Their special talent in life really is companionship. To a bulldog their family is their life and they are totally forgiving and loving when it comes to their people; they are wonderful clowns and will do anything to make you laugh. They are absolutely wonderful with children and they are also very sensitive to your moods. They will be delighted for you when you are happy and will be still and compassionate when you grieve; they are truly companions in every sense of the word.
Part of their charm is that they look so tough but aren’t at all. Nevertheless, most Bulldogs are brave and will guard and defend their people if they think they are being threatened. Bulldogs are conscious of their strength and therefore very self-assured. They are also very intelligent and ponder their decisions and evaluate each situation in order to act in the most appropriate way. This being said, to call bulldogs lazy or stubborn is a bit restrictive, what appears as laziness or stubbornness is in fact an incredible capacity to prioritize. A bulldog will never jump at your every command. They will evaluate each of your commands or invitations against his/her own priorities before deciding whether this is a good thing to do and how urgently this action should be accomplished.
The web site for the Bulldog of Club of America the American Kennel Club are great resources offering information, photos and lots of interesting reading on Bulldogs. The sites may be found at: http://www.thebca.org/ and http://www.akc.org/