French Bull Dane

The creation of the French Bull Dane would not be possible without the existence of the Great Dane and the French Bulldog. The latter is a descendant of the toy English Bulldog, which hit a peak popularity in England during the 1850s and 1860s. Lacemakers in Nottingham of the English midlands were especially fond of the breed, and many brought their dogs with them from England to France. This is where the dogs were crossed with more breeds, and also where they were given their name. They became popular pets among people of all lifestyles, from rural landowners to wealthy city women. They were used as companions and watchdogs, and became extremely popular when the French Bulldog Club of America, which was founded in 1897, hosted a specialty show in 1898. The event took place in New York at the Waldorf Astoria ballroom. The breed had a decrease in numbers during World War I and even more during the Great Depression. However, the breed survived and was favorited again in the 1980s and 1990s. It is unknown for sure when the Great Dane first came into existence, but their ancestors are thought to have been around for thousands of years. Some drawings from Egyptian monuments of a dog breed that resembles the Great Dane date back to around 3000 B.C., and some written documents describing the breed were discovered in Chinese literature in 1121 B.C. The Irish Wolfhound and English Mastiff are thought to be the ancestors of these large dogs. This breed was used to hunt European wild boar in Germany, which was the perfect job for these brave and tenacious dogs. They were also a very popular choice for large estate guard dogs and companion pets among German nobility. In 1876, the breed was given the title of National Dog of Germany. They have different names around the world, being known as Alano in Italy, meaning “mastiff”, and are called Deutsche Dogge by German fanciers. The Deutsche Dogge Club of Germany was founded in 1891, and the breed was introduced to the United States by the mid-1800s. These dogs were officially recognized as a breed in the American Kennel Club in 1887, and the Great Dane Club of America, which was called the German Mastiff Club of America for the first two years, was created in 1889.