Breed standard

This standard draft is a reference and guideline for assessing the dogs from the original project “Healthy Improvement of the English Bulldog breed”. It serves as goal for further breeding and now forms the initial situation for recognising a new breed “Continental bulldog” through the central board of the SKG and thus experiences continuous further development and improvement. This is until approval by the FCI.

COUNTRY OF ORIGIN:
Switzerland

DATE OF PUBLICATION OF THE ORIGINAL STANDARD:

APPLICABILITY:
Companion dog, family dog
CLASSIFICATION FCI:
Group 2 pinchers and schnauzers – Mastiffs – Swiss mountain dogs and other breeds
Section2 Mastiffs, dog-like dogs without working test

BRIEF HISTORICAL SUMMARY:
The European Convention for Breeding and Keeping pets, as well as the new Swiss Animal Protection Act that is under development (in the model Art. 9.2) prohibit “breeding and keeping animals with certain characteristics, especially abnormalities in shape and behaviour…” Due to this, many dog breeds are endangered. The concern that that due to these statutory regulations an ancient form of the house dog would disappear induced the central board of the Swiss Cynological Association (SKG) to agree to a breeding programme for the improvement of the situation of the English bulldog in 2000 and to allow bulldog breeder Imelda Angehrn to crossbreed English bulldogs with Olde English bulldogs and Victorian bulldogs. The objective of these experiments was to create a mid-sized bulldog that above all fulfils the animal protection requirements for a healthy dog. The crossbreeding, however, soon showed that an essential improvement in the health situation of the English bulldog came down to the creation of a new breed in the end, a breed that came close to the original bulldog.

For the purpose of clear differentiation from the English bulldog, the name “Continental bulldog” was chosen for the new breed. The decision to and measures for creating the new breed were met in agreement with the FCI (representatives of the standard and scientific commission). As soon as the requirements of the FCI are fulfilled, the request for recognition should be submitted to the FCI.
GENERAL APPEARANCE:
A short-hair, athletically-built, medium-sized bulldog-type dog. In spite of its thickset shape, the Continental bulldog is versatile and persevering, even when trotting or galloping, it should breathe quietly. Its height at withers should be between 40-46 cm and it should weigh about 22-30 kg. The medium size is to be strived for.
IMPORTANT PROPORTIONS:
Height at withers: depth of chest 2:1
Height at withers: Length of body: 1:1.2
Height at withers: length of withers to the beginning of the tail: 1:1
Depth of chest: length of withers to beginning of tail 1:2
These measurements and proportions are to be seen as guidelines; the all-over impression fo the dog is what prevails. The bulldog characteristic must be kept to.
BEHAVIOUR AND TEMPER:
Alert, confident, friendly, neither aggressive nor shy.
HEAD:
The circumference should be measured around in front of the ears and should not exceed the withers by more than 10%. From the front, the head almost appears to be square with a slight bulge of the zygomatic arch.
FOREHEAD:
The forehead is flat to slightly arched. Wrinkles are not very prominent. From the stop a broad, rather flat furrow should extend up to the middle of the skull. The stop is should be prominent but without deep furrow.
FACIAL BONES:
Nose: The tip of the nose is wide with a prominent furrow. The nostrils are large and well-opened. The nose is always completely black.
Muzzle: Wide and almost square from the front. The bridge of the nose is straight, neither arched nor slanted. Ration to the complete length of head 1:3 (tolerance 1:4). The wrinkles are not too thick on each side of the bridge of the nose. The wrinkle extending from the inner corner of the eye to the corner of the lips must not be too prominent. The lower jaw including the chin is broad and angular. When the muzzle is closed, neither the tongue nor teeth are visible. Prominent chin, not covered by the upper lips at the front.
Lips: The lips should be thick, well and fully pigmented at the edge. They should overlap the lower jaw fully on the side.
Jaw/teeth: Overbite 1-5 mm, tolerance up to 10 mm, dental ridge of upper and lower dental ridge straight and parallel. Strong teeth, firm in the jaw. 6 well-developed incisors placed at regular intervals between the widely spaced canine teeth. PM1 can be missing, M3 are not regarded.
Cheeks: Slightly arched, taught and nice and round.
Eyes: round, facing forward, far apart. Neither sunk in nor extruding. They are at the same height as the stop at 90 degrees to the forehead furrow. Dogs looking forward should show no signs of white (sclera). Iris is dark brown. Well placed and fully pigmented eyelids where possible.
Ears: Placed high, small and thin; the beginning of the ears forms a straight line to the upper skull line. Either rose or button ears.
Rose ears: i.e. they are folded on the back to inside and are held back. The forward edge of the ear falls outwards and to the back, the inside of the external ear is partly visible.
Button ear: tipped forward when alert so that the tip of the ear is more or less at the same height as the outer corner of the eye. When not alert, it lies on the side of the head.
All other shapes of ears as to be seen as incorrect
NECK: Short and strong, but not too short making the head appear to be resting directly on the shoulders. Well arched neckline. Few wrinkles around the throat are allowed.
BODY: The withers are somewhat higher than the lumbar region. The ratio of the complete length of rump to height of withers is 1.2:1.
Upper line: back is short and strong, straight if possible. The length of the beginning of the neck to the beginning of the tail is the same as the height of the withers.
Lumbar region: Seen from above, it is only slightly slimmer than the chest region. The crupper is slightly slanted.
Chest: Depth of chest extending to the elbow is ideally ½ of the height of the withers. The ribcage is large, the ribs arched, the ribcage slants up slightly towards the back.
Lower line: belly gently raised.
TAIL: Placed low as possible, strong, thick at the beginning and gently tapered. Completely haired but no fringes. Ideally reaching down to the ankles. Straight or slightly arched. When calm, it hangs, when moving, it is lifted but not carried over the back. Short and/or deformed tails are incorrect.
LIMBS FORE LEG
Legs: Sturdy and strong, are straight when looked at from the front.
Shoulders: Broad, slanted and muscular. The shoulder blade should rest firmly on the ribcage.
Upper leg: Close to the body and good angle to the shoulder blade.
Elbow: Close to the body.
Pastern: short and strong, only slightly slanted when seen from the side.
Forepaw: Paws are arched, well closed with short nails. Paws turn neither outwards nor inwards.
Hind leg: strong boned and muscular.
Knee: well angled, not turned outwards, parallel when seen from the back.
Ankle: well angled, neither turned outwards nor inwards.
Hind paw: strong, well arched with short nails.
Toenails: required to be very dark.
GAIT: regular, sleek movements, good forward movement of the fore legs, extensive thrust of the hind legs. Ambling and paws shuffling over the ground are nor desired.
SKIN: Elastic without wrinkles on body or legs.
COAT:
Structure of the hair: short, thick, smooth, shiny  coat, not bristly.
Undercoat: Short, thick and fine. Lack of undercoat permitted.
Colour of the hair: All colours with or without black mask. A particular marking is not strived for. The colours brown or blue are not desired.
SIZE:
Height of withers:
Male dogs: 42-46 cm
Bitches: 40-44 cm
Tolerance for both sexes ± 2 cm up or down.
IMPERFECTIONS:
Every deviation from the above-mentioned points must be seen as an imperfection, the evaluation of which must be in exact relation to the degree of deviation.

Slight imperfections:
Distance to ground too short
Circumference of head exceeds height of withers by 10-20%
Bad development of teeth
Overbite 10-25 mm
Blue or birch-coloured eyes
Uneven ears
Short and/or deformed tail
Little thick coat

Gross imperfections:
Aggressiveness, shyness
Breathing noises when standing still
Circumference of head in cm exceeds the height of withers by more than 20%
Entropion/ectropion
Wrinkles overlapping forehead hump
Missing incisors
Missing canine teeth
Missing P3/P4
Missing M1/M2
Incisors or canine teeth visible when mouth closed
Straight ears
Overbite exceeds more than 25 mm
No tail, corkscrew tail or other gross malformation of the tail
Size: Male dogs: >50 cm or < 38 cm
Bitches: > 48 cm or < 36 cm

N.B.
Male dogs must two obviously normally developed testicles that are entirely in the scrotum.
Dogs that have significant physical abnormalities or behavioural disorders must be disqualified.