Introduction to Us

Bossy's Bulldogs is a small kennel located near Portland, Oregon who raises American Bulldogs. We are dedicated to promoting the breed in our area and preserving the historical look, appeal and ability of the breed. We believe that American Bulldogs should work, be able to breathe, move well and handle hot and cold climates equally. Thus, the Pacific Northwest is an amazing environment to work our dogs in!

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Our primary focus and goal is always to have, keep and offer American Bulldogs that can work a hog or cattle or defend their home from a burglar or coyote and then turn around and lick the face of their children. We here at Bossy's Bulldogs have four kids of different ages plus all of their friends, cousins and and neighbors, that all of our dogs are in constant contact with and are expected to behave properly. If our dogs ever were untrustworthy with our children, we would not keep them around!

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A bit about the breed's history... 

Original American Bulldogs are an "American heritage breed" in my opinion. I liken this to the Livestock Conservancy and their list of chickens, ducks, rabbits, goats and other livestock which they prioritize based on the current reported numbers. American Bulldogs actually helped build this country - think of Jack the brindle bulldog in Little House on the Prairie, Petey on Little Rascals and Butch the Brindle Bulldog from Disney. Though they didn't really look the same and none were bred with any appearance in mind, they all were the descendants of English or Old English Bulldogs that had traveled across the Atlantic with their masters. 

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These dogs were not fancy and were not owned by the wealthy; instead, bulldogs of the past were owned by the working class who needed their dogs for a specific purpose. In the South, bulldogs were used for just that - bulls. They helped move the cattle and handle the bulls for the ranchers and farmers. They didn't just stop there - because they were the working class, they needed their dogs to be used for many purposes as they could not afford the luxury of many dogs for many purposes. Thus, the real bulldog was born. One who knew friend from foe, chased away burglars or predators, pulled small carts, kept vermin and unwanted pests out, helped hunt, dealt with boars and other problem animals, and yet still was friendly and loving with the family. 

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They were not the "pretty" dogs and were never shown, thus they are new to the AKC and other registries. American Bulldogs were used for any and every reason by farmers, ranchers and working people, but no one ever established a breed or standard. When the World Wars broke out, the American Bulldogs almost went extinct entirely because, again, no one was officially breeding them. Thankfully for them and for us, two men looked around and decided that they needed to save the breed that they had grown up with and had seen on all of the family farms around them. Their names were John D. Johnson and Alan Scott. 

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Now although they were trying to save the same original breed, again, it was not a "breed" and each of these men had a slightly different dog in mind. Johnson was from the Delta area and liked a big, bulky bulldog and is commemorated as liking "the bigger, the better!" Scott was from a bit different part of the country and liked a lighter, more athletic-typed dog. This is where our big struggle with the breed starts, because we have people passionate about both "types" yet trying to keep them both under the same name. At this point, they are considered the same breed but either the "Bully" or Johnson-type or the "Standard" or Scott-type. They have been tentatively accepted by the AKC as a historical breed that is being worked on, but not an official breed, called "Foundation Stock." This means it is basically a breed in progress, but they are recognizing its historical presence. 

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Currently, American Bulldogs have many different registry agencies including AKC, NKC, ARBA, ABA, ABR and more. At this point, we are dual registered with the NKC and ARBA. 

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Back to Us

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Today, we keep Hybrid and Bully type American Bulldogs. Hybrid means that they are a cross between the two types. We have chosen to primarily focus on Hybrids, which technically can be shown under either category, due to their health quality being greater than those of most bully-types. However, we love the bully type and our studs tend to be bulkier. 

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Echoing the above, our dogs must be good with our family. We keep chickens, ducks, rabbits and have cats. We honestly have struggled with our younger dogs and small animals, which takes training to stop their instincts to chase and kill. With time and training, they become great livestock guardian dogs as they get older. However, our venture into pigs was short as they proved to be amazing boar dogs!

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If you are looking for a guard dog that will keep your family and property safe but you have kids they need to be safely around, look no further than Bossy's Bulldogs! Our main man, Dozer, is the epitome of a wonderful guard dog and passes this trait onto each of his kids. He is well-proven and we have had nothing but compliments and gratitude from our puppies' new homes!

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Our American Bulldogs are well-rounded, loving, family-oriented, healthy, and true to their breed in every way. They prove to be "the doggiest of dogs!"