Alapaha Blue Blood Bulldog
The Alapaha Blue Blood Bulldog is a rare variety of the Bulldog. This variety originated in the early 19th century in Georgia. The aim of the breeders was to preserve the working plantation dog of Southern Georgia used mainly for guarding the property. This Bulldog variety is nearly extinct, with only about 200 dogs worldwide. This breed has no recognition by major canine associations and kennel clubs. Purebred Alapaha Blue Blood Bulldogs are registered by the ARF (Animal Research Foundation,) APRI (American Pet Registry Inc.,) and ABBA (Alapaha Blue-Blood Bulldog Association.) This breed belongs to the Mastiff group.
The appearance of the Alapaha Blue Blood Bulldog is a little exaggerated. These dogs have a broad head, prominent muzzle, large prominent eyes, and natural drop ears. The tail and ears in this breed are never docked or trimmed. Like all Bulldogs, Alapaha Blue Blood Bulldogs have a short and stiff coat. The preferred coat colors are blue merle, red merle, or brown merle. White and chocolate spots are accepted. The common eye colors are glass, brown, and blue. Some dogs have marble eyes with brown and blue mixed.
The breed standard is not very strict for this breed. The common height of the Alapaha Blue Blood Bulldog is around 24 inches at the withers; the weight varies from 80 to 100 pounds. Males are much larger than females. Large males can be twice as heavy as small females. This breed is hardy and healthy, but due to the limited genetic pool, hereditary problems, such as entropion (inversion of the eyelids) can develop. The life span of the Alapaha Blue Blood Bulldog is longer compared to other Bulldogs – up to 15 years.
The Alapaha Blue Blood Bulldog is an ideal working dog. It’s intelligent, dutiful, easily trainable, and devoted to the family. The common tasks for this breed are guarding the house and protecting the family. There is no need to keep these dogs in a chain, as they are not aggressive and can easily tell a friend from a foe. The Alapaha Blue Blood Bulldog is normally good with children and can be left with them unsupervised.
