Bull Arab Information & Dog Breed Facts

Appearance

They are medium to large-sized dogs with a height from 61-69 cm and a weight of 30-45 kg. Most of them are white with spots of every type and color imaginable since there is no standard for their allowed appearance rather than the white coat dominating the body.

History

In 1970 a breeder named Mike Hodgens set this dog breed to be an amazing pig hunter. Back in that era, there weren’t many breeds specialized for wild pig hunting in Australia. As of in the US there were already a couple of dogs for this purpose such as the Blue Lacy and the Catahoula Leopard Dog that lived in Texas and Louisiana. But Mike wished to breed a new dog that fits the landscape of Australia and did not wish to use the dogs already in existence for hunting wild pigs. The first generation of Bull Arab was made of 50% English Bull terrier, 25% Greyhound, and 25% German Shorthaired Pointers (some suspect rather English Shorthaired Pointer). This combination gave the breed incredible speed, quick decision-making abilities, and tracking ability. These amazing dogs could track a wild pig from 6kms away.

As the Bull Arab became more popular at their job of managing wild pig populations, Hodgens crossed the breed with Bloodhounds and Mastiffs. Despite the efforts of standardizing the breed, backyard breeders really fancied this dog, making it hard to find a “real” Bull Arab. Another issue was their reputation because it is considered to be controversial to hunt wild pigs in Australia and because of the backyard breeders, many of the dogs developed aggressive traits. Despite the hard road to people's hearts, many Australians decided to go with this dog, using them for hunting, on farms, or as a family companion.

Personality

Despite the above-mentioned bad reputation of aggression, many owners will tell you otherwise. This could also be because breeders are now focused to make Bull Arabs more friendly and compassionate. As long as they are socialized and trained from a young age within a calm and friendly environment, they will turn out as amazing family pets. They are amazing working dogs at their heart but they balance family mode and working mode amazingly. When it is time to work there are more focused breeds. Nothing can tune them out, no distractions work for them.

They are fearless, powerful, and dedicated. Because they come from sighthounds and tracking breeds they constantly look out for prey. That can make them suit families without small animals such as cats, rabbits, and other rodents if not socialized from puppy age. It’s better to keep them on a leash or in closed areas because even with good recall training their instincts can overpower their owner's commands.

Their personality makes for a good guard dog which alerts immaculately when they sense danger but when they see a stranger is welcome by their owner they let their guards down if well socialized. They are known to be calm and friendly around people in general. We also need to mention that it can be a bit of a challenge for them to be around other dogs.

They can develop dog aggression which owners need to correct from a very young age. Enough said in today's age it is still hard to find a true Bull Arab since they are often crossed with other breeds such as Great Danes or Rhodesian Ridgebacks. It is best to find out as much as possible from the breeder of their background and even if all steps are done, we all know even within a breed the dog's personality can vary.

Training and Exercise

They can thrive when they have enough activities and exercise so it is best for them to be kept as indoor and outdoor dogs meaning they have a backyard for themselves throughout the day and a warm place or kennel inside for the night. As above mentioned socialization is number one for this breed from an early age. They need plenty of opportunities to meet various dogs and people whilst growing up. It is also important for every dog to let them stay with their mothers at least till they are 8 weeks old because they learn their mother's mannerisms and they get the best lessons as a part of a pack.

They enjoy positive reinforcement training, if trained harshly they can become stubborn and not willing to work with their owner. If you are not experienced with training dogs, remember it is always a good idea to call for help from an official licensed Dog Trainer. If given enough space and exercise they will be happy and content and calm without an issue.

Grooming

Their grooming is one of the easiest tasks for their owners. Brushing through their coats once a week and occasional bathing is the only thing you need to do to keep them happy and your house clean.

Health

They are known to have a long life span which could be maintained with a healthy balanced diet and vet visits yearly if nothing is out of the ordinary. Your dog will likely let you know if something is wrong. There are some illnesses you need to look out for though:

• Epilepsy,
• Bloating,
• Allergies Cataracts could be the most common within the breed.
• Dysplasia should always be considered when it comes to larger breeds.

Conclusion

If you would like to have a unique breed that is family-friendly and an amazing partner in both your home life and on your hunting trips this dog is for you. If you have an active life and past experience with hunting dogs the Bull Arab could be your match made in Heaven.