Bull Arab Dog Breed

Below are the characteristics and traits of the bull arab dog breed.

The bull arab is a large sized dog breed with males often exceeding 27 inches in height (from ground to shoulder) and 95 pounds in weight. Unlike many breeds, the bull arab doesn't have a set height and weight, rather the breed's size is supposed to be in proportion with their body.

The bull arab is a kind even tempered dog breed. The breed does well with children and other dogs, but due to their high prey drive they may tend to chase smaller animals and livestock. The breed is bold and overly confident so training is important to keep them out of trouble.

The bull arab is a resilient and active dog breed. Their coat is smooth and short which requires little upkeep. The breed is energetic and will need moderate exercise to keep them from developing unwanted behavior from hyperactivity.

The Bull Arab history is a short one. This crossbred dog was first produced in the early 1970s when an Australian breeder named Mick Hodgens was apparently experimenting with finding a better pig and herding dog. Initially it was thought that American Pit Bull and Staffordshire Terriers were used in the cross-breeding. Hodgens refused to state how the dog was produced, but DNA testing has allowed the "secret" to be revealed: 25% each of Greyhound and either German Short Pointer or English Pointer and 50% English Bull Terrier. A decade or so later, in the early 1980s, Hodgens stopped producing Bull Arabs.

After Hodgens stopped, other breeders stepped in and perfected the dog, making it the top-rated pig-hunting dog in the land down under. It is believed that one breeder in particular, Peter Paulsen, added 1/8th-Bloodhound to sharpen the dog's scent ability as well as increase the stamina and harden the foot pads. Not all Bull Arabs have Bloodhound in them, however, and so you can seek out one with or without the scent hound inheritance.

These days, this hybrid hunting dog is rarely found outside Australia.

The Bull Arab is a medium- to large-sized dog that is bred less for looks than the speed and power required to find, chase and kill wild boars. Nevertheless, a healthy and well-maintained Bull Arab will exhibit a significant appearance. Some will have docked tails but those that don't will have a long one that is late at the base and tapers down to a relatively fine point. The short, sleek and smooth double-coat is perfectly suited for the often hot days in the Australian outback. The dog's coat is highly resistant to the many bugs and parasites that dwell in those regions where they hunt.

These dogs have somewhat bald and slightly mysterious eyes, large ears that droop and a very strong head overall. That strong head and set of shoulders is connected — with a slightly arched neck that indicates fiercely coiled potential energy — to a sturdy, tall and muscular body. This finely balanced dog will have rear legs that are clearly meant for long bursts of fast running as well as digging in when it gets hold of its prey.

There tends to be a high demand for the liver nose Bull Arab, but other than the coat (and nose) color, this doesn't appear to be a variation of the Bull Arab so much as a highly sought coat color.

The number of variations of Bull Arab tends to be anywhere from three to five. Save for outright size and a feature or two, these variations may be minute to all but those who breed and use Bull Arabs for pig hunting.

The "original" Bull Arab was later basically split into two variations: those in New South Wales (NSW) that are a bit bigger due to having had English Mastiff bred into them and those in Queensland (QSD) that had Bloodhound introduced to the bloodline. The NSW variety were made larger (and had their tails docked) to deal with the region's Mountain Pigs whereas the QSD sort were made to have a better scent ability. A further split in the QSD variety is said to be those known as Paulsen Bull Arabs and those called Fortini Bull Arabs.

There are also those that remain the originally produced variety, but these seem to be in short supply as they are believed to be inferior to the later-produced varieties described above.

The Bull Arab temperament is a tremendous one. This somewhat inadvertent hybrid dog is rarely found outside of Australia. They are high-energy working dogs that require a lot of specific training to curb the dog's extremely strong hunting instincts.

If you are determined to adopt a Bull Arab, however, it should also be noted that these dogs — if trained and socialized precisely, carefully and from very early on — can be wonderful family pets. Despite their drive to hunt, they are remarkably calm dogs when not on the trail of wild boars or errant sheep. They maintain an even temper (until they get the scent of wild game), and if you are not prepared for this scenario, a Bull Arab may not be the dog for you.

In the hands of expert dog trainers, they can be top-notch search-and-rescue dogs. Those of you who have experience with dogs but may not be professional trainers may still be able to enjoy this dog's versatility (and companionship alongside that) as a watch- and guard dog, unending stamina and desire to play until the cows come home!

Below are health issues and concerns most common in Bull Arabs