An English Bulldog doesn't do anything in a hurry. The rolling walk, the long sigh as they lower themselves onto the floor, the snore you could hear from upstairs: everything about them was solid and unbothered. They sat on your feet as if to stop you leaving, and when a walk was over, it was over, wherever you happened to be standing.
The breed's history is rougher than the dog you knew. Bulldogs were bred for bull-baiting until it was banned in 1835, and the breed was rebuilt by fanciers into the gentle, stubborn house dog most people own now. The British have used them as a picture of grit ever since, which owners find funny, because theirs was scared of the hoover.
Each Small Goodbyes portrait comes in oil, watercolour, charcoal, line or pastel, with a free preview before you pay, and is made to order for your Bulldog. If a friend has lost their Bulldog, see our dog memorial gifts.
| Kennel Club group | Utility |
|---|---|
| Life expectancy at birth, UK | 7.4 years (Royal Veterinary College, 2022) |
| Coats you see most | brindle, fawn, red, white, and pied (white with patches) |
| Styles that suit | oil for the weight and the folds; pastel for fawn and red |
A shorter life than they deserved
Bulldogs don't live as long as most dogs. In the Royal Veterinary College's study of UK dogs, life expectancy at birth was about seven and a half years, against eleven for dogs overall. Their flat faces make breathing hard work, especially in warm weather, and many owners spent years managing it: the short walks, the cool floor, the nights listening to them breathe. If you're grieving one now, you probably lost them younger than you hoped, and the care you gave counts for a great deal.
What owners remember
The underbite and the little teeth showing. The wrinkle that needed wiping every day. The flat refusal to go any further on a walk, ending with them sitting down on the pavement until you gave in. The head pressed against your shin while you cooked. And the snoring, which you complained about for years and would now give anything to hear again.
Choosing the photo
Bulldogs are wide, so a photo taken front-on and at their level, crouching down to their height, shows them best. Daylight matters more than usual, because deep wrinkles throw dark shadows under a ceiling light or flash. A photo where the tongue is just showing tends to be the one families choose, because it's the face they saw every day.
Which style suits a Bulldog
Oil gives a Bulldog the weight and softness of the folds. Pastel suits fawn and red coats and makes a gentle picture for a bedroom or hallway. Line drawing works for a strong, simple outline if you want something more modern.
If it has only just happened, the first few days are covered on our dog memorial portraits page, and there are words for the card on what to write in a pet sympathy card.