sounds like you have a pet quality bullie.. and there isn't anything wrong with that unless you are thinking about showing.. but they could just be going thru a growth change...

Unfortunately, you seem to be an optimistic person and that is good...but as far as standard most reputable breeders only breed to meet this criteria, and it is either present or it is not. Bottom line puppies get put down for too many hemi's for cleft palates and the like, you are breeding to at minimum four generations on each side each time you sire a dam. This elongated dog you are describing sounds like the American Bulldog which is a breed created to try and recapture what some feel were original aspects of the Bulldog as a species. Either way it is about love FIRST...and every thing else after. So enjoy your dog and don't compare him to others because like people you will find better specimens of the breed or even worse. The best thing is to read the standard and understand it, and even that WILL NOT GUARANTEE YOU A PERFECT DOG FREE FROM DEFECTS CURRENTLY OR IN THE FUTURE.

A longer neck and a more slender body doesn't imply it isn't a real Bulldog. Within the Bulldog there are a lot of types, depending on genetics, judging and fashion.

This dog may have simply not fully developed. Some dogs take years to grow into a nice example of the breed. A lot of exercise may be the cause of this, or bad food, or just genetics.

Even a champ.line may produce "bad" puppies, and a line of unknown dogs may produce a beautifull healthy dog. If you are in doubt, let a Bulldogbreeder, or a judge have a look at your dog.

But how is his character, his behaviour, his health? Even if you have a superchamp, you can show him for two or three years, but a dog with a lovely character and good health you can have for 10 years (if you are lucky). Good looks are nice, but character and health are much more important.

Hi George, I'm no expert nor a breed judge, but I have had bulldogs for over 27 years, have bred 6 litters and now do rescue for my local breed club. Many of the dogs we see coming thru rescue are "pet-quality" similar to the description you provided. They are pure-blood bulldogs, they just should not have been bred because they do not carry the genes of highest quality to demonstrate the unique build of The Bulldog. It does NOT diminish their individual ability to be a loving devoted pet to you, and a few would argue that these longer leaner bulldogs are better built to withstand the rigors of life. That may indeed be a valid argument, but it doesn't respect the tenets of the reputable Bulldog Breeder, which should be to create (as much as possible) dogs that strive for the Standard, are the best of the best.

One way to measure, and this is not full-proof, is to examine not only the dam and sire of the litter you are considering purchasing, but to look at the pedigree of both these 'parents'. If there are all or almost all "Champion=CH" designations preceeding the names of the three most-recent generations, then this bloodline has demonstrated not only a consistance of form that has been critically evaluated in competition, it is able to reproduce that form in successive generations.

There are many who want to become bulldog breeders, for a variety of reasons, some valid and some not in my own view. They will breed the female they own with another available male bulldog. Both of these dogs can be AKC-registered, but are they a really good example of the breed, and how much health history do we know about the previous generations, or other litters that they may have produced? To someone serious about beginning a breeding program, they would be best advised to find a willing breeder-mentor who will sell (or co-own) a "good" bitch, breed to a recognized proven stud, and begin under the guidance and help of someone with many years in the bulldog circle. Starting out on one's own is quite risky, and those who sell "guaranteed show pups" are frauds, for no reputable breeder that I know of will guarantee that any particular pup will mature as worthy of showing...they can certainly 'up the odds' but selective breeding as I mentioned above (using the best bitch to an accomplished stud) but each dog has to mature and be evaluated all along the way.

OK, I'm off my soapbox now. Kisses to your pup!