The Bull Arab is a loyal and friendly breed. But how do you know whether you are ready to purchase a pet and if this breed is right for you? This information is absolutely necessary in making the decision to purchase a pet.
History
The origin of the Bull Arab can be traced back to 1970’s Australia. Breeder Mick Hodgens began experimenting with various breeds in hopes of creating a superior pig herding and driving dog, and eventually the Bull Arab was born. Enthusiasts believe the Bull Arab to have been developed by crossing such breeds as the American Pit Bull Terrier and the American Staffordshire Terrier, though Hodgens is yet to give his secret away.
Throughout its history, the Bull Arab has been most commonly used for hunting and tracking large game, herding and driving pigs, and as a watch and guard dog, proving its superior abilities to work while providing protection and companionship.
Today, while the Bull Arab has attained an underground popularity as a working and companion dog, the breed remains rather rare outside of Australia.
Personality Traits
Best known for its loyal and friendly nature, the Bull Arab thrives on strong and dependable relationships with humans. These dogs are very alert, protective, and territorial, willing to do anything necessary in order to protect their owners and property. The Bull Arab is very intelligent, yet stubborn and overly confident, creating difficulty in training. As a pet, this breed is obedient, loyal, loving, and affectionate. The Bull Arab is not suited for full-time indoor or apartment living, as these active dogs enjoy spending time outdoors.
Train-ability
Due to its stubborn and overly confident attitude, the Bull Arab can prove quite challenging to train. This breed is known for growing bored and even annoyed with repetitive exercises and tasks.
Establishing immediate dominance, trust, and respect is key to successfully training the Bull Arab. These dogs respond best to an experienced, confident, and patient handler with a stern and serious approach.
Benefits and Disadvantages of the Breed
There are many benefits to owning a Bull Arab, such as its no hassle, low maintenance coat. This active breed is always on the go, and often quite amusing and entertaining to watch while at play. When properly socialized from a young age, the Bull Arab gets along well with children and other pets, known for its gentle and sweet approach to small children. These dogs are protective and territorial, making effective watch and guards dogs, by announcing the arrival of guests and unwanted visitors, and serving as a deterrent to would-be intruders. The Bull Arab is obedient, loyal, loving, and affectionate, making an excellent working dog, family pet, and companion alike.
Unfortunately, there are also disadvantages to owning a Bull Arab. These energetic and active dogs require large amounts of daily exercise and room to run and play. Anyone wishing to purchase this breed lacking the adequate amount of time and space to dedicate to the dog is strongly advised against doing so. A Bull Arab not receiving the proper amount of exercise and space will often act out by destroying property, chewing, barking, whining, and ignoring basic training such as housebreaking.
The Bull Arab has a strong instinct to hunt and herd, and will occasionally indulge in a good chase. When on the run, these dogs are very quick, and may pose a threat to other animals, neighborhood pets, and small woodland creatures. The Bull Arab must be leashed or properly secured at all times when outdoors.
As previously mentioned, the Bull Arab remains rather rare outside of its native Australia and can prove difficult to obtain. Individuals seeking to purchase this breed often encounter such challenges as inability to locate a breeder, high prices, and being placed on long waiting lists.
Common Health Concerns
While the Bull Arab is typically known as a healthy and hearty breed, they do suffer from a few health problems, including: epilepsy, primary lens luxation -dislocation of the lens, cataracts, glaucoma, cryptorchidism – failure of one or both of the testicles to fully descend, and bloat.
Now that you know all about the breed, do you think you are ready to own a Bull Arab? Remember, purchasing a pet is a big decision and should be discussed thoroughly and seriously with your entire family.
Sources:
http://www.heydogs.com/b/bull-arab.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/bull_arab
