The struggle for recognition of colored Bull Terriers
After the development and
establishment of the breed standard, a serious debate flared up
around the colored Bull
Terriers, particularly white dogs, born from colored
parents. Colored Bull Terriers gained special popularity
in England. In 1919 Bull
Terrier "Bing Boy" of brindle white color became the
first possessor of Challenge Certificate. For the first time
Champion title gained brindle white female in 1931. Only in 1935
brindle white male gained the Champion title.
Some of the breeders of full white Bull Terriers became aware of increasing
popularity of colored dogs. They were afraid that interbred
offspring, got from colored and white parents, coupled with
their white breeder will lead to disappearance of full white
dogs and development of defects which they were escaping so many
years. They were so afraid of this possible problem, that Bull Terrier Club was
cooperative and made amendments into the membership terms as
follows: "Members of the Club pledge themselves not to use white
breeders got from brindle dogs as proband of white dogs, as well
as dog breeders and owners commit themselves to inform the
customer of possible problems and difficulties, that may appear
while purchasing a white puppy with colored parents." In 1935 Bull Terrier Club took these
colored dogs on their limited liability.
The USA followed England and recognized colored type of Bull Terrier breed in 1934.
In the same year, R. Wallace Mallison imported first two colored
dogs - black color female and brindle male. They were mated and
thus appeared the first offspring of American breeding.
Brindle-black puppy of this litter became a Champion later on.
The breeding of colored dogs was followed by lots of
disputes. People made different forecasts about beneficial
effect of colored dogs on full white one, as well as
disappearance of inherent for this breed diseases like deafness,
blue eyes and lots of other malformations. The breeders of white
Bull Terriers had
another opinion and firmly followed it, especially when they saw
that imported colored Bull
Terriers had been advertised so intensively, though
their look was far from satisfactory. American breeders were
against mating of white and colored dogs, as they considered
that it will influence on the dog's intelligence. High demand on
colored Bull Terriers only proved that they were right.
Colored dogs have participated in a show for all dog breeds
for the first time in one Class with white dogs in Westminster Kennel Club in
1936, held in New York. On Westminster show in 1937 they were
assigned separate Class. Few American Breeders have made out any
advantages of colored dogs appeared on that show for the first
time.
Thus, the breed standard was amended immediately, prescribing
disqualification of any Bull
Terrier, that had colored spots. Any dog expert giving
preference to the colored dog instead of white one, was
immediately declared a boycott, as he was considered to be
announcing a winner, the dog that deserves disqualification.
In 1937 English Bull
Terrier Club forbade to give any awards to white dogs
of colored origin, and this ban hold up until 1950.
Same year, the English Bull
Terrier Club has established a new Stud Book for white dogs.
Beginning from the first mating of James Hinks' and other
breeders' dogs, none of the registered dogs had colored parents.
In 1950, when everything was settled down, Kennel Club approved a new
rule of registration of white dogs, thus it stated that white
dogs should not have colored ancestors in three generations.
