History Main / BullyBulldog

'''Meowrice:''' ''(pleading)'' I understand you're feelings, sir, nothing like cats tails for breakfast, but ''(spots Mewsette)'' back there among those barrels is--
''(The bulldog at Meowrice and his goons and attacks them)''

* Butch from the WesternAnimation/ClassicDisneyShorts.

** Subverted with Marc Anthony from ''WesternAnimation/FeedTheKitty''.

This is a DeadHorseTrope now. Bulldogs ''were'' vicious many years ago when they were still bred to fight bulls for sport, hence the name. When this sport was outlawed, bulldogs had their viciousness bred out of them so they could be kept as pets. It's reflected in fiction, too: Modern "mean dogs" are almost always Rottweilers, Pit Bull breeds, Chihuahuas, Doberman Pinschers, and German Shepherds.

This is a DeadHorseTrope now. Bulldogs ''were'' vicious many years ago when they were still bred to fight bulls for sport, hence the name. When this sport was outlawed, bulldogs had their viciousness bred out of them so they could be kept as pets. It's reflected in fiction, too: Modern "mean dogs" are almost always Rottweilers, Pit Bull breeds, Doberman Pinschers, and German Shepherds.

* Bluto's eyepatch-wearing bulldog in the ''{{Popeye}}'' cartoon "Protek the Weakerist" and its remake, "Barking Dogs Don't Fite"

* In the ''Franchise/{{Pokemon}}'' games, Snubbull and Granbull are basically bipedal bulldogs. Both tend to be callous bullies (although in Snubbull's case, they are actually affectionate, much like real bulldogs, and act mean to hide their cowardice), with their most common ability being Intimidate. Funnily enough, Snubbulls are also popular pets among fashion conscious young women -- and as of Gen VI, they're both pure Fairy types.

* The main villain of the ''Anime/{{Doraemon}}'' movie "Nobita and the Haunts of Evil" is a humanoid bulldog named Dafranda. Subverted, however, with Furususu, a much stronger bulldog who is one of the heroes.

* The main villain of the ''Anime/{{Doraemon}}'' movie "Nobita and the Haunts of Evil" is a humanoid bulldog named Dafranda. Subverted, however, with Furususu.

Since a lot of the examples are in cartoons and because of the stubby snout and large jowls, the bulldog was probably used where they wanted what Preston Blair called the "[[TheBrute Heavy Pugnacious Character]]". In many cases, the breed's characteristic features are exaggerated--for example, the lower teeth that protrude slightly from the mouth in many bulldogs may be depicted as full-on tusks.

* While this trope has become a DeadHorseTrope for bulldogs themselves, other bully breeds still play this trope straight. Bullmastiffs descend from the English Bulldog and the English Mastiff, and make impressive guard dogs due to their size and fearlessness. Meanwhile, the Pit Bull breeds were unfortunately bred for dog fighting, and efforts to breed this trait out of them have been far more recent. While Pit Bulls are surprisingly gentle most of the time, dog experts insist never taking it for granted, especially with other dogs.

This trope is prevalent in (but not exclusive to) old cartoons from the [[UsefulNotes/TheGoldenAgeOfAnimation 1940s]] as both Creator/WarnerBros and Creator/{{MGM}} had a surfeit of bulldog characters. Generally they were [[AngryGuardDog vicious guard dogs]] or [[TheBully bullies]], esp. toward [[PickOnSomeoneYourOwnSize cats and smaller dogs]].

Since a lot of the examples are in cartoons and because of the stubby snout and large jowls, the bulldog was probably used where they wanted what Preston Blair called the "[[TheBrute Heavy Pugnacious Character]]".

* Averted with Francis from ''Disney/OliverAndCompany''. A little haughty, but otherwise rather nice. [[BerserkButton Just don't call him Frankie.]]

* ''Disney/LadyAndTheTramp'' has a bulldog on the pound where Lady is taken who averts it. He's not vicious, just a little rough around the edges.

[[quoteright:333:[[WesternAnimation/BadLuckBlackie https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/hv9r2x_621.jpg]]]]
[[caption-width-right:333:[[SignatureLaugh "Heeee-hee-hee-hee-hee!"]]]]

* In the fourth episode of ''Manga/SallyTheWitch'', Cub transforms himself into an angry looking Bulldog... with a cat's body. This causes the triplets to tease him and beat him up, until he turns into a full English Bulldog. They end up confusing him until he runs away.

* Ma-Mutt, Mumm-Ra's beloved pet/guard dog/minion from ''WesternAnimation/ThunderCats''.

* Completely averted with Rubble in ''WesternAnimation/PawPatrol''. While he can be a tad childish at times, it doesn't stop him from being a valuable member of the team.

* Pitts he bulldog in the ''WesternAnimation/{{Bonkers}}'' episode "Dog Day AfterToon."

* ''WesternAnimation/DuckTales2017'' has the Bombie, a monstrous [[ComicBook/{{Batman}} Solomon Grundy]]-esque bulldog man who is cursed to hunt down and destroy the richest person in the world. [[spoiler:That is, unless if the richest person in the world gets a taste of HumblePie.]]

* ''WesternAnimation/DuckTales2017'' has the Bombie, a monstrous [[ComicBook/{{Batman}} Solomon Grundy]]-esque bulldog man who is cursed to hunt down and destroy the richest person in the world.

ZigZagged with Terror from ''ComicBook/TheBoys''. On the one hand, he's a fairly decent dog if you're a friend of the protagonists. On the other hand. . . well, let's just say there aren't many dogs who have been trained to ''have sex with anything that moves on command.''

* Subverted in ''VideoGame/AnimalCrossing''. The two bulldog characters are quite nice and are either cops or guards depending on the game.

* Discussed in ''Literature/{{Doglands}}''. Kinnear, a soft and lazy English bulldog, talks about how bulldogs were once vicious bull-fighters, but the aggression has been bred out of them to make them placid and "perfect" pets. Furgul (a lercher) finds this more pitiful than anything; he loves being a wild and free dog.

This trope is prevalent in (but not exclusive to) old cartoons from the [[UsefulNotes/TheGoldenAgeOfAnimation 1940s]] as both Creator/WarnerBros and Creator/{{MGM}} had a surfeit of bulldog characters. Generally they were [[AngryGuardDog vicious guard dogs]] or [[TheBully bullies]], esp. toward [[PickOnSomeoneYourOwnSize cats and littler dogs]].

* Subverted in ''VideoGame/AnimalCrossing''. The two bulldog characters are quite nice and are either cops o guards depending on the game.