Bulldogs are known to have entertained English royalty for some 350 years through a cruel sport called bull-baiting, but some sources believe its history may be traced back far deeper into time, to the 5th century in England and a breed called the Alaunt. That now-extinct herd, hunt and war dog of the Alani warriors of central Asia may also have given rise to the English Mastiff; in fact, there was a time when all mastiff-type dogs were called mastiffs, and that included the Bulldog.  It wasn’t until the 17th century that someone referred to the breed we know as the Bulldog by that name.  That someone was Prestwich Eaten.  In 1631, Prestwich wrote a letter to his friend, George Wellingham, asking that George send him a “good Mastive dog,” and some good bulldoggs.” This passage indicates that by this time, there was a clear distinction between a Mastiff and a Bulldog.

Bull And Ball Print by Debra Jones is available as a print here.