Blue Paul Terrier
Encyclopedia
Blue Paul Terrier is an extinct breed
of dog
.
. They had a smooth coat and were powerfully built. They weighed about 20 kg and measured up to 50 cm at the withers
. The head was large; the forehead was flat, muzzle short and square, large and broad but not receding like that of the Bulldog
. The jaws and teeth were even with no overchanging flews. They had a slight dip between the eyes, which were dark hazel and not sunken, prominent, nor showing haw
. The ears were small, thin, set on high, and invariably cropped, and the face was not wrinkled. The eyebrows contracted or knit. The facial expression of the Blue Paul has never been seen in any other breed and can frequently be recognized in mixed-breed dog
s. The body was round and well ribbed up, its back short, broad, and muscular but not roached, and its chest deep and wide. The tail was set low and devoid of fringe, rather drooping and never rising above the back. The dog stood straight and firmly on its legs. Its forelegs were stout and muscular, showing no curve. The hind legs were very thick and strong, with well-developed muscles. The colour was dark blue
as can be seen in Greyhounds; however, they sometimes produced brindle
s or reds, which were known as red smuts in Scotland
.
, the Scottish born American sailor, brought them from abroad and landed some when he visited his native town of Kirkcudbright
about 1770. The Gypsies around the Kin Tilloch district kept Blue Pauls, which they fought
for their own amusement. They were game to the death and could suffer much punishment. They were expert and tricky in their fighting tactics, which made them great favorites with those who indulged in this sport. They maintained that the breed originally came from the Galloway
coast, which lends support to the Paul Jones legend. The first dogs to arrive in the United States with the English
immigrants in the mid-19th century were the Blue Paul Terrier and the Staffordshire Bull Terrier
.
breeding in the early 19th century and the blue colouring has appeared in Staffords ever since.
Dog breed
Dog breeds are groups of closely related and visibly similar domestic dogs, which are all of the subspecies Canis lupus familiaris, having characteristic traits that are selected and maintained by humans, bred from a known foundation stock....
of dog
Dog
The domestic dog is a domesticated form of the gray wolf, a member of the Canidae family of the order Carnivora. The term is used for both feral and pet varieties. The dog may have been the first animal to be domesticated, and has been the most widely kept working, hunting, and companion animal in...
.
Appearance
The Blue Paul Terrier resembled contemporary pit dogsPit bull
A Pit bull is any of several breeds of dog in the molosser breed group.Many jurisdictions that restrict pit bulls, including Ontario, Canada,, Miami, Florida, U.S...
. They had a smooth coat and were powerfully built. They weighed about 20 kg and measured up to 50 cm at the withers
Withers
The withers is the ridge between the shoulder blades of a four-legged animal. In many species it is the tallest point of the body, and in horses and dogs it is the standard place to measure the animal's height .-Horses:The withers in horses are formed by the dorsal spinal processes of roughly the...
. The head was large; the forehead was flat, muzzle short and square, large and broad but not receding like that of the Bulldog
Bulldog
Bulldog is the name for a breed of dog commonly referred to as the English Bulldog. Other Bulldog breeds include the American Bulldog, Olde English Bulldogge and the French Bulldog. The Bulldog is a muscular heavy dog with a wrinkled face and a distinctive pushed-in nose...
. The jaws and teeth were even with no overchanging flews. They had a slight dip between the eyes, which were dark hazel and not sunken, prominent, nor showing haw
Nictitating membrane
The nictitating membrane is a transparent or translucent third eyelid present in some animals that can be drawn across the eye for protection and to moisten it while maintaining visibility. Some reptiles, birds, and sharks have a full nictitating membrane; in many mammals, there is a small...
. The ears were small, thin, set on high, and invariably cropped, and the face was not wrinkled. The eyebrows contracted or knit. The facial expression of the Blue Paul has never been seen in any other breed and can frequently be recognized in mixed-breed dog
Mixed-breed dog
A mixed-breed dog, also known as a mutt or mongrel, is a dog whose ancestry is generally unknown and that has characteristics of two or more types of breeds. A mixed-breed may be a cross-breed dog, a random-bred dog, or a descendant of feral or pariah dog populations...
s. The body was round and well ribbed up, its back short, broad, and muscular but not roached, and its chest deep and wide. The tail was set low and devoid of fringe, rather drooping and never rising above the back. The dog stood straight and firmly on its legs. Its forelegs were stout and muscular, showing no curve. The hind legs were very thick and strong, with well-developed muscles. The colour was dark blue
Blue
Blue is a colour, the perception of which is evoked by light having a spectrum dominated by energy with a wavelength of roughly 440–490 nm. It is considered one of the additive primary colours. On the HSV Colour Wheel, the complement of blue is yellow; that is, a colour corresponding to an equal...
as can be seen in Greyhounds; however, they sometimes produced brindle
Brindle
Brindle is a coat coloring pattern in animals, particularly dogs, cats, cattle, guinea pigs, crested geckos and, rarely, horses. It is sometimes described as "tiger striped", although the brindle pattern is more subtle than that of a tiger's coat...
s or reds, which were known as red smuts in Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
.
History
No one seems to have full knowledge as to how the Blue Pauls were bred or from where they originally came. There was a story that John Paul JonesJohn Paul Jones
John Paul Jones was a Scottish sailor and the United States' first well-known naval fighter in the American Revolutionary War. Although he made enemies among America's political elites, his actions in British waters during the Revolution earned him an international reputation which persists to...
, the Scottish born American sailor, brought them from abroad and landed some when he visited his native town of Kirkcudbright
Kirkcudbright
Kirkcudbright, is a town in Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland.The town lies south of Castle Douglas and Dalbeattie, in the part of Dumfries and Galloway known as the Stewartry, at the mouth of the River Dee, some six miles from the sea...
about 1770. The Gypsies around the Kin Tilloch district kept Blue Pauls, which they fought
Dog fighting
Dog fighting is a form of blood sport in which game dogs are made to fight, sometimes to the death. It is illegal in most developed countries. Dog fighting is used for entertainment and may also generate revenue from stud fees, admission fees and gambling....
for their own amusement. They were game to the death and could suffer much punishment. They were expert and tricky in their fighting tactics, which made them great favorites with those who indulged in this sport. They maintained that the breed originally came from the Galloway
Galloway
Galloway is an area in southwestern Scotland. It usually refers to the former counties of Wigtownshire and Kirkcudbrightshire...
coast, which lends support to the Paul Jones legend. The first dogs to arrive in the United States with the English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
immigrants in the mid-19th century were the Blue Paul Terrier and the Staffordshire Bull Terrier
Staffordshire Bull Terrier
The Staffordshire Bull Terrier is a medium-sized, short-coated, old-time breed of dog. It is an English dog, where it is the 5th most popular breed, and related to the bull terrier...
.
Breeding
With his excellent fighting skills, the Blue Paul was introduced as part of Staffordshire Bull TerrierStaffordshire Bull Terrier
The Staffordshire Bull Terrier is a medium-sized, short-coated, old-time breed of dog. It is an English dog, where it is the 5th most popular breed, and related to the bull terrier...
breeding in the early 19th century and the blue colouring has appeared in Staffords ever since.
Further reading
- Homan, M. (2000). A Complete History of Fighting Dogs, Chapter 19. Howell Book House Inc. ISBN 1-58245-128-1