English bulldogs are descendants of the ancient Asiatic mastiff and originated from the British Isles. In 15th century literature the original spelling of the term "Bulldog" was Bondogge or Bolddogge. It wasn't until the 1630's that the modern spelling of the word appears. A 1631 letter by Preswick Eaton writes "procuer mee two good Bulldogs, and let them be sent by ye first ship".

The term "bull" was applied to this breed because of their use in the sport of bull baiting. In the century, Bulldogs were used to bait either bulls or bears. It was a gambling or wager sport where trained Bulldogs attacked a bull tied to a post. The Bulldog would usually attack by latching onto the animal's snout in an attempt to suffocate the bull. They were aggressive, courageous and at times ferocious. However modern day bulldogs have a very different temperament from their fighting ancestors.

In New York during that same time period Bulldogs were also used to round up wild bulls, a city wide effort led by governor Richard Nicolis. Wild bulls were considered very dangerous. The Bulldogs were trained to seize a bull by its nose long enough for a rope to be fasted around its neck. Bulldogs were also sometimes abused in dog fights. However by 1835 dog fighting was banned in the United Kingdom by the Cruelty to Animals Act.

Eventually the original old English bulldog was crossed with the pug and the new breed of Bulldog was promoted as a house pet. As a result of the genetic mixing, the puppies were shorter and wider with a brachycephalic skull. Even though bulldogs today appear tough and strong, they can no longer perform the job they were originally created for. Not only would they no longer survive being thrown form a bull, but they would also fail at gripping with such a short muzzle.

The Bulldog Club (England 1878) is the oldest single breed specialty club. Members of the club would meet often at the Blue Post pub on Oxford Street in London; where they determined the first standard of perfection for the breed. In 1891, top Bulldogs, Orry and Dockleaf, competed against each other in a walking competition. Orry closely resembled the older original Bulldogs, whereas Dockleaf was small and heavier, similar to the modern day Bulldog. Dockleaf was declared the winner of the competition. Even though many people disagreed and believed Orry was more physically fit, Dockleaf's looks won over the fans of the breed.