Description:
Rupert is a lovely American Bulldog. I mean, THIS is a DOG!!! He has been loved and cared for his whole life and we are heartbroken at how he has come into our shelter. We first met Rupert a year ago when his owner adopted Buddy the Bulldog puppy to keep Rupert company. This gentleman drove up to meet Buddy at 6am so that he would be able to turn around and get back home in time to open his mattress store at 9. How happy he was to have his two dogs! And how shocked we were to receive a phone call from West Palm Beach Animal Control letting us know that Buddy and Rupert had been surrendered by their owner due to foreclosure! Certainly we were upset that he hadn't called us to give us back Buddy, but we have been seeing a great deal of this lately and we know that there are a lot of people whose lives have been turned upside down in the last year....

A couple of days after we picked up Rupert, I received this great update from his foster: Oh my goodness! What a total beaut! I instantly fell in love with Rupert and he is a gentle giant for sure! I took him on a walk and he walked so well with very little pulling. Of course, I have a weakness for bulldogs but this guy is a gem! He doesn't like being in a crate and tells us about it by barking but I ignore him and he lays down and falls asleep. He has been through alot lately so I understand where he is coming from. You couldn't adopt a better dogs!

Rupert was adopted very soon after we got him in June but was returned in late August due to a family crisis. This guy just can't catch a break! At least this time his owner provided some insights:
"Rupert is a great dog, very sweet with kids, doesnt like cats too much. He is very calm and loves to sleep. He likes walks and riding in cars. He is a little dominating with other dogs that he doesn't know.
Rupert can sit, lay down, speak and shake. He is a gentle giant and loves to sleep in bed with you. He always follows you around the house; no matter what you are doing he is right next to you. Rupert doesn't like crates but he has never chewed or destroyed anything in my aparment when he is alone. He does tend to bark loud when he wants attention. He likes balls and chew ropes."

Obviously Rupert is one great dog! He deserves a home where he will be loved and never abandoned again. Do you have such a home???

9/3 Volunteer Update:
Rupert spent a couple of days at Jan's house. A bulldog owner, she says he is a dream. Someone obviously trained him ~ he knows sit, down, and cocks his head at "stay" (that one may need a refresher!). Rupert and her bulldog thought about getting into it to see who was boss, but Jan had a "Come to Jesus" moment with them and they were fine, sitting 6" away from each other most of the remainer of the day. At one point, 3 month old Mylo picked up Rupert's leash and walked him around the driveway. Rupert followed behind, obviously concerned about the little fellows self-esteem! This is a wonderful dog!

9/20 Foster Update:
We think that Rupert would do best as an only dog. He can be a bit "snotty" with other dogs, and who needs that in their life? Besides which, he's big enough and loving enough to fill your dog quota!!!

According to www.dogbreedinfo.com, early Bulldogs were used in the bloody sport of bull bating. Some of these dogs emigrated with their masters from England to America. Eventually the English Bulldog was bred down in size and his personality was softened, but the American version remained a larger, fiercer dog. The American version has longer legs and more speed and agility than the English show dog. Thanks to the efforts of John D. Johnson of Summerville, Georgia the American Bulldog exists today. After he returned from WW II he was disappointed to find that, like the English Mastiff, they were almost completely extinct. He then decided to gather the best he could find from all across the rural south and bring them back from the brink of extinction. He has been breeding these dogs longer than anyone else in the world and his father bred them before him. He is