What has happened so far

Already for quite some time, the renowned breeder of English Bulldogs, Imelda Angehrn, was not convinced any more that its development was headed in the right direction and when at the beginning of the present century the discussion about more severe laws for the protection of animals and provisions for breeding intensified, she decided, after a number of consultations with highly knowledgeable personalities in the dog scene to seek permission to cross breed the English Bulldog with another breed.

The Swiss Kennel Club gave its permission for this trial breeding and in Summer 2001, the Pickwick Kennel of Imelda Angehrn saw the first litter of this cross breed English Bulldog x Olde English Bulldogge coming to life. More information on  the OEB can be obtained from the website www.pickwick-bulldogs.ch/new_program.htm - "My new Breeding Program". In the following these dogs were recorded under the denomination of Pickwick Bulldogs Old Type (PBOT)

The following pictures show the bitch 

Since then approx. 280 puppies in 50 litters were born and in the course of time it became apparent that a reintegration into the English bulldog was impossible. On the other hand, this new "breeding product" had become  a real success with the PBOT being widely accepted and all the owners very enthusiastic about its excellent temperament, agility and resilience.

Therefore, a project group was created with members of the working council for breed development of the Swiss Kennel Club which endeavoured to work in co-operation with Imelda Angehrn towards the recognition of a new breed. More than 70 dogs were assessed by a veterinarian and a judge and their registration in the Appendix of the Swiss Kennel Club Stud Book was sought for.

In the following, the Central Committee of the Swiss Kennel Club got involved in this project and finally on September 15, 2004 the application by the above mentioned working council for recognition of a new breed under the name Continental Bulldog was approved
 

and thus the future has begun
 

Above all for the breeder, Imelda Angehrn, this recognition is a wonderful reward for her immense engagement not only financially - just to take into account the number of trips to the USA and to England in order to buy first-class animals for this breeding program - but also for the huge amount of work involved and last but not least because it had not been an easy time due to the many hostile actions and the animosity from left and right she had to cope with.