The English bulldog:

In spite of its rather intimidating appearance the English Bulldog is one of the gentlest dog breeds around. It loves the company of both other dogs and people - especially children. Though rather lively as puppies, grown up bulldogs slow down and prefer to live out their lives as couch potatoes. This is why the breed is very suitable for apartment living. But while not too hot on excessive walks, bulldogs do crave a lot of attention and like to be where the action is.

Brief history of the breed:
The breed is thought to have originated in the UK in the 1600s. It clearly has a lot of mastiff in it and some say a bit of pug as well. It gained its name from its first function as a bull guard and bait dog. After bull-baiting was abolished in 1835 the breed almost disappeared, but was kept alive by a small circle of bulldog enthusiasts. Through thoughtful and careful breeding the aggressive tendencies of the early bulldog was eliminated by the 1940s and the basis for today's well-functioning, gentle and lovable breed was laid.

For more on bulldog history visit The Bulldog Information Library.
 

Breed standards:
Check out The American Kennel Bulldog Standard description.