basements and warehouses. A major shift in canine genetics occurred during the Victorian era, at which time the appearance of certain dogs were being actively altered. The early bulldogs of the 1800s were described as having a "round head, short nose, small ears and wide, muscular frame and legs." In the 1830s, the ban on bull baiting was being strictly enforced, and with it, a noticeable decline in the popularity of the original bulldogs. Breeders had already begun crossing bulldogs with terriers for clandestine pit fighting. James Hinks, a dog breeder in Birmingham, is credited for his role in helping to standardize the bull and terrier hybrid. Hinks introduced new blood, presumably Collies to add length to the muzzle. His version was becoming a more streamlined version of the bulldog and terrier hybrid while still maintaining substance. Hink's son said that, early on, his father also used Dalmatians to create the Bull Terrier's striking all-white coat. Others have suggested that Hinks straightened the bulldog's tendency for bowed legs by adding Pointer blood, or possibly Greyhound. Hink's son recalled, “In short, they became the old fighting dog civilized, with all of his rough edges smoothed down without being softened; alert, active, plucky, muscular, and a real gentleman.” Hink's early Bull Terriers were white which gave rise to congenital sensorineural deafness (CSD), a genetic condition linked to coat colour phenotypes in English bull terriers with genetic variations that go beyond coat colour. The appearance of the Bull Terrier continued to change over time, and by the 20th century its egg-shaped head had become more prominent, soon to be standardized along with the various colors that had been introduced. Famous bull and terriers According to accounts in Sporting Magazine from the year 1804, a bull and terrier named Trusty (owned by Thomas Pitt, 2nd Baron Camelford) was just as famous throughout England as the Emperor Napoleon. Trusty went undefeated in 104 dog fights. In 1812, Sporting Magazine described another a famous and talented dog, Dustman, as representing the optimal bull-and-terrier type. A celebrated bull and terrier named Billy, weighing approximately 26 pounds; "his most notable feat was killing 100 rats in 5 min 30 sec at the Cockpit in Tufton Street, Westminster, London, UK on 23 April 1825." See also Bulldog type Terrier References Terriers Dog crossbreeds Dog fighting breeds Dog types