The Bandog is mentioned in Act I, Scene IV of William Shakespeare's King Henry VI. Part II, as follows: "The time when screech owls and Bandogges howl and spirits walk and ghosts break up their graves."

In the 1800 Cynographia Britannica, by Syndenham Edwards, a very graphic description was given of the Bulldog's qualities.   It reads in part as follows:

"The Bulldog is in height about eighteen inches and weighs about thirty-six pounds, head round and full, muzzle short, ears small... chest wide, body round, with limbs very muscular and strong; the tail... rarely erected, except when the passions of the animal are aroused; the hide loose and thick, particularly about the neck; the hair short, the hind feet turned outwards, hocks rather approaching each other, which seems to obstruct their speed when running, but is admirably adapted to progressive motion when combating on their bellies; but the most striking character is the under-jaw almost uniformly projecting beyond the upper; for if the mouth is even they become shark's headed, which is considered a bad point."