With the most distinctive mug in dogdom, the bulldog has an equally distinctive history. The bulldog's origin lies in the cruel sport of bull-baiting, which originated in England around the 13th century. The dog's purpose was to attack and madden the bull by grabbing it, usually by the nose, and not releasing its grip. Not only was this considered entertainment, but it also was believed that a bull's meat was tastier if the bull was baited before being butchered. Some bulldogs were also set against bears for bearbaiting, purely for entertainment. Bulldog owners set great store by their dog's ferocity and, especially, fortitude in the face of pain — so much so that horrifying stories exist of owners proving their dog's toughness by demonstrating that it would hang onto the bull despite being tortured or mutilated by the owner. In 1835, bull-baiting was outlawed, and a new phase began for the bulldog. Some efforts were made to have the dogs fight one another, but this was clearly not the bulldog's forte. Now a dog without a cause, the breed's popularity plummeted. By all rights, the breed should have become extinct, except that it had gained so many ardent admirers that they set out to rescue the bulldog by selecting against ferocity while still maintaining — and often accentuating — its distinctive physical characteristics. So successful were they that the bulldog became an extremely amiable character, with a personality not at all like its "sourmug" might suggest. Its tough steadfast persona led it to be identified as a national symbol of England. It's amiable clownish personality belies its appearance, and the bulldog is a popular pet.