Pacific Coast Bulldog Club

Organized on April 23, 1918, the Pacific Coast Bulldog Club, Inc., is among the three oldest Bulldog specialty clubs in the country, rivaling the ages of the Philadelphia and Chicago clubs which were established only a few years earlier.

After several unsuccessful attempts earlier to become a member of the American Kennel Club, the Pacific Coast Bulldog Club finally secured the approval of the Bulldog Club of America and the AKC in 1940. It was incorporated in 1945.

Two purposes of the new club as stated at the time is “To better the Bulldog and endow its members with good fellowship.”

This club, popularly known today as PCBC, wisely preserved much of its early and colorful history with the publication of two soft-cover booklets. An 80-page Red Book of Bulldogs, was initially published in 1928, and an updated Second Edition of the Red Book was printed in 1971, titled The West Coast Bulldog.

Mention has also been made of The Blue Book of Bulldogs published in 1938, which probably celebrated the PCBC’s 20^th anniversary. However, copies of the Blue Book are rare and very difficult to find.

PCBC also published two outstanding hard-cover volumes in celebration of its 50^th Anniversary in 1968 and its 75^th Anniversary in 1993.

The Gold Book is aptly dedicated to bulldog fanciers in the year 2018. The Diamond Book is dedicated “to all of the old-timers from long ago who have made it possible for us to enjoy our Bulldogs today.”

These two books contain hundreds of black and white photographs and articles authored by several notable Bulldog owners, breeders and specialty judges of the breed.

The Diamond Book includes authors such as: Dean Anderson, Richard Anderson, Saul Schor, Richard R. Maze, Florence Savage, Marilyn J. Dundas, Russell Thomas, Bob and Lenora Kerr, Callan Riggs, Beyrl Gould, Ernie Hubbard, Robert Hetherington, Dan Powers, Margaret Spinella, Marie Andree, Alfred J. Plechner DVM, Al Hentcshel, Kyle Fisher and Toni Stevens.

These remarkable publications preserve not only some of the early history of PCBC, but also some history of the Bulldog Club of America and BCA Division III.

The 13 founders of PCBC met to organize the club at the Los Angeles home of Mr. and Mrs. C.A. Latham. Charter members present were: C. A. Latham, Miss. J. Barnhart, W. Fisher, J. David, C.D. Campbell, J. Trieb, Mrs. T. Goynet, J.F. Tafuris Jr., E.F. Neeham, W. Ubel, Mrs. Anita Baldwin, and Chris Shuttleworth, the club’s first secretary.

By 1927 there were 63 club members who owned a total of 125 bulldogs in their kennels.

The club met monthly at 8 p.m. on the fourth Friday at the Westminster Hotel, 4^th and Main St., Los Angeles, California. Annual membership dues was $5 per couple.

One of the highlights of PCBC’s history was the club’s Diamond Jubilee Specialty Show on May 1, 1993.

Mrs. Joyce Dingman judged an entry of 173 dogs, including 31 champions. She selected for Best of Breed Ch. Graybull’s Alpine White Lace, owned by Bill and Kay Gray.

Some of PCBC’s past presidents who also became presidents of BCA Division III include: Herman Taylor, C.L. Savage, Ken Walton, Hersh Whitney, Frank Valdez, Dean Anderson (who served multiple terms), Bruce Hollenbeck and Earl Hess. Mr. Savage also was elected president of the Bulldog Club of America in 1956-1957.

One of the most outstanding and lasting contributions to the breed by a member of PCBC was the origination of the Bulldog Hall of Fame Gallery by Mrs. Florence Savage.

She and others were inspired by a painting of Ch. Cockney Gormliney at the BCA National Specialty Show in 1961 at Oregon.

Mrs. Savage later proposed and presented to the BCA eight oil paintings in color (all from black and white photographs) of National Best of Breed winners from 1949-1957 at St. Louis in 1963. The Gallery continues to add portraits annually, including Best of Opposite Sex winners.

The PCBC has produced some of the past’s most admired Bulldog specialty judges in the nation. They include: Dean Anderson, Al Hentschel, Bruce Hollenbeck, John O’Melveny, Mrs. Robert Parton, C.L. Savage and Mrs. Florence Savage.

Compiled and submitted by G. William Andree