ARF Registered American Bulldogs
The Animal Research Foundation (ARF) was where the American Bulldog story truly began in terms of official registration.
The Origin
ARF was founded in 1947 by Tom Stodgill. It was through ARF that John D. Johnson first registered his American Bulldogs. The breed's name change from "American Pit Bulldog" to "American Bulldog" happened through ARF -- a pivotal moment in the breed's history.
ARF Registration Prefixes
ARF used letter prefixes to distinguish bloodline types:
- C prefix -- Classic type dogs
- J prefix -- Johnson type dogs
Alan Scott and ARF
Alan Scott registered his first American Bulldogs with ARF in 1973. His dogs, along with Johnson's, would go on to define the two primary types of American Bulldog that we know today.
ARF Today
ARF has permanently closed. In the Southern Hemisphere, Irondog was named as ARF's successor and continues the tradition of comprehensive American Bulldog registration in Australia and beyond.
Dual Registration with ABRA
ABRA dual registers ARF dogs, preserving these foundational pedigrees in the American Bulldog Archive. If you have an ARF-registered dog or ARF paperwork, those records can be incorporated into the Archive.