Squishy-faced bulldogs walk the red carpet in the annual Bulldog Beauty Contest in Long Beach, Calif. 

LONG BEACH, Calif.—As he sauntered along the red carpet, Filbert squirmed in his tuxedo and high hat. Bentley, who has his own social-media account, drooled nonstop. Harley, a skateboard and surfing buff, sniffed the air.

Their deportment may be wanting, but these contestants in an annual beauty contest here still charmed the crowd. They were among the top dogs in this southern California city's 10th annual Bulldog Beauty Contest. The event last month attracted 200 of the squat, squishy-faced and much-loved canines from as far away as New York and Montana.

The all-in-fun pageant—entry is just $10—gives every pooch who turns out, purebred or not, a shot at waddling down a 100-foot-long red carpet laid out on the grass. Outfits are optional because bulldogs tend to overheat, but some still strut their stuff in tutus, grass skirts and sombreros.
Filbert

Judging is simple: Each contestant is evaluated on face, figure and first impression. "We're not looking at the pedigree or anything extreme like that," said Justin Rudd, the pageant's founder and organizer. And there are no questions to be answered about how to achieve world peace, either.

Mr. Rudd is an Alabama transplant who also runs contests for human beings, including Teen Long Beach, Miss Long Beach and Mrs. Southern California Cities. But with this one, he said, "I have married two things that I love—bulldogs and pageants."

The annual contest brought out 1,600 of the breed's fanatic fans, fondly known as bulldoggers. The American Kennel Club recently reported that the bulldog is the most popular breed in New York City, based on 2013 registration data, and fifth most popular nationally. "It's the year of the bulldog in New York City, and it's no surprise," said club spokeswoman Lisa Peterson.
The mascot of more than three dozen U.S. universities and countless high schools, thanks to its tenacious, Winston Churchill-ish air, the compact canine is typically a gentle, loving family member who prefers snoozing to most other activities.

That is a distinct evolution from its origins. Bulldogs were first bred in England for "bull baiting," a blood sport in which a dog would fasten its teeth around a bull's nose and hold on until the bull tired out or died. The practice was outlawed in 1835, and the breed began to die out. Breeders who resurrected the English bulldog began adjusting its temperament. "Within a few generations the bulldog became one of the finest physical specimens of 'dogdom' without the viciousness they previously exhibited," says the Bulldog Club of America's website.

Barely a foot tall, the beefiest of these "specimens" can reach 100 pounds. Take Manwich, a white male who lumbered in the pre-pageant parade. "He's 98th percentile for size!" declared owner Denny Hathaway, who says his pet loves McDonald's french fries and golf on TV. The only downside, he says: "It's like owning a 1971 Porsche; he's always in the shop."

The breed's brachycephalic, or shortened, head and narrow nostrils restrict air flow. The dogs are prone to tear-duct and eye problems, and are predisposed to allergies. Bacteria can thrive in the skinfolds on their faces and in their corkscrew tails, causing irritations. Bulldogs typically live 8 to 10 years.

Amy Lockmer, who traveled to Long Beach from Montana, says she has sunk about $6,000 into operations to ease breathing problems and other woes for her 3-year-old, red-and-white bulldog, Avalon. She has no regrets. "I had a Labrador," she says, "but there is no other dog like this."

Bobby Jacqmin, owner of a fawn-and-white bulldog named Buford, said, "I clean his inverted tail three times a day." Fortunately, Mr. Jacqmin says, he works from home in Studio City. But he isn't complaining, either. He and his wife, Mercedes Bernardin, are "suckers for bulldogs," he says.

When Kevin Silver, a tractor mechanic, won some money at a craps table in Las Vegas three years ago, he announced, "That's it—I'm getting my bulldog," recalls his wife, Kathy. He paid $2,000 for a 13-week-old purebred puppy he named "Harley Seven Come Eleven" to reflect the gamble.

"At 13 weeks," he said, "I put a skateboard in front of her," and Harley began riding. Next came surfing and skimboarding, skills bulldogs can perfect thanks to their sturdy legs and low center of gravity. Harley also has shown a talent for breeding. On April Fools' Day last year, she gave birth to nine puppies—delivered by Caesarean section, a procedure common for the large-headed breed.

Winner Pushkin with Mrs. Southern California Cities, owner Stephanie Hara, center, and Mrs. Long Beach. Justin Rudd