British Bulldog

[hankdog]

Hi I'm new to this forum so by way of introduction, we recently lost our gorgeous old briard/ staghound/ something large and since our dogs prior to him were bulldogs are considering a bulldog as our next family member. We have previously owned two beautiful english bulldogs. Both aquired as adults from a breeder and both absolutely well behaved and I never had any qualms about letting them near my then toddlers. So tomorrow I'm going to look at and possibly bring home a rescue bulldog who may have some dominance related problems and I would like some advice on bringing him into the family right from day one. The family is 3 adults and 2 free roaming cockatiels and 4 free range chickens. I have obedience trained my last dog on a working for praise basis and used a choke chain in the early stages as he was very difficult to control initially although once he had basic obedience used a halter.

1)Although I have scoffed at my fellow dog park users for carrying around treats to train their dogs my reading seems to suggest this is the most effective way to train bullies. Any opinions?

2) All birds are going to be locked away initially but ultimately I'd like the situation to be peaceful coexistence with birds free to roam does anybody have tips or experience particularly with bulldogs and birds?

3) The dog's been in the pound for a week and now coming into a new home I think will be pretty confused and stressed. I'm thinking these first few days are going to be important in setting the tone for the future and very practicaal hands on tips would be very appreciated? Where is best place for food and water, bed etc. We both work from home so he'll be an inside dog, the last dog had food and water in kitchen a mat in the lounge a bed on the front verandah and slept inside.

4) He has displayed dog aggression so I'll need to avoid park and walk streets for a while any tips on soialising bulldogs in particular?

Many thanks

all advice appreciated.

[Randaluca]

I have an 8 week old girl and her ears have come unglued from a bit of rough play with my Pugs. Is there anyone in the Brisbane area who would be kind enough to let me bring my girl around and show me to how to glue her ear back? I've also posted this in the puppy forum as I'm not sure which will get the most responses :)

Maranda

[sandgrubber]

4. What is the average lifespan?

In my opinion the average lifespan for a Bulldog is certainly 10 years plus.

We have had dogs live until 12 and a half years old.

I am attaching the Finnish Kennel Club's vital statistics for the British Bulldog.

See http://jalostus.kenn...x?R=149&Lang=en

Finnland seems to be the only kennel club in the world that collects and publishes death statistics. They often show much shorter average life spans that most of us would expect. They put the average lifespan for a bulldog at 5 yrs.

Edited July 10, 2013 by sandgrubber

[Tara101]

Hello everyone . My salon is having a mid year sale , I have for sale a brand new large British bulldog wallet $25 , a British bulldog brand new handbag & small wallet set for $35 + postage . I can send photos & details to anyone who's interested , my email address is [email protected]

[Guylb]

Hi, new to the site me and my dad are thinking of getting a Bulldog i'd really like to get a dog and my dad has always wanted a Bulldog, hes more of a cat person however my Grandma (his mum) was never without a dog and I grew up with all different breeds mainly Staffys Rotties and German Shepards my Grandma taught me lots about dogs and loved to read so she was well clued up in training and breeds and such she told me many things but obviously being told something is much different that experiencing it however i was a child so have never had MY own dog I've owned animals but never a dog of my own I have looked after my sisters dog after she had to rehome him for a few month and got on well he was a Rescue Shelter Staffy about 7 so i've had a very very small amount of hands on experiance

Firstly I'm wondering about prices I've been looking at places like Gumtree (not to actually buy one just price ranging) and there are very few adds (that seem legitemate or are actually crossed with at least two other breeds of dogs or so they'd like you to believe)

I've read this forum and am aware that pricing has been covered very breifly but that was a couple of years ago lol so if anyone could tell me what the prices are these days if they've changed at all I mainly come across prices around 3,500 at least with the odd 2,000 I've also been looking for breeders with availble puppies i know now really isnt the best time for puppies to be availble or on sale but usually they dont include their prices in the information given and dont really want to bug them when I have no desire to purchase one of their puppies

Secondly is the health issues people have mentioned it here and someone said they'd never had any problems with their dogs however others had but no ones really settled the matter on the whole concept of "Bulldogs have very high vet bills" is it something that if you get a Bulldog its 80 chance you will be getting a lot of vet bills or is it just misconception also age people who i know are dog lovers and are clued up have always told me they live to 6-7 wheras others that i cant really credit them have told me they can live from 6-10+ as theres been the first post saying its 10+ but then the Finnland study saying 5 years

Also this will be essentially my first dog I do have some anxiety issues that im very aware of and dont think it would be very much different if i got a Bulldog or a different breed but i wouldnt ever get a small dog that yaps i see far too many of them here in australia which doesnt bother me at all its just not really a dog I would get infact the only dogs that ive ever been scared of or actually attacked by were little dogs lol

I read about joining Bulldog Clubs and going to (Ive totally forgotten the correct thing to write but it was either shows or something) anyway I'll be looking up Bulldog Clubs next thing to do to establish were and who my choices of breeders are etc I've also been looking at other dog forums and have joined so will be enquiring there

But I have to get ready to run some errands so any reply at all would be lovely Thank you if you have read all that or if you're just reading this, just maybe not as big of a thank you :p

[hankdog]

Hi,this is a quiet thread so whilst I presently own a rescue bulldog cross I will attempt to answer. Some bulldogs will and some won't put new tyres on the vets Porsche, a reputable breeder can help cut down the bill but genetics is always a lottery and bulldogs have inherent design faults that need maintenance.

My purebreds had no temperament issues my cross does, read the rescue and rehoming sites and again a good breeder is your best chance.

A bulldog needs company, all the time, they aren't set and forget occasional walk type dogs.

As far as I know $3500 will be a fair opening price. A show dog may be more and sometimes a breeder may have an older dog for slightly less. One of my previous females was an ex breeding bitch, from a reputable breeder this is a great option to get a good dog. If they bred from her then she's likely to be sound.

In summary they are high maintenance but if you're committed then a bulldog is a worthwhile experience. A good breeder a must with this breed.

Edited October 28, 2013 by hankdog

[louis_albus]

Hello!

Our little boy will be coming to us in a few weeks but I was hoping that other British Bulldog owners could give their opinion on a couple things.

I know the breeder should be the first point of call, but it's the holiday period and I didn't want to bother them too much at the moment (I intend on picking their brains later) but I'm interested in everyone else's experience and opinions as well. Also, our breeder is fairly new-ish to the breed (but has copious amounts of experience with other breeds) and I know there are people on here with decades of Bullie experience!

So my main areas of interest are:

1. Food - although he will come with the kibble the breeder has had him on, I like the idea of eventually having him on something like Vet's All Natural Complete Mix - But I had seen on a previous thread that an owner was getting bad tear stains from the food. Or should I go for a kibble and fresh meat combo? What kind of kibble has worked well for your bullie? The kibble our baby is coming with I'm not very happy with I know there are better ones out there. Royal Canin does an adult bulldog one, but the dog food analysis sites dont rates a lot of brands available in Aus that highly which is why I thought the VANCM could be a better idea? Or a RAW diet?

In your opinion, what has been the optimum diet for your puppy?

2. Supplements - I obviously want to make sure he grows up happy, strong and healthy should I be adding supplements to his food right from the get go? Supplements such as glucosamine or Fish Oil for his joints? I know bullies get growing pains so I want to make sure I help him as much as possible!

3. Wrinkle/tail cleaning I have heard lots of options for this as well Witch Hazel has been mentioned on here. Ive seen some places sell Bamboo Eco Eye Wipes for dogs.

What have you found works well for wrinkle cleaning?

I think these three points are my biggest concerns. Ive had many dogs in the past ranging from poodles to dogue de bordeaux but I know the British Bulldog is very high maintenance with a lot of potential health risks so Id like to have him on the most ideal diet, with the correct supplements and grooming right from the start.

Any other information or tips would be greatly appreciated!

Thank you very much!!

Bamboo Eco Eye WipesVet's All Natural Complete MixWitch Hazel

Edited December 31, 2013 by louis_albus

[Bullbreedlover]

Hello!

Our little boy will be coming to us in a few weeks but I was hoping that other British Bulldog owners could give their opinion on a couple things.

I know the breeder should be the first point of call, but it's the holiday period and I didn't want to bother them too much at the moment (I intend on picking their brains later) but I'm interested in everyone else's experience and opinions as well. Also, our breeder is fairly new-ish to the breed (but has copious amounts of experience with other breeds) and I know there are people on here with decades of Bullie experience!

So my main areas of interest are:

1. Food - although he will come with the kibble the breeder has had him on, I like the idea of eventually having him on something like Vet's All Natural Complete Mix - But I had seen on a previous thread that an owner was getting bad tear stains from the food. Or should I go for a kibble and fresh meat combo? What kind of kibble has worked well for your bullie? The kibble our baby is coming with I'm not very happy with – I know there are better ones out there. Royal Canin does an adult bulldog one, but the ‘dog food analysis’ sites don’t rates a lot of brands available in Aus that highly which is why I thought the VANCM could be a better idea? Or a RAW diet?

In your opinion, what has been the optimum diet for your puppy?

2. Supplements - I obviously want to make sure he grows up happy, strong and healthy – should I be adding supplements to his food right from the get go? Supplements such as glucosamine or Fish Oil for his joints? I know bullies get growing pains so I want to make sure I help him as much as possible!

3. Wrinkle/tail cleaning – I have heard lots of options for this as well – Witch Hazel has been mentioned on here. I’ve seen some places sell Bamboo Eco Eye Wipes for dogs.

What have you found works well for wrinkle cleaning?

I think these three points are my biggest concerns. I’ve had many dogs in the past ranging from poodles to dogue de bordeaux but I know the British Bulldog is very ‘high maintenance’ with a lot of potential health risks so I’d like to have him on the most ideal diet, with the correct supplements and grooming right from the start.

Any other information or tips would be greatly appreciated!

Thank you very much!!

Bamboo Eco Eye WipesVet's All Natural Complete MixWitch Hazel

I know of breeders who feed raw and breeders who feed kibble only and then some who combine a bit of both. What you need to understand is that if you are going to feed both then realise that the dog will digest these at different rates. I do not recommend feeding chicken frames to Bulldogs. I don't recommend feeding bones or rawhide chews as a treat. If you want to feed chicken necks then please make sure the necks are crushed and NOT whole. Ask advice on this from someone who owns Bulldogs and feeds chicken necks. Do not feed cooked bones of any kind.

Royal Canin is a good reputable food. Proplan Adult is a good food. My Bulldogs are now fed Canidae All Life Stages as it ticked all the boxes for proteins and nutrients. I do not feed raw of any kind but my dogs do get canned fish, yoghurt, cooked chicken meat, cheese.

If the food you are feeding ticks all the nutrient boxes then you should not have to supplement a diet in any way. Understanding of course that raw diets (in my opinion) may not fulfil all the diet requirements needed for a growing puppy. A good quality kibble will be.

Puppy folds and wrinkles can require a daily or more often twice weekly routine if needed. One of the best creams I recommend if needed is Sudocream, available for your supermarket in the baby isle. This is a zinc cream. If the puppy has a good tail which does not require a cream then that is great. Some screw tails do need attention and making sure this is done right from the start and is always checked should mean that the puppy may not have any on going issues. So long as the tail is not actually inverted is also important. Facial wrinkles can get the same sudocream. Many staining that appears on a Bulldogs face can be caused by a few conditions. Generally it is a yeast condition. Water and diet do have an effect as well as the immune system. Usually if a dog has facial staining they may also be prone to getting wet eczema between their toes. If this occurs in my furkids I apply an athletes foot powder(once again this is zinc)

My dogs don't visit the vet often. Having owned Bulldogs for many years I do have an extensive doggy care kit for almost all possible emergencies or just treatments when necessary.

[Kajtek]

My 3

1) Get raw barf/turkey necks + Holistic Select Lamb. They have three small meals per day - my OH works from home.

2) Have fish oil, sardines and occasionally kelp in their meals. I also add Glyde for the old Lady to help with arthritis (she is 10 yo).

3) Get their wrinkles and bums cleaned with Curash fragrance free baby wipes. Bullies are not very bendable, cleaning their back-end is as important as the front-end business.

They also have some Vaseline put into the wrinkle folds to prevent inflammation.

Edit:

It's really not a lot of work. The Bullies get walked at 5am then cleaned and fed. It's part of their morning routine before I leave for work :-)

Edited January 1, 2014 by Kajtek

[Bubba & Maximus]

And may i add British Bulldogs are incredibly intelligent and super fast learners.

The key excitement plus trigger words in our house are:

• Breakfast
  
• Dinner
  
• Drive
  
• Swim (chest high paddling really)
  
• Treatie
  
• and for Maximus - Bath time
  

Naturally these words have since been converted to first letters only but Bubba knows all too well that saying 'D' means a drive.

Both boys are trained with hand signals also and considering Maximus only joined us 18mths ago, he picked up the routine signals within a couple of months.

B/Bulldogs really LOVE you with everything plus more.... all the time. Post recent surgery I had, the boys decided being on the bedroom floor wasn't quite close enough to comfort me so they both made the defying leap onto the bed and there they stayed. One on each side.

Cant go wrong with this breed.

[Tina_Jade]

Hi all,

After losing my German Shepherd late last year I am slowly getting ready to having another dog in my life and am set on a British Bulldog. I am not ready just yet as I am looking at buying a new house and want to be settled first, however understand there could be quite a long waiting list for a pup so wanting to start making enquiries sooner rather than later.

Does anyone have any advice on the best place to start when looking for a reputable breeder? I don't want a show dog but health and soundness are a priority as I am aware of the issues they can have.

I am located in SA but am willing to look interstate.

Thank you in advance

Tina

[EVERYLABDESERVESAKID]

I don't know these breeders, but they are on my list to check out for when I want a puppy. They are located in SA and advertise that they are committed to health tested breeding stock, with a list of the testing they do. There is a DOL breeder profile for them. Check them out.

http://www.bullmighty.com/

[Pheebs]

Hi all! :)

Was wondering whether it's commonplace for many registered breeders to not health test parents?

I've been in touch with a breeder who sounds great but upon asking whether they health test their response was no "mainly due to the fact that bulldogs fail there is no standard currently available as to what score is appropriate for bulldogs". Does this sound right?

Obviously a healthy pup is paramount for us, but having had a questionable experience with a registered breeder in the past - a reliable, balanced temperament is as important to us and we're unsure now what to do.

Edited April 2, 2015 by Pheebs

[dragonwoman]

Hi all! :)

Was wondering whether it's commonplace for many registered breeders to not health test parents?

I've been in touch with a breeder who sounds great but upon asking whether they health test their response was no "mainly due to the fact that bulldogs fail there is no standard currently available as to what score is appropriate for bulldogs". Does this sound right?

Obviously a healthy pup is paramount for us, but having had a questionable experience with a registered breeder in the past - a reliable, balanced temperament is as important to us and we're unsure now what to do.

What score for what? Do you know what diseases affect the breed? Is there a test for each disease (sometimes there isn't) There is no test for temperament, apart from observation of the puppies, preferably both parents and some research in to the extended family.............was not impressed by the BB that literally came out roaring from vet's consult room into waiting room and headed for my dog, but in that case I reckon it was the owners and not the dog who needed testing!!!