British bulldog x American staffy

[laylacorbett]

Hello,

My name is Nicole I’m new to this forum, my puppies name is Layla. 

Layla is 8 weeks old and we have just brought her home, she is a British bulldog x American staffy. 

We are familiar with traits of both breeds however neither of us have had a cross breed with such different traits before. My husband and I have a couple of questions. So her DNA testing from the vet stated she is 60% bulldog and 40% amstaff (approx). 

 

So our questions are:

- bulldogs are meant to be mostly inside dogs but staffys do great as outdoor and indoor dogs, Layla has mostly the face shape of a staffy with just a few nose wrinkles (so not a super smooshed face), we wouldn’t keep her outside on super hot or super cold days but can she be outside for a few hours during the day with her kennel, food, water and our alfresco fan on (completely covered alfresco and then a yard for her to play around In). We have just been told with the bulldog no outdoors but are confused with the cross breed whether she can tolerate being outside when we go to work etc, thoughts? 

 

- I understand bulldogs can’t swim well but I always see staffys swimming, will she need a life jacket at the beach? 

 

Any other traits we might expect in a cross breed like this? She was one of the puppies that resembles a staffy a lot but does have some face wrinkles like a British bulldog, the others had very bulldog like faces.

 

thanks everyone! 

[asal]

depends on how she matures, if she cant control her body temp in hot days you will lose her.

 

my niece has a french bulldog, cute as paint but when they let him out for a toilet run during the summer if its midday he can seriously overheat in minutes once outside and minus his air conditioning..  

 

have to play it by ear and see how she matures

[Boronia]

I would ignore the person who told you 'with the bulldog no outdoors'  what a load of codswallop. They love walks and exploring as much as any dog, early mornings in the cool would be best

Google 'bulldog swimming'  'bulldog agility' and 'bulldog flyball'...they are dogs, not stuffed toys.

I don't think you have much to worry about, exercise/outdoor-wise with your new pup

and edited to add...

how about some photos

Edited December 6, 2018 by Boronia

[Loving my Oldies]

Scary some of the “advise” new puppy owners are given.  Well done for coming on DOL to get sense.  As Boronia says: they are dogs not stuffed toys.  Dogs will want to be everywhere you are whether indoors or outdoors.  Dogs belong with the family and are very socially centred creatures.

[Dogsfevr]

Mind you these questions you should be asking the breeder,its there responsibility to give you sound advice.Have you asked them ??
It depends on your pup as to what she will or wont be able to do ,tolerate long term

[Daisys Mum]

In summer I would never leave a dog outside longer than the time it takes to do it’s business... but that’s just me.Today in Adelaide it’s 39 degrees and my dogs are happily snoozing next to me under the aircon.

The problem with cross breeds is you don’t know which traits it will mostly have until it’s a bit older... so all you can do it wait and see.

[Tassie]

Added to all of the above, is the cross and American Staffordshire Terrier (Amstaff) or a Staffordshire Bull Terrier (Staffy).  Probably doesn't make a heap of difference as far as the indoors outdoors question goes, but might make a significant difference in terms of finished size.

[karen15]

I would suggest if you are somewhere that gets hot, both breeds would benefit from being indoors or having cooling outdoors. A fan would be great. My staffy lived happily outdoors during the day in Brisbane but had a pool and a lot of shade to cool himself down. With solid dogs, their body mass causes them to overheat. I worked with a girl who came home to a dead staffy cross due to overheating one day while she was at work. I was paranoid ever after and made sure my staffy had plenty of cooling available when I wasn't home.

[asal]

14 hours ago, karen15 said:

I would suggest if you are somewhere that gets hot, both breeds would benefit from being indoors or having cooling outdoors. A fan would be great. My staffy lived happily outdoors during the day in Brisbane but had a pool and a lot of shade to cool himself down. With solid dogs, their body mass causes them to overheat. I worked with a girl who came home to a dead staffy cross due to overheating one day while she was at work. I was paranoid ever after and made sure my staffy had plenty of cooling available when I wasn't home.

good advice, my dogs aren't staffyies but I make sure there is a 20 or 30 litre bucket tied so it cannot be overturned for drinking water  but too narrow for the dog to jump in it and foul the water and for the summer I have cut down some of those big 250 litre drums cut about ten to  inches max high as a personal swimming pool but the edges seem to be very attractive for chomping on as well so also get used as teething rings so dont be too shocked at the damage they cop.. also have an old fibre glass low (hip) bathtub...but they are useless as their water source as they can be really messed up from being jumped into and out of and even partly emptied just from the in and out taking the water with the fur...