Before you purchase a bulldog, please make every effort to find out as much as you can about the breed. The Bulldog is not a dog that should be taken on lightly, puppies are cute but they can take up to two years to mentally mature and he will require daily attention to his face and maybe under his tail too. By nature, Bulldogs are stubborn and although much healthier than their past cousins can on occasions develop breathing problems or structural faults simply due to their genetic make up.
Also, despite what you may have been told previously, he will require a daily exercise of at least half an hour (bulldogs are prone to becoming overweight which increases the chances of them developing respiratory, heart and joint problems).
He is not a fighting dog and adores human company, he is not a dog that likes to be left alone for hours on end and is therefore not suitable for families that do not have the time to spend with them. as they can be destructive if left alone for too long.
Bulldogs are chronic (life-long) chewers, unlike many other breeds, they NEVER out grow their chewing stage (it has been said it is because of their jaw structure - chewing is exercise that keeps them from stiffening). That being said, they are very good about chewing on their chew toys rather than your furniture (Most are not picky SO KEEP A SUPPLY on hand).
Be sure you know as much as possible before you buy, read every book you can find, visit every web site you can find and join your local bulldog club and a few on line bulldog mailing lists. Make the effort to attend a few breed shows and talk to as many breeders and bulldoggers that you can. You will be given much conflicting advice, but common sense often allows you to decide which advice makes the most sense. The more you know before hand the better equipped you will be to deal with situations should they arise. So many bulldogs end up in rescue because the owners weren't aware of just how much was involved in owning one, make sure yours isn't one of them.
Common Bulldog AilmentsLike any other breed, Bulldogs are prone to a variety of health problems. Before you buy a puppy, ask the breeder about problems in his blood lines. Hopefully they will be honest with you. Even if both parents are healthy, a puppy can develop any one of the more common health problems from several generations back. This is why buying a puppy should be done with care and not at the spur of the moment.are
Bulldog health problems you may encounter: an elongated soft palate, small trachea, allergies, dermatitis, demodex mange, cherry eye, ectropion and entropion (eyelid abnormalities), stenotic nares, hip dysplasia problems ( which are commonly misdiagnosed due to the breeds hip structure) and heart problems (however rare). The average bulldog life span is about 7 years with some living past 12.
Puppy or Adult ?
If you are looking for a puppy you can contact breeders through the Kennel Club's list of puppies for sale. Alternatively contact your nearest breed club so see if they know of any breeders in your area. Don't buy the first puppy you see, look around and talk to the breeders, don't be afraid to ask questions. Make sure you see the puppy with his mother and that he, his litter mates, mother and living quarters are clean. Remember too that the dam may not be looking her best at this point. Don't buy from a pet shop, because for every puppy sold another will take his place - these pups are often from puppy farms from overbred bitches and often from poor living conditions. If answering an ad in the paper make sure that you visit the home of the seller, don't make arrangement to meet half way or for them to come to you and trust your instincts. Be sure your breeder gives you a feed chart, a record of his vaccinations and the date he was last wormed along with his KC papers and pedigree.
Male or Female
In general bitches are usually that bit smaller than the males who tend to be more muscular and larger in both structure and size. Males are maybe slightly more dominant in personality and maybe that little bit more stubborn. Bulldogs pups take up to 2 years to mentally mature much of this time is hormone influenced, boisterous behavior is quite normal for young bulldogs, they tend not to become the stereotypical couch potato until they are adults. Bitches will come into season around 6 to 9 months old and then every 6 to 9 months after that. Often after her second season you will see a change in her personality and she will begin to calm down. Males have a testosterone surge at around 9 months old, this hormone surge can sometimes make them more boisterous as they learn how to be a "man" dog, but once the hormone levels have settled down he will then begin to calm down also. If you already have another dog, aim to get your second dog of opposite sex, usually the bitch will become the boss in a male/female relationship.
Neutering
Try not to castrate your male until he is at least 18 months to 2 years old as they need their testosterone surge. Castration on a young boisterous male bulldog rarely calms them down and if done too early can sometimes make boisterous behavior worse. Try to let your bitch have her first season and then aim to spay mid way between that and her next season. Humping behavior is rarely curbed by neutering, humping is more likely to be associated with dominance or nervous behavior than anything sexual and breeding him/her is not the answer either (see below). A neutered dog obviously will never contract testicular cancer (males) or pyometra (females). Pyometra often occurs around middle age and can be fatal. The risk of mammory tumors are also reduced in a spayed bitch.
Microchipping
Did you know that should your dog escape or be stolen and he ends up in a shelter or with a rescue, that you only have 7 DAYS to claim him!!! Microchipping your dog is the most efficient way of ensuring that your dog isn't one of the many dogs rehomed because the owner couldn't be traced. A microchip is approximately the size of a grain of rice and is inserted just under the skin at the scruff of the neck, the procedure is quick, painless and will last a lifetime.
Where To Buy From
Aim to buy only from a reputable breeder, preferably somebody who is breeding for the show ring as it is these breeders who will have done their homework - after all they want a good quality dog to keep for the ring! Avoid puppies that are priced too low, breeding bulldogs is hard work, time consuming and very expensive - if they can afford to sell the pups cheaply they've either not done it properly in the first place, the poor thing is stolen, or it's even worse it may not even be a full blooded bulldog!!! (see link below).
Avoid breeders that do not show or claim to only breed pets, they will have little knowledge on how a correctly put together bulldog should look as it is the breed standard that dictates how a breed should look and the show ring that ensures the breed standards are adhered to.
Sometimes adult dogs are rehomed once they have finished their show careers, this kind of arrangement is often the best solution for everyone and these dogs make great companion animals.
Or contact rescue, many adult dogs pass through here for many different reasons.
Make Arrangements For Your Bully
What would happen to your bulldog if something happened to you? Make sure that plans have been made and that everyone in your family is aware of them. Be sure your dog has an ID tag on when outside the home and it's always a good idea to have him microchiped.
You nearest breed club is the best place to start your puppy search or to find out who else in your area has a bulldog.
