Bulldog owners

[GraysAnalogy]

Need a little help please!

I'm adopting a 2 year old bulldog, I've had vast experiences with dogs before but not the bully breed - is there anything I need to know?

I've been reading into dietary requirements and things but the information varies, what and how much do you feed your bulldog?

Re walking, I'm used to dogs that need 2 walks a day so I want to be really careful about not over walking him. How much does yours walk?

I'm so glad to be giving him a home I just want to make sure I'm doing everything okay!

Make sure you get good insurance!

Insurance is my first step always has been with my dogs (has saved my ass a few times)

From a vet nurse's view, they are prone to skin issues and the more obvious breathing problems plus weight gain which in turn exacerbates the previous. I'm not sure how much walking they can cope with, but wanted to say to be careful when the weather gets warmer as they are also prone to hyperthermia. They get hot easily, and because they generally can't breathe very well can't cool themselves off sufficiently via panting, get into a panic and go all blue with the respiratory effort/floppy soft palates. I've seen a fair few and it's pretty awful for them so make sure to keep him cool in the summer. I imagine this can probably occur with over-exercise too. How much exercise he can cope with may well be an individual thing depending on how bad his breathing is - very few bulldogs have 'good' breathing sadly.

Well done for taking him on, but be prepared for many vets bills.

Firstly lucky lucky you!!

My rescue bulldog has been with us nearly 3 years and I can't imagine life without her!
Ditto re insurance. Ronnie had problems that I was aware of before we adopted her from Battersea, mainly skin problems so I knew what I was taking on
She can be so stubborn at times, if she doesn't want to move she won't!!
Some bulldogs like lots of exercise some don't ( ronnie has to be in the mood to go anywhere!)
She's on a hypo diet this really helped with her skin and tummy, she's very sensitive to certain foods
Make sure you clean his face folds every day as this can smell 'yeasty' also behind his rail if he has a corkscrew one
Did you get him from Bulldog Rescue?
Again breathing can be a problem
In hot weather she is indoors with a fan, luckily she doesn't have any probs with breathing but I do know some bulldogs who have had ops to open their airways
Good luck , I adore the breed! Here's my one doing her favourite thing, sleeping and snoring!!!
And yes she sleeps sitting up sometimes ( see pic, she was fast asleep!)
She also likes ' talking to you!'

Thankyou aked for the brill advice, I've found out he has Seborrhoeic dermatitis so he now has a medicated shampoo, I've got him on piriton for his allergies and going to sort out something with his diet as I've read it can help

I'm very lucky that despite him being pedigree, he hasn't got the overbred look about him that comes with even more difficulties than a bulldog usually has (shorter body, even flatter face etc). His breathing is excellent I am so shocked, I expected the short breath thing but I did a test walk and he did brilliantly. I'm so pleased and he was so excited. He does this little leg kick thing when he seems to be Very Happy Indeed.

Oh aliiii She's gorgeous!! Beautiful little thing. Thank you for your advice, I've had a bit of difficulty with his tail but bought some special non allergy wipes so I can give it a good clean in between baths. Will that be okay do you think?

No I didn't get him from Bulldog Rescue although I was looking at one from there and have been toying with the idea for a while, this one is from someone I know personally. She needed a good home for him, she had a lot of interest from people who basically saw what breed he was and that they could breed from him and thought YEAH I'LL HAVE A CHEAP DOG. She said she can sleep better at night knowing he's come to us.

I'll buy a fan now it's coming warmer, thank you for that idea! He's such a snorer!! I was awake last night listening to him snore, suddenly the snoring stopped and i heard him moving around. I switched the light on only to find he'd moved his bed so it was right next to me. Bless him!

I'm so happy with him, he's just made my home complete. Thank you for your help

From experience of ull breeds; English Bulldogs are not the intellects of the dog world and can be very hard work to train.
Not utterly impossible but hard work as it takes them longer to 'get' things so choose what is improtant to you and start there.

Others have pointed out the health issues, I use stuffed kongs, puzzle bowls and similar have to think to get the food toys to help make food longer lasting fun and prevent the weight gain they can be prone to.

Thank you tribal! He's trained brilliantly so I'm lucky in that aspect. He doesn't pull, good recall, doesn't beg, toilet trained and has yet to chew a thing.

He's very stubborn though, I've found I have to shout him twice or three times if he's in the middle of something I have to remember though that he's getting used to me and it's all a big change for him. This only happens when he's in the house though funnily enough, outside he's a dream.

I've got a kong and was just thinking about getting him a different bowl because he eats far too fast using the bog standard metallic ones.

He is a very handsome fellow! Yes I know what you mean about the overbreeding, i have seen some who have so many face folds and struggle for breath

I have had many dogs over the years, both family ones and my own, but I can honestly say I have never met a breed like it!
I was advised to use a crate initially as she could be nervous etc I decided against it and she slept n snored on the sofa the first night. The second night I left her on the sofa, next thing I know she's licking my face and talking to me to get on my bed, and there she has stayed ever since!! She's such a character
Another thing, they can get cysts in between their toes,from memory I think Epsom salts can help with that
I feed Ronnie James Wellbeloved the light lamb and rice kibble, to keep her weight down as she's not into exercise and also has helped her skin and tum
Enjoy him, he's lovely!!

Quick update:

Took to vets today as I've been up very night since getting him with him scratching NONE STOP. Despite oatmeal stuff, medicated shampoo and piriton and a change in diet. I was lying awake rubbing his stomach for him because he was scratching till it bled and I couldn't let him. Ended up in tears at 4am this morning, partly with tiredness mostly with sadness for him.

Vets given us steroids and told us to continue with Malaseb. He's also got an ear infection so now have ear drops for that. Vet was really shocked at the condition of him and commended us for taking him in and wanting to get him healthy which made me feel better about everything.

He's now sat at my feet snoring, steroids working well already.

Funny enough I was going to suggest steroids, that's what Ronnie is on
It's distressing to see them scratch till they bleed, or chew their paws
I have to bath her twice a week with Malaseb and I try not to give her the steroids unless she is particularly bad
She was diagnosed as being Atopic, the vet thinks she is pretty much allergic to the world! I know Battersea ran loads of allergy tests when she was there
She has patches on her legs, paws n tail where the hair will never grow back, she was used as a breeding machine before being 'gifted' to the home. She was severely underweight, with infected skin and ears, her ears inside are quite badly scared where the infection was left untreated
I use epi optic from the vets which is an ear cleaner as her ears can be rank at times
I took her on knowing all her health problems, she is one in a million and so are you for taking a dog on with health issues

Aw poor Ronnie, I'm so glad she now has an owner who cares about her and loves her. They all deserve a good owner

He's doing brilliantly today, the change in him is amazing. So much happier and more loving, being more playful and giddy.

His ears are clearing up bit by bit. They were full of black gloop it was terrible.

He's now lied in my chest making noises in his sleep