Bulldogs World

Okay, here is her picture! I figured out how to post it!

What a story - poor girl!  Sounds like she has found an awesome family though.  You are all in for a wonderful adventure!  She's simply lovely.

Now, my two cents.  The first thing I would do is to bring her to the vet for a full check up.  Who knows what Mathilda has been thought, and a full check-up will give you an idea of what to expect down the road health-wise.  I also very highly recommend you find a vet that specializes or at least sees a lot of bulldogs.  "Regular" vets don't always understand their quirks and can give not the best advice.  There is a list of bulldog vets on the home page of this site.  If you can't find one there, let people know where you're from and maybe another board participant can help you there.  We're in Canada,, so I'm no help!

The vet would be able to help you with the itching question.  I could be a reaction to the foods you've chosen, but it could also be other stuff (e.g. mange, dry skin, seasonal allergies, etc.).  Knowing for sure will be the first step to finding a solution.

As for the food, I'm not the best person to give advice here because my girl is "complicated" on that front.  But I think most of the people here will recommend a grain-free option.  I believe it tends to reduce the chance of allergies, to which bulldogs are often prone.

The waking up thing is also complex.  She could just be lonely and suffering from some separation anxiety.  She could also be used to sleeping in a crate, especially if she was a puppy mill dog, which it sounds like she was.  I'd go ahead and get her a crate to sleep in.  Maybe even put it in your room so she knows she's with you.  And leave the door open during the day in case she wants to go and hang out in there.  I grew up in the country, and the notion of a dog in a cage just made me cringe.  But, as it turns out, they actually do love it!  My girl now sleeps on the sofa but she spent her first year in a crate (for bed and when we were away) and had absolutely no problem with it.  It could be that having too much space is freaking Mathilda out a bit, and she needs her own little "den".  She might also have lived outside or in a barn, so there will be some adjustment there.  A crate and some patience would be my initial advice.

You are doing the right thing with her wrinkles.  While you're at it, you might want to give a little wipe of her "nether parts".  Because of their shape, bullies can't clean themsleve there.  Seriously, it's like having a baby  :)

I think I answered all your questions.  If you have any more, you're in the right place.  The people here are amazing and have centuries of cumulative bulldog experience.

Best of luck with your beautiful girl!!!

I would certainly try the crate, you should not have to be getting up so often during the night.  I think she is freaked out by the open spaces, and she is not able to let her guard down enough to get real rest.  I would get a crate and also add a pet safe stuffed toy for her to snuggle with, and it should be fairly large.

So sad she does not know what to do with toys, that right there speaks alot, sounds to me like she is from a puppy mill!  It will take time for her to gain trust and know what she is suppose to do as a real wanted member of the family. Be patient and persistant.  Think of it as if you adopted on of those poor children in the Ukraine who live in a crib when they are still 5 years old.  The were rarely touched, sure they were fed enough to be alive, clothed and sheltered.......but thats where it ended.  A friend of mine adopted a 6 yr old boy from there, took 2 years before he really wanted to snuggle for any long period of time, but he is the most loving, caring 10 yr old now!

Good luck, and God Bless you for taking care of this baby!

I with everyone else...Happy for you both.  That girl will bring you joy.  She sure looks sweet, they all deserve a chance to live with a family.

Some folks give benadryl to help with the itching.  She may have a scratching habit, say from boredom if she was crated all her life.

The vet could give her CapStar if she does have fleas, it kills them in 30 minutes.  And a bath in oatmeal doggie shampoo might help too.

Also if you ask her to stop and divert her attention onto a toy or something it might slow it down some.

Good luck and keep in touch with us on the site.

Steve

Have you taken her to a vet yet?  Most vets can check for a microchip, and maybe she can be identified.  If she's legitimately a lost dog through no fault of the owner's, I'm sure you wouldn't want to keep a pet they're trying to find. Maybe God has chosen you as a temporary guardian, to protect and care for her until she goes home.  There was a case recently in the paper where a family was involved in a deadly car crash, and their frightened dog took off from the crashsite; the dog was not located for months and it was miles from the crashsite.   (Of course, if it came to light that she did indeed come from a puppymill, I'd switch vets pronto and move on with my [and Matilda's] life!)  Sounds like you're doing a great job with your little lady.  The leg humping thing, I would guess, is her doggy attempt to establish order in her new pack.  Don't let her do it.  You and your boyfriend must be the alpha dogs here; just let her know where she stands (the rule obeyer--not the rule maker!) You'll all be happier in the long run.   Bullies thrive in a home where they are the pampered, much-loved, coddled four-legged, fur-covered children.  Sounds like you've got that part down pat! 

So very nice to meet you and your special Matilda!  Matilda and I share September 10 -- my birthday and the beginning of Matilda's new life.

There are many good foods out there.  We have had good luck with Blue Buffalo and a lot of folks on BDW use Taste of the Wild.  I agree wholeheartedly with Celine -- get Matilda into a bulldog vet for a thorough checkup.  She may have dry skin and seasonal allergies which have nothing to do with her food.  Also, a lot of people give their bullies different supplements like fish oil for their skin and coats.  I know you will get tons of tremendously helpful advice from others.

As for crying through the night, I think your girl is just confused about the abrupt changes in her life.  She has probably been surrounded by other dogs for as long as she can remember and now she's on her own.  I think a crate in your room would make her feel very secure, knowing that you are nearby and that she has her own space.  Ours love their crates and often go in them just to hang out and be cozy.  We have crate pads and blankets in the crates.

Good luck with Matilda and bless you and your boyfriend for giving her a home.

has a loving home w/ you and your boyfriend!!!!  :-)

I don't have any advice, but just wanted to say how happy I am about her having a great home!!!!

Thank you SO much for saving the sweet girl! :)  I haven't read all the other responses, but to answer a couple of your questions she might have general "seasonal" allergies or may have some allergies to food.  Firstly, I'd switch her to a completely grain free food.  Taste of the Wild is one that is frequently recommended and you can get it at Tractor Supply (unfortunately the brand is not carried at Petsmart/Petco) so you'll need to do a bit of digging to find it if you don't have a Tractor Supply nearby.  Another good tip I found on the forum is to give her filtered water (from a Brita, for example) to help keep a lot of the impurities and such out of her system.  If she still has the "itchies" then it'd be worthwhile to talk to your vet about whether she might have some seasonal allergies.  Winston has them and after working with our vet we've finally managed to get them in check (he still has flare ups, but nothing near as bad as he used to suffer).

As far as toys go you'll just have to see what she likes.  I'm sure others have already mentioned it, but NO rawhides, bullies can easily choke on the pieces as they tear them off.  Winston has simple tastes as far as toys and LOVES tennis balls (squeaky ones at that)...he can't have stuffed squeaky toys because he'll destroy them in no time flat.

Good luck, congrats and WELCOME to the board!  I cannot wait to see more pics of your sweet girl!! :)