Bulldogs World

Well she got a couple things right...in MY opinion, but then again this is my first bulldog and she is only 4 months old.

You have to watch them around water, and they are sensitive to tempurature, and you do have to be careful of weight issues.

PERSONALLY, I fed Kippah 3 times a day until she hit 4 months, and sometimes even now she gets a middle of the day meal if she seems like she wants it.  For her we fed her 3 times a day, and had the food available for 15 minutes, this gave her plenty of time to eat and not gorge, but not putter around and just nibble all day.  This certainly helped with potty training.  Our breeder sent us home with these instructions. 

Bathing too often can cause alot more problems..in MY opinion.  Bathing too often will actually dry out the skin because it strips them of the healthy oils they produce.  We use wipes on a regular basis for multiple reasons.  We use them on her face every day, some time multiple times a day.  And keep in mind the body structure of a Bulldog is different than other dods, they cannot fold in half to clean their backside.......so YOU get to do that!

Those are my personal experiences, in the short time I have had a bulldog, I certainly dont have as much experience as others here.

The answer from that breeder would be a concern for me!

the breeder was giving you information regarding the food as to what she/he's been feeding the pup because you're (from what I've read) supposed to keep the pup on what the breeder has been giving them until you gradually switch out to the new food.  I'm sure they don't know what to personally recommend you if you're looking to switch out.  I mean, since they already have a brand they prefer ussing.  The main thing you want is grain free (among others things).  If you would like a website on ratings of dog foods I'll send you a link (sorry I didn't think of this before).  Your breeder is feeding your pup enough (mine fed 3 times/day and it might have been a little too much according to his wife). 

Also, you want to watch out for dog food that has high protein content.  Too much protein is not great for bullys.  But like all bulldogs (and humans for that matter), what works for one won't necessarily work for another. 

As for personal care, bathing once a week is fine.  Be careful of how you bathe and not to pour water onto their head.  They will breath in the water.  I never fill up the tub. I  just wet Fatboy down enough so that the soap I use (I'll email to you the brand) will get him nice and sudsy.  For his head/face area I wet a wash cloth and wipe his head/face until it's wet.  Then use soap on the washcloth and massage into the head/face again.  Then wet the wash cloth again to take out all the soap from his face. 

I can't say whether or not your breeder is not caring enough to your concerns because I don't know them like you do.  However it looks to me they are providing enough info.  I'm sure you have LOTS of questions like me and my husband did.  It's frustrating not knowing sometimes :) 

All your questions. They will send you to a site like puppyfind.com which in my opinion is a site for puppy mills, brokers and back yard breeders.

Gary, are you willing to fly to pick up a puppy? If so, shoot me an email and I might be able to help you find a reputable breeder. jbbullygrl@aol.com

Please look elsewhere.  If you are really serious about finding a bulldog then I have at least 1 person who sent me a private message that would be willing to help you find a puppy closer to you by a reputable breeder. 

IMO that puppy is skinny and nalmourished and if they are only feeding a 6 week old puppy 2x a day that is absurd.  puppies should be fed 4 times a day at that age and once they are about 10-12 weeks you can go to 3 x a day.  Then after 6 months I go to twice a day. The adult dogs should be fed twice a day. They are puppy millers and too lazy to take care of the puppies like they should. 

Oil --- Um what?  I rarely bath my dogs, infact they haven't had a bath since August and they have lovely coats.  Esters is as soft as silk and they don't smell.  Dogs that are left in kennels their whole lives stink like kennel dogs.  I know what I'm talking about.  My parents had kennels from the time I was born, my father was an AKC Licensed Professional Handler and in order to get a handlers license you had to have a kennel.  We had separate show dog kennels with whelping rooms and boarding dog kennels. 

I'm sorry to be so blunt but I wouldn't expect anything less in that response from those type of people.  Those people know nothing about bulldogs and are simply making a living pumping out puppies because they can.  As I said before, it makes me sick!

Find another breeder and quit lining the pockets for these deadbeats and those poor dogs, they are the ones that suffer because people continue to buy from millers.  There are good reputable breeders out there that have puppies available if you are serious about spending the time and finding a good breeder.

Good things come from those who wait. 

That sounds like someone who is in it for the money as she clearly can't be bothered to mentor or assist you with gaining even the most basic knowledge that is readily available out there regarding bulldogs.  

As far as feeding is concerned the recommendation is that you try to keep them on the same food they are eating for at least a couple of weeks after you bring them home from the breeder (so as not to upset their stomachs).  If you do want to change it then they suggest you gradually wean them off their current food and onto a new food. 

If you are looking for amounts to feed them etc. if my memory serves me correct, I think I fed Sanford 3 times a day (3 cups total per day) for the first 4 months or so, then we cut back to 2 feedings (2 cups per day) - but this isn't an exact science.  You will need to determine your individual pets needs.  Sanford if almost 6 yrs old now and we are still feeding him 2 x day (2 cups total per day) but I usually add either an egg, chicken, pork and/or veggies to his evening meals and he gets treats throughout the day as well as his frozen peanut butter marrow bones so he isn't missing out on anything.  The biggest concern will be keeping his weight down but you really won't know what his needs are until you are taking care of him every day.  Sanford is a big boy (by bully standards) but he's not a typical bully (in that he's a little taller and a little longer than the "standard") but he's healthy (thank God) and the vet is fine with his weight (you can see his hips with no added fat surrounding them) - and he's currently 67 lbs.

With regards to bathing them once a week - that seems ridiculous to me.  Unless your dog is an outside dog (which should NEVER be the case with a bulldog) or a working dog on a farm (such as herding etc) there is no reason to bathe them once a week.  Regulary brushing (2-3 times a week) with help keep the shedding down and help with dirt and dander.  YES, you will need to keep their face folds clean (but that should be done daily with hypo allergenic baby wipes or a medicated type pledglet - there used to be a brand called malaseb but they are no longer on the market - the vet can recommend the one they are now using) and Yes, you will need to check their tail areas (and tail pockets if they have one) to make sure they are clean - if they have a deep tail pocket (as Sanford does) they can become irritated and infected with yeast infections etc so you need to keep up with the cleaning of the tail area. 

I've never heard of this mysterious oil she's referring to.  I've had Sanford since he was 8 weeks old and I've not noticed any "oil" on his skin or fur.  He only really needs a baths about every 6-8 weeks (and for the record, he sleeps in the bed with me so I can assure you that if he was dirty or needed more regular baths he would be getting them).  You may need to bathe him more when they are puppies (if they have accidents etc in their crates or pens) but other than that once a week sounds nutty to me.

The baby pool recommendation is great but truth be told I'm baffled at why she would expound on it.  If you have a bully that likes playing in the baby pool then it's definetly worth getting one.  She is correct in pointing out that the vast majority of bullies CAN NOT swim.  I learned this lesson the hard way when Sanford fell into an in ground pool and proceeded to sink to the bottom like a brick.  He had no instinct as to what to do.  Thankfully we were all standing around (there was a party going on) and a friend dove in the pool and carried him up to me.  Some bullies can and do swim but to be on the safe side you would be better off assuming he can't, and NEVER leave them unattended in the heat, cold or around water - PERIOD! 

You can get LOADS of really helpful information on bulldogs from some of the information books out there - many are available at the pet stores, and some others you can purchase direct from bookstores.  I highly recommend you start there.  And more importantly - FIND A KNOWLEDGABLE VET who can help you with caring for your bully!  I have been fortunate in that I have been able to provide Sanford with the best medical care available (I don't have human kids so he gets all my attention & money) but I don't know what I would do if I didn't have access to a vet that I trusted and respected.

I wish you the best of luck in getting your new puppy (it is the single best thing I ever did in my life), but personally given her response I would probably not feel comfortable purchasing a puppy from this specific breeder.

Trish & Sanford

have discussed these issues with you already.  She does have your deposit.  I would have also made sure I asked you questions about your home and family, if you had air conditioning, fenced yard, etc.  I would be checking you out, because my precious puppy needs to go to a safe home with loving parents.  As a breeder you get a feel for the buyer and how much researching they have done. 

Kiddie pools are great but they can cause trouble with the coat.  The dogs need to be dried well after they get wet, or you can get yeast problems, from the dampness, especially in the wrinkles and under the tail. 

No they don't swim well.  So pools are a no no, unless they are fenced and dogs can't get to them.  If you have a pool and kids then you better be vigilant about watching the dog or always having a life vest on it.

Any reputable breeder will know food options. You feed the same thing the breeder is feeding, and a reputable breeder will send you home with food. Then if you would like to switch you can, but IMO it is better to wait untilt he puppy has adjusted to the new home before you start changing the food.

http://www.bca2011nationalshow.com/pg0140.html

There is a backup division show on Saturday the 26th that you could attend.  It will have the same dogs entered that show during the week. 

Gary, I'm getting  ZERO warm fuzzies from this breeder - call it gut - call it suspicious -

I'd get my money back (if all possible) and take Jacinda or Cathy up on their suggestions.

I think you see all the red flags, but that you puppy is tugging at your heart strings.

its only my opinion, but there are definately some concerns here. :(

for your honesty .. there just isn't something right here and I have decided to look into other breeders, ecspecially ones that aren't BYB/ Puppy mills < --- look im learning the lingo already! haha I have contacted several breeders by phone/email today most of them are located in NY .. if anyone knows of any possible breeders that they could personal message me (I understand you can not post specific names) anywhere around CT, NY MA NJ etc .. that would be outstanding .. thank you all for your time and consideration with my situation, i feel the love on this site and the fact the you have all helped me in such a short time is amazing. Can not even begin to thank you all enough .. I look forward to visiting some REAL kennels this weekend!