Anyone have a bulldog?

[AlmiraGulch]

We're seriously considering bringing a dog home. Currently we have two cats, and we have 2 (sometimes 3) kids.

 

I've had various breeds of dogs over the years, but my favorite dog ever, still was my English bulldog named Tigger when I was a kid.

 

Here's what I need:

 

1. It needs to be good with cats and kids.

2. It needs to be trainable. Not tricks, but basic commands.

3. It needs to not require TOO much exercise, as I live in a townhome and don't have a yard.

4. It needs to be pretty affectionate.

 

I work from home so I will be able to be home with the dog, generally speaking, for regular outings and play. When I travel, though, the dog can sometimes be along from about 9:00 in the morning til 4:00 or so at night.

 

I understand that these dogs can be rather high maintenance, especially with daily grooming of skin folds. I also know that they can be prone to health problems and vet bills (and initial purchase price, if we buy to get a puppy rather than going through rescue) can be rather pricey. I'm willing to deal with all of that if I can find a dog that my family will love.

 

So...thoughts? Feedback? Any other breed that jumps to the forefront of your mind based on the basic requirements I listed above?

[Pawz4me]

Ummm . . . . "bulldogs" and "trainable" aren't words that I normally associate with each other! They certainly can be trained, but it's more of a challenge than with a lot of other breeds. You really have to get inside their heads and figure out how to convince them that they want to do what you want them to do. I like that kind of challenge, but a lot of people don't.

[AlmiraGulch]

Ummm . . . . "bulldogs" and "trainable" aren't words that I normally associate with each other! They certainly can be trained, but it's more of a challenge than with a lot of other breeds. You really have to get inside their heads and figure out how to convince them that they want to do what you want them to do. I like that kind of challenge, but a lot of people don't.

 

Yeah, I do recall that from my youth. :-)

 

I'm not too interested in getting a dog to do a lot of tricks. I just need the dog to obey basic commands, and I'm willing to put the time in for it.

 

Have you had an English Bulldog or known someone who has? I'd be interested to hear personal experiences.

[vettechmomof2]

English bulldogs are a very stubborn breed so yes, if you devote the right training and keep up with the training then they are trainable. This is a lifelong thing with a EB though, not a one time class kind of training because they will decide when to ignore you so many people will stop after a class or too and then a year later their dog will not listen to comands.

They are a very expensive breed to own either purchase or rescue(most have health issues from the rescues or have very bad habits), to maintain as well. Even their daily care which does not have to take long can get pricey. my parents have a rehomed 4 year old female who has very few health issues. It still takes them 4 times a day of cleaning folds and she has very few wrinkles.

Drool, snoring, gas. did i mention gas!!!! oh yeah and the gas but they can be very affectionate...with their gas.

In the breed you will find some that are very, very head strong and some that are sweet. Some that are very animal aggressive and others who you could take around any critter and never have a problem. Much of it has to do with the owners and how they socialize the dog but the breeders stock also has a large part in how they will act as well.

Just be sure to understand that vet costs are frequent and run high for this breed on even the healthier ones, initial cost as well. They are still an excitable dog it is just harder to exercise them properly because they do not have good hot/cold weather control so the play needs to be inside. I encouraged my parents to use a lot of thinking games. Hide and seek, find something in a box or bag to help use of some of her energy.

Also the size of the dogs can really vary. They run between 35lbs to 80 lbs so really be prepared for what you might get. Caring for a 80 lbs dog who collapses from heat exhaustion after a walk around the block might be difficult for you.

Have fun!

I love bullies!

[redsquirrel]

My Ils breed and show them.

 

To be honest, I am not a fan. They are VERY expensive to own. They have all kinds of allergies and health problems. My FIL is a vet and often says that is a good thing because they need constant medical care. Allergy shots, steroids, skin infections, ongoing eye infection, digitalis for enlarged heart..all par for the course for ONE dog.

 

Oh, and having to floss the poop out from under their teeny tails? Daily cleaning of folds? Gross.

 

They don't need much exercise, that is true. They can't tolerate much. They are so heavy and short of breath that you are limited to nice sedate walks around the block. They can't be left outside because they have no idea if they are overheating. One of their dogs liked to settle down next to the heater and would start to huff and puff because she was overheated but was too stupid to move.

 

They can't go swimming. Their heads are too heavy and they will drown. My ILs almost lost two of them that way. One, they let the kids take it out in a rowboat and the dog leaped out of the boat into the water after a fish. It must have been some bit of ancient DNA rousing to life at the sight of the fish. Anyway, DHs older brother dove in after it and saved it. Another one got out and fell in the swimming pool. Somehow, it got half stuck in the filter and that kept it afloat long enough that my FIL saw it and fished it out

 

God the gas. I have seen a roomful of adults gag because of the gas. It is indescribable.

 

The ones I have known do not make good watch dogs. A bully will pretty much sleep through any house break in. :lol:

 

Here a recent article from the NYT about the bulldog. The title is "Can the Bulldog be Saved"

 

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/27/magazine/can-the-bulldog-be-saved.html?pagewanted=all

Edited August 25, 2012 by redsquirrel

[AlmiraGulch]

English bulldogs are a very stubborn breed so yes, if you devote the right training and keep up with the training then they are trainable. This is a lifelong thing with a EB though, not a one time class kind of training because they will decide when to ignore you so many people will stop after a class or too and then a year later their dog will not listen to comands.

They are a very expensive breed to own either purchase or rescue(most have health issues from the rescues or have very bad habits), to maintain as well. Even their daily care which does not have to take long can get pricey. my parents have a rehomed 4 year old female who has very few health issues. It still takes them 4 times a day of cleaning folds and she has very few wrinkles.

Drool, snoring, gas. did i mention gas!!!! oh yeah and the gas but they can be very affectionate...with their gas.

In the breed you will find some that are very, very head strong and some that are sweet. Some that are very animal aggressive and others who you could take around any critter and never have a problem. Much of it has to do with the owners and how they socialize the dog but the breeders stock also has a large part in how they will act as well.

Just be sure to understand that vet costs are frequent and run high for this breed on even the healthier ones, initial cost as well. They are still an excitable dog it is just harder to exercise them properly because they do not have good hot/cold weather control so the play needs to be inside. I encouraged my parents to use a lot of thinking games. Hide and seek, find something in a box or bag to help use of some of her energy.

Also the size of the dogs can really vary. They run between 35lbs to 80 lbs so really be prepared for what you might get. Caring for a 80 lbs dog who collapses from heat exhaustion after a walk around the block might be difficult for you.

Have fun!

I love bullies!

 

Thanks so much!

 

I've actually wanted another one for years, but i'm just now finally at a place where a) I can afford it, and b) it could work for my family. I can't believe the number of bullies that come from puppy mills. Wow. I HAVE found a breeder with a great reputation about 4 hours from my home whose dam was just bred a couple of weeks ago. That gives is about 5 months from now before a litter will be ready, which is a comfortable amount of time for me to continue to research and prepare our home, if we decide to move forward.

 

I'm so excited!

[AlmiraGulch]

 

Oh, and having to floss the poop out from under their teeny tails? Daily cleaning of folds? Gross.

 

 

Here a recent article from the NYT about the bulldog. The title is "Can the Bulldog be Saved"

 

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/27/magazine/can-the-bulldog-be-saved.html?pagewanted=all

The skin folds I know about. Please tell me more about the poop flossing, though (words I NEVER thought I'd say). Really? Ick.

 

Great article! Thanks for sharing. Definitely food for thought.

[TravelingChris]

We had a English Bulldog for a short while before he died. Willie was on his third ( I think) round of owners since he was owned by Americans who were being PCSed back to the states and EBs cannot travel on airlines much of the year because of their breathing problems. He was 9 1/2 and we got him in July and he died of old age in October. Usually EBs die at about 7 years. These people took him when they came to Belgium and thought he would die before they left. Turns out that he lived longer than anyone expected. Since he was so old, or maybe because he was just very gentle to begin with, he was totally calm. He did not bother my cat or other cats at all. He was housebroken to the end, which was very good but even in that short of time we needed to get him medical attention, I think for his eyes but it might have been for his skin. My kids really liked him and really he was a dear. We thought he died a good death, sleeping on the floor next to where my dh was sitting watching tv and near the rest of us too.

[redsquirrel]

The skin folds I know about. Please tell me more about the poop flossing, though (words I NEVER thought I'd say). Really? Ick.

 

Great article! Thanks for sharing. Definitely food for thought.

 

Yeah.... poop flossing. Bullies can't lift their tail. I mean, they can wiggle it, if there is enough left. But, often they can't lift it out of the way of their own poop. Plus, they are so fat and stiff that they can't clean themselves like other dogs. So, when the dog poops, FIL rolls up a paper towel and calls the dog. The dog is fine with this, btw. FIL takes the rolled up paper towel and sort of saws back and forth under the tail to clean out any poop. If it is really messy he does it again until the towel is fairly clean. If you have two bulldogs you don't have to do this. They clean each others butt.

 

My ILs had at least three at any given time for years. Now they are getting older and only have the one. That is when I learned about the butt flossing.

 

 

We had a English Bulldog for a short while before he died. Willie was on his third ( I think) round of owners since he was owned by Americans who were being PCSed back to the states and EBs cannot travel on airlines much of the year because of their breathing problems. He was 9 1/2 and we got him in July and he died of old age in October. Usually EBs die at about 7 years. These people took him when they came to Belgium and thought he would die before they left. Turns out that he lived longer than anyone expected. Since he was so old, or maybe because he was just very gentle to begin with, he was totally calm. He did not bother my cat or other cats at all. He was housebroken to the end, which was very good but even in that short of time we needed to get him medical attention, I think for his eyes but it might have been for his skin. My kids really liked him and really he was a dear. We thought he died a good death, sleeping on the floor next to where my dh was sitting watching tv and near the rest of us too.

 

Yes, they don't live very long. I was going to mention this. They also seem to be old quickly. You have a young dog for a short time and then an old dog for a long time. They get old and sleepy. That is when I find them most appealing. My MIL sees their short life as a good thing. If a dog is unpleasant or extra cranky, or doesn't show well, it won't be around long. There is always the chance the next pup will be a champion.

[Pawz4me]

Have you had an English Bulldog or known someone who has?

 

A good friend has one. He technically belongs to her adult son, but in reality it's my friend's dog. He's a sweet, mellow dog who gets along well with her other dogs and cats, and he's been relatively healthy. He was a bit of a "bowling ball on legs" when he was younger, with a big tendency to plow through anything that got in his way. Hogar is about seven now, so getting to be old for a bulldog.

[Caroline]

We're all Yellow Jackets here. (Couldn't resist since the OP lives in Georgia.)

[AlmiraGulch]

We're all Yellow Jackets here. (Couldn't resist since the OP lives in Georgia.)

 

 

Funny! I'm actually a Hurricane. Can't wait to go to the Miami v. Tech game this fall. :D

[AlmiraGulch]

Yeah.... poop flossing. Bullies can't lift their tail. I mean, they can wiggle it, if there is enough left. But, often they can't lift it out of the way of their own poop. Plus, they are so fat and stiff that they can't clean themselves like other dogs. So, when the dog poops, FIL rolls up a paper towel and calls the dog. The dog is fine with this, btw. FIL takes the rolled up paper towel and sort of saws back and forth under the tail to clean out any poop. If it is really messy he does it again until the towel is fairly clean. If you have two bulldogs you don't have to do this. They clean each others butt.

 

My ILs had at least three at any given time for years. Now they are getting older and only have the one. That is when I learned about the butt flossing.

 

 

 

 

Yes, they don't live very long. I was going to mention this. They also seem to be old quickly. You have a young dog for a short time and then an old dog for a long time. They get old and sleepy. That is when I find them most appealing. My MIL sees their short life as a good thing. If a dog is unpleasant or extra cranky, or doesn't show well, it won't be around long. There is always the chance the next pup will be a champion.

 

Gross. I don't remember that from the bulldog I had in my youth! Yuck. I do remember her being very playful and then very sleepy, as you described. She was just a good, faithful dog. I was her favorite human, even at a very young age.

 

We're looking at Olde English Bulldogs now, too. Maybe get a lot of the good of the EB with fewer of the problems.....

[ktgrok]

ugh, a breed I will NEVER have after working in veterinary medicine. Sweet, but smelly and infected and allergy prone and orthopedic nightmares and on and on. Nope. They keep vets in business, and often smell awful. They should not be bred in my opinion, it is cruel.

 

Edited to Add: I think they are VERY loving and sweet dogs, but the health issues they have to suffer with just because humans decided that twisted arthritic legs and smushed barely able to breathe faces are cute...it just seems wrong to me. We are purposely breeding genetic misfits, that cause significant suffering (those smelly skin folds are infected, and are PAINFUL to the dog, those twisted stumpy legs end up arthritic, and those squished faces mean they can't get a full breath of air ever in their lives), and for no reason other than "oh, it's soooo cute." I think that is wrong, and will never condone such a thing buy buying one.

 

So yes, they are sweet, no, you shouldn't get one.

Edited August 26, 2012 by ktgrok