OWNING A  BRITISH BULLDOG

Temperament

As a watchdog his highest practical value lies in the menace of his repellent, personal appearance, and the traditional, but very erroneous idea of his ferocity. Marauders fight shy of a place where a Bulldog is on guard. Although he looks fierce he is in fact as gentle as a lamb, and most difficult to irritate into anger; there is not a more trusty and affectionate companion for children and adults than a Bulldog. They are absolutely the most wonderful dog for children to grow up with.

Bulldog Maintenance

Being a hand raised breed, Bulldogs thrive with human contact and/or the company of another dog. Like any breed, socialisation is very important, we recommend starting with a good puppy pre school with professional dog trainers. This will provide a great foundation to help understand your puppy’s needs and behaviour. Positive reinforcement is an absolute must with all dogs but particularly Bulldogs. Puppies will inevitably have accidents until they are mature enough to hold on. Pushing their noses in it will not connect your message with their behaviour, take them outside often and always praise not punish.

Exercise is important however must not be overdone. Playing and local short walks is sufficient until they are 6 months old, then you can begin to increase the distance. Please be mindful of the weather and walks during warmer months must be carried out early morning or late evening. Overheating can have devastating effects and can cause permanent damage or even death.

Regular maintenance and grooming are essential. Regularly wipe any folds and keep dry to prevent infection or staining. Be extra vigilant after bathing to ensure the tail folds are completely dry and free from trapped old hair. Always use a specific dog shampoo as human products have a different pH and can have terrible side effects. Be careful to avoid shampoo going into the eyes and nose with the flat face, wipe out ears with separate clean tissues and never use a cue tip. Over bathing can cause the natural oils to be stripped from the coat thus causing them to be smellier quicker. Curerash zinc powder is great for face and tail folds and assists with drying up any additional moisture. Removing dead hair can be achieved with a soft brush or rubber mitt once a week. Toe nails should be trimmed allowing adequate space for the nail quick as to not cause bleeding or injury.

Purchasing a Bulldog

There is nothing more delightful than a British Bulldog puppy, and no dog changes more in the course of growth from puppyhood to maturity. However, being recognized as the most difficult of all breeds of dogs to reproduce, puppies are not always readily available and purchasers will likely be placed on a waiting list. British Bulldogs are an expensive breed of dog to buy, and if the thought is running through your mind that if you purchase a female you could later breed and perhaps recover your purchase expenses.. forget it!

If you decide to buy a Bulldog, we recommend you contact the Secretary of the British Bulldog Club of SA inc. who’ll be only too pleased to help you and advise you on who may have a litter at the time. Alternatively you can find a list of registered breeders on the Dogs SA website. Breeders often have dogs they’re looking to place in their forever home that are more mature than an 8 week old puppy. These dogs may have been kept as potential show dogs or have had a litter. These dogs should not be dismissed as they are usually house trained, have undergone basic obedience or show training and do not require the additional workload associated with a baby puppy such as 4 feeds per day and very regular toilet trips.

Joining the British Bulldog Club of SA inc. as a member is invaluable to connect with experienced breeders and owners, articles featured in the quarterly club newsletter will also benefit new or prospective owners. We recommend attending dog shows which are held most weekends at David Roche Park to talk to breeders about the Bulldog.

Main & Limited Registers

When a breeder registers their litter the can choose to either place each puppy on a main or limited register. Why does this matter? If you’re looking for a pet Bulldog without interest to show or breed, if your bulldog is not ‘entire’ or desexed then the limited registration is applied to their pedigree. However, the main register gives the new or existing owner the rights of a full pedigree dog including the ability to show, breed and potentially export. A dog may be transferred between the main and limited register providing an application is lodged with Dogs SA from both the breeder and the registered owner of the dog. For further information visit the Dogs SA website.