Buy a bulldog: 15 things to know about bulldogs.
One of the most unusual and charming dog breeds is the bulldog. However, such distinctiveness has pros and cons, so it’s crucial to understand both before buying a bulldog.
After all, dogs may provide us with years of companionship. Therefore, it’s crucial to choose the best breed for you.
What are the key characteristics that make Bulldogs special?
⦁ Bulldogs are well known for their striking body and facial characteristics. While some people dislike their appearance, others embrace it.
⦁ You either like how they look, or you don’t, making the distinction simple. Other characteristics, albeit initially less obvious, are equally significant. Here are some illustrations:
⦁ Bulldogs often live 8 to 10 years. They can live for several more years if given the proper care.
⦁ Bulldogs are incredibly friendly and loving.
⦁ You must give your bulldog the best care possible because they are prone to various health issues.
⦁ Bulldogs get along nicely with children and other animals if properly socialised and trained.
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Here are the five things you should know before getting a Bulldog:
- Bulldogs are incredibly intelligent as well as stubborn, which can make training tricky
The consensus is that if a canine breed is clever, it will also be simple to teach. That is both true and false.
Bulldogs are a brilliant breed that can be trained to perform various tasks. However, that same intelligence gives them a strong sense of independence and stubbornness.
Is this good or harmful, then?
Bulldogs can be trained to do several things, but if you want to be successful, you’ll need a lot of time and patience.
You may anticipate a lot of stupid behavior from them in the interim. You shouldn’t be shocked if you observe bulldog acting in the following ways:
Cats are renowned for getting stuck while attempting to accommodate themselves in extremely tight spaces.
Refuse to stop eating something that is unhealthy for them.
Randomly wage war on an innocent domestic object that had nothing to do with them earlier.
- Health-wise, Bulldogs are very high-maintenance
Despite what you may have heard, bulldogs are not the healthiest dog breed, which is terrible. They are prone to various illnesses and ailments because of their unusual head and body forms. Among the best instances are:
Dental problems due to bizarre jaw structure
⦁ “Cherry eye” protrusions
⦁ Eye cataracts
⦁ Sleep apnea
⦁ Ear infections
⦁ Muzzle acne
⦁ And others
Of course, just because bulldogs are prone to these problems doesn’t guarantee that your dog will experience them. Instead, it means you’ll need to provide your pet with good care; a bulldog needs enough food, exercise, supplements, and routine checkups from the vet.
- Finding the right breeder is key
It’s crucial to purchase your bulldog puppy from a reputable breeder due to the possibility of health issues. This will guarantee that the puppy was reared correctly and that its parents are healthy.
How would you determine which breeder is best?
You can explore a variety of online directories of reputable breeders. As an alternative, check out local dog breeder reviews.
After that, you should make sure that the breeder you are in contact with is straightforward and truthful with you. Ask them questions without holding back, and pay attention if they avoid responding.
Of course, you should always request a health certificate.
What about obtaining a bulldog through adoption?
This is another alternative if money is tight or you don’t like purchasing a puppy when many are already available for adoption.
You can’t be as approving of the bulldog’s health when you purchase one from a shelter or rescue, which is the drawback.
Nevertheless, well-run shelters and rescues frequently include health records and sufficient health information. They also provide their animals with loving care. By doing this, you can be confident that you’ll either acquire a healthy animal or know everything there is to know about the animal’s health issues.
- Bulldog puppies can be surprisingly energetic
Many people who have never owned a bulldog stereotype this breed as lazy and unmotivated. Bulldog puppies can be surprisingly hyperactive, even though adult bulldogs are not as physically active as other dog breeds.
Although it should go without saying that early puppies are energetic, many new bulldog owners are taken aback by this.
Why does that matter?
Bulldog puppies may be quite the handful because of their near-limitless activity and clever yet stubborn attitude. And that is sometimes a terrible thing. Bulldog babies are a lot of fun!
However, before acquiring a bulldog puppy, you should be aware of that. You can become overburdened if you need more spare time and energy for your new dog.
- The dogs from this breed are very loyal and defensive of their family
Bulldogs are especially noted for being devoted to their families and loyal to them, as are most dog breeds. Because of this, they are highly dependable; unless mistreated, your bulldog will always be by your side and ready to assist you.
However, there are several negative aspects to this:
Bulldogs, if improperly socialized, can become hostile toward strangers. This implies that you’ll have to exert extra effort to get your bulldog to develop trust for guests and strangers.
Bulldogs are especially noted for being devoted to their families and loyal to them, as are most dog breeds. Because of this, they are highly dependable; unless mistreated, your bulldog will always be by your side and ready to assist you.
However, there are several negative aspects to this:
Bulldogs, if improperly socialized, can become hostile toward strangers. This implies that you’ll have to exert extra effort to get your bulldog to develop trust for guests and strangers.
To settle your bulldog down, be careful not to “reward” such jitteriness with too many hugs; this will teach the dog that there is something to be fearful of.
Instead, the bulldog will learn to ignore particular sounds once it observes that you are doing so.
- Bulldogs’ respiratory issues make for some very loud snoring
One of the signature features of bulldogs is their flat face. But while it is incredibly cute, it also leads to certain problems.it has two negative side-effects:
Lots of snoring!
Sure, the latter sounds much less problematic than the former. And it is! But the extra loud snoring and snorting are still important to keep in mind.
- This breed is extremely social and requires near-constant human presence
Bulldogs always want to be near you, they always love sleeping on you, they love getting pets and belly rubs, and they adore any type of attention and pleasant physical interaction.
What can you do if you don’t work from home but you really want a bulldog?
There are several possible solutions:
Make sure there’s (almost) always a family member at home – it can be a child, an older relative, or a spouse who works from home.
Hire a dog sitter or a dog walker for when you’re at work – there are many such services in the U.S. and they’re often relatively affordable.
Make sure you give your bulldog enough attention when you’re home – playing with, hugging, and petting your bulldog as much as possible before going to work will ensure that the dog won’t miss you that much.
- Bulldogs don’t need too much physical exercise
Many dog breeds require lots of physical activity. This is often a turn-off for would-be dog owners as most people don’t have the time for constant walks in the park and playtime in the yard.
Fortunately, bulldogs are not one of those breeds.
They still need social interaction and some physical activity but an adult bulldog doesn’t need to get exhausted every day. Instead, all they need is a bit of running, a bit of ball play, and the rest can be hugs and petting on the couch.
So, if you’re looking for a dog breed that’s fun to play with but even more fun to snuggle with, bulldogs are a good choice.
- Be mindful of overheating your bulldog
Going on from the previous point, bulldogs are really easy to accidentally overheat. And not just with excessive physical exercise either. Instead, a bulldog can get overheated due to many different reasons:
⦁ Stress.
⦁ Dehydration.
⦁ High altitude.
⦁ High temperatures.
⦁ Physical exertion.
A combination of some or all of the above.
Even just stress alone is sometimes enough for a bulldog to overheat. If you’re away from home, your bulldog is getting worried about you, and it gets further stressed out by some unusual sounds outside – that alone can be enough for a dangerous overheating episode!
- Take care of those wrinkles!
One of the biggest charms of bulldogs is the funny wrinkles on their faces and across their bodies. And while those are exceptionally cute, they also present some issues.
What are those?
Mainly, you’re looking at three potential problems:
Skin infections
Inflammations
Yeasty skin
None of these are particularly pleasant for you or the dog so proper wrinkle maintenance is a good idea with bulldogs.
- Bulldogs were initially bred for bull baiting, hence their name
Most people think that bulldogs are named that way because of their stubbornness. Another common notion is that they are named bulldogs because of their strong, stocky bodies.
Both of these are wrong, however.
Bulldogs are named that way because they were used for bull-baiting! And it’s exactly those strong, grounded, and heavy bodies that made them so great at it as bulls had a hard time catching them with their horns and tossing them in the air.
Now, this may not be the most “useful” information but it is curious to know not only why are bulldogs named that way but also why they look the way they look.
- Bulldogs can be susceptible to food allergies
Food allergies are not uncommon for dogs, but they are especially common for bulldogs. To make matters even more complicated, not every bulldog is allergic to the same things.
There are some trends to keep an eye on, however. Most bulldogs are allergic to:
⦁ Potatoes
⦁ Grains
⦁ Wheat
⦁ Whey
⦁ Chemical preservatives
⦁ Sugar
⦁ Artificial flavoring
⦁ Some bulldogs are even allergic to poultry or pork!
Again, not every bulldog is allergic to the same things so you’ll have to test and find out what’s ok for your dog and what’s not.
- This is one of the breeds that require significant mental stimulation
The bulldog’s high intelligence doesn’t just mean that they can be taught certain tricks and can be a bit stubborn – it also means that they need to use their heads regularly!
All intelligent breeds can get bored or even depressed if they don’t get enough mental stimulation.
- These dogs remain puppies at heart throughout their life, contrary to their appearance
And, to end on a high note, one of the cutest factoids about bulldogs is that they remain very puppy-like throughout their life.
