English Bulldog Facts - What You Need To Know

Winston here, to help you get your English Bulldog facts straight, especially if you're thinking of buying a bulldog as a pet.

Of course, we're exceedingly popular, in fact in 2010 we were the 6th most popular breed in the American Kennel Club's registers. There's a good chance you're thinking about a bulldog if you want to get a new dog.

Winston's Words of Wisdom

It's easy to see why people love bulldogs, we've got heaps of personality, we love being with people, we're easy going and very funny.

The problem is that too many people just see that side of use and only see the pros. They fail to take into consideration the cons.

Owning any pet is a responsiblity.

Here are a few English Bulldog facts you should think about before you bring one home.

English Bulldog Facts - The Cons

In our proper place we are friendly and have a lovely temperament. Just now and again though, you get one that thinks HE should be the leader of the pack rather than you. Are you sure that you are dominant enough for the dog to get the message? Are you a good leader? Can you socialize your pet sufficiently to keep him in the right place in your "family pack"?

Do you have small children?

We Bulldogs are much heavier than we look, so be careful if you have small people in your home. They're likely to get knocked over in an over friendly display of love and affection from us.

What's your sense of smell like?

We get a lot of gas and can be very smelly. Not good if you live in a small space and don't want to have the windows open all the time.

Snoring

We snuffle and snore quite a bit, so if you want a quiet dog and peaceful surroundings then we're not for you.

Are you squeamish about slobber?

We drool.

A lot!

So be prepared to wipe up the dog juice. Some owners carry a towel with them wherever they go.

In one article my human read a bulldog owner said that she and her husband once measured how far the slobber flew when their dog shook herself. There was a blob of drool on the floor more than five and a half feet from where the dog was shaking.

Like me, that particular owner thought it was funny, it's so satisfying to see how far you can get a blob of drool to go.

But you may not feel the same.

Can't stand slime?

We have deep wrinkles on our faces. These contribute immensely to our handsome features but they need to be kept clean. As a human owner, you'll need to wash between the wrinkles every day with a wash cloth and then make sure that the wrinkles are dried throughly.

Can you deal with that?

If you don't do it, we can get an infection, then you'll end up with vet's fees as well as a sick dog.

English Bulldog Facts - Heat And Health

Do you live in a hot climate? Or is it cooler where you are?

Heat doesn't agree with Bulldogs because of our adorable squashed up faces. We have very short nasal passages, which means that the air doesn't have time to cool down before it reaches our lungs.

As a result, we overheat easily. It takes very little for us to get hot very quickly. You'll need to make sure we have plenty of water, keep us in the shade and not give us too much exercise when the temperature gets above the mid 70s.

(On the plus side, we're inclined to be lazy, so don't need loads of exercise. We're perfectly happy to sit on the sofa and snooze.)

Because of inbreeding we tend to have lots of health problems, so you need to be prepared for vet's bills.

Health issues include:

problems with hip displacement
a condition known as cherry eye where the gland in the corner of the eye pops out of place
food and skin allergies
breathing difficulties

You should expect to pay out, anything up to multiple thousands of dollars, to deal with these problems.

Why?

Because we're worth it of course!

The average life span of a bulldog is around 7 to 9 years, with most living until about 8, although with care it can be a lot longer. The cost per year can mount up pretty fast if you factor in food, pet insurance and health care.

We have short hair, so don't shed much. Brushing 3 or 4 times a week will help to keep our skin in good condition because it removes dirt and dead skin, which will help to prevent allergic reactions. It makes our coats shine beautifully too.

To buy a pedigree dog will cost you a lot of money. This is because it needs a lot of time and effort to care for a pregnant mother. Bulldogs have very broad shoulders. That means that it's likely the mother will need a caesarian section to give birth, otherwise the puppies get stuck in the birth canal. It takes plenty of vet's fees to successfully breed Bulldogs.

However, by buying from a reputable breeder you can be more confident that your dog will be healthier because of the care lavished on the dogs by the breeders.

More English Bulldog Facts

Bulldogs come in several color variations. Brown and white patches, all white and brindle. Brindle is a mixture of black and brown and possibly other colors giving a sort of stripy effect.

My friend Bella has some brindle, you can see it on her front legs.

We originated in England about 400 years ago, where we were bred for use in bull baiting. When the sport became illegal, breeders worked on getting rid of the fierce part of our personality. Now we are the friendly goofballs that you know and love.

We love to be with people and are never happier than when we're snoring on the sofa beside you.

English Bulldog Facts - Conclusions

The bottom line is that Bulldogs need a lot of care and that's sadly why so many of us end up in animal shelters. If you're even a little squeamish then we're not for you.

BUT, we are totally gorgeous. If you can overlook the obvious drawbacks and are realistic about the state of your finances then we make wonderful, loyal, faithful friends.