Bulldog Information
When you arrive home with your puppy, remember - your puppy is a baby Bulldog. Like all babies, he needs lots of love and cuddling, lots of rest and sleep, lots of love and cuddling, lots of good, nourishing food and more love and cuddling.
Moving to a new home, leaving his dam and littermates and the only humans he has ever really known is a very traumatic experience for the puppy, so try to make the move as easy as possible for him. For the first couple of weeks, try to change his life as little as possible.
Follow the breeders feeding routine. The same times, the same amount, the same brand of food, the same supplements. Feed him in the same place at each meal. Be sure he has a special area all his own for his bed. Give him lots and lots of cuddling and petting. Do not let him play so long and hard that he becomes exhausted.
Sometime during the first week, you should take him to your veterinarian for a checkup and get to know your Vet. Take along the record of his immunizations and worming and a stool sample.
Once the puppy is settled securely into his new home, you can introduce him to your way of doing things.
If you want to change the brand of puppy kibble he is eating, the change should be slow and gradual. Substitute a small amount of the old food with the new brand and slowly increase the ratio of new to old until the old brand is completely replaced with the ne
Grooming
Your Bulldog should be thoroughly brushed at least three times a week. Most Bulldogs love to be brushed. Use a soft bristle or rubber brush. Start at the rear and brush against the hair. After you've brushed the entire dog against the grain, brush it with the grain. Follow this with a good rubdown. This will keep his hair shiny and his skin healthy. During shedding time, spring and fall, you may need to brush more often, give more frequent rubdowns. The idea is to remove the dead hair and distribute the natural oils.
Bathing
A Bulldog that receives frequent brushings and rubdowns does not need frequent bathing. Most people bathe their dogs when the dog is dirty - when it obviously needs a bath.
You will need: shampoo, any rinses you plan to use, cotton balls, Q-lips, eye ointment or mineral oil, Vaseline, washcloth, towels. You will want a mild, no tears shampoo.
Wet the dog thoroughly from just behind the ears to the tips of the toes on his hind feel. Be sure his underside is wet, too, not just the top and sides. Apply the shampoo starting at his neck and working back. Work the shampoo in to be sure you get all the way through his hair to the skin. Pay special attention to his paws (wash between the toes), his tail (clean all around the base), and the genital area. On a bitch, be especially careful to clean the vulva. Wet the washcloth and use it to dampen the dog's face and ears. Put some shampoo on the washcloth and wash the dog's face. Wash the wrinkles over the nose, on the forehead, around the nose and under the eyes. Wash his nose. Wash his ears, inside and out. Now rinse. Rinse until you are sure every bit of the dog, especially in the wrinkles and tight places, is thoroughly rinsed and there is no shampoo any place. If you are applying a rinse, do it now, following the instructions.
Dry the dog with towels. Take the cotton balls out of the dog's ears and clean any wax carefully using a dry Q-Tip or one with a dab of Panalog. Rub a dab of Vaseline onto his nose to help keep it soft. You can then let him air dry or use a hair dryer to finish the drying. It's best to keep the dog inside until it is completely dry - about two hours.
Nails
Most Bulldogs need their toe nails cut on a regular basis - about every two weeks. The nails should be kept as short as possible. You may use dog nail clippers or an electric grinder. You can put the dog on the floor and scratch its tummy, or hold it between your legs - whatever works. Be especially careful not to cut into the quick. On white nails you can see where the quick begins. On black nails cut just to the curve of the nail. The clippers usually leave a rough edge. Use a good dog nail file to smooth them off. If you use en electric grinder, be very, very careful. It is easy to grind into the quick.
The main thing is to make the experience as pleasant as possible for the dog so be really careful when cutting nails and don't cut into the quick. If you dog takes frequent walks on pavement or such, it will usually wear the nails down, so again, be careful as there may not be very much nail to cut. This is especially true of black nails which seem to wear more than the white ones.
Wrinkles
Bulldogs tend to have messy face wrinkles. The older they get, the messier the wrinkles. How often you clean these wrinkles depends on the dog. Some do very well if you clean the wrinkles twice a week. Some need it daily. When you clean the wrinkles, wash his nose and apply a good rub of Vaseline to keep it soft. It's better to clean more often than you think you need to than rarely enough. You can clean the wrinkles with a soft, damp cloth and then dry. Or you can wash them using the shampoo you used to bathe the dog. Be sure to rinse thoroughly and dry thoroughly. One of the best ways is to wipe the wrinkles clean with Baby Wipes with lanolin and aloe. Whatever method you use, be sure to get the deep nose wrinkle clean. You may need to put a soothing ointment in the deep nose wrinkle. If it is irritated, Panalog will help to heal. Destine Ointment will soothe and dry the wrinkle.
Medical Advice
The second best medical advice anyone can give you is, "Find a veterinarian who knows and likes Bulldogs. Believe it or not - some veterinarians don't like Bulldogs, and no matter how good a veterinarian he or she is, they're not a good one for your Bulldog.
The very best advice is to know your Bulldog. Check the entire dog daily. Know if he isn't eating, if he isn't playing, if he doesn't seem quite right. Know immediately if something is wrong so you can take appropriate action.
There are several minor ailments you can treat at home. Remember that if a home remedy doesn't cure the problem in two days, it's time to take the dog to the veterinarian. Do not keep trying various methods of home medication.
Tail
Some Bulldog's have their tail set in a pocket. If yours does, you will need to keep that pocket clean and dry. Wipe it out frequently. You may need to use cotton balls rather than a washcloth if the pocket is tight. Be sure to dry it thoroughly and apply an ointment such as Panalog, or a drying powder.
Facial Acne or Eczema
Bulldogs are forever putting their faces into all kinds of strange places. Some are susceptible to topical bacterial infections. The dog gets pimples on his face and chin. Usually you can clear these up just by washing and rubbing in an anti-biotic ointment. If they persist, you will need to get an oral anti-biotic medication from your veterinarian.
Ice
Start giving your Bulldog pieces of ice to eat when he is still a small puppy so that he learns to like it. Luckily, most Bulldogs do. This is a great way to cool down a hot dog. Bags of ice in a kiddie pool make a great summer toy.
Heat Stroke
Bulldogs are very sensitive to heat. They do not have efficient thermostats.
Heat, over-exertion, stress and anxiety contribute to the Bulldogs' breathing issues. They have big flat faces and throats with lots of loose skin and flesh. When a Bulldog gets overheated, overly excited or stressed out, that loose skin and flesh can being to swell, cutting off the dogs airway.
You must at all costs avoid taking them out in cars, on walks, to beaches or other hot places, or exercising them, during the summer. They get heat strokes and die more easily than any other breed.
If your dog overheats, get him/her into the shade immediately, or better still get the dog into a pool of cold water. Otherwise, get to a tap fast. Wet the neck and stomach first, wrap a dripping cold towel round the neck, and keep him quiet until his breathing stabilizes, and he is absolutely comfortable again. The very best precaution is always having a tub of cold water accessible to the dog in summer--they'll get in themselves and cool off quickly.
Your Bulldog doesn't know he can't do things like jog with you, play ball or Frisbee in the warm weather or go for long walks on summer days. The Bulldog is loyal and will try to keep up with you and do your bidding, even if it costs him his life. It is up to YOU to ensure the safety and well being of your Bulldog. You know what he can and can't do. Your Billie’s life is in your hands
Do you like swimming?
Well, I hope you like swimming alone, because even though Bulldogs love water, they are really poor swimmers. If they should fall into a pool, they won’t be able to get out and will likely drown. If you have a spa, hot tub, or pool, it needs to be fenced off from your Bulldog. However they do enjoy playing in kiddies pool with just a little water in the bottom.