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When
you arrive home with your English Bulldog puppy, remember - your puppy
is a baby Bulldog. Like all babies, he needs lots and lots of love and
cuddling, lots of sleep, lots of good, quality nourishing food and still
more love and cuddling.
Moving to a new home, leaving his family and the only humans he has ever
really known can be a little scary for the English Bulldog puppy, so try
to
make
the move as easy as possible for him. For the first couple weeks, try to
establish a good routine for him. Make it simple and relaxed at first so
that your baby Bulldog feels secure in the new environment. Your English
Bulldog Puppy will need a lot of guidance and direction from you during
this transition so take advantage of this experience to bond with him.
This will allow your Bulldog to feel comfortable with you and develop
his trust for you.
Follow
the breeders routine for feeding your Bulldog puppy. The same times,
same amount, same brand of food, same supplements. Feed your new English
Bulldog child in the same place for each meal. Be sure your Bulldog
puppy has his own special area for his
bed.
Give your new Bulldog lots and lots of cuddling, petting and attention.
Be careful not to let your English Bulldog puppy play so long and hard
that he becomes exhausted.
Sometime during the first week, you should take your English Bulldog
puppy to your vet for a check up and allow him/her to get to know your
Bulldog puppy.
If you want to change your Bulldog puppy's brand of puppy kibble, the
change should be slow and gradual. Substitute a small amount of the old
food with the new and slowly increase the ratio of new to old until the
old food is completely replaced with the new.
Housing/Bedding:
English Bulldogs thrive indoors around
their family and in a temperature controlled environment. An English
Bulldog can overheat
faster than other dogs so if it's much over 80 degrees (F) your bulldog
should be in an air conditioned area. And be careful with slippery
surfaces such as hard wood floors, tile or linoleum. Bulldogs are born
with joints that are naturally looser than, say, a German Shepherd, and
slipping on the floor or in the bath tub can be hard on the joints. If
you have these kinds of floors you might consider area rugs to provide
traction and a bath mat when bathing.

Bulldog bedding need not be as elaborate and expensive as it can be.
Costlier isn't always better. Usually a common cotton rug or blanket
in
his crate will due nicely. They are fairly cheap and easy towashand
dry. Artificial sheepskin rugs are available at most pet stores and also
wash and dryeasily. The main thing is that your English Bulldoglikes
it and you like it. Avoid wicker dog bedsbecause most English Bulldogs
love to tear these to pieces and could choke on or swallow the pieces.
We recommend using a wire crate for your Bulldog puppy. English
Bulldogs
actually love having their own private retreat to go to when they want
to be left alone. It is much easier to house train a Bulldog puppy if
he/she sleeps in a crate. If you travel with your Bulldog, he/she is
safer and happier riding in a crate and if you are staying overnight
your Bulldog will have its own place to sleep in. The ventilation in
wire crates is much better than most plastic ones.
Equipment:
(Recommended
puppy supplies)
A
big fluffy, comfy chair or couch so you can sit and cuddle with your new
English Bulldog puppy is a great way to start off your Bulldog's new
life with you.
A food dish and a water dish with straight sides and flat bottom.
Preferably stainless steel.
A collar and lead. Your English Bulldog's first lead should be a light
weight one, you'll need a strong leather or nylon lead as your Bulldog
grows. A harness can be confusing for an English Bulldog puppy when they
are just learning to follow your tugs. A collar tugs on one area in one
direction whereas a harness tugs their entire chest and shoulder area
making it hard for your Bulldog pup to tell what you want him to do. We
recommend using a collar while training your puppy but after he is well
trained a harness is fine.
Dog
nail clippers or grinder. We recommend using a Dremmel tool to grind
down your English Bulldog puppy's nails and making them smooth and
rounded. (Available at most Wal-Marts or hardware stores).
A brush. You can use just about any brush on an English Bulldog, but the
best ones have flexible rubber bristles. Find one that fits comfortably
in your hand .
If you travel with your English Bulldog, you'll need a large insulated
water jug so you'll have lots of cool water available for your Bulldog.
A small water bowl that hooks to the inside of your Bulldog's crate is
nice also.
A spray bottle filled with cool water. Lightly spray your English
Bulldog's face and body if you notice your Bulldog panting or breathing
heavily. A must for long walks and road trips.
Toys:
Never
give your English Bulldog a rawhide toy! Bulldogs can tear the rawhide
off and choke on it. Most Bulldog puppies will love a simple knotted
sock to shake and play tug-of-war with you. Many English Bulldog puppies
love chasing a ball. Whatever toy you choose just be sure that it is too
big to get lodged in your Bulldog puppy's throat. And if you get toys
with eyes or buttons on them be sure to tear them of as your Bulldog
puppy can choke on these.
Feeding/Diet:
Your
aim in feeding an English bulldog puppy should be to aid in muscle, bone
and joint growth as much as possible without causing your Bulldog puppy
to become obese. It is best to feed a 2-4 month old puppy 3 or 4 times a
day. Be careful not to overfeed. Until you are familiar with your
English Bulldog's eating habits avoid making your Bulldog's food
accessible all the time. If you notice your Bulldog puppy is putting on
too much weight, you may want to restrict his/her food consumption.
Obesity can be a serious health threat to your bully.
You can begin feeding your English Bulldog adult food at about 12 to 18
months. If you have your Bulldog spayed or neutered, or if because of
old age he becomes less active, you will want to switch to a "light" or
"low fat" version of your Bulldog's food to avoid obesity.
If your kibble is hard you may want to soften it with warm water. We
suggest choosing a quality dog food such as Royal Canine, Natures
Choice, Natures Recipe or Wellness. But we stress that any of these dog
food brands can change their ingredients and ways of processing for the
better or worse at any time. So educate yourself on the different brands
and check the labels periodically for any changes. Basically the less
"junk" in it the better. Avoid food with lots of preservatives and
fillers. And never feed an English Bulldog anything with soybeans or
soybean oils as these are very difficult for English Bulldogs to digest.
Adding yogurt and/or cottage cheese contributes to bone growth and
digestive system health of your English Bulldog and most Bulldogs love
the taste. (1 teaspoon-1 tablespoon per feeding). Maybe 2 when your
English Bulldog is an adult. Corn oil or canola oil (1-2 teaspoons a
day) are great for the coat and skin.(No soybean oil!) Hard boiled
eggs(1/2 to 1 per day) are great too.
We suggest supplementing your English Bulldog's diet with vitamin C for
good immune system support and joint development and strength. You can
get this with 120% or higher Vit C orange juice (not from concentrate)
or real oranges (2-3 times per week). Vit C in this natural form is more
readily absorbed by the body. Add it to your Bulldog's food masked with yogurt or serve it
separately based on your Bulldog's preference.
Fresh water should be available! However, if your English Bulldog is
very winded or panting heavily after a run you should let your Bulldog
have just a little at a time until he/she is cooled off.
Training:
English Bulldogs are very smart but can
also be a little stubborn. So as with any dog, training your Bulldog
will require time, patience and consistency.
Key to good training is an understanding of how a dog thinks. Below is a
bit of 'dog psychology' which applies to any canine.
All dogs, including bulldogs, are thought to be descendants of the wolf.
Yes, the resemblance to your English Bulldog is nil. But remember this
important fact: like all dogs, your Bulldog is a pack animal . At first
this description may sound a little savage and unpalatable. But this
pack instinct is precisely why dogs wedge themselves so perfectly into
our families. They want to belong - to please. When a dog joins a
family, even a family of one, a pack is formed. At this point his
instincts compel him to seek out the structure of the pack-'Who is the
leader?' 'Who is the follower?' Have you ever known a person whose dog
is very rude, disrespectful and even a little aggressive? Does he (the
dog) 'sass' his owner? (bark back) Does he dart just out of reach when
he is reached for? Does he steal food or run away from his owner? Does
he bark uncontrollably at guests? These behaviors may indicate that the
dog is confused as to his position in the pack. He may have difficulty
recognizing his owner as the leader of the pack therefore the dog could
attempt to assume the role himself. It is very important to training
that you assert yourself as the leader early on. Of course, English
Bulldogs, just like people, have their own individual personalities. One
may just be more willing to accept your correction than another.
I
know, I know. 'But she is just sooo cuuute when she gets sassy.' 'How
can I correct him when he gives me that sweet little smile?' 'Yes it was
my new couch, but don't all English Bulldog pups chew?' ... It's not
always easy to correct an animal as charming as a Bulldog. But it can be
confusing for your Bulldog puppy and make training difficult for you if
they don't know who's boss. So with that in mind...
Potty Training:
When potty training your English Bulldog
puppy, you must first learn to watch for the signs (sniffing, circling
etc). Take your Bulldog puppy out (preferably to the same area every
time) right when he/she wakes in the morning, 5 minutes or so after each
meal, just before bedtime or about every hour otherwise. Watch your
English Bulldog puppy until he goes, then remove him from the area as
soon as it is finished; that way your Bulldog learns quickly the reason
for these trips. Give your Bulldog puppy lots of praise when he/she gets
it right. Praise for correct action works much better than punishment
for mistakes. Don't scold your English Bulldog puppy unless you catch it
in the act. There will be accidents but remember, your Bulldog puppy is
a baby and doesn't have the mental capacity or muscle control of an
adult English Bulldog yet, so be patient .
Lead Training:
It's
important to start lead training your new English Bulldog baby early.
But if you just got your baby Bulldog, you should wait a week or so till
he/she is comfortable and relaxed with you and his new environment.
Start with a lightweight nylon or leather collar and lead. Make sure the
collar is large enough to slip easily over your English Bulldog puppy's
head with some room for growth. Begin by just holding the collar and
letting your Bulldog puppy lead you. This will get him/her used to the
idea of a collar. Then gradually start coaxing your Bulldog pup to
follow you with calls and gentle 'tug-release' pulls on the lead. Never
drag or pull your English Bulldog puppy around . You want this to be an
enjoyable experience for your new Bulldog puppy. Don't play with him/her
during these training sessions, but do offer praise when your
Bulldog/child follows you correctly.
Grooming:
Proper English Bulldog grooming is a
relatively low maintenance affair. The main areas of concern are the
coat, the nails, the ears and of course those cute, trademark wrinkles.
We will start with brushing.
Brushing:
Brushing is key to a healthy, shiny coat.
Most English Bulldogs love being brushed so it shouldn't be a problem.
Brush at least 3 times a week with any good dog brush that fits your
hand comfortably. Start at the back and move forward. Then brush from
front to back. Your aim in brushing is to remove dead hair and to evenly
distribute natural body oils. This will keep your English Bulldog's skin
healthy and his/her coat shiny and smooth.
Bathing:
An
English Bulldog who is regularly brushed will not need frequent bathing.
Most Bulldog owners only bathe their bullies when they obviously need
it. But when it is time for a bath you will need to gather up everything
you will need including: shampoo, Q tips, cotton balls, wash cloth and
towel. Choosing a shampoo for your English Bulldog is much like choosing
one for yourself. There is no 'best' or 'worst'. You just have to try
several different brands till you find one that agrees with your
Bulldog's skin and coat.
Begin by placing a cotton ball in each of your English Bulldog's ears.
Then thoroughly wet your Bulldog from just behind the ears to his tail
being sure to get the underside also. Apply the shampoo and work it in
thoroughly everywhere including between the toes, under the tail and the
genital area. Use a washcloth with shampoo to clean his face and
wrinkles. Use a cotton ball or Q tip to clean the inside of your English
Bulldog's ears but don't go too far in. Now rinse thoroughly so that
every bit of shampoo is off your Bulldog. You can now remove the cotton
balls from your Bulldog's ears. You can towel dry, use a hair dryer or
simply let him/her drip dry. Put a little Vaseline on your English
Bulldog's nose to keep it moist and soft.
Nails:
An English Bulldog's nails usually need
trimmed 2 times a week when they are pups. Once a week for adult English
Bulldogs. If the nails get too long it can cause his toes to spread out
unnaturally and make the foot deformed. Use a dremmel tool or dog nail
clippers. Cut or grind just to the curve of the nail.
Wrinkles:
Wrinkle
care is very important for an English Bulldog. A lot of dirt and
moisture can collect under your Bulldog's wrinkles and can lead to an
infection if not properly cleaned and maintained. English Bulldogs vary
in how often they need wrinkle cleaning but a good rule is at least
twice a week. Use a wet cloth with shampoo to clean them then dry
thoroughly. After cleaning and drying put some corn starch in your
English Bulldog's wrinkles to keep them dry. Baby wipes with aloe and
lanolin are great for on-the-go wrinkle cleaning.

Please e-mail us for more information.
E-mail: champbulldogs@gmail.com
or call: (301) 643-2961
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