Traveling

Question: Air Travel.
Answer: When traveling by air, you need to contact the airlines to check their policy. Usually you have to make arrangements up to a couple of weeks in advance for traveling with your dog. The airlines require your dog to travel in an airline approved fiberglass crate. Usually these can be purchased through the airlines but they are also readily available in most pet-supply stores. If your dog is not accustomed to a crate, then it is a good idea to get him acclimated to it before your trip.

Question: Boarding Kennels.
Answer: Perhaps you have decided that you need to board your dog. Your veterinarian can recommend a good boarding facility or possibly a pet sitter that will come to your house. It is customary for the boarding kennel to ask for proof of vaccination for the DHLPP, rabies and bordetella vaccine.

House training

Question: House training How-To
Answer: House training won't be a struggle if you follow our 11-step plan for a happy, hygienic Bulldog.
1. Decide where you want your Bulldog to eliminate. Take it there every time until it gets the idea. Pick a spot with easy access. Pups may give you little warning.
2. Teach an elimination cue, such as "Go potty" or "Get busy." Say it whenever yo take your Bulldog to eliminate. Don't chant the cue, just say it once or twice then keep quiet and avoid distracting your dog.
3. Praise calmly when your dog eliminates, but stand there longer in case there's more.
4. Keep potty outings for potty only.
5. If you catch your Bulldog eliminating where it's not supposed to, interrupt verbally but don't scold. Instead, gently cary or lead your pup to the approved spot and let it finish, then praise.
6. If it's too late to interrupt, gently take pup, along with the "evidence" (blotted or scooped with a paper towel) to the designated potty area and deposit the dog's waste on the ground (not the paper towel, though). Praise your pup as if it had gone there instead of indoors. If it sniffs where you put the mess, praise. Let it know you're pleased when that stuff is in the right place.
7. Keep track of pup's elimination schedule to help anticipate potty times.
8. Feeding scheduled meals instead of free-feeding makes elimination times more predictable.
9. Hang a bell from the doorknob and ring it every time before you take your Bulldog out for a potty break. Dogs soon perceive a connection between the bell ringing and the door opening, then try it themselves.
10. Dogs return to eliminate where they've previously soiled, so thoroughly clean up accidents.
11. Scoop the potty area daily, or pup might seek a cleaner restroom.

Question: Basic Training.
Answer: Early "puppy kindergarten" along with puppy play training are vital if you plan to do obedience work of any kind. Most Bulldogs could probably get their Companion Dog (CD) titles if their owner had patience.

Question: Leash Training.
Answer: It is never too early to accustom the Bulldog puppy to a collar and leash. It is your way of keeping your dog under control. It may not be necessary for puppy or adult Bulldog to wear its collar and identification tags with the confines of your home but no Bulldog should ever leave home without a collar and without the leash securely in your hand.

Behavior

Question: Biting.
Answer: All puppies bite and try to chew on your fingers, toes, arms, etc. This is the time to teach them to be gentle and not bite hard. Put your fingers in your puppy's mouth and if he bites too hard then say "easy" and let him know he's hurting you. Squeal and act like you have been seriously hurt. If the puppy plays too rough and doesn't respond to your corrections, then he needs "Time Out" in his crate. You should be particularly careful with young children and puppies who still have their deciduous (baby) teeth. Those teeth are like needles and can leave little scars on youngsters.

Caring

Question: Exercise.
Answer: Proper exercise in the cool of the morning or evening is as vital to the Bulldog's longevity as is proper nutrition.

Question: Heat and Your Bulldog.
Answer: Our hard and fast rule regarding Bulldogs and heat is no exertion or playing when temperatures are up and humidity is high. If a Bulldog begins to pant, steps must be taken immediately to cool it down.

Question: Nail Trimming.
Answer: Bulldogs seldom get enough exercise on rough surfaces to wear their nails down and these have to be clipped or filed down on a regular basis.

Question: Toys and Chewing.
Answer: Provide toys that will keep the puppy busy and eliminate his need for eating your needle point pillow or the legs off your favorite table. Just be sure to provide things that are hard to chew, never anything gummy or soft.

Question: Bathing and Grooming.
Anwser: Although the Bulldog does not have a long coat to contend with, the breed is no less in need of grooming. Bulldogs are unable to wash their own tails, so their owners must attend to this. Nor can Bulldogs take care of their wrinkles which can become irritated very easily if not cleaned on at least a weekly basis. Only use tearless dog shampoo.

Selecting

Question: Male or Female?
Answer: The sex of a dog in many breeds is an important consideration and of course there are sex related differences in the Bulldog that the prospective buyer should consider. In the end, however, the assets and liabilities of each sex do balance each other out and the final choice remains with individual.

Question: Puppy or Adult?
Answer: For the person anticipating a show career for their Bulldog or for someone hoping to become a breeder, the purchase of a young adult provides greater certainty with respect to quality. Even those who simply
want a companion should consider the adult dog.

Health Care

Question: The First Check Up.
Answer: You will want to take your new puppy/dog in for its first check up within 48 to 72 hours after acquiring it. Many breeders strongly recommend this check up and so do the humane shelters. A puppy/dog can appear healthy but it may have a serious problem that is not apparent to the layman. Most pets have some type of a minor flaw that may never cause a real problem.

Question: What is Entropion?
Answer: Entropion - A Common Eye Problem in Bulldogs "Entropion" is the medical term for an eye condition in which the eyelids turn inward toward the eyeball instead of outward as they should. Entropion is a common problem in many breeds of dogs including bulldogs and appears in other forms of livestock such as sheep. Even humans can have entropion!

When eyelids turn inward, they allow the dog's eyelashes and fur to rub against the eye causing irritation, excessive tearing and pain. Left untreated, this irritation can cause infections and painful ulcers on the surface of the eye that lead to blindness.

The most common causes of entropion are:
Heredity ....the tendency toward entropion can be an inherited defect. If one or both parents of the dog have the condition, they are likely to pass it on to their offspring. Therefore, veterinarians suggest that dogs with entropion should not be used for breeding.

Irritation from dust, allergies, injury, etc. .... temporary minor eye irritations can cause some dogs to squint and rub their eyes which creates a vicious cycle - the more they squint and rub, the more it hurts and the
more they squint and rub! Eventually, this can cause the muscles surrounding the eyelid to spasm and force the eyelid to turn inward, creating an entropion condition. In some cases, the dog's eyelashes may be growing in the wrong direction and are irritating the eyeball as well.

Some people believe that loose skin and wrinkles on the heads of some Bulldogs contributes toward entropion, however it is important to know that entropion occurs with plain heads and long, narrow muzzles just as often as it does in dogs with heavier heads.

Relief for entropion:
Entropion that is caused by a temporary eye irritation can sometimes be relieved by using appropriate medication prescribed by your veterinarian. In many cases, though, entropion needs to be corrected surgically.

Surgery to correct entropion is a fairly straightforward procedure that most veterinarians are able to perform. It may help to think of it as an "eyelid tuck" - depending on which eyelid is involved (upper or lower, sometimes both), a small amount of skin is removed and the eyelid sewn into its proper outward-turning position. In cases where muscle spasm is believed to be the culprit, the veterinarian may choose to also alter the muscles under the eyelids to prevent spasms from recurring.

Most veterinarians shave the area around the eye before surgery. Some dogs' eyelids swell after surgery but you shouldn't be alarmed - it may make your dog look awful but the swelling will disappear in a couple of days. It's important that the dog not be allowed to rub his eyes before the stitches are removed (10-14 days) so your veterinarian will probably send your dog home with an "elizabethan collar", a large soft plastic cone that attaches to your dog's regular collar and is designed to prevent him from scratching his face. Most dogs don't like wearing the cone at first but quickly become accustomed to it.

The cost of entropion surgery seems to vary greatly from doctor to doctor. You may need to get estimates from several vets in your area to find a reasonable price for your budget. Keep in mind, though, that cheapest is not necessarily best!

Baby puppies with entropion occasionally outgrow the condition so some veterinarians prefer to delay surgery until the puppy reaches adolescence. You should not neglect the puppy's eyes, though, while hoping the problem will go away! The veterinarian should prescribe daily eye drops or ointment to relieve irritation during this time to keep them from becoming worse. In severe cases, "eye tacking" may be recommended to provide temporary relief while the puppy matures enough for surgery. Eye tacking involves temporary sutures that hold the eyelid in its proper position for up to two weeks. Some veterinarians are willing to perform entropion correction surgery on puppies as young as eight weeks
so discuss the situation with your doctor to determine what options may be best for your dog. For a few dogs, one surgical correction is not enough and they may need a second surgery later in their lives.

Question: I have spoken to a breeder about buying a puppy. She offers a warranty against certain health problems like hip dysplasia but the warranty doesn't cover entropion. Why not?
Answer: Entropion can be an inherited condition but can also be acquired as a result of temporary eye irritation. (see the above paragraphs on causes of entropion) Because the breeder has no control over what happens to your puppy once you take it home, all she can really do to protect your puppy from entropion is to use entropion-free breeding stock and to have your puppy examined by a veterinarian before purchase to ensure that it is entropion-free at the time of sale.

Question: I've been to visit three breeders so far and I don't know what to think. In the first litter, the puppy I liked had entropion but the breeder said it would grow out of it. In the second litter, one of the parents seemed to have entropion and so did some of the puppies but the breeder said it was"no big deal. Almost all Bulldogs have it". The third breeder didn't know what the word "entropion" meant. What should I do?
Answer: Keep looking for a breeder who is knowledgeable and honest about health problems! Some puppies do grow out of an entropion condition but no breeder can say for sure whether a particular puppy will. You should not be expected to buy a puppy with an obvious problem and no way of knowing whether the problem will resolve on its own. If this breeder isn't being honest with you about entropion, s/he might not be honest with you about other potential health problems either. Almost all Bulldogs DO NOT have it and thirdly, I would keep looking for another breeder if they are not familiar with this as they might not be very well informed about many problems that could arise and therefore may be selling you a dog with a possibility of many health problems.

Question: I found a Bulldog at an animal shelter and I'd really like to adopt her but she has entropion. Should I forget it and look for another dog?
Answer: Not necessarily. In most cases, entropion correction surgery is a one-time expense. Discuss it with your veterinarian to see if the cost is within your budget. If you really like the dog, the expense may be well worth the lifetime of love she will give you!