The English Bulldog. Is it really a "vet's pet"?

Question

My mom has been in love with English Bulldoggs for many years. We (as a family) have always poo'd on her idea for having one, mainly because our vet called them a 'vet's pet' because of so many health problems.

it seems like it's so hard to come across a well made English Bulldog nowadays without risking hip or back problems, cherry eye, breathing problems, etc.

We are beginning our research into owning a Bulldog. Our plan is to finish finding our Aussie puppy, and then begin looking at upcoming Bulldog litters early next year.

Are they really such a health mess? We would want one that had show potential (It might be fun to show something smaller then an Aussie!) and i know that ones in town that are pieces of crap with no health testings can fetch $2000 because they are "rare" up here.

Any advice on going about this?

Additional Details

bernese- I'd give my left kidney for a bulldog from Chaos :D

Answer 1

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker

I don't do agility yet, but thats my next project. My guys are healthy, we have a few seasonal allergies, and unfortunately one is allergic to many things but we are not sure how because she has never been exposed to that. But for the most part they are healthy. Yes bulldogs have health issues I don't deny that. But if you do go to the BCA website, you will see we are doing everything besides changing the structure to work on their health.
http://bcahealth.homestead.com/

They are quite rare up there, on the referral there is only one breeder. I don't know him so I can't say anything about him. If you want a good breeder you can look into getting one from another state.
http://thebca.org/breedref.html

You can have a perfectly healthy bulldog, they are not the mutated freaks people make them out to be.

To the person below me, a bulldog with a stuck out nose is not necessarily healthier. Most of the things you said are a load of horse manure, get you're facts straight. Guess what the number ONE non-sporting dog in the country is, yes you guess it a BULLDOG.

Source(s):

sorry no pups and don't know when my next litter will be

Asker's Rating:

Asker's Comment:

Thanks Chaos.

yep, no good breeders up here for little Bullies. Lots of crappy ones though! :P

Answer 2

Look for the Bulldog Club of America and yes they are a health mess due to the heavy bodies and short pushed in noses. Breathing issues, dropy eyes issues and Hip and Joints issues, just to name a few of the numerous issues.

You could get one from a show breeder that pet quality, if it happen to have a slightly not so pushed in nose. But its won't be show quality then. Show dogs need very pushed in noses. Who knows why?

and expect to pay at least 2,500 for a show breed show quality pup.

My major concerns would be:
Stubbornness. Despite their sweetness, English Bulldogs are not Golden Retrievers. They are not pushovers to raise and train. Most Bulldogs are extremely stubborn. You must show them, through absolute consistency, that you mean what you say. (Food rewards help a great deal!)

Occasional animal aggression. Some male Bulldogs may act aggressively toward other male dogs. Some Bulldogs do not get along with cats. Never feed an English Bulldog in the presence of other animals.

Shedding. Bulldogs shed much more than you might think. Their short, coarse hairs come off on your hands when you pet them, and stick tenaciously to your carpeting, upholstery, and clothing.

Bulldog sounds. Though they seldom bark, English Bulldogs are far from silent. Because of the short face, they snort, snuffle, wheeze, grunt, and snore loudly. The sounds are endearing to some people; nerve-wracking to others.

Slobbering. Most people are not prepared for how much English Bulldogs slobber and drool, especially after eating or drinking. When they shake their heads, you will literally be toweling saliva and slime off your clothes, furniture, and walls.

Gassiness (flatulence) that can send you running for cover. Fortunately, Bulldogs who are fed a natural diet of real meat and other fresh foods have much less trouble with gassiness. See my Bulldog Health Page for more information.

High cost. English Bulldog breeders charge $1000 to $1500. I recon these are underestimated costs.

They explain that this is to cover their costs of artificial insemination (because most English Bulldogs can't mate without assistance) and C-sections (because the puppies' heads are too large to be born normally). But that's just the beginning of your money outlay, because typically you'll be spending a great deal of money on veterinary care for this breed.

Serious health problems. Make no mistake about it, English Bulldogs are grossly deformed and modern breeders, especially show breeders, perpetuate the health problems with every litter they produce. It's been said that if you feel like supporting your vet with great chunks of money, get an English Bulldog. They suffer from hip problems, heart problems, and skin problems. Their compromised respiratory system makes it very risky to anesthetize them.
Many Bulldogs can't even walk normally, or run without gasping for breath. Many of them struggle to breathe in hot or humid weather. In the summer they should be kept in air-conditioning and supervised during outside activity so they don't over-exert themselves and become overheated.

If your looking for dogs that seem similar to an english bulldog but less health issues.

Look into the Boston Terrier
English Bull Terrier or Staffordshire Bull Terrier. There still what i would consider under the umbrella bully type breeds.

All breeds are smaller then the Aussie Shepherd, and you seem to be interested in the bully type breeds

Source(s):

http://www.yourpurebredpuppy.com/reviews…

Answer 3

Overall, Bulldogs can have a lot of health problems. They are wonderful dogs, but be sure you're willing to monitor their health closely and can afford any medical treatment they may need.

Here's a link topic about the bulldog's general health condition. hope this helps!
http://dogtime.com/dog-breeds/bulldog/he…

Answer 4

any dog that's referred to as "grossly deformed" will probably have a lot of health problems. i don't know if i'd purchase a dog like this unless i was positive i had the finances to handle all of it's health issues. they can make wonderful pets, but they're just very high maintenance.

Answer 5

I said something along these lines, and Chaos told me that her bullies are very healthy and active - they even do agility.

I'm sure a good dog from a good breeder will have better health testing, but as a relatively unhealthy breed there is no guarantee - breeding only does so much. I've met several bulldogs (popular over here in England), some of which are pictures of health and some of which are very sickly.

I would say as a breed they are more of a mixed bag in terms of health. That said, I think that they're awesome dogs. I like the fact that they can be stubborn and a bit awkward and they have a fair bit of attitude to them. :) You know what to look for in a puppy, knowing what good breeding ethics are yourself, so I would think out of anyone you'd have the best chances of ending up with a healthy bullie.

Answer 6

not true, we have one and hes very healthy all we have had was the occasional allergies and he has a sensitive stomache. if bred properly they will have no issues except minor like allergies and sensitive to certain foods. never buy a dog with a smooshed face either they have most problms. look for one with the nose sticking out so they can breathe and one well built like more muscle and not all fat and wrinkly. never buy online and never trust people on here as many are bybs and just want to sell their dogs. get one in your area from a reputable breeder and make sure you see the dogs before purchasing in person. dont buy from a breeder on here is a huge mistake.

i paid 2000 for mine but hes not allowed to show as he was sold as a family pet because too many people breed and she did not want her pups being improperly bred and she hates showing so hers did not show either however they are all show quality if she chooses to do so and he came with his shots and papers. look for conformation and temperment. with showing, they say they have champ dogs but unless it was in the west minister or a huge known show which no bulldog ever wins i'd be leary. i know of no bulldogs who have show titles from any big major shows worth anything as they go for smaller dogs or hunting sporting dogs and bulldog shows really dont count as champion dogs. bulldogs are a very popular dog to use in scamming people so just be careful and always go get the pup in person and make sure the papers are there as they say they will send them and never do.

if you get a well bred dog you will have no major problems. in fact the only vet visits ours has had since we had him is when we take him for checkups or shots thats it.