Hi, I've just joined Champdogs today, after reading many a topic over the last 2 years or so... When my son was 2 we decided that we would like a dog to join our family, so for over a year I researched different dog breeds from a list we compiled together on dogs we preferred. We visited shows and spoke to breeders and owners. We eventually settled on the English Bulldog, i have always had a soft spot for them, we started to look for puppies, then my wife got pregnant again and so, we didn't think it was a good time to get a puppie with a baby on the way too.  Anyway over the past 9 months I have still been checking out the shows and speaking to breeders and owners, my problem is we still want a bulldog but are going to wait till baby is about 2, speaking to breeders and owners of bulldogs, they all say they are very healthy as long as you pick from the right breeder. None bulldog owners and breeders all seem to say the oppersite, stay well clear as no bulldog is ever healthy, insurance will cost a fortune, and they cost the earth to keep as pets. Now we are still going to get a bulldog in a year or so, but it's just a nagging doubt at the back of my mind about what all no bulldog owners are saying. Anyone with any views that can help?

i dont own bulldogs but do know (have heard) that most only live to 6 or 7 occasionaly older?
i also hear that they often collapse and die at crufts! 2 in one year i believe.
i also know you cant walk them during hot days and see them struggle to breath. they look uncomfortable. i adore them but think owning would lead to heart break.
also it must be hard to find a good breeder, after all, until recently they cost £2000 each and usualy have litters of 10, even though they need a c.section breeders will still be making a huge profit, (maybe £15,000 a litter!) infact, if you bred 2 litters a year, who would need to go out to work??

Sadly there are some very anti Bulldog people out there.  I've seen the healthy, live until around 11 without any breathing problems.  I've photographed and seen a number out running on a hot day (although not ideal for them or any dog), but you really, really do have to make sure you do your homework.  I would think with your experience of just going around the dog shows you will of seen the difference in some types and maybe seen the more taller, slightly finer built ones.

D your homework, ask plenty of questions and ask to see the breeders oldies.

They are not a breed for me as I have seen some that don't look healthy, but I wouldn't condemn them all.

The following link should be of help - far better than listening to rumours and hearsay is to look at the site which is run by people who are knowledgeable and have the best interests of their breed at heart.

ETA - whoops forgot to add the link so have reposted.

The following link should be of help - far better than listening to rumours and hearsay is to look at the site which is run by people who are knowledgeable and have the best interests of their breed at heart.

http://www.bulldogbreedcouncil.co.uk/index.htm

What a load of tosh.
Other breeds have sadly passed away at Crufts and even more tragic so have people.
Ive got an 8 year old that can still run round and nip your legs if you wind her up, (its not nasty nipping just over excitment)
Ive seen and been beat by a 12 year old bulldog that was playing up and being a loon,loved the ring.
You dont walk any dog in the heat,they arent dogs for long distance,a bit like Mike Tyson isnt built for running with Linford Crystee (excuse spelling)
LITTERS OF 10................yer right,average is 3 to 4,yes some do have bigger litters but then some only have 1 or 2.

A bulldog who is out of my dog is at Crufts every day doing a display on the Arden Grange stand.

The most amazing thing about a bulldog is its the most affectionate fun loving companion.

Mark my bulldogs have NEVER cost me more than the average dog,they see the vet for injections,the odd hot spot etc.

You do need to find the right breeder but that goes for any breed too,are you going to Crufts?

i have a friend who has two and they have never cost her a penny except for boosters and food and shows ,
they are fit as a fiddle and race around after my rottie when out playing the youngest one runs alongside her hubby who can do upto 10 miles of training a day the oldest one who is now 10 likes to sleep alot but that is because of age and lazyness, so i think it depends on where you go for one.

so a bulldog can run ten miles without stopping? so why do we read hype that they will collapse? and i have seen MANY litters of 10 advertised and for many years so im sure 3 or 4 is not the average born
also, having followed the link above, the bulldogs on skateboards look knakered, they look like they are getting on the boards to save their legs! well, thats how it looks to me anyway

Is this bulldog unable to run and about to collapse?

BRILLIANT

so a bulldog can run ten miles without stopping? so why do we read hype that they will collapse? and i have seen MANY litters of 10 advertised and for many years so im sure 3 or 4 is not the average born
also, having followed the link above, the bulldogs on skateboards look knakered, they look like they are getting on the boards to save their legs! well, thats how it looks to me anyway

That is why we are saying buy from a good breeder. You can find rubbish in any breed if you don't do your homework.

As you obviously dislike the very idea of the breed perhaps you are not the best source of information.

and i have seen MANY litters of 10 advertised and for many years so im sure 3 or 4 is not the average born

The way back yard breeders and puppy farmers get around not being able to register more then one litter in a year from one bitch (which you cannot do if you have a breeding license) is to register two litters born to the same bitch, when in fact two different bitches are the mothers. This is very common and certainly does explain why some breeds appear to have really large litters on paper.

Loved seeing that Bulldog doing agility, thanks JG.  Didn't he look like he was loving every minute? :-)

We used to regularly meet a chap on walks who had 5 Bulldogs.  They were all energetic, able to do a long and strenuous walk with no evidence of breathing problems or being on the brink of collapse; even the oldie who was 12 at the time.  

oh,thats brilliant,jeangenie!My son had a bulldog,Bosun,I wish you all could hear him tell  stories about him.."Demolition Joe "was his official title,I thought that was great!Sadly passed away now,son says he still misses him.

sorry but he looked near to collapse at the end, didnt you see his chest heaving? but its not true that i dont like the breed, i said earlier that i think they are great, i just worry that they suffer

Lets be honest,WHAT dog other than the fittest endurance dogs,sled dogs etc COULD run for 10 miles WITHOUT stopping even whippets,greyhounds etc cant run for 10 miles non stop.
Working on an average (sometimes more sometimes less) but on average.
There are 229 litters registered and that made a total of 912 puppies,therefore the average would be 3.89 pups per litter.

Your entitled to your opinions but please dont tar every bulldog the same,its like me saying your breed (what ever it is) is nasty or hyper etc etc.

I watched the utility group at Blackpool last year and it was very hot, i was so suprised how the bulldog powered round the very large ring putting alot of the other dogs to shame!!

> sorry but he looked near to collapse at the end, didnt you see his chest heaving?

I think we must have been watching different videos! That dog was no more nearer to collapsing than his handler was. Out of interest how many bulldogs have you personally met?

Yes there are some out there who have problems - nobody will deny that, it is a fact. BUT there are also those who are bred carefully and responsibly and live long, happy and energetic lives and the bulldog in the video looked to be very fit and healthy. I compete in agility with my dog - who is very fit - and he will often breathe heavily at the end of a run and I am sure your dog too breathes heavily if it has been running around and exerting itself - it's what dogs do.

Reading some of the reply's, again it seems very mixed. We have moved to a dog friendly house with a large secure garden, read all the books, spoke to breeders and owners and been to see litters too.. I have spent time with some breeders to see how to care for them.. I have done a lot of home work to make sure it's the breed to us, one owner had to bulldogs both almost 14, but I've also read the stories about the bad ones aswell.  I am going to crurts this year to have another look. We want our bulldog to be a family pet more than anything else, I don't think we will show the dog, we aren't bothered about when initial cast to get the puppie so long as it's healthy and going to stay reasonably health over time. It's just I here more and more bad stuff, alot more than the good stuff, sounds bad, but some on here are saying the good aswell. Thanks to you that replied, it's very useful information. I suppose everyone is entitled to there opinion. Cheers

> It's just I here more and more bad stuff, alot more than the good stuff, sounds bad, but some on here are saying the good aswell. Thanks to you that replied, it's very useful information. I suppose everyone is entitled to there opinion. Cheers

The biggest consideration (once you have decided that it is definitely the breed for you and your family) is where you get your puppy from. A responsible, caring breeder will only breed from the best examples of their breed, from health tested dogs and, just as importantly, from dogs of the very best temparament. As you have already discovered there are a lot of breeders out there advertising puppies for sale and there appears to be a lot of choice but not all breeders breed for the right reasons.

I would suggest you have a look at some of the other threads where people have asked for help to find a puppy who has had the very best start in life - and that start would have begun long before any puppies were born or threads about responsible, ethical breeding and you will find a huge amount of information as to what you should be looking for from a breeder. Puppy farms and back yard breeders should be avoided at all costs - just because you don't wish to show your dog ( I don't show mine either) you still want to have a healthy, well bred dog from the best possible background.

Thanks, yeh of course i want the best puppie I can get, I live In Rochdale and I have travelled as far Inverness just to have a chat with a respected breeder and spend time with a genuinely healthy happy bulldog and her pups. We have thought long and hard, and travelled alot of miles in the course of researching the breed to see if they are for us, I have seen some bad litters (puppy farm/in it for the money) and also seen some excellent litters, defiantly  not in it for the money but for the love mostly. The last litter we viewed we found on pets4homes, all sounded good, we travelled to Nottingham and when we got there they were one of about 12 available breeds with puppies available then. Also the supposedly KC registered pups where in fact sharpie/bulldog cross, Very annoyed to say the least, and the got a bollocking. So I have done my research, but I still allow people to tell me how bad they are as a breed, even tho I know that a well bred pup will give us years of happiness with little or no health worries...

even tho I know that a well bred pup will give us years of happiness with little or no health worries

you hope!  the best bred dogs of any breed can have health problems, some of which are not related to inheritence or breeding or the way they were brought up. One from a litter i bred fell over a cliff and luckily made a full recovery. thankfully they had insurance as it would have cost £4000! so make sure you have good insurance obv

tina's - do you actually like dogs, read a few of your posts lately and I don't think I have read one word that suggests you do.

Should have put "should give us years", yeh, anything can happen I suppose. I don't know anyone who actually owns a bulldog, but, have met lots owners at shows showing or just watching, and they all say what you just said, so insurance has also been researched.

There are no guarantees when buying any breed of puppy.

But, you have done your homework and met some good breeders already.  If you go on one of their lists the chances of having a healthy pup will be high and you will know that if there are any problems then it will not be down to lack of care on your part.

If you have already met a breeder you like ask to go on their list as it can take a while for the right puppy to come along.  I have been on a list for my breed for the last 10 months with no end in sight but I would rather get a healthy pup than an pup that was just 'available now'.

Good luck with your search :)

to nova
adore them, my dogs are like my kids, i even choose days off to suit them so they arent alone all day. i just like to give constructive critism on what i have seen in my life, no one has to listen to me obv

i just like to give constructive critism on what i have seen in my life,

So far all you have mentioned in this thread are rumours -"I've heard", "I've been told" -no first hand experience at all.

hi i have a bulldog and she runs with all my GSDs she even swims in the river (not usually seen as they are so front heavy) she has no breathing problems and is very fit, if you go to a good breeder who breeds for health and not just size you should be ok.

My little man lived to 13 ! I'll admit he had an easy life of doing nothing but thats what made him more lovable, only problem I ever had was he had a little growth on his bum which he got very late on in life and vet didnt want to chop it off as he was a bit old to go under. My mum got him me when I was 10 and he was the most lovable and chilled out dog ever, defo kick started my love affair for bulldogs. Got many pictures of him curled up asleep next to my son when he was a toddle, they would take an afternoon nap together :)

>insurance will cost a fortune,

I don't know this breed at all, other than in photographs (and inevitably in less than flattering news articles) but it is worth doing your research about insurance.  I know that there may be changes between now and getting your puppy but some things are worth taking your time over and insurance isn't always that straightforward!

Look for 'life cover' with good benefits and high limits.  Imagine a few worse case scenarios for your pup and research accordingly.  Marks & Spencer's cover is very good (but expensive) so you could use that for comparison and if you get online quotes for a few breeds in your postcode you might get a sense of who loads their breed prices the most...

Good luck

i just like to give constructive criticism on what i have seen in my life, no one has to listen to me obv

May be I have missed any posts that were written from experience - most seemed hearsay or read from less than reliable sources - nothing I would call constructive criticism or constructive enthusiasm. I too have years of experience as a dog owner but I do not seem to have developed your jaundiced view of dogs, well I hope I have not.

Some of the bulldogs problems can be conformational, really tight nostrils and extremely short noses. I wouldnt want to walk any dog in the sun and as it gets warmer our afternoon walks will be dog free.

There is rather a lot of cherry picking here -the worst and the best of the breed.

I have sat and watched several large classes of bulldogs whilst stewarding for their judge and I have to say honestly that a very large number were lame ( no, not just typical bulldog movement), panted excessively in cool conditions and several looked to rather keen to be out of the ring to lie down.

At another show it was so cold by the door that many people threatened to go home if they didnt close it -it was bitter. It was where all the bulldogs were caged...no one else went any where near that area. Just because they're like that doesnt make it right.

The agility bulldog would not have one under the judge I stewarded for .......this is more likely to have ........
http://www.bulldog-inc.com/boy/images/boy1995.jpg

Take from that what you like...just my observations.

nova
if you think its constructive to carry on slagging me off then so be it.
thats twice you have attacked me obv because i dont deserve an opinion
ill bow out as argiung is pointless
perhaps you have benificial things to say about bulldogs and will tell the op instead of whining at me instead

ps nova

didnt realise until i re-read the thread that you havent commented on the thread at all, just 3 comments to me not likeing what i have said!
bowing out now, better things to do with my time

ps nova

didnt realise until i re-read the thread that you havent commented on the thread at all

Probably like me Nova prefers to comment from experience. I have plenty of personal views on Bulldogs and many other breeds but no experience (other than once living next door to a Bulldog) and that won't help anyone looking for a pup which is why I commented on practical issues like why there may be litters advertised with ten pups when the breeders themselves claim normal litter size is much smaller.

Quite so MarianneB - seems no point in making a comment for the sake of it and others have better covered anything I could say.

Not slagging you off tina s just very puzzled by your attitude not just on this thread but also on others - there seems little point in trying to put people off a breed unless you have knowledge from personal experience.

I must confess to not having attended masses of shows, but whenever I have I am afraid the bulldogs always appear to be out of breath. They do have an average lifespan of around 6, which is appalling. Which begs the question, why do they cost £2000, often more ???

I have been told lots of different average lifespans, ranging from just an average 5 up an average of 10, with many individuals getting to 14 and some even more. Which to me are great differences, again breeders and owners stating the higher end, and none breeders/owners stating the lower end. Obviously that's a worry for us, but any dog can die young and any can live to be a good age. Price wise we have got to know a good breeder who does not charge over the odds and who has bulldogs of a good old age of 13 and 14...

Great video JG! No he didn't look close to collapse, yes he was panting, but so is any breed after running an agility course. I wouldn't have one myself because the noise they make while breathing is so weird to me (she who has snoring Cavaliers!!), but I know reputable breeders have worked very hard to improve the health of the breed over the last decade or so.

>again breeders and owners stating the higher end, and none breeders/owners stating the lower end

Markh82 There's little point talking to people who have never owned, never met, and in some cases possibly don't even like, the breed!

Whenever you get information (positive or negative) then please ask them what their experience is :)

Dogs a babe, that's a very good point you make there... Taken on board... Thanks...

Think that is a good point or go and see for yourself - have watched many different breeds both at shows and at ring craft and from what I have seen Bulldogs are no different in the panting after exercise than say a Staffie all dogs pant if hot or following exertion and I can't say I find that one brachycephalic breed differs in that respect from any other. The only dog I have seen collapse in the ring happened to be DDB but it was very hot and may be the owner was not aware it was overheating.

To be honest the most noticeable thing about the breed to an outsider is their tendency to botty burp.

To be honest the most noticeable thing about the breed to an outsider is their tendency to botty burp.

Yep true, they will defiantly fit into our household very well indeed, lol...

In truth, the bulldog is a breed that generally cannot mate without human assistance or whelp naturally, this is not good imo and something I hope its most conscientious breeders are trying to address.

n truth, the bulldog is a breed that generally cannot mate without human assistance or whelp naturally, this is not good imo and something I hope its most conscientious breeders are trying to address.

That is not totally true, I have limited knowledge of the Bulldog breed - meaning I don't know many - but the assistance required at the mating is much as would be needed at any mating and those breeders I do know expect and get natural births - yes, sometimes need a C section but show me a breed that does not.

When we do get our bulldog, it will be a family pet only.

> I have limited knowledge of the Bulldog breed

I'm afraid you do.

C-sections are common place, many being elective, making the incidence far higher than almost any other breed.
In the very heavy show winning type they also cannot be left with their babies which necessitates them being removed and only allowed access to feed.

I did say I can only speak about the breeders I actually know and what I said is what they have told me. So it would seem that you really do need to choose your breeder with care but that applies to any breed.