hello just wondered if anyone can help. My partner wants a british bulldog! Ive done lots of research but not really found the answers im looking for so hope someone can help! if anyone on here owns one can they please let me know if they suffer with a lot of health problems (more so than other breeds) and if so what are they prone to?
Thankyou

Why do you not contact the breed clubs they are in the best position to advise you about the breeds health, breeders and any available puppies.

i have spoke to a breeder, but im still none the wiser! her bitch is lovely with no clear signs of any problems and all puppies seem fine too.
but just wondered if anyone on here could shed a bit more light on  them.

The Kennel Club points of concern may be a starting point for what to look out for.
http://www.the-kennel-club.org.uk/services/public/breed/watch/display.aspx?breed=Bulldog
They also have useful information regarding looking for the right breeder.
http://www.the-kennel-club.org.uk/services/public/breed/watch/display.aspx?breed=Bulldog
The breed is the Bulldog by the way not British Bulldog :)

iv been on and looked at everything on the kennel club site! but thankyou!

My sister brought a show bulldog and around 7 months of age he started fitting, he regulary has major fits but is kind of controlled by tablets. Its some form of epilepsy. This is the second bulldog that i know has this condition, wether its a trait i dont know. But then most dogs have conditions, you may or may not be a lucky one, so dont let it put you off, it wouldnt me, just ensure it has had all health screenings :D

well i know the dam of this litter hasnt had any problems what so ever and neither has the sire, i know that doesnt mean that the pups will be fine too. but its not something iv rushed into ive given it a lot of thought, but i still dont know! its a lovely red and white bitch iv seen that i have my heart set on! but thankyou for the advice :-)

This thread maybe of some help for you

http://www.champdogsforum.co.uk/board/topic/117998.html

Used to have one come to club and she was lovely, a real character. However our vet says she wouldn't touch them with a bargepole because of their health issues.

What was meant look for information and recomendations for breeders on the Breed club website. Unfortuantely there are many peopel breedign this breed with primarily money in mind, being a breed with conformation whihc when exagerated can cause problems you7 only want to go to a breeder whose aim in breeding is to reduce the potential for issues.

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

> just ensure it has had all health screenings :D

Health screenings are not always going to assist when the problem is exagerations of type.
  If I was determined to own this breed I think I would talk to the Breed Club and ask their assistance in identifying breeders that are actively persuing a health agenda.
Edited: I see Brainless has already said much the same.

have spoke to a breeder

That was not what I suggested - I said contact the Breed Clubs (breed council) not an individual breeder. If you find and speak to just one breeder you will get one opinion but this is not likely to be the best or only opinion.

> Edited: I see Brainless has already said much the same.

Yes and forget to do spellcheck to get rid of dyslexic typing, sorry folks.

To the original poster.

You want to see the breeder is working toward improvement, so you should be researching the parents ancestry and be able to see that progress is happening, for example good open nostrils, smaller over nose wrinkle, better breathing.  It would help if the breeder can show Heart test results, as hearts are a major issue re short lifespan.

I would want to know the ages at death of the dogs in the pedigree, the breeder ought to know all of their own and most of the others.

it is certainly something I would take into account in a short lived breed, choosing sires to mate to my girls who were long lived or out to longer lived parents.

this is what we mean by research, not locating a puppy. :)

i think they only live to be 6??

According to the results of the KC survey in 2004, the median age of death is 6 years 3 months with the oldest reported as being 14 years 5 months.

Heart attack and cancer are the two major causes of death.

I believe their average life span to be around 6 years, it still baffles me as to why they fetch such high prices ie £2000 +. Apart from anything else, this just encourages the wrong sort of people into the breed.
There are so many issues with this breed, they can't mate naturally, rarely self whelp... to name but two.... I am sure their most dedicated breeders are intent on making the necessary changes, but it won't happen overnight and will they still look like bulldogs as we know them ?

Here is a video about breeding healthier dogs, Bulldogs are mentioned about 15mins from the start.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rrWjVFKuAg8&feature=player_embedded#t=1058s

Didn't catch the name of the breeder working on producing healthier dogs

i do agility with my bulldog and she seems to enjoy it we only do it for fun have not competed with her she is my OH really and i decided after we got her that she needed something to do she came to us not as a puppy but young adult and we love her to bits

just want to say thankyou for your reply.
And as for the rest that are complaining about the bulldog and all the rest, i came on here for advice not to be spoken down to as if i havent a clue! yes i understand people have their own oppinions on different breeds but there really is no need to start slating the breed!
I only wanted advise, suppose all you that are pulling the breed down have clearly never owned 1!
ill know not to bother next time.......

I didn't see anyone talking down to you, there was varying views, links to info and suggestions on where to start your search, going to see one breeder and one litter/pup is not giving you a wide view of what is out there to compare.

I don't think anyone slated the breed but advised it is a breed with issues to address, and to ensure you are dealing with breeders who are not only aware of the issues the breed faces but are actively breedign away from the issues, and working to improve the breeds health lifespan etc, rather than those (and there are plenty) simply cashing in on the breeds public popularity and higher than average price tag.

A little confused Rottie-lover.  You came and asked if the breed specifically has any health issues and you've been given lots of useful information and help.  That's what you asked for.  Certainly not been spoken 'down to'?

If you're after Bulldog owners input specifically, then I think that the best advice for that has already been given; i.e. get in touch with the breed council.

Iv read so many posts on this site people wanting advice, and all they get is negative feedback. How is that helping anyone? Its like as soon as anyone mentions breeding everyone is so quick to judge! It just sickens me that people come on here for advise and get nothing but grief from people on here that think they know everything about every breed of dog!

>all they get is negative feedback.

How is being advised how to go about getting a healthy puppy 'negative feedback'? The breed has health issues, there's no denying, so you need to be very careful when choosing a breeder, and not just to buy from the first one you come across.

I thought we had been extremely coy about referring to the problems that this breed undoubtedly suffers from, pointing only in the direction of the experienced opinions, ie the Breed Council, that you have stipulated.
The only directly negative post was, again, based on personal experience of a close relative.
Why anyone would ask for information but only the good stuff I do not know.  You could tell yourself that :)
Interesting that you should bring up breeding?  I do rather wonder if that will be the next request for information, positive responses only of course :)

Its like as soon as anyone mentions breeding everyone is so quick to judge!

Is it any wonder, when everyone who produces sickly pups by not knowing or caring what they are doing gets lumped in with the rest of us and then on TV it's ALL the fault of us people in the show world.....

No infact I never have bred and I never will do! And even if did would it be any of your business anyway? Your all so quick to judge people! Every breeder had to start somewhere! And if I did decide to breed any of my dogs I certainly wouldn't post anything about it on here! Everything is so negative with everyone on here! U all try and think your all so educated on every breed when clearly your not! Yes a bulldog is a breed that has health problems just like many other breeds like the pug and the neopolitan mastiff I could go on and on. It just seems your all so negative on here and its hardly fair!

> Your all so quick to judge people!

You seem rather quick to judge us!  Why not have another read of the thread, I think you might find you have been a little unfair :)

> all try and think your all so educated on every breed when clearly your not!

Not at all, which is why we directed you to the Breed Council.

> Yes a bulldog is a breed that has health problems just like many other breeds like the pug and the neopolitan mastiff I could go on and on.

If you know so much you could go on and on why are you bothering to ask us?  You obviously have a clear view of exactly what answer you wanted.

>It just seems your all so negative on here and its hardly fair!

Now, that really is unfair.  We have been very measured in our responses.

Every breeder had to start somewhere!

Yes and that start is by showing or working the breed, being a breed club member, active in the breed for many years gaining experience, long before thinking about breeding for the first time. That's how responsible breeders start out, getting to know the breed inside out first. Far too many people buy a bitch and think it's time to breed instantly and that is the kind of person who we try to put off. If you put the boot on the other foot, would you want to buy a puppy from somebody who had had the breed for just a year or two? How would they be able to help and advice you over the years when they haven't got the experience themselves? Good breeders will be there to advice on anything from house training to puppy development, behaviour issues, health and looks, grooming and feeding and vet care etc etc, and a lot of that kind of knowledge only comes from practical experience of the breed, in more than one dog.

Yes exactly why I wouldn't breed and would never want to! But showing and the rest of it is not the be all and end all of a good dog breeder! Take the 2 on the programme the other night 'pedigree dogs exposed' still studding out their dog knowing he could be potentially killing thousands of pups and 1 of them was a vet! Just goes to show doesn't it!!!!

Take the 2 on the programme the other night 'pedigree dogs exposed' still studding out their dog knowing he could be potentially killing thousands of pups and 1 of them was a vet! Just goes to show doesn't it!!!!

If you watched a programme about rapists, would you assume all men were the same? There are good and bad in all walks of life.

> Just goes to show doesn't it!!!

Just goes to show what?  RL you asked for information about the health of this breed and it's been freely given.  You said that you've talked to the breeder but are "still none the wiser" and that you've done your research and still haven't found the answers you were looking for.

You don't have to agree with everything you hear, and you sometimes get more information than you ask for, but that's your role in the research process.  It's up to you to sift through the information to gather the facts you need to make an educated decision.  If you still have unanswered questions do go ahead and ask them.  However if you're going to criticise the people that have shared advice and opinion then perhaps you need to look elsewhere.

Good luck with your decision making

Beginning to wonder why RL asked the question in the first place, did they really want a reply to their question or did they just want to give us their opinion of us.

If the latter they why all this about Bulldogs a breed which you may have understood from previous threads is a breed I am very fond of and I can't fault the advice given.

well all I can say is I wish to hell I'd had a resource like this forum and an honest opinion ten years ago, perhaps then I would have known more and not mated my bitch and produced a puppy with a horrible genetic condition.

Despite what you think people on here only want to help people such as yourself from making an expensive and heart breaking mistake, as far as I can see no one has said don't get a Bulldog, only be careful.

> well all I can say is I wish to hell I'd had a resource like this forum and an honest opinion ten years ago,

Hey Celli, that's a scary thought, as some of us have actually been on here more than 10 years (I think it's 11 for me), now that's a serious addiction, or is it CD loyalty ;)

There are some Bulldogs which come to a couple of the ringcrafts that I belong to, they are breeders. If you live near me i'd say start coming along to catch these breeders for info.. Or better still why not attend a Bulldog show or event set up by one of the clubs, should be plenty of owners and breeders. What I did for one of my breeds was attend show, get a catelogue and mark off the dogs I liked and then looked into their lines and made a decision on what I liked and then went to see the breeder in her own home.

I thought you got some great advice.  But if you have set your heart on one and don't really want to know the negatives why ask?  It only takes minimal research to discover the health issues pertaining to any breed, but the experienced people here were able to build on that for you, mentioning finding those breeders trying to improve on the conformation aspects, especially the facial folds and more open nostrils enabling the dog to be able to breathe better. Perhaps you should look at a Leavitt Bulldog (sp) if you want a really healthy type?

May even be the same ring craft Suejaw but I remember a breeder of Bulldogs being at a session a few years back and it was very hot in the hall so most of us were waiting our turn outside and there were her Bulldogs rushing about playing with the gundogs and there was no more puffing from them than from the gundog. This particular breeder is successful in the ring and her stock are a credit to her they are lively and playful with no more sign of breathing problem that a boxer.