Regarding the recent postings in the breeder section (now closed to further posts) about the English bulldog. No one is doubting how cute bulldogs look - whatever else they lack it certainly is not the ‘ah’ factor. No, what I fail to understand is this: how can you consider yourself a dog lover & yet breed dogs that are so plagued by debilitating and life threatening health problems?

I was astounded at the response a veterinary nurse got from an owner in reply to her post when she shared her experiences of seeing EBs brought into the vets’ practice where she works. Maybe a small %age of bulldogs do have a decent quality of life and are able to walk more than 2 miles (or 50 metres?) with no ill effect, breed freely etc., but veterinary evidence suggests these examples are very much in the minority. Fact. Not lies nor propaganda, just straight fact.

I’ll put this to owners (and not just of EBs but of any breed), why would you knowingly breed an animal that has chronic health issues in the full and certain knowledge that it is going to pass those problems on to its progeny? The only reason I can think of – and it falls well short of being a good enough one for me – is for money!

My heart bleeds for the English Bulldog. Producing dogs that are condemned to a short and limited life is cruel. Selling them to people whose hearts will break watching them suffer is cruel. Wake up and get some health back into your breed. Maybe then you will realise how good it is like to feel like a dog owner - rather than a carer with an invalid to look after.

You can help the bulldog by signing the petition at http://www.petitiononline.com/bulldog/petition.html

Going by your your user name, are you also a Bulldog owner??

Many breeds suffer from difficult welps, good and responsible breeders do all within their power to make this as easy as possible for the bitch and pups. The alternative would be to lose this traditional breed.
At the end of the day, everyone is entitled to their own opinions, they must also respect others opinions too.

liberty

Bullster
I love bulldogs and before we got Gus ( a Staffy) we did consider a bulldog but because I didnt know enough about the breed and because I had read about health problems I must admit it did put me off and we stayed with the breed we know best :(
I have read that old thyme bull dogs are bred to reduce breathing difficulties but again having had no experiece of them I really dont know .
Lel

I must disagree, it's usually people who have never owned a bulldog that go on about there so called health problems, of course there is a list of problems they could have as with most breeds but the chances of having them all in one dog is highly unlikely, i have had 6 bulldogs over the last 8 years not one of them had any problems, except maybe not liking the heat when it gets over about 90 degrees, which usually it doesn't often, also it's nothing a few fans can't help with. All but one has self whelped, and any dog could have to have a ceaserean if things started going wrong. Of course there are unscrupulous breeders about, who would breed maybe from a bad breather ect but this happens in all breeds. I really don't think you can make such a strong assumption, about a breed you have never owned. Of course the vet nurse would have seen a few bad one's, thats why they were at the vet! Like you see german shepherds with bad hips ect, this doesn't make it the norm.

Oh please !!!!!!! i have seen this stupid form you want people to sign go away and leave us bulldog owners alone.

Well Said :)

I guess that hit a raw nerve corso girl :(

At the end of the day, bulldog owners and breeders are the best ambassador for the breed,:)
As I said, we should all respect each others points of view.

liberty:)

I do respect others points of view but i am so sick of people going on about the same old things THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE BULLDOG how would you feel if it was your breed people were pulling apart all the time Liberty? raw nerve just fed up.

I was not saying anything against the Bulldog breed Corso Girl; and yes I would be annoyed if it was my breed that people where pulling apart.
However that was not my intention, I apologise if it came across this way.

liberty

Sorry Liberty, i am just so fed up with these "experts" bad mouthing the BULLDOG. Yes we have problems and most of us are trying to only breed from good stock because we do care about our dogs some times you will get people breeding from stock that they shouldn't .You can only do your best with the stock that is out there.

i agree with you corso girl you can only breed with what's out there but what is the reason why the breeding stock is bad well for a start how about a standard that is producing unhealthy animal's if more thought went into the standard then the english would not be having these problem's

what will happen if the breed standard changed i mean really changed not just a few word's here or there how would the kc breeders reach these new guide lines my guess is they'd cross with our so called mutts to improve there dog's health a quick easy short cut

my main beef is with the standard and breeders that stick so tightly to it knowing they are breeding such unhealthy animal's but still going ahead with it anyway

i love dog's allway's have and allway's will and i find it hard to understand how they could do it

Hello UkBull,
Don't you feel that sweeping statements such as "all bulldogs are unhealthy" is as unhelpful to the breed as saying "All Rottwielers are vicious" and "All GSDs have HD"?

The bulldog breed standard has indeed changed to more moderate requirements. Just out of interest, how would you alter the standard? Describe your 'ideal' bulldog.

Remember that vets (and vet nurses), unless they are dog breeders themselves, seldom, if ever, see a normal whelping! And I could reel off a list of different breeds that have required caesarian sections - even mongrels, too! Pregnancy and birth is very dangerous in all species, including our own!
:)

hiya i've got to disagree there the best advert for any breed would be the dog's if some one see's a fit healthy happy dog they are more like to go with that breed over a one riddled with problem's

you keep saying have you owned a bulldog well i own 4 all are fit and healthy and can run most dog's ragged but mine are not KC pure blood's as you'd call them mine were bred for health being the most inportant reason for the breeding not posing around a ring

i grew up 2 door's down from a EB the poor thing was a wreck you could see in the dog's eye's that it wanted more but was unable it would be close to death after 5 mins walk to the corner shop

i have attended dog show's all over the country and i've yet to see a 100% fit example of a eb there are loads say 75% fit but the sad thing is there are even more well below that

you keep saying what about the other breeds some suffer from nearly the same problems as the bulldog

well the simple answer i guess is just because another breed suffers from it does not make it acceptable
a man's best friend is his dog remember that when next you breed a dog that will not live a full life because of a so called breed standard

Well judging by the number of posts looking for puppies, their relatively high price, and lack of availability, it would seem that there are more people hoping to own a Bulldog, than there are dogs to go round????

Bullshitter?? is that the correct spelling of YOUR name.?! Hummmmmm i do wonder :0/

there is allway's one that show's there lack of education by having to use foul langauge is'nt there and bigdawg i guess it's your turn

Have you noticed the people who slag off the british bulldog are the ones that breed the so called healthy one's who are of course mongrels after all,they don't know where on earth the breeding comes from!

lol every breed of dog started as a cross of something or other read your dog's history

now do you think they got a bullmastiff from breeding the little fat bulldog to a mastiff no it was a much bigger fitter dog before the show crowd got there hand's on it

the bull terrier same again i can go on and on all crosses the kc is full of crosses the only thing the modern bulldog is fit for is bed

and for so called healthy anytime you'd like to try one i'm sure it could be arranged you bring your's i bring mine and were see but of course you won't because we allready know the result don't we

if you have'nt got a valid point to make i can't see the reason why you'd bother to post other than to try to reduce this to a slaging match

i've made a few valid points and if you can i'd love them answered as i said if you CAN

Hello UKBull

I have two Bulldogs and would like to disagree with some points you have made. There are vast differences between my two, Hilda the oldest was rescued by ourselves she had lived in a shed all of her life and had been used as a breeders tool (I must add not a good breeder), the second Gladis we had since a pup. Everyone is surprised when they meet Gladis as they too have been led to believe this rubbish that is spouted all too often. Gladis is like a springer spaniel she is on the go all of the time and this is not an exaggeration, she will keep up with any dog, whereas Hilda is more likely to want to stay indoors in the warm in her favourite armchair, I would not say she has a horrid life, she has a very good life, better then alot of dogs I know, I cook for them, they always have homemade food, they go everywhere I do, if the dogs can-t go I don-t. I sometimes wonder if we had had Hilda from a pup whether she would have been like Gladis too, but I never feel sorry for her. I feel that that is what she wants to do, she just wants to lay back and be pampered. Dogs are different as are people. And I get fed up with the same old argument it really is getting a little tiring on here. I would gladly let you see my dogs, Gladis is able to keep up wioth my sisters labrador and he is only six months old. Once you have had a "pure blood" bulldog then I feel that you are free to comment, but until that time, which I am sure you never will because of your dislike for the breed, then please stop spreading your cruel, vicious illfounded comments.

And as for your comment about the EB that lived down the road from you - you must register yourself as a dog mind reader you would earn a fortune

i get the feeling its *have a go at bulldogs month*. ahhhh well......at least we know from the posts its only from people who have never owned bred or loved them. (tanni.....who will be (posing) in the ring with poor misunderstood reef this sunday*. lol.

Can I ask what breed would you LIKE us all to have
What dog is the fittest healthiest.

My bull dog can run around with my rotties granted she isnt as fast as them but she does have little
legs :-) she is as bright as a button,can walk,snores and farts like any man ever can.(but so do my rotties too)
BUT the best thing is she is loved and loves me back,I couldnt ask for a nicer dog.
I respect your views and I hope you will respect ours.
I think this subject should now stop,there are dogs I am not keen on but i wouldnt make a song and dance about it.

:-D :-d

What people who are against the Bulldog as we know it, is that the Standard has undergone changes to move away from extremes, but change takes time!

there are Bulldog, boston and French Bulldog breeders who are trying to incrtease the number of Self Whelpers used for breeding, in order to encourage this trait to become the norm. A breed has taken at least 100 years to become what we now recognise as the bulldog, and that is roughly 40 - 50 generations. Progress is slowed byt those who produce Bulldog puppies without the thought to improvement and a more moderate breed standard.

Last year I was in the Champion Stakes final at windsor,a nd the Two other finalists were a Bulldog and a rottie. the bully was not breathing heavily, and moved around the big ring at a repectable pace, not quite as fast as My Elkhound and the Rottie, but not far behind.

I beleive all breed standards have had a clause added that faults should be taken into account, with their effect of the health of the dog given priority. sure someone else will ahve the wording.