Bulldog Care
Climate
English Bulldogs can not tolerate extreme temperatures. Due to their heavy builds and physical characteristics, during the summer they should not be left outdoors for long periods of time, and must have access to shady areas. It is best to keep them indoor with air conditioning. If they must be outside, it is good to have a shady area. Due to their short hair, English Bulldogs also must have a good heat source in the winter.
Feeding
Bulldogs love to eat! In fact, obesity is a real problem with Bulldogs. It is best to feed a high quality dog food on a set schedule. Snacks should be limited. Feed a two to four month old puppy four times a day. You want a food that the puppy likes and which produces a nice coat, keeps the puppy round, but not obese, and produces solid stools. Check the list of ingredients on the bag. We have found that different dogs respond to different foods. One brand of dog food is not the end all solution for all dogs. Your food manufacturer will have the recommended amounts to feed on the bag according to the age and weight of the puppy.
From four to six months a English Bulldog puppy's feeding regimen should remain the same but the number of feedings may be reduced to three. At about six months this number can be reduced to two. In most cases continue feeding the puppy as much as he wants. How often you feed at one year of age and older depends on your preference and the dog’s. Most dogs do well on one meal a day. Some do better on two meals a day. You may prefer to feed in the morning or the evening. This is up to you. If you like it and the dog likes it, it’s the right way.
Our Bulldogs usually eats puppy food until it is at least a year old. Most Bulldogs are changed from puppy to adult food at around twelve months of age. The best change is to the adult version of the puppy food you have been feeding him. It does not hurt your Bulldog to change from one brand of dog food to another as long as each change is done by gradually, substituting more and more of the new brand for the old. If your Bulldog is spayed or neutered or as it ages and becomes less active, you may need to start feeding a reduced calorie dog food to keep it from becoming too fat. Most good brands of dog food have regulated diet formulas. Again, it’s best if you stay with the same brand you’ve been feeding and change to the “lo-fat” version.
Bathing
Bathing your Bulldog should be kept at a minimum because it can dry out the skin and strip your dog’s coat of its natural oils. This is why we stress brushing your Bulldog. Frequent brushing allows you to avoid those skin drying baths.
Whenever a bath is needed, use a bathtub filled half-way with lukewarm water. Always keep water levels below the Bulldog’s mouth and lower jaw. Before you wet the coat, place dry cotton balls gently in both ears so that no water accidentally gets into the ear canals. Next, thoroughly saturate your Bulldog’s coat with water starting at the neck and working back to the tail. DO NOT get water on your Bruiser’s face. You will clean the face later with a wet washcloth. At this point, lather up a gentle, tearless, dog shampoo in your hands and then work it throughout your Bulldog’s coat, paying special attention to the body wrinkles, legs, feet, belly, tail and genital areas of your Bruiser. After the shampoo is applied, you will need to rinse completely with fresh warm water and then rinse again. Any shampoo residue left behind can irritate English Bulldog skin.
Next you will need to clean the face, including those delicate Bulldog wrinkles. Take a clean, wet washcloth with NO SOAP OR SHAMPOO and gently wipe around the Bulldog’s eyes, nose, outer ears and inside/outside the wrinkles. Once again, never put soap or shampoo on your Bulldog’s face and never pour water directly on this area as well. You can now towel dry your English Bulldog and remove the cotton balls.
Grooming
If you want your Bulldog to have a shiny coat and healthy skin, grooming is a must. Many experts believe Bulldogs should be thoroughly brushed at least three times a week. We have found that most of our Bulldogs love to be brushed. Use a soft bristle or rubber brush. Start at the rear and brush against the hair. After you’ve brushed the entire dog against the grain, brush it again with the grain. Follow this with a good rub down. This will keep his hair shiny and his skin healthy. The idea is to remove the dead hair and distribute the natural oils. Consistent grooming will keep your Bulldog healthy and out of the bathtub as much as possible.
Exercise
Bulldogs should be exercised every day. You will find out that many English Bulldogs often will not desire to go outside to romp and play. It is important to get your English moving around in some way or another. We have found that walks, short rounds of fetch, and fun in the sprinkler are great ways to exercise a healthy English Bulldog puppy or adult.