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Caring for your Bulldog
Water
Always
ensure your dog has fresh water daily. Water keeps the dogs body hydrated and
promotes normal function of the body's systems. Bulldogs can easily get
dehydrated and die in hot weather so fresh clean water is essential.
Exercise
All dogs
need some degree of exercise including Bulldogs, people with little knowledge of
the bulldog assume they are lazy and don't require exercise at all, some are
more active than others but as the
Breed Standard has changed over the years
the bulldog is now required to carry less weight which in turn means that the
bulldogs of today are healthier and a bit more active. However if you are
looking for a jogging or cycling partner than the bulldog probably isn't for
you. Daily steady walks or the odd ball game will do just fine for the bulldog.
Mine likes to play short football games with our children but it doesn't take
long for the kids to get bored as they very rarely get the ball for more than a
couple of seconds.
Food
Your dog
should be fed a well balanced food. We believe dry food is better as it is a
complete meal and helps to keep teeth and gums healthy. Some dogs won't eat just
dry food so a little meat mixed in is a good way of enticing your dog to eat it
and can always be reduced over a period of time until the dog is just eating dry
if you wish. It is your responsibility as a dog owner to keep your dog as
healthy as possible and we believe that the correct food is one of the most
important ways of achieving this.
Bathing
Dogs do not
really need to be bathed that often. Unless really smelly or dirty bathing
should only be required every 3-4 months. Brushing regularly, using dog wipes
and a nice smelling fragrance spray in between baths should be sufficient. We
use a Mobile Dog Groomer who comes to us in her van which is equipped with a
hydro bath and she also uses a de-shedder which gently takes out all the old
undercoat and leaves a nice shiny healthy coat which also means they don't moult
quite so much too which is a bonus and she puts a gorgeous smelling fragrance on
that lasts for weeks. A dog groomer isn't hard to find and if you shop about you
can find an excellent service at a reasonable price which takes the strain off
you and your back. I have mine done every 3 months. The Dog Groomer I use covers
all of North Lincolnshire, Her name is Carol, she is the best I have found and
the prices are very reasonable too, Check out her website:
www.petperfection.co.uk
Ears
The ears
should be kept clean from dirt and ear mites which cause infection. A damp
cotton ball just to wipe the inside of the ear ensuring not to go into the ear
canal, just wipe where you can see should do fine. If done at the same time as
brushing a routine can be formed and nothing gets overlooked.
Brushing
A five
minute brush every day or every other day is all that is required. We use a
rubber mitt which removes dead hair and stimulates the dogs natural oils to add
shine and a healthy look to their coat.
Face
Wiping your
Bulldogs face and cleaning under the wrinkles with a clean damp cloth or baby
wipe every day or every other day depending on the dog should be sufficient to
keep their face and wrinkles clean and free from infection. If under the
wrinkles starts to look red and sore, apply sudocrem daily until the soreness
has passed.
Tear
Stains
If you are
lucky enough to have a Bulldog that doesn't produce tear stains then you are one
of few, if you do have a dog that produces tear stains then a damp cotton ball
using either clean water or optrex eye solution to clean the tear stain area
ensuring that you dry it thoroughly afterwards then applying Sudocrem or
Vaseline to the area, this works just as well as the tear stain removers you
would buy from the pet stores and less expensive.
Nails
Your dogs
nails should be kept short so they don't split, bleed, or cause any pain and
discomfort to the dog when walking. Walking your dog on concrete helps to keep
the nails short but if needed they should be trimmed weekly or fortnightly
depending on how quick they are growing. Always be sure not to cut them too
short and cut through the nerve (quick) as this will bleed and be very painful
for the dog. It is much easier to cut a dog's nails if they have light coloured
nails as you can see the quick and know how far you can cut. The dark nails are
harder to judge so it is better to trim a little at a time but if you are not
sure or if you don't want to risk it then it's not a bad idea to get your vet or
dog groomer to trim them for you.
Tail
Cleaning
under your Bulldogs tail is essential especially those with a tight tail. Use a
clean damp cloth and make sure you get as far up and under the tail as possible
and give a really good clean then dry thoroughly apply some sudocrem if needed.
An infection in this area is not a good thing and could lead to the tail being
amputated. Cleaning under the tail should be done every other day although some
Bulldogs will require it daily especially in hot weather.
Vaccinations
Once the
initial set of puppy injections are out of the way (8-12 wks) a yearly booster
should be applied by the vet and stuck to wherever possible and not forgotten as
these help to fight against possible life threatening diseases if your dog is
ever in contact with them.
Worming
Your Bulldog
will need to be wormed regularly to ensure they are as healthy as possible. Worm
can lead to weight loss and weakness in adult dogs and could kill a puppy. Dogs
over 6 months old should be wormed every 3 months throughout their lives.
Fleas
Your dog
should be flead every 3 months especially through the summer months.
Vets
Ensure the
vet you choose to sign your Bulldog to knows and likes Bulldogs. You must be
satisfied that they would do all they possibly can without unnecessary
treatment. If you find a vet that understands the Bulldog and it's possible
health problems properly they will know when a symptom needs immediate treatment
or when it needs more time.
Microchip
We highly
recommend that you get your Bulldog micro chipped. There have been cases where
Bulldogs have been taken from their own gardens so making sure you have a secure
garden and maybe a high fence with a lock on the gate will help deter anyone
from attempting to take your Bulldog.
Overview
If the face,
ears and tail are all cleaned at the same time you can get yourself into a
pretty good routine and shouldn't have any real problems. The rest is just
common sense.
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