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Sheila
Dunn HWT Member - Oregon |
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Sheila
Dunn HWT Member - Oregon |
| energy level: | Most are medium to low energy, as adults, needing daily walks | |
| With kids -- | Kids Under 5: Only with supervision | |
| kids 5 to10: yes | kids over 10: yes | |
| ease of care: | Weekly brushing, cleaning of ears and clean wrinkles daily VERY important | |
| housetrainability: | Easy to house train if you are consistent. | |
| trainability: | Very smart - tenaciously stubborn | |
| lifespan: | 5 to 8 years, generally, few live to 10 or 12 years | |
| size: | 40 to 65 pounds generally | |
| (check all that apply) | ||
| standoffish: | affectionate: check | |
| aggressive: | dominant: check | |
| protective: Bulldogs do NOT make good watchdogs. The true definition of a 'Bulldog Watchdog' is one that will 'watch' the thief take everything away, as they wiggle, snort wanting to be loved.. | eager: check,
always eager to give affection |
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| stubborn: check | flighty: | |
| possessive: | singleminded:
check, especially at feeding time :-) |
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| other traits: | Adult Bulldogs are known for taking the term 'couch potato' to a new level. There are a few exceptions, but as a generally rule, most adult bulldogs are exceptionally lazy and often act like they are always starving, if they catch you sneaking a snack behind their back :-) They love to be a part of your family and prefer human company over that of other dogs or animals in general, although most Bulldogs are animal friendly, if socialized properly. | |
| more kid-friendly info: | According to an article I once read, written by a pediatrician, about dogs best suited for families with younger children, Bulldogs rated #3 on the list. Lab and Goldens were #'s 1 and 2. However, for children under the age of 5 years, I recommend they be supervised around a Bulldog, mainly because of the weight difference. A playful Bulldog can easily knock down a smaller child without effort. See the bottom half of a special page with kids and Bulldogs at http://www.rainyday.net/cbc/lets_get_serious.shtml | |
| limiting disorders: | Bulldogs CANNOT handle hot weather or heat! Heat has killed more Bulldogs than all problems they are known for combined. We encourage that anyone wishing to get a Bulldog do their homework first. They are high maintenance and expensive to keep healthy. To list all their common problems here would require volumes. Despite their sturdy and powerful appearance, they are a fragile animal with many special needs. | |
| non-limiting disorders: | Eye problems (cherry eye and entropion), sometimes hip problems (dysplasia), possible palette problems (elongated soft palette), and possible allergies. Wrinkles must be cleaned daily and ears weekly, to avoid infection. Due to the shape of their hind quarters, it is important to keep their anal glands expressed at least every month. Failure to do this can create very unpleasant problems (for the Bulldog and the humans owned by a Bulldog). Bulldogs are also infamous for being very 'flagellant' They can produce enough gas to put an end to the fuel shortage <great BIG smile> | |
| breed quirks: | Bulldogs shed HORRIBLY! 365 days a year!! Seriously, it is non stop and all over! They also snore, and grunt and sneeze on people. (This was written perfectly by a pug owner, so I just replaced the word pug with Bulldog, as it fits exactly). Please, never let a Bulldog outside a fenced yard, unsupervised. They love to go for rides and any stranger just needs to open a car door and say "let's go" and your Bulldog will be gone. Really! | |
| other info | Bulldogs require a great amount of time and attention and is not a good choice for those who are away from home (work or school) most of the time. A young couple who works 8 - 10 hours a day and goes out to dinner every night, is not the ideal home for a Bulldog. Nor is a home where the children want the Bulldog to go outside and play rough with them for longer periods of time or for someone wants to take one hiking or jogging. Bulldogs do not tolerate heat at all and can only be outside in the summertime for short periods. Bulldogs will do well in apartments as long as they are walked often. Younger Bulldogs, typically under 2 years of age are *extremely* active and require a lot of attention and interaction. Bulldogs are wonderful, social companions, who normally love anyone and anything including other dogs or cats. (It appears that pugs and Bulldogs have much in common) Also, please remember, although 99.99% of all Bulldogs are now sweet and loving, they were originally bred for 'Blood Sport'. When accepting a rescued Bulldog, it is important they be temperament tested. Once in a great while, a rare genetic throw back from a time long ago may surface, with a mean streak. Should this rare occurrence happen, that Bulldog can be a very dangerous animal, not to be underestimated. Such a Bulldog should be turned over, only to the most experienced of Bulldoggers, trained to handle this exception to the rule of this noble breed. | |
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