Sawyersmomma

So I love bulldogs, I find them hilarious and adorable and have wanted to get one in the future, but I'm having issues with it.
They only have a life expectancy of about 8 years, they can never breathe right, and are constantly snoring.
Maybe I just haven't done my research properly, but how can people purposefully breed them knowing they're going to deal with these issues, and especially never be able to breathe right? It doesn't seem fair to the dogs.
Again, maybe I just don't know enough about it, but I've always wanted one and just can't justify it knowing people are breeding a dog for looks so much, that it's affecting their health and it doesn't seem to matter

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Piko & Sawyer <3

Mom-n-Reiki

Our dog park playgroup had a discussion about them the other day because someone brought up how they wanted one.

Our vet tech buddy immediately said that they are a veterinary clinic's dream come true because when that puppy first comes in, they all know what's going to pay for their next vacation.

Its sad that the breeders ended up going to such extremes to fit a breed standard of that face so now we have the option of a heavy, short adorable dog who doesn't do well in any climate with a myriad of health issues.

I've had a number of them in my class and they are smart and funny and just super affectionate, but we were always worried about over excerting them. When I worked at a dog daycare, bulldogs were only allowed out for the early morning playtime group, or not at all in the summer months, and during the summer they could only be put in an all indoor suite.

I have never met a bulldog I haven't fallen in love with, but I don't think I could own one. I will say, every so often I meet a fit active one, so their might be hope if you do enough searching.

Indiana

Some are breeding a more modified version now, and there are other bully breeds that are healthier, like boxers, mastiffs and pit bulls. All the bully breeds need experienced owners but my pit bull that died of old age before I got my two current standard poodles was the sweetest, most loyal dog I've ever known. She was NOT smart, poor thing, but once she learned something, she did it just how she thought I wanted it for the rest of her life But back to bulldogs, there are some that have fewer health problems than others, so if you really do want one, look for the healthiest lines with health guarantees and save lots of money, would be my advice! By the way, I love bully breeds too

N2Mischief

Oh my goodness, I LOVE them, but would NEVER own one! My youngest daughter works for a groomer. The groomer she works for breeds them. Someone in the neighborhood of the groom shop brought in a skinny bulldog that was left in a back yard when the house foreclosed. He had skin infections and severely infected ears and wrinkles. So of course, my daughter brought him home. He is known as Frank the Tank. When he first came home he weighed 41 pounds. He now weighs 68 pounds! He is a love with people and small animals and dogs. But if he sees a dog larger than him, its on!

He lived here about a year. I have never had so much dog hair in my house. How that much hair could come off one dog is beyond me. He would eat and the kibbles would stick to the corners of his mouth in the drool. Then he would walk away from the bowl, shake his head, and slimy kibble would fly everywhere! When he got a drink of water, almost none of the water stayed in the bowl. It would splash all around the bowl making a small flood. He seemed to keep a mouthfull of the water and then let it spew from his mouth when he got about 10 feet from the bowl. If we were eating, he would sit and stare at us while gobs of drool hung from the corners of his mouth, sllooowwwlllyyy dripping down. It looked like he swallowed a shoe and the laces still hung out. Then again he would shake his head and the drool would FLY.

She and Frank now live with her boyfriend. I still see him on occasion and when he comes running up to greet me his head bobbles. He is so cute!

Again though, I love the short visits but would told my daughter he is not coming back here. I LOVE my non shedding, non drooling poodle!

Sawyersmomma

Haha I can see how that would be annoying, on the other hand I've always wanted a drooly dog. They make me giggle aha
On the other hand it's sad that no ones disagreeing about their health and stuff :( I was hoping someone would get mad and be like "Do your research! You can totally get healthy ones, it just takes finding the right breeder!" But apparently I'm right :(

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Piko & Sawyer <3

CT Girl

Wow, you are the first person I have heard of who wants a drooly dog! Bulldogs have a great personality but the health problems would make it a complete non-starter for me. Here is a good article discussing this topic.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/27/ma...anted=all&_r=0

Indiana

Yeah I did a quick google search and found lots of breeders that guarantee health up to a year, but you'd probably have to do some searching to find someone confident enough in their bulldog line to offer a better guarantee than that. However, there is this one: http://www.premierbulldog.com/puppy-...guarantee.html They offer a lifetime health guarantee except for some issues that plague all bulldogs because of the breed standard, so that's something!

N2Mischief

Hmmmm, as health goes, Frank is quite healthy. He does snore a bit, but no worse than my daughters pug. He will get infections in his wrinkle if it is not cleaned daily and we use desitin diaper rash cream in it. He has to eat good food or he gets awful hot spots...but as long as he is on Salmon and Potato food he seems to be fine. If he is taken on a walk, he comes back with sores on the pads of his feet as he drags them. He was taken to emergency once for bloat, but got through it without surgery, just a whole lot of gas! He did have a problem with his eyes for awhile, I think it was some kind of fungus, but his eye seemed to glow green in the light. It took a lot of meds and time to fix but he seems fine now. He actually does pretty well in the heat, but one day at my daughters work, a client rushed in with a bully in heat stroke. They had decided to walk to their appointment since it was a nice day. I believe it was around 80 degrees that day and only a few blocks away. They came in yelling for help. The dog was immediately put in the sink and they started to run water over him. There was a vet right next door who came in to help but before he could do anything the dog died. We are not sure of Franks age, but we believe around 6 years old. We have had him for 4 years. He doesn't seem to be slowing down at all.

Many years ago I was into pugs and volunteered for pug rescue. My own pug had to have surgery for stenotic nares and elongated soft palate to help her breathing. She still had trouble after the surgery. I think anytime you are dealing with a brachycephalic breed there are going to be way more problems.

Amy007

I have a pug and id say that owning a bulldog is quite similar because there both brachycephalic breeds and shes actually very healthy and hasnt had any Heath problems at all.

Her mom had a little king Charles in her so chewys nose isn't as flat as others but it's still quite flat and she hasnt had much trouble with her breathing (except when she's sleeping then she snores like an old man haha).

But I think the main problem with those breeds is keeping them at a healthy weight as breeds like pugs and bulldogs tend to put weight on quicker then most breeds and I think it's even more important to keep them at healthy weight then other dogs because it does effect there breathing a lot .

But I think they are a lovely breed and as long as you get them from a good breeder and make sure there a healthy weight they should be fine

As for the short life spans I think if you look after them really well they can live actually quite long,my friend had a bulldog and she lived till she was 14 years old

sweetheartsrodeo

I don't think that boxers qualify as a bully breed, but my Aunt had one many years ago. She was a rescue, and they adopted her around 6 years old. Never have I been more scared of a dog... BUT Dolly was a realy doll! She was the sweetest thing. She did droll a lot, and slober everywhere. But she loved everyone. The only other time I have been around bull dogs they have been pit bulls. One when I was a little kid, and it was a sweetie. I would hang on Dakota and it (don't remember if it was a boy or girl :( I said girl, but my mom said boy so sigh.... IDK) and loved on him/her all the time. Now the dog that the people who live next door have are horrible. However, I really do think so much of it falls on the owner. If the dogs are treated well then the behavior will follow. As far as health, I have heard that the bully breeds are more prone to heartworms, even when on preventitive... Not sure if it is true or not... But good luck in looking for one, now or in the future. If/When you get one, I know I speak for us all, we would love to see pictures!

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"I know that dogs are pack animals, but it is difficult to imagine a pack of standard poodles ... and if there was such a thing as a pack of standard poodles, where would they rove to? Bloomingdale's? "
--Yvonne Clifford, American actress