This page was created to give some of our customers, and possible customers an over-view of the common day English Bulldog. This will be your go-to page to find out what makes a bulldog tick, and some information about its temperament, typical height and weight, living conditions, Exercise, life expectancy, grooming, origin, and possible health problems. Feel free to ask questions, or give any feedback about this page, you can submit and questions or concerns to our e-mail, and our contact info can be found here.
The English Bulldog started being bred mainly for entertainment purposes, in Bullrings, where the bulldog would use its small snout to latch onto bulls and still maintain breathing without letting go. This was called Bull-Baiting.
A bulldogs main temperament is one of the most friendliest of dogs. They may appear somewhat intimidating but you can never judge a book by its cover. Although just the same, it will see off any intruder. Few would risk a close encounter with a dog brave enough to bait a bull. A bulldog needs a lot of attention, as they are very persistent dogs wanting all the love it can get. They are very gentle with children, and are excellent at guarding.
This breed is good with family pets, but some can be scrappy with strange dogs in the neighborhood. When bulldogs are young they are full of energy, but once they get old they tend to slow down. Some seem to have slobber and drool tendencies, and snore from time to time.
A bulldogs height can reach about 12-16 inches (31-40cm.) Typically in the dog show world, the shorter the bulldog the more prized he will be at a show. They're weight differs from male to female bulldog. Male bulldogs usually weigh 53-55pounds (24-25 kg.) and the female bulldogs usually weigh around 49-51 pounds (22-23 kg.)
English bulldogs are great for indoor living. They aren't very active outside, so they don't always require a yard. This doesn't mean they don't like to be active. They love to play, and some are full of energy. Bulldogs do always require their daily canine walk, as every dog has that prime canine urge to walk. Bulldogs are no exceptions.
The average English Bulldogs life expectancy is 10-12 years. This can be untrue though, as some bulldogs live longer, and some live shorter lives. The litter sizes are around 4-5 puppies - as a result of this breeds large head they are prone to have a Cesarean section
Grooming an English Bulldog is something no one should take lightly. Bulldogs have fine, short-haired coats, and are easy to groom, but its necessary to them since they are full of wrinkles. However, bathe them only when necessary. Wipe their face with a damp cloth every day to clean inside their wrinkles. This breed is an average shedder.
Some NORMAL health problems that could develop in English Bulldogs are Tear Stains, Cherry Eye, Entropian, Elongated Soft Palate, Itchy Skin, and Sore Wrinkles. Below we will give a brief description of each.
- Tear Stain: If your dog has white on his face around his eyes over time you may find his/her face stained to red. This is caused by the tears from the dog. This may be from the coloring in the dogs food he/she is eating, or in some cases the dog itself will produce red tears. It will happen on dark faced dogs also, but can be seen on white faced dogs more.
- Cherry Eye: This is where the gland from the third eyelid protrudes in the corner of the eye. You will need to bring the dog to the vet and have it removed. You do however need a vet that knows what he/she is doing, if done incorrectly it could cause a dry eye. After a couple of days of putting ointment on the eye from the vet it will all look normal. This will cost $20.00-$30.00 to have this taken care of.
- Entropian: This is where the eyelashes have turned inwards and rub against the eye, surgery may be required. Sometimes it is only stray eyelashes that are growing in the wrong way (which is called "Distichiasis". This can be removed (The vet can take care of this). Entropian needs surgery, if not taken care of promptly the lashes will eventually scratch the cornea and could severely damage the eye or even worse cause blindness. Your dog only has one set of eyes - Always see your vet for eye troubles.
- Elongated Soft Palate: All bulldogs have an elongated palate, this is because of the shape of their heads (i.e. : brachycephaic-short-nosed). In most cases this causes nothing more than snoring, but in severe cases can possibly cause difficulty breathing. Heat and exercise will cause loud gurgle breathing, (known as "roaring"). The severity can range from loud breathing when excited, to regurgitation of food to permanent breathing difficulties. The condition can be corrected with surgery.
- Itchy Skin: Some bulldogs have allergies: to grass, carpet, or possibly the food you are feeding them. If you can not control this with their diet then you may need to see your vet. Some dogs are allergic to corn or wheat in the dog food they are being fed.
- Sore Wrinkles: Bulldogs need care of the face and in the deep folds. Wipe their faces with a baby wipe or unscented cloth. If needed apply baby diaper rash medicine in between the wrinkles, if they get red or raw. Always keep in between the wrinkles - this is what is called "facial fold dermatitis".