Dog Breed of the Week: English Bulldog
Wednesday September 24, 2008
The English Bulldog is more than meets the eye. If you don't know Bulldogs, you might look at them and think they are rough and tough. In fact, Bulldogs were once bred exclusively for bull baiting and dog fighting - what a tragedy! Today's English Bulldog is nothing like its fierce ancestors. This lovable, wrinkly dog breed is typically easygoing, loyal and even a bit goofy. Despite its reputation for multiple potential health problems, the Bulldog makes a wonderful companion.
If you are a Bulldog owner, then I'm sure you are more than familiar with the great qualities of this breed - perhaps so much that you don't mind the snorting, snoring and slobbery kisses! This year, the Bulldog made the AKC Top Ten most popular dog breeds list for the first time since 1935. Are you a Bulldog lover? Please tell the rest of us what makes this breed so popular.
Photo Frazer Harrison / Getty Images
Comments
My Bulldog is the smartest, most handsome perfect dog ever!! He loves ice cream & chicken!!
Thats very surprising that the Bulldog made the AKC top ten. It seems like now adays alot of people are opting for the smaller, less slobbery dogs. I’ve always wanted a bulldog but my wife and I have two little ones. We’ve got a puggle and a chihuahua. Maybe when we get our fence up we’ll get us a bulldog.
oh please do get one…we rescued ours months ago and she has blended into our pack surprisingly. she tackles the alpha male retriever and he loves it, she has become surrogate mother to our latest a tiny baby rottie found wrapped in newspaper and tossed in the street, our pit has become her “daddy”- surprising that our two “bulls” have taken the babysitting roles! she gives the best mud kisses and she can be the goofiest of all of them…she even gets along well with the imperious chihuahua! we love our sushi!- a silly name for our silly bulldog!
omg. i have a bulldog and just love it. its the most cudly thing in the world!!!
I’ve had two bulldogs. Neither was more slobbery than most other dog breeds, although they did snore. They are the most entertaining and loyal companions you will ever encounter. Everyone who came to the house came away absolutely loving them. They are great with kids and adults alike.
I have an olde english bulldogge and her name is Whiney. I love her so. She’s so smart.And she’s the best friend a girl can have, never tells your secrets and she’s always ready to go for a ride or a walk. And she know that when we go to MCDonald’s she’s getting a hamburger. And she will eat the ice cream cone like a lady and won’t bite the cone until I tell her. And if I am upset, she’s the one licking my tears and lying on my shoulder. Just adopted a baby kitten and she acts like its mother. I could go on and on why someone needs a bully!!!
i have 2 english bulldogs they are the most amazing dogs i have owned they are good with kids and very protective of the family i have a 2 year old girl and a 1 year old girl they sometimes hurt the dogs by accident like when my 2 year old gets down from the bed she will land on top of my dog but my dogs have never growl or snaped at my kids this type of breed is very nice with kids and other animals.
another thing if u are thinking on buying one consider that u have to clean their wrinkles on their face and apply some baby rash medicene like balmex or desitin on their wrinkles because they get cuts inside their wrinkles and it can get infected and smell bad u also have to clean their butt because sometimes they have some poop left in there and they cant reach their butts to clean themselfs so i use baby wipes they also have bad gas between husband and dogs gas your house will smell pretty strong lol but all that is worthed just to have a face like that THE BEST BREED EVER ENGLISH BULLDOG LOVE THEM thank you for reading
It is a dedicated person who adopts a bull dog. In return they get a stubborn, endearing, dozer of a dog. Despite predisposition to skin infections at wrinkles, dewflaps, ears and skin overall, these thick-set dogs are devoted companions, humorous and inspiring. Barrel under your feet in a heartbeat, similar to a hog bowling you over! Smoosh face, knubby tail, wide rolls, big grin and cowhocked stance all contribute to the loveable bull dog. Determined. Fun-loving. Fierce in all they undertake ;] They question authority constantly, and need a human as stubborn as they to guide them. Heathcliff, fawn/wht, is a drooly puff-chested goober. Chester will maul you with french kisses. Boz is…Boz.
We have had six bulldogs and twice had puppies. That’s an ordeal. They are wonderful, wonderful devoted dogs and we have had two who were very, very intelligent. They love everyone. You have to be careful about the heat and what they do and eat. They drool, slobber but that’s life! Unfortunately many don’t live beyond 10 (we’ve had two live to 12). You swear you “won’t get another” but you do!!
nice pic u got there!!! cool
You will find yourself laughing at the things they do. I have a “bully” and people in my community adore him he has become a neighborhood celebrity. Most loyal dog I have ever owned and very good with kids. Don’t listen to the false rumors that they are stubborn and cant be trained they listen extremely well. It is important to do your homework on the breed because they do have some special needs but it is all worth it.
For many years I wanted my dream doggy, an English Bulldog. When my Grandmother passed away, I decided to get one. I started to look on line, I had already decided I wanted a female; be it most of my other dogs had been males– Given my prior experiences, females are much more loving than the male dogs. However, according to many books I’ve read it states that the female in this particular breed can often be quite moody similar to their human counterparts..? None the less, our little Love Bug,or Lovey… Is fawn and white, and she is loaded with personality. I don’t think I’ve ever owned a dog as goofy and silly and human like as she is… Spoiled rotten; she definitely believes she rules the roost, and doesn’t mix well w/ other dogs outside of our home… As far as people are concerned, there’s not a mean bone in her body, she can get a little rough at times when playing– Similar to a pig, all muscle! I often say to my boyfriend, I sure wish I could lounge around all day and have a cute little bottom like her.
Yes, they can be work as far as their wrinkles and tails, and they often have eye problems… Our vet said we got a pretty good one. I think that she’s the perfect sized dog. 45-50 lbs. And I definitely know where the term “Bull headed” comes from… She is stubborn as can be– But, I wouldn’t trade the personality and the charisma of this breed for the world… Definitely a good match for someone whose not overly active… Ours tires easily. Fun, fun, fun! Definitely an entertainer, a huge ham for attention.
I have two bulldogs. They are the best dogs I have ever had! If you have empty nest syndrome as i did a bulldog is a PERFECT choice they require ton’s of Mommy attention you need to keep the wrinkles clean, the big thick nails well trimmed, bathed, and you also need to keep their ears clean. Mine follow me around like little shadows right underfoot waiting for me to sit down and snuggle, they are the most snuggly dogs on the planet .. mine both have to lay on me! I love it! I think some literature is misleading, makes them seem like a low maintenance breed. I completely disagree! You have to totally watch what you feed them because they are very prone to allergies. You cant leave them outside in the summer because they cannot tolerate the heat, you HAVE to have air conditioning because if your bulldog gets too hot you need to get the to a cool place right away. You have to have an extensive medicine cabinet just for the dog. A bulldog will set you back quite a bit financially in the first 4 months, you also need to find a vet the specializes in the breed.
Bulldogs are amazing creatures! I have two boys! Bowser and Link. Bowser is like a little soldier, always ready to obey and to learn something new. His favorite game is hide and seek with his Dad. Link is more my dog, a momma’s boy, and has the most expressive personality. He love to give high-fives and to cuddle. Had a lot of problems early in life with Link because he has a narrow trachea and a hiatal hernia (stomach not attached right). After lots of expensive doc appointments, I figured out that if we just gave him canned wet dog food, he would be okay! His little throat and tum just couldn’t handle dry kibble…and he almost choked to death once. Very scary! But we saved him by basically performing the doggie equivalent of the Heimlich (paddling the back). Bowser was a dream medically until randomly one day when he was running and playing he tore the ligament in his knee…the human equivalent of the ACL (Cranial Cruciate Ligament). He still ran and played and did okay until 5 months later, as expected, he tore his other one. Daily Glucosamine helps a ton as well as Aspirin when we can tell he is favoring one of the legs. He still loves to run and play, he will just be a little slower. The surgery to fix the ligament is $2500 AND 8 weeks of basically no movement, so it really wasn’t an option for us.
Despite all of this, I wouldn’t trade them for the world and don’t regret getting them!
Oh, and I should mention, that I was not a bulldog girl until my boyfriend and I actually got one. They won me over instantly! They can be active, but also are great couch potatoes!
No one believes me when I tell them that they are lap dogs….but truly they are! 45-50 pound lap dogs!
All in all…GREAT DOGS!
We recently had the tremendous good fortune of adopting a 5 yr old bully from some friends whose job required a complicated move. We live on a farm, have lots of space, and we love creatures! We have a tendency to take in others’ rejects, and don’t really care about their breeding, etc… Just love sharing our home with lots of beasts. But oh, my! Things have changed! This new bully man is hilarious, and we wouldn’t trade him for anything… I knew nothing of the breed, but have truly fallen in love! Husband was initially distressed by the goo and noise, but now overlooks it all! “Jack” has fallen in place with my 5 other dogs, including an alpha male outside, and an alpha female in the house. He blends beautifully! He is so tolerant of the others, and only mildly harrasses the cats (can’t move fast enough to catch them). He gladly shares his food bowl and toys, and loves to be in the middle of everything! We expected to have to make some changes to accommodate him, but he has been a simple addition. He barks at strangers, but the only danger might be that they get slobbered to death! (Of course, I don’t want everyone to know that! Let some be afraid!)
I now find that perhaps this is the breed I need to keep around forever! Have found myself looking at shelter and breeder info. on a consistent basis… Don’t need another just yet, but can’t imagine a house without one now! Jack has left a mark on our hearts!!!
My sister has an English Bulldog named Emma, she is a great dog and loves me; I always snort at her when I walk into my sisters house and Emma will sit on my lap the whole time I am there. Back in June, Emma got pregnant, who knew? When my sister or her husband went anywhere she was put in her kennel because my sister also has two male Golden Retrievers, well apparently one of them bred with her, needless to say she had beautiful puppies and her disposition has changed for the better, she used to growl at my sister all the time(just my sister) and now she is a proud momma, my sister sold all the puppies before they were born, everyone wanted one, thank God they were all friends but Emma did have to get a c-section and it was the beginning of summer, so she was hot and disgusted; we all felt so bad for her and my brother gave my sister an air conditioner for Emma.
I have a English Bulldog and he is the most smart and lovable animal I have ever owned. Yes he does snore, slobber, snort and he also farts!! I always heard how different English Bulldogs where but I never dreamed it would be quite like it is. If you are a dog lover then you should get yourself a Bully they are the greatest animals!!
I have five english bulldogs and they are the greatest most loving dogs. Also have very entertaining personalities. They are expensive for dogs, but worth the happiness I get from them. Also it is an understandable price for the cost and work to breed them.
Bulldogs are great! I have a Boston Terrier. I’m planning on getting one other dog…should it be the bulldog (that is what my sons want, they are 13 and 17 yrs. old) but I’m not sure. I’m a real Boston Lover. Yopu guys have any suggestions? Ever heard of a boston and a Bull Dog in the same house? Will that be a challenge ot do you think they would be cool with each other?
The bulldog in the picture simply is so cute. I also read nice and helpful blogs on www.englishbulldogpuppyblog.com. Drop by and get to be a wise bulldog lover.
I cant walk by my bullie without hugging him.
He is so cute!
I have a 6 year old bully. We love him and wouldn’t trade him for the world. BUT unlike others have said, he is not good with children. I spoiled him so much. Maybe this is why he hates when the grandkids come over. He tries to attack them by knocking them down. he is too aggressive so we have to keep him away kids. Also he is never still. He is so cute you just want to snuggle with him but he will have none of that. he is always jumping and licking Very hyper
We have had three English bulldogs, the first of them, Lily, picked by my daughter when she was four. Lily became her closest non-human companion and lived for 13 years. Her third, Riley, is the friendliest dogs I have ever known. English bulldogs are magnificant animals and great pets. They are extremely loyal and protective and very non-agressive, especially with children. They love people. They will have better health if they are indoor dogs. In fact, if left outdoors for a long period on a very hot day, they may die.
English Bulldogs are the best. If you are looking for a beautiful puppy, I have 7 AKC registered, champion bloodline awesome 8 week old puppies for sale. 2 male and 5 female. Live in Northern VA.
I have a 7 month old bulldog named Lola.She is growing into such a beauty. She loves the kids and is very protective of our home. I have always wanted one but could never afford one, but 7 months ago i forked out $2000 for my baby girl. It was money well spent. She is an amazing animal.
We have a pom and paid big money for our female bulldog come to find out she was actually 6 not 4yrs old. We met in a unfamiliar place for both emma and our Taz. It seemed fine but when I brought them back home Emma decided she won’t let Taz in a room. She attacks him and I guess I don’t know what to do. The previous owners refuse to take her back. She also attacks my cat. My family is torn apart and I feel she is making Taz and Mittens prisoners to stay hiding in their own home. So I guess it is a bad thing to bring an adult dog in your home with other family pets