These are a list of frequently asked questions that I receive from new bulldog owners who want to take the best care of their new Bulldog Puppy. Since doing rescue I have been exposed to many different bulldog ailments. The below advice comes from personal experience.
Food
Feed a Quality Diet. Bulldogs require a high quality diet, ensure that whichever food you decide to feed has a #1 ingredient as a meat. I feed Canidae All Life Stages. I start puppies out on Canidae mixed with Pro Plan Chicken & Rice Puppy and Wellness Puppy and switch them over to straight Canidae at about 3-4 months old. I also mix in a tablespoon of Plain Yogurt and Cottage Cheese for puppies to ensure good bone development and healthy digestion. I also give a 500 MG Vitamin C tab to all my dogs once a day. You can find a Canidae retailer in your area by visiting their website www.canidae.com. Here in Virginia Beach you can find Canidae at Care-A-Lot Pet Supplies Warehouse off Diamond Springs Road.
Grooming
Use a gentle high quality Shampoo. I use Johnson & Johnson's (human) baby shampoo on young puppies and Malaseb Shampoo on Adults. I only bathe when needed. In between baths I groom with a Zoom Groom which is a rubber tipped brush.
For Wrinkles. I get asked quite a bit about what to do for tear stains and there are many options, each work differently on different dogs. To understand what to use, you need to understand what causes the staining. The first thing you will want to do is verify through your vet that there is no underlying medical cause for the staining, such as a yeast infection. In general the stains appear because the area is moist and bacteria and Yeast grow there. To get rid of this sort of staining, you can try to alter the PH so the bacteria/yeast cannot survive or keep the area dry so there is no place for the bacteria to grow. You can put Destin (Diaper Rash Cream) in the wrinkles, just be careful not to get it in their eyes or nose and it is not meant to be ingested either. Destin will keep the area dry as it does on a baby’s bum. You can try putting apple cider vinegar in their water bowl to alter the PH or you can try using filtered water or using a water bottle vs a bowl to eliminate contact with water. Always ensure that you are offering fresh clean water in a stainless steel or ceramic bowl if not using a water bottle.
Misc.
Some things that every Bulldog Owner should have on hand:
- Benadryl (Just the plain generic benedryl) Used for everything from hives, allergies, red eyes, nausea, etc. Give 25 mg to puppies 4 mos and older. Give 50 mg to adult dogs
- Lemon Juice - This is very helpful if your bullie gets breathing heavy and is starting to gag on phlem. Squirt some in the back of the throat, the acid in the lemon juice will help break up the mucus so they can breathe better. After an incident like this it is a good idea to take a trip to the vets to ensure all is still working properly.
Lakeshore Bulldogs New Puppy Tips & Tricks (35k/.doc)
Favorite Toys & Accessories
Lupine Collars & Leads
I get the 3/4" Combo Collar and matching lead. LOVE THEM - Guaranteed for life, even if chewed!
Nobbly Wobbly II Rubber Ball
I like the 4" with the bell, but the 3" without is a fav as well.
Nylabone Durable Bones
Love these, just make sure you get the "Durable Ones" - I get the "wolf" size for adults
Nylabone Puppy Teething Keys
An ALL-TIME Favorite - Just get the LARGE size
Tough By Nature "Cuz" Toys
Good, Bad & Dino - Just watch out for missing legs!
Tough By Nature "Ruffians"
Believe it or not, the Fish is a fav of ours! These are all nice, just watch out for the chickens legs!
Ultimate Tuffies
Just got my first one of these and so far so good, got the Boomerang and I'm impressed!
Lakeshore Bulldogs Shopping List for New Puppies (51k/.doc)