Does anyone own a British Bulldog?

merlin68

Puppies are renowned for chewing everything in sight lol. plus u have to take them outside on the hour for potty. They also nip fingers.

neneromanova

You do know the going rate for a Bulldog nowadays is near the £2k Mark don't you.

Tropez

As another user recommended, I'd advise visiting rescue centres rather than getting a puppy.

Puppies are a lot of work and need a lot of consistent training and attention to be well behaved dogs. Now, having four kids, I don't doubt you'll be more than qualified at getting up every couple of hours at night to deal with the multiple toilet visits that a puppy needs but with what I imagine is a hectic household you really need to consider whether you can put in the many hours a day that you'll need to. You have to teach a puppy, for example, to be alone as they're social animals. Most people don't like their dogs in their bedrooms and a dog left alone overnight in a room with no one else around is likely to howl and bark until it is used to it.

Also, puppies bite - it is what they do. It is how they play with their littermates and you've got to teach the puppy from the off that their teeth on human skin is bad. You'll have to educate your children about how to deal with the puppy if it bites. It isn't being vicious, it is being playful and an excited puppy is more likely to bite.

Also, as people say, you can't really tell how any individual dog will be around kids but at a good rescue centre the staff will have an idea and should be better placed to recommend a dog to you based on your circumstances. Ie. the size of your house and gardens, availability of walking routes, amount of time you're able to walk it and of course your family life. If you haven't raised a puppy before, I'd strongly recommend visiting a rescue centre first to see if an adult and trained dog can be found that meets your requirements. At the very least, the time you spend browsing the rescues will also give you ample time to read up on bringing up a puppy.

Rescues can also save you some expenses. Microchipping is about £20-£30 depending on area but rescues tend to microchip dogs as a matter of course. Similarly, most rescues will spay/neuter dogs themselves, and this can save you between £100 to £200 depending on area.

And of course you'll be giving a poor dog a chance at a great life.

But if you should go the puppy route and settle on a Bulldog, Bulldog's are even tempered dogs and generally do quite well around children. They may get a bit upset at young children who don't leave them alone when they don't want to be bothered, such as when they're eating or tired, but a lot of breeds are like that, so just make sure everyone understands when the dog is eating to leave it be.

VitaK

Tropez wrote: »

But if you should go the puppy route and settle on a Bulldog, Bulldog's are even tempered dogs and generally do quite well around children. They may get a bit upset at young children who don't leave them alone when they don't want to be bothered, such as when they're eating or tired, but a lot of breeds are like that, so just make sure everyone understands when the dog is eating to leave it be.

This would concern me abit seeing as your home got 4 children, some very young.

Why not keep an open mind, go to the library and read a number of books. You can even involve the kids in picking the 'right' one that suits your home best.

Northern_Princess

I do think you need to think about how you will exercise a dog with 4 children, as well as train it. As another poster said all puppies will bite and do need 'alone time' to sleep without being pulled and prodded. If getting a puppy you will also need to think about how you will house train it.

I had labs when my daughter was born, but they were 3 and 6 years of age. It was extremely hard to make sure the dogs were exercised when she was small and I ended up having to get a dog walker in as I worked full time and could only exercise them before work and after.

For all I adored and trusted my boys I never left them alone with my child as you never know when a child can poke or grab a dog :eek:

I would research different breeds and as someone said visit your local re-homing centre.

meritaten

I think the poster was asking about the 'traits' associated with bulldogs and whether they are good with children?
The answer is that they are. unless that has been bred out of them. bulldogs along with staffies were bred to live in family homes - and most of them adore humans - especially children!

Owain_Moneysaver

merlin68 wrote: »

Puppies are renowned for chewing everything in sight lol. plus u have to take them outside on the hour for potty. They also nip fingers.

so do small children, but at least puppies don't crayon on walls or make embarrassing remarks at puppy training class how "mummy doesn't have tea in the afternoon, mummy has gin"

Pocketsaver

I have a Bulldog and they are great with everyone. They are excellent family pets that will be loved by the whole family, and who can blame them as they have such funny personalities! Whenever I am bored I just sit and watch him do whatever. They don't need much exercise. I'd say a 20 minute walk every other day is sufficient. Any more and mine just stubbornly refuses, roles on his back or decides to play chase around the house! He'd much rather just snooze on my bed or sit on my lap!!!:rotfl:He's a heavy sod as well.
They can be a handful though. They are heavy shedders and I hoover the house twice a day! Their drooling is an absolute nightmare. You have to be really on-the-ball to make sure you catch all that drool, as it can be a home wrecker! For example, once it dries up on the walls it leaves a nasty mark. Also, if you have carpet, say goodbye to having a presentable home because it's going to be covered in drool stains! I am finding it near-on impossible to remove. A big factor with Bulldogs is medical costs. They are very unhealthy dogs. There is a saying that if you want to give your vet piles of your money, then get a Bulldog. We spent a couple thousand pounds on trying to fix his leg. Can you spare the money for this?

I personally wouldn't suggest a rescue dog as it is a gamble on what you will get. I was attacked by two dogs we got from the rescue when I was growing up, and it was through no fault of my own. Please avoid mixing rescues and children. It is far better to have a puppy as you will know its history, be able to shape its personality, social skills from a young age and you will know where it has come from.

I_know_my_ABC_and_my_CMYK

neneromanova wrote: »

I don't know about bulldogs but I can say that pugs are amazing with kids. My 2 girls can lay on him and he really doesn't care. Mine are 19 months and 4.

Agree with this, Pugs are very good with children.

British bulldogs can be quite lazy and they are usually very good with children as are, Lhasa apso and shitzue (sp)

I had a Lhasa, brilliant dog superb personality, playful loves children, she is missed very much. I'm looking for another one

Don't know if anyone would agree but I find girl dogs are cleaner than boy dogs.

Edit - Lhasa will exercise themselves, they don't need allot of walking, they do need grooming or clipping and as for chewing mine only chewed what was hers, she didn't chew the furniture or anything else.

I_know_my_ABC_and_my_CMYK

Just to add the cheapest pug I could find when I considered one was nearly £900, which I'm not prepared to pay for a dog.

Lhasa apsos come in at around £350 to a max of £500 depending on the parents, but you can pay 2k upwards if you want a show dog.