Suggested things to think about when buying a bulldog puppy
BEWARE: Get to know your breeder and ask questions. Look for breeders who are honest and knowledgeable. A warning sign is "borrowing" pictures from others websites. If you see a photo that looks professional or not like their dogs, ask about it. I think a breeder should use their own photos so you can see their bulldogs.
I personally feel it's important to see both parents. Make sure the parents look healthy. Are they clean, do wrinkles smell or dirty? Ask if the parents have any health issues, problems with allergies or skin. You should interact with the parents. Are they friendly, aggressive, shy, want your attention? Remember apples don't fall far from the tree in most cases. Look at the body types of the parents. Bulldogs have a few common body types so make sure you like the look of the parents seeing the puppy will be a combination of both.
Wostal Family English Bulldogs Answer: We have all parents on site. I feel it is the breeders responsiblity to the breed to know the dogs they are breeding, not buy the sperm from someone else. I live with both parents so I know the personalities and behaviors. I can honestly tell you what the parents are like because I have raised the dogs. (Picture is Dad Chopper with Ruby, Hilde and Popeye) BREEDER INTERESTED IN FUTURE OF PUPPYDoes the breeder just want to sell pups or interested in their litter for life? Is the breeder using quality dog food and vitamins. Does the contract show the breeder cares about the pups future? Is the breeder giving you information or asking you if you know how to care for a bulldog? It should be important to the breeder the new owner understands the differences about bulldogs and how to care for them.
Is the breeder open and helpful? A knowledgeable breeder will tell you the good and bad. Does the breeder answer your questions completely? Selling English Bulldogs is very time consuming. A responsible breeder is also a teacher for someone looking to buy and takes the time with each person. Ask the breeder about the contract and guarantee. Get this information in writing and ask questions if it isn't clear. A good breeder will care for the dog for life. Understand guarantees don't last the life because of many factors a breeder as no control over can happen. Wostal Family English Bulldogs Answer: Training all dogs is important. Our puppies are paper potty trained started at 5 weeks old. Amazingly the puppies "get it" and it makes outside training easier. With weather permitting, outside potty training is done before they leave our house. We want you to have a pleasant experience with your new puppy and want him or her off to a good start. I am a solid believer in education. So many people make mistakes because they didn't take the time or know where to get education to make a good decision. I spend time with a new puppy owner going over information on the breed, personal care, and food. Along with answer any of their questions. I want the new owner to be educated on how and why so it helps them understand the health of the dog down the road. I always spend time with anyone who calls or emails me answering any questions. I know not everyone will buy a bulldog from me so I want them to think about how to be educated when buying from someone else. My puppies have a 1 year guarantee. I also guarantee the puppy for 3 days against an illness after he leaves my house. I see complaints online from people who discovered their puppy had a cold a day or two after the purchase and the breeder wouldn't do anything to help them. A vet once told me it is a breeder's trick to give cough medicine to puppies so they don't cough or seem sick in the breeders care while someone is buying them. I will never sell a dog that shouldn't leave my home. For some reason if a puppy got sick, I would have the puppy treated then evalulated if he or she should or when to be sold. I also have a clause in my contract that says if you can't care for the puppy/dog then I will always take him or her back. I never want to find out a dog of my litters went to a shelter. (Picture of pups learning to go in potty area of the whelping pen at 5 weeks old) |
HOME RAISED OR KENNELI think there are two kinds of breeders-Family Home Raised or in a Kennel. I would want my puppy to be Family Home Raised. This means the parents and pups are raised in the house with the family. A large breeder may have to keep their dogs in a kennel run or the puppies in crates. Think of all the things a puppy or dog will miss if most of their time is spent in a kennel. All dogs need human contact and love so they can learn to behave, trust and show love in return. English Bulldogs are often compared to children, who need a positive learning environment to grow. Imagine a puppy not exposed to hearing the phone ring, walking up stairs or no potty training-this creates a scared puppy in your home and extra work for the new owner.
Wostal Family English Bulldogs Answer: All my dogs are raised in my house, play with my family, socialize with our friends and other pets, go for car rides and sleep in our beds. My dogs are members of our family and appear in Christmas cards and family photos. Yes, I have several dogs and my house feels like a zoo at times but I know my dogs feel loved. My dogs are treated as my children. I trust my dogs and my dogs trust me. My dogs are crate trained for potty training and when left home alone. Please don't confuse kennel and crate. Crate training is healthy and the perferred method of training most breeds. I do not use a crate to house the new puppies. Puppies are in a large "whelping box" so they are able to socialize, exercise and begin potty training. (Picture is Chopper waking Christine up New Years Day 2010) Improving Bulldog's Health The first step to healthy dogs would be a daily vitamin. I recommend Fido-Vite. I am an authorized dealer and sell at discount. I also have used NuVet Plus. Both are similar but Fido-Vite's powder mixes well with food and has a few more important ingredients. Check out http://www.fido-vite.com to see why it works.
Choose a Bulldog Friendly VetIt is important to find a Dr you trust and his/her office has experience will English Bulldogs. Any vet can treat a bulldog but you want to find a vet who likes bulldogs and has taken the extra time to learn their corks and differences. You as the owner should research the breed and be educated on issues. Read different websites or books to make sure you hear the same thing. If the vet isn't telling you what your research says, it is okay to suggest or ask questions. Tell the vet you read about it. Your vet should be glad you are educating yourself and helping your pet. Don't let a vet or the office see a bulldog and expect $. Ask questions about tests and medicine. Often you are able to get the meds for less on line or your vet will match it.
We see Dr. Sondel at Sondel Family Clinic in Madison WI. He is formerly of Spring Harbor Animal Hospital in Madison. I like how he is honest and caring, along with listening to me. (Above Jesse Sondel is pictures with 2 pups from our 4/2013 litter.) Rawhides are never for BulldogsMy opinion is never let an English Bulldog have a rawhide, pig’s ear, or greenie. Bulldogs do love them because they are quite tasty but to me it’s not worth the risk. The problem is the bulldog tends to inhale, not chew, and they can get lodged in the throat or worse in the stomach or intestines. Rawhide expands in the stomach and can kill a bulldog who swallows chunks of it. As for greenies, they don’t dissolve when swallowed whole and can get stuck in a bulldog’s intestines. I’ve heard of a case where a Greenie had to be surgically removed from a bulldog puppy’s stomach (at a cost of $3000). Rope toys may be shredded and if they eat them, you can get the same stomach problem. So you need to keep an eye on them with a rope toy.
I’ve found the Kong and Nylabone toys to be the most durable. You can put something tasty like peanut butter inside. PVC pieces are also durable and fun for bulldogs. (Pictured is Lita and Ruby playing with a Kong) LOOKING FOR INFORMATION ON STUDS OR RECUSE BULLDOGS. CALL ME! |