And now, some thoughts about buying bulldogs, in general.
Proud Member of the Bulldog Club of America
The purchase of a bulldog should not be considered without doing a great deal of research about both the breed and the person from whom you buy.
Bulldogs are not for everyone and by doing some checking you can decide if the breed is truly for you. There aremany books on the topic–available through bookstores or on the internet. Visit the Bulldog Club of America website and look at the information presented there. Go to local dog shows, watch the breed being judged, and talk with the exhibitors. Call and talk about bulldogs with different breeders. It’s often hard to choose a breeder because there are so many out there.
Responsible breeders will want to know about you–your family, other pets, why you are interested in the breed, what you know about bulldogs. They will be able to speak knowledgably about the breed, health problems, drawb
acks, etc. as well as the good points. In our opinion, responsible breeders are breeding to better the breed, whether or not they show their animals. And with this in mind, most responsible breeders do not engage in breeding primarily as a money making activity, or simply because they “love bulldogs.” For instance we, and many of our colleagues, breed to produce our next generation of show dogs. No matter how carefully we breed, only a few will make it to the show ring. The pups that do not meet our rigorous show standards
are sold as pets. You will most likely find a responsible breeder by dealing with those who show their dogs. These people generally research pedigrees and breed for both health and beauty, because both of those factors are central to a good breeding program.
Beware of breeders who seem to always have puppies available, those who deal in many different breeds, those who have many excuses for not showing their dogs, as well as those who are importing dogs for sale, and of course, beware of buying from pet stores.
Also don’t expect to get a “bargain” no matter who you buy from. You will probably get what you pay for. One way to pay less and still get a quality dog is to check with rescue (through the BCA), or contact breeders about older, “retired” dogs for sale. Be sure of your breeder before you even go to look at puppies. Once you see a litter of adorable, roly poly baby bulldogs, you will probably want to take one home immediately! When you visit a breeder, look at the surroundings. Ask to see the parent(s) on premises. (Often only the dam will be present, as many people breed their bitches to males they do not own. If neither parent is present, ASK WHY NOT??) Ask to look at the other dogs and the facilities. Ask how many litters/puppies have been produced in the past year.
A bulldog can be a charming, delightful and loving pet. Please “do your homework” before you buy, so that you and your bully will have many happy years together.
One of the most important things about owning a bulldog is having excellent care provided by veterinarians who are experienced in dealing with bulldogs. We are very fortunate that Animal Clinic Northview in North Ridgeville, Ohio, is our exclusive veterinary care provider. Dr. Robert Hutchison and his staff work with us as we strive to produce and raise beautiful, healthy dogs. We encourage everyone who buys a puppy or adopts an older dog from us to take them to the vets at Animal Clinic Northview if it is at all possible.
