Bulldogs For Dummies

by Ewing, Susan M.

• ISBN13: 9780764599798
• ISBN10: 0764599798
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2006-01-05
• Publisher: For Dummies

Summary

Find out how to select, train, and care for your Bulldog Though originally bred for bull baiting, today's Bulldogs are calm, dignified, and courageous - and make great pets. Whether you're already a Bulldog owner or you're thinking about becoming one, this friendly guide will answer your questions and help you and your Bully live happily ever after. From choosing your dog to training, diet, and health, it's just what you need for Bulldog success! Discover how to * Understand the breed and its history * Buy or adopt a healthy Bulldog * Housetrain your Bulldog and teach basic commands * Keep your Bulldog well-groomed and active * Watch for breed-specific health problems

Author Biography

Susan Ewing has been “in dogs” since 1977 and enjoys showing and trying various performance events, with the emphasis on “trying.”
She holds a Master’s degree in Television/Radio from Syracuse University and has attended canine seminars at Cornell University. She is a member of the Dog Writers Association of America and of the Cat Writers’ Association and is listed in the 2005 edition of Who’s Who in America.
Ewing has been writing professionally since she was 16 and is the author of several books: The Pembroke Welsh Corgi: Family Friend and Farmhand; The New Owner’s Guide to Pembroke Welsh Corgis; The Pug; and The Dachshund. Her column, “The Pet Pen,” is in The Post-Journal (Jamestown, NY) every Saturday. One of her essays is a part of the book, Cats Do It Better Than People.
Her articles have appeared in AKC Gazette, Family Dog, Bloodlines, German Shepherd Dog Review, Good Dog!, Pet Odyssey, Dog Fancy, Dog World, Puppies USA, the national Schipperke Club newsletter, ASPCA’s Animal Watch, and Bird Talk.
She has been a radio copywriter, owned and operated a boarding kennel, and served as the director of the Lucy-Desi Museum in Jamestown, NY.

Table of Contents

Introduction	1	(1)
About This Book	2	(1)
Conventions Used in This Book	2	(1)
What You're Not to Read	3	(1)
Foolish Assumptions	3	(1)
How This Book Is Organized	3	(2)
Part I: A Bully for You	4	(1)
Part II: Living with Your Bulldog	4	(1)
Part III: Training, Working, and Traveling: The Busy Bulldog	4	(1)
Part IV: Keeping Your Bulldog Healthy	5	(1)
Part V: The Part of Tens	5	(1)
Icons Used in This Book	5	(1)
Where to Go from Here	6	(1)
Part I: A Bully for You	7	(46)
Bulldog: A Tough Name for a Big Softy	9	(6)
Transitioning from the Bull Baiter to Loving Companion	10	(1)
Getting to Know the Bulldog	11	(1)
Caring for and Feeding Your Bulldog	12	(2)
Showing Your Bulldog	14	(1)
Acquainting Yourself with the Bulldog Package	15	(22)
Bull-Baiting to Bulldog Hugging	16	(1)
Picturing the Bulldog	17	(17)
Perusing the pedigree	19	(1)
AKC Bulldog breed standard	19	(5)
UK Bulldog breed standard	24	(5)
UKC Bulldog breed standard	29	(5)
The French and American Bulldogs	34	(3)
The French Bulldog	34	(1)
The American Bulldog	35	(2)
Deciding on a Bulldog	37	(4)
The Bulldog Point of View	37	(2)
Recognizing that Bullies aren't athletes	38	(1)
Integrating Bullies with children and animals	38	(1)
Examining the Cost of Ownership	39	(2)
Finding the Best Bulldog for You	41	(12)
Picking Your Pup	41	(2)
Finding a Bulldog Breeder	43	(6)
Facing the firing squad	44	(2)
Questioning the questioner	46	(2)
Deciphering breeder contracts	48	(1)
Perusing Pet Shops	49	(1)
Adopting an Older Bulldog	50	(1)
Considering shelter dogs	51	(1)
Contacting Bully rescue groups	51	(1)
Registering Your Puppy	51	(2)
Part II: Living with Your Bulldog	53	(52)
Preparing for Your Bulldog	55	(12)
Making the Outdoors Safe for Your Bulldog	55	(1)
Choosing traditional fencing	55	(1)
Opting for invisible fencing	56	(1)
Safeguarding Your Home	56	(2)
Examining Crates: All-Purpose Doggy Dens	58	(2)
Numbering the advantages	58	(1)
Deciding on the den	59	(1)
Buying Beds for Bulldogs	60	(1)
Collars and Leads and Harnesses, Oh My!	61	(3)
Collars	61	(1)
Leads	62	(1)
Harnesses	63	(1)
Toying Around	64	(1)
Gauging Grooming Tools	65	(1)
Evaluating Food and Water Bowls	65	(2)
Stainless steel bowls	65	(1)
Plastic dishes	66	(1)
Ceramic bowls	66	(1)
Bringing Your Bulldog Home	67	(8)
Bringing Home Bully	67	(2)
Giving Your Bully the Guided House Tour	69	(1)
Getting to Know the Kids	70	(1)
Meeting the Other Pets	70	(2)
Setting Up Your Puppy's Schedule	72	(1)
Surviving the First Night	72	(1)
Tackling Problems before They Start	73	(2)
Examining the crate size	74	(1)
Throwing up	74	(1)
Getting a grip	74	(1)
Feeding Your Bulldog	75	(14)
Reading the Label: Important Stuff about Your Dog's Food	75	(2)
Making the Choice: Dry, Canned, or Semimoist	77	(2)
Cooking for Your Bulldog	79	(1)
Considering the BARF Diet (No, It's Not as Gross as It Sounds)	80	(1)
When to Feed Your Bully	81	(1)
Giving Your Bully Doggy Treats	82	(1)
Sharing People Snacks with Your Bully	83	(2)
What Not to Feed Your Bully	85	(1)
Looking at Chew Toys	86	(1)
Special Diets for Your Bulldog	87	(2)
Grooming Your Bulldog	89	(16)
Brushing Your Bulldog	89	(2)
Getting the Skinny on Skin Care	91	(3)
Wrinkles are beautiful	91	(1)
Acne --- not just for teenagers	92	(1)
Alleviating skin allergies	92	(1)
Halting hot spots	92	(1)
Managing mange	93	(1)
Bringing up the rear	93	(1)
Puppy Pedicures	94	(2)
Cutting the nails	94	(1)
Grinding the nails	95	(1)
The ``Eyes'' Have It	96	(1)
Ears to Good Health	96	(1)
The Whole Tooth and Nothing but the Tooth	97	(1)
Brusha, brusha, brusha	97	(1)
Professional cleaning	98	(1)
Bathing Your Bully: Water, Water Everywhere	98	(7)
Preparing the bathing area	98	(1)
Preparing your pup	99	(1)
Washing your Bulldog properly	100	(1)
Removing the sticky stuff	101	(4)
Part III: Training, Working, and Traveling: The Busy Bulldog	105	(74)
Housetraining Your Bulldog	107	(12)
Housetraining 101	107	(5)
Working out a training schedule	109	(2)
Watching for the warning signs	111	(1)
Considering and Conquering Crate Training	112	(1)
Preparing for Paper Training	112	(1)
Going Indoors Rather Than Outdoors	113	(2)
Papering the floor	113	(1)
Padding the tile	113	(1)
Boxing the mess: Litter boxes	114	(1)
Teaching Your Bully to Go on Command	115	(1)
Cleaning Up after Bully	116	(3)
Cleaning up indoors	116	(1)
Cleaning up outdoors	117	(1)
Using the bag system for pickup	118	(1)
Mastering Good Manners and Basic Commands	119	(20)
A Few Things to Keep in Mind While Training	119	(1)
Following the Leader: Lead and Collar Training	120	(1)
Collaring the culprit	120	(1)
Being gentle but firm with the lead	121	(1)
Knowing the Basic Commands	121	(7)
I have a ``haunch'' you can teach your Bully to sit	122	(1)
Come to me, my Bully!	122	(2)
Teaching the Down command	124	(1)
Teaching the Stay command	124	(1)
Combining the Down and Stay commands	125	(1)
Wait for me!	126	(1)
Leave It!	127	(1)
Mixing up your training	128	(1)
Conquering Common Behavior Problems	128	(4)
I beg you: No begging!	128	(1)
Jumping isn't always joyful	129	(1)
Digging up the yard	130	(1)
Keeping the peace: No barking!	131	(1)
Finding Help	132	(7)
Puppy classes	133	(1)
Day care	133	(1)
Obedience classes	134	(1)
Professional trainers	134	(1)
Doggie Psychology 101: Hiring an animal behaviorist	134	(2)
Classifying behaviorists	136	(3)
Showing and Showing Off Your Well-Trained Bulldog	139	(22)
Becoming a Canine Good Citizen	139	(3)
Preparing for the CGC test	140	(1)
Taking the CGC test	141	(1)
Exploring Conformation Shows for Your Bulldog	142	(7)
Understanding conformation classes	143	(2)
Scoring your Bulldog	145	(1)
Junior Showmanship	145	(1)
Showing a dog requires more than the dog!	146	(3)
Tackling Obedience Trials	149	(5)
Receiving your Companion Dog title	149	(2)
Earning your Companion Dog Excellent title	151	(1)
Striving for the Utility Dog title	152	(1)
Considering even greater Bulldog obedience challenges	153	(1)
Competing in Agility: Yes, Bullies Can Do It!	154	(2)
Sniffing Out the Fun in Tracking	156	(1)
Rallying Around!	157	(2)
Working with Your Bulldog as a Therapy Dog	159	(2)
On the Go: Taking, Leaving, or Looking for Bully	161	(18)
Investigating Your Travel Options	161	(4)
Traveling by car	161	(2)
Traveling in the air	163	(2)
Packing for Your Pooch	165	(1)
Bulldog-Friendly Places to Stay	166	(2)
Finding a pet-friendly motel	166	(2)
Camping with your Bulldog	168	(1)
More Great Vacation Spots for You and Bully	168	(1)
Leaving Your Bully Behind	169	(3)
Boarding your Bully	169	(2)
Hiring a pet sitter	171	(1)
Knowing What to Do If You Lose Your Bulldog	172	(7)
Identifying Bully	173	(2)
Looking for a lost Bulldog	175	(4)
Part IV: Keeping Your Bulldog Healthy	179	(62)
Knowing Your Veterinarian, Vaccinations, and Common Treatments	181	(14)
Choosing a Veterinarian	181	(3)
Making an informed decision	182	(1)
Questioning your veterinarian	183	(1)
Selecting Alternative Medicine	184	(4)
Homeopathic care	185	(1)
Chinese herbal medicine	186	(1)
Acupuncture	186	(2)
Finding a Specialist	188	(1)
Chiropractic care	188	(1)
Massage therapy	188	(1)
Knowing Your Vaccinations	189	(3)
Administering puppy and booster shots	190	(1)
Warding off diseases	190	(2)
Mulling Over Medicines	192	(3)
Recognizing and Tackling Bulldog Health Issues	195	(20)
Spaying or Neutering Your Bulldog	195	(3)
What to know about male Bulldogs	197	(1)
What to know about female Bulldogs	197	(1)
Alleviating Canine Allergies	198	(1)
Figuring out food allergies	198	(1)
Flea saliva	199	(1)
Mold, pollen, fungus	199	(1)
Preventing External Parasites	199	(5)
Making fleas flee	199	(2)
Getting ticked off	201	(2)
Ear mites	203	(1)
Mange	203	(1)
Guarding Against Internal Parasites	204	(2)
Tapeworms	204	(1)
Hookworms	204	(1)
Roundworms	205	(1)
Whipworms	205	(1)
Heartworms	205	(1)
Recognizing Skin Problems	206	(1)
Taking Care of Interdigital Cysts	206	(1)
Knowing the Truth about Bulldog Breathing Problems	207	(2)
Elongated soft palate	207	(2)
Small trachea	209	(1)
Stenotic nares	209	(1)
Being overweight	209	(1)
Handling Heatstroke	209	(1)
Eyeballing Eye Problems	210	(2)
Eyelid issues	211	(1)
Cherry eye	212	(1)
Dry eye	212	(1)
Getting Hip to Hip Dysplasia	212	(1)
It Hurts When I Sit! Ingrown Tails	213	(1)
Speaking of Spines: Hemi-vertebrae	213	(1)
Patellar Luxation	213	(2)
Familiarizing Yourself with Fido First Aid	215	(14)
Keeping Your Kit Stocked: First-Aid Supplies	216	(2)
Knowing the First-Aid Basics	218	(1)
What To Do if Your Bulldog Gets Hurt	219	(10)
Handling injuries from auto accidents	219	(3)
Fighting doesn't solve anything, boys!	222	(1)
Poisoning	223	(2)
Insect stings	225	(1)
Electrocution	225	(1)
Drowning	226	(1)
Choking	226	(1)
Suffering from heatstroke	227	(2)
Caring for Your Senior Bulldog	229	(12)
Easing Your Bully into the Autumn Years	229	(5)
Dealing with hearing problems	230	(2)
Keeping an eye on failing eyesight	232	(1)
Treating arthritis	233	(1)
Adjusting the potty schedule	234	(1)
Keeping a beautiful smile	234	(1)
Feeding a Sensible Senior Diet	234	(1)
Exercising Your Older Bully	235	(1)
When It's Time to Say Goodbye	236	(5)
Part V: The Part of Tens	241	(18)
Nine Great Resources for Bulldog Owners	243	(6)
Finding Bulldog Information on the Internet	243	(1)
Contacting the Kennel Clubs	244	(1)
The American Kennel Club	244	(1)
The United Kennel Club	244	(1)
The Kennel Club	244	(1)
Checking with the Local Breed Clubs	245	(1)
Browsing for Books	245	(1)
Acquainting Yourself with Agility Sources	246	(1)
Pursuing Holistic Medicine	247	(1)
Rescuing Bulldogs	247	(1)
Recovering Lost Bulldogs	247	(1)
Providing for Your Bulldog When You Can't	248	(1)
Ten Good Reasons for Not Breeding Your Bulldog	249	(6)
Assessing the Health Risks to Your Bulldog	249	(1)
Dealing with Behavior Problems	250	(1)
Having to Separate Your Love Birds (I Mean Bulldogs)	250	(1)
Tackling the Messier Details	250	(1)
Testing, Testing, and More Testing	250	(1)
It's the Human Who Becomes the ``Mommy,'' Not the Bulldog!	251	(1)
Three (Or More) Is a Crowd	251	(1)
Bulldog Breeding Is More Technical than Natural	252	(1)
Subjecting Your Dog to Cesarean Section	252	(1)
Adding Up the Bill	252	(1)
Facing the Likelihood of Heartbreak	253	(2)
Ten Important Things to Do for Your Bulldog	255	(4)
Cleaning Your Bully's Collar	255	(1)
Washing the Food and Water Dishes	256	(1)
Freshening Your Bulldog's Bed	256	(1)
Vaccinating Your Bulldog	256	(1)
Grooming Your Bulldog	256	(1)
Exercising Together	257	(1)
Balancing Your Bulldog's Diet	257	(1)
Keeping Up to Date on Bully Information	257	(1)
Forgiving His Behavior	258	(1)
Simply Enjoying Your Bully	258	(1)
Index	259