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Will my puppy come with Registration Papers on
Adoption Day? How do I get my puppy registered under my name? YES! Our adult Oldies are
registered with a variety of clubs, including IOEBA, NBA, NKC, CKC, WBA, and "Logan" (EB) is registered through AKC.
All puppies born to Dog Bluff parents are registered shortly after birth. They go home with pre-printed puppy certificates.
You may register your puppy in your name, but we require that "Dog Bluff" be in your puppy's registered name.
What should I expect when I bring my new puppy
home? Once you send your security deposit to hold your puppy, you will receive several chapters
from my book on raising bulldog puppies. These chapters include tips on house-training, what to do in emergency situations,
required immunizations, first-purchase suggestions, best foods to use, and more... to help you prepare for your new
4-legged child!
What are some ways that I can keep my bulldog HEALTHY
- and possibly increase the lifespan of my 4-legged family member? DIET
plays a huge role in the life of a bulldog. We use food with NO corn, wheat or soy (please see the next Q&A for
details on dog food choices). Keeping your dog fit & trim is essential if you want him to live longer. I would
suggest that you have your vet check your dog's weight when you're there for the 6-month check-up and again at adulthood (around
age 1 year+) to see that your dog is at optimum weight. While it is tempting to give your dog treats and spoil him with
goodies, you are only hurting him in the long run if he is overweight. Extra weight on your dog's bones will only speed
up the aging process, increase arthritis tendencies, encourage laziness, and can also be a trigger for heart disease. Proper
nutrition is only ONE of the discussions we will have when you interview with me about a Dog Bluff puppy. I have
done major research into dietary benefits and am willing to share my findings with my adoptive families.
DAILY EXERCISE is also very important!
Just as humans need a certain amount of daily exercise, our canine friends must have exercise to maintain good health.
Consult with me or with your veterinarian as to how much is enough or "too much" when it comes to your bulldog. Age
must be factored in when it comes to exercise, obviously.
QUALITY TIME spent with your dog is a MUST.
From the time your puppy leaves Dog Bluff, it will be up to YOU to be sure your puppy bonds with you and your family.
Bulldogs are "hands-on" dogs. They MUST feel loved and they MUST have your attention. If not, they WILL become
depressed. Please do not adopt from me if you are unable to provide your puppy/dog with daily quality time. Dogs
left in an kennel for hours on end do not thrive.
What is the average Life Span of an Olde English Bulldogge? I cannot answer that question from EXPERIENCE because I have only raised bulldogs for 18 years. In that
period of time, I have only had a "few" reports that my babies had passed away from old age. My best estimation would
be between 10 to 15 years, IF the dog mainly lives inside (at least during the hottest and coldest months), and is given proper
care (high quality food with no corn/wheat/soy, health maintenance & disease prevention must be a top priority,
and adequate exercise is a plus). Also, if your dog is spayed/neutered at a young age, this is thought to increase the
life span, as reproductive cancers are no longer a threat if you remove the appropriate organs before they have time to "age"
and become hazardous to the dog's health.
 What Dog Foods are best, and WHY?
We ONLY use food that contains NO WHEAT, NO CORN, and NO SOY. We use
the Adult formula of Diamond Naturals Extreme Athlete (Chicken based) for pregnant and nursing moms and young
puppies. Otherwise, we use Diamond Naturals Adult Chicken & Rice formula. This is one of
the best Dry dog foods we have found in several years of using high quality foods. Diamond Naturals (make SURE the bag
says "Naturals" down the side band!) is normally stocked at Tractor Supply Co. stores. If you are unable to find this
food, we suggest one of the following dry foods, and always prefer Chicken based kibble to any other meat; chicken is easier
on the tummy!
Nature's Recipe (PetSmart)
Blue Buffalo (PetSmart)
Taste of the Wild (Tractor Supply)
| NO WHEAT-CORN-SOY in Diamond Naturals |
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Here's why we avoid wheat/corn/soy:
1) WHEAT turns to YEAST on the dog's skin.
Yeast feeds the demodectic mites which live on canines & felines. If you take wheat OUT of the diet, you decrease
the chances of skin issues, such as demodex, allergies to food fillers, etc.
2) CORN is not digestible. It is a "filler" and only produces
more POOP in your yard. So why waste money on something that is not good for your pet?
3) SOY is not the worst enemy, but it does make
"eye boogers" and ear smells worse than they need to be. It causes a protein build-up in the body that sometimes makes
for yucky results.
We use ADULT formula for all ages of our dogs here, because of the research
we've done on our own. Bulldogs are clunky, thick-boned dogs. Certain puppy food contains too many "growth-speeders"
and a bulldog raised on puppy food for the first year of life tends to grow too quickly. This accelerated growth increases
the risk of early onset arthritis in the adult dog. We believe in PREVENTION at Dog Bluff, and this is just one of our
practices to help lengthen the life span of our dogs.
What Health Guarantee comes with a Dog
Bluff puppy? How old is my puppy on Adoption Day? How do I protect my puppy from fatal diseases? Is
my puppy checked by a veterinarian prior to Adoption Day? Please see my ADOPTION DETAILS page. These questions are answered in Section #2, in my Dog
Bluff Health Statement / Contract.
What QUESTIONS should I ask when I am shopping
around for the right veterinarian's office? I would start with the following questions:
1) What are your hours/days of business?
2) What are your after-hours / emergency care procedures / policies?
Am I allowed to call the doctor at home after business hours if I have a true emergency or must I travel to my nearest ER
vet?
3) Do you offer injectible bordatella (kennel cough) vaccines rather than
the nasally-administered vaccine? (Much better to stay with injectible-only vaccines for bulldogs and other
short-muzzled breeds.)
4) What is your standard office visit fee? How much will it be when
I bring my new puppy in for its second set of shots and a stool check?
5) How much is the Rabies vaccine if my dog is there for a routine visit?
Do you offer Rabies vaccine CLINICS each year? If so, how much would the Rabies vaccine be at the clinic?
6) How old must my puppy be, or how much must my puppy weigh before it's
old enough to be spayed / neutered? What are the price ranges for that surgery? (Our dogs range from
55-75 lbs as adults.) If my puppy has a belly-button (umbilical hernia - happens from time to time), how much extra
do you charge to correct that during spay/neuter surgery?
7) May I drop off my dog early in the morning and pick him up after work?
Is there an extra charge for my dog to stay with you during the appointment day?
8) What is your procedure if an animal believed to be infected with parvo
or distemper happens to walk into your office? (This is a real danger
to young puppies!!! Please carry your puppy into the vet's office and do NOT let your puppy touch the floor or the ground
of suspicious environments... your puppy will not be protected against fatal diseases until he has received at least 3 rounds
of puppy shots. Even then, please use caution before exposing your new puppy to high-animal-traffic areas. Distemper/Parvo
is extremely easy to pass from animal-to-animal, AND from PEOPLE-to-animal just from simple contact with an infected animal.)
How do I reserve a puppy, and how do I get that
puppy home if I live across the map from you? When
you ready to adopt, please CALL me for an interview. PLEASE read my "Adoption Details" page, as
it covers everything from our first call to safe transport options. My preferred transport method if you cannot drive
here is using puppy air transport, where your puppy flies IN THE CABIN with my puppy transporter for same-day delivery.
We will NOT ship your puppy in the belly of a plane, regardless of the time of year, temperatures, or for any other reason.
So please be familiar with the options I have provided, as they are safe and reliable.
How do you determine Picking Order for Adoptive
Families? I usually form a "waiting list" once I announce a planned breeding. When
the dogs actually begin BREEDING, I will then accept up to 6 security deposits on a litter. Picking order is determined
by the order in which security deposits are received. If I have folks on a waiting list, I contact them with my request
for their security deposit once breeding has begun. They have a certain # of business days for their security deposit
to reach me if they want to hold their place in picking order that they've been in since calling to be on my waiting list.
FOR EXAMPLE: You are 3rd on my waiting
list for a puppy, and I call you with news that breeding has begun. You have 5 business days to get your security deposit
to me to keep 3rd-pick for that litter. If the 1st or 2nd pick families ahead of you change their minds or do not
respond to my call, you move up in line accordingly. Likewise, if you wait around and you don't send your deposit in
a timely manner, you lose your spot in picking order. If the 4th pick person gets their deposit to me within their 5
business days and I don't hear from you within that week, I DO try to contact you to see if there is a communication breakdown
of sorts. If I do not receive a call or some type of explanation, then the 4th pick family would take your place at
3rd pick, out of fairness. This is the ONLY way I am able to be fair to all concerned. My
system has worked all these years without any complaints from my adoptive families, and I am PROUD to say that I have had
several return clients in recent years!
Do you sell to other breeders?
If a RESPONSIBLE breeder proves to me that he/she shares my beliefs, morals
and practices in breeding bulldogs, I do make this consideration and allow my puppies to be placed into a respected breeding
program. Typically, however, I prefer that my puppies are adopted into pet-only homes with a spay/neuter agreement by
age 6 to 8 months of age.
Should I microchip my puppy/dog? This is totally a personal preference. There are advantages and disadvantages to this mode of protection
/ proof of ownership. Please discuss this with your vet, and I am happy to elaborate during our interview.
What are some things that I need in my home before
Adoption Day? My clients receive the following list of "suggested first
purchases." This list is not mandatory, but covers many items that are needed from time to time with new puppies:
1)
Good-sized black-wire (open-air) CRATE with the plastic tray in the bottom for easy clean-up.
Get a larger one that is ONE PIECE, and will easily hold a large dog at adulthood.
I always suggest that you buy the largest crate that you can afford, because your dog WILL GROW. Plastic pet-taxi type crates will do, but puppies normally feel isolated and afraid in these, as they prevent
the puppy from seeing out into the home from all angles. The crate needs to be your puppy’s SAFE PLACE of comfort.
2)
Food and Water Bowls that ATTACH
TO THE WIRE OF THE CRATE. These are priceless items to have. I would call around to PetSmart and Wal-Mart to see who has them.
These hard plastic bowls twist off of a platform for easy cleaning and convenience.
The platform part has a plate-like apparatus that screws onto the wire of the crate, and holds the bowls still so that
your dog cannot spill the food or water. Whether you feed your puppy inside or
outside the crate, you will ALWAYS want to have fresh water available to your puppy/dog inside the crate at all times. So, I highly suggest purchasing at least one of these bowls. They run around $7-$10 each, depending on where you find them. I
get my smaller ones in the BIRD or RABBIT supply section because they’re smaller. Wal-Mart carries the large bowl size
for bigger dogs, and those are about $10 each. Worth their weight in gold!
3)
DOG
HOUSE for outside shelter IF your dog will
be outside for long periods of time. We prefer the igloo-type houses, as they come in two pieces, they are easy to clean,
and easy to move around as needed. If your dog will be a totally inside dog, this is an “optional item” in case
your dog gets caught in the rain while outside on potty breaks or exercise breaks.
4)
DOG
FOOD that contains NO CORN, NO WHEAT, NO SOY. For example, We use DIAMOND NATURALS Extreme Athlete formula to raise our puppies
on (it’s ADULT food, but has 32% Protein, 25% Fat – excellent replacement for puppy food!). Please refer to “BEST DOG FOODS TO USE” sheet for details on acceptable bulldog food, from
our experience.
5)
Adams
Flea & Tick mist, SAFE for Puppies. Make sure it’s the frequent-use kind.
This is for puppies under 8 weeks of age. It is primarily alcohol, so
be careful not to get in puppy’s eyes. This is good to use before and/or
after your puppy has a long period of play time outside where pup might pick up fleas.
Once pup reaches 8 weeks, you may use Frontline Plus for flea/tick control.
6)
Frontline
Plus for puppies – dosed by
the weight of your puppy. If your puppy weighs less than what is available for
purchase at the store, buy the Frontline Plus for CATS, as that will be fine. This is safe for puppies age 8 weeks &
up. This product works continuously for a full month, and usually even longer
in winter months. It kills fleas, flea eggs, and ticks. Frontline is THE SAFEST chemical available for flea/tick control!
7)
THE
BEST chew-treat for puppies/dogs will be
a deer antler. Antlers do not splinter, they do not get soggy, and they last
FOREVER-and-a-day, literally. You may order these through www.petexpertise.com and they’ll already be
“blunt” (no sharp points) and sanded. Or, if you know hunters that
will give you a few antlers, you just need to saw off the sharp points and sand down any rough edges for puppy’s safety. OUR DOGS LOVE ANTLERS, and these are great teething tools for puppies as well. If you purchase any type of chew-bone, please make sure it is all natural, does not
contain corn/wheat/soy (faker bones are usually loaded with these bad ingredients) – and I would suggest a huge bone
so that there is no chance of your puppy choking on pieces/parts. This is why
I truly suggest the deer antler idea. They have been well worth the trouble to
find them with our dogs.
8)
“Treats” with NO corn & wheat, for training, etc. Please do NOT give your puppy “junk” treats, as this will un-do the effort of feeding
him/her the right foods! Honestly, the best training treats for puppies will
be kibble of whatever food you choose to feed the puppy. Treats should be seldom
– otherwise, you chance having an overweight bulldog. There are very few
safe treats to be found for puppies. I tell my adoptive families to save any leftover lean meats from your family meals. Cut the meat in very small pieces and store in ziplock containers in the frig. This can be an excellent training tool, but use in moderation.
9)
Kaopectate
liquid to be ready for any loose stool
upon transition from breeder to adoptive home. If unable to find Kaopectate, you
may use Pepto Bismol, but Kao is MUCH more effective.Always use liquid forms of these drugs, and ONLY if needed. Preferably, go to the VET
if your puppy has loose stool and Kao does not cure it within 24 hours.
10)
DIGITAL
THERMOMETER!!! You cannot be without this
item. Normal puppy/dog temperature is between 100 and 102. If your puppy acts “different” or take his temp.
ANYTHING OVER 102 IS DANGEROUS, and your pup must be seen by the vet. As
always, YOU MAY CALL ME FIRST so that I can give you tips on what to do until you can get to the vet’s office.
11)
Baby Wipes / Handy-Wipes NON-scented. Grab these up now, when you find them on sale.
You’ll need lots of them!
12)
Paper Towels !!! Also, start saving up on newspaper… you’ll need it!
13)
Brown
Listerine (store brand is fine) and Old-timey Lysol concentrate. (Please read
“Healthy Skin” chapter for details on these products.) We find the
Lysol concentrate at Family Dollar, Wal-Mart and at some grocery stores, in the cleanser section near the other Lysol products…
but stores tend to HIDE this stuff. It’s like magic around here, and one
bottle will go a LONG, LONG way. It’s excellent for many things, including
potty-training accidents!
14)
Hydrogen Peroxide and Mineral
Oil – ALWAYS keep an unopened (new) bottle of each in your medicine cabinet.
CALL ME for explanation on this one.
15)
Lint Rollers: The ones that look like a big roll of 2-sided masking tape. These
are excellent little tools to have if your dog is allowed to sit on your couch or on other furniture and happens to leave
spare hair around for you. Typically, bulldogs do not shed much if fed the right
diet and bathed with our suggested methods on a regular basis (no more than once every week to two weeks). But they ARE DOGS, and they WILL shed here & there, so we like to keep the lent rollers handy for car
& home.
16)
FREE Stuff: NEWSPAPERS !!! Start saving them and ask your friends &
family to save them as well! You will thank me later, trust me!
17)
Old Sheets – you just cannot
beat having a few old sheets to throw over furniture or your car seat when you want your dog sitting next to you. They come right back up and are easy to wash, and just a pop/shake in the air gets rid of any dog hair.
This list is a continual work in progress. By the time you see it again, it may have grown a little. I just keep adding as I think of things to help my clients.
How do I keep shedding down to a minimum?
I provide my clients with information on the safest and best products to use for healthy bulldog skin.
You'd be surprised at our tried-&-true, successful methods. First, NUTRITION plays a key role in healthy bulldog
skin/coat. We do not use "soap" on our puppies/dogs unless they have rolled in grease or something "nasty."
In the event that actual shampoo is needed, we prefer human dandruff shampoo (Selson Blue, Head & Shoulders, T-Gel brands
are best), because these are formulated for sensative skin. Be sure to rinse well, as soap residue is a major cause
for skin irritation. Do not over-bathe your puppy/dog. I instruct my clients to bathe their dog only when the
dog begins to "smell like a dirty dog." If your dog is not stinky, leave him alone and let him be a dog. You may
spray him with Adams Flea/Tick mist if you're worried about fleas or use Frontline for month-long flea/tick prevention.
But don't bathe your puppy/dog more than weekly, and preferably no more than twice monthly. The fewer baths, the better.
You can diminish your dog's natural oils that keep the skin & coat healthy if you overbathe.
GROOMING is minimal with a bulldog as long as you provide proper nutrition.
The less you brush, the less mess you will have.
Will my puppy BITE/CHEW on my fingers/toes and
on anything he can get his teeth on? YEP! The first reason for biting/chewing is
that your puppy needs to lose his baby teeth, and chewing is the only way to get rid of the baby teeth. Secondly, HE
IS A PUPPY!
He has been raised with siblings; over the course of 6 weeks together, THEY PLAY HARD. They pull each other's ears,
grab each other's legs, play tug-o-war with sticks, towels, or any object they can get their teeth into. Your puppy
will be confused during the transition from Dog Bluff to your home so it might take a few days for you to experience
the play-biting thing. But once he "comes alive" and feels comfortable with you and your family, he WILL go for toes,
fingers, pant legs-- whatever is close enough to "PLAY" with. This is a NATURAL habit for puppies. It's a
playing way to establish dominance among puppies, but you do not want this to become an issue a your puppy grows up.
Bulldog puppies are "cute" and sound so funny when they growl at each other, or even at YOU when you discipline him -- it's
almost tempting to "make" your puppy growl by getting into an aggressive play stance with him. But please know that
your puppy will grow up to be a big bulldog one day, and you certainly don't want that adult bulldog to think that he is the
boss. You must establish and keep all humans in the household as "Alpha" in pecking order. Your dog must never
be allowed to chew on you as a puppy. Therefore, please have plenty of alternative chew toys or teething tools.
Our preference is a dear antler, or some type of NATURAL bone substance that will not splinter and choke your puppy/dog.
We can discuss appropriate chew tools for your puppy during our telephone conversations (please remind me!).
How to correct play-biting: DO NOT ALLOW YOUR
PUPPY TO BITE OR CHEW ON YOU! You must be the "alpha" in your home. Allowing your puppy to chew on your hands
or even your toes tells that puppy that he is the "boss" and can run over you from now on. Step
1) If/when your puppy bites or chews at you, yell "No Bite!" while you push him away from
you. Then, immediately give him a chew tool that was purchased just for him.
Step 2) If he comes back
for more, accompany the "No Bite" with a flyswatter to his behind, with a few quick taps, just
enough to sting him a bit. Again, place his chew tool toward his mouth for reinforcement on what he is allowed to chew.
Pet him if he chews on the "allowed" chew tool.
Step 3) If he returns
a THIRD time to chew on you, repeat step 2, but pop him with the flyswatter until you KNOW it has stung his behind,
because he will probably run for cover at this point. Still, take him the allowed chew tool again, and pet him when
he chews on it.
Setp 4) If steps 1-3 do not work, put pup in his kennel for some down time,
and fuss at him ("No Bite!") all the way to the kennel.
Please Note: Flyswatters
offer a safe way to discipline your bulldog puppy. It offers a little "sting" without causing damage to his bone structure.
You must be careful about discipline methods, because you can HURT your puppy by spanking him with your hand or with other
objects. We keep a flyswatter in every room of our house. Even our ADULT dogs respect the swatter!
Do bulldogs DIG outside?
Almost every breed will "dig" if given the opportunity. Generally, this is from
boredom or can be from the dog feeling lonely. If given plenty of playtime and supervision, you should not have trouble
with the digging thing.
Why do you push the idea of spay/neuter by
the age of 5 to 6 months? I prefer that my puppies
are PETS ONLY in their adoptive homes. For this reason, there is no need for a female to go through the trouble of heat
cycles that normally begin around age 6 to 7 months of age; these cycles ruin carpet, flooring, furniture, etc., and
will attract male dogs to the property from miles away. Males don't worry with heat cycles, but they will tend to "wander"
when they are left intact for life, in search of females in heat. BIG HEALTH BENEFIT to spay/neuter: Dogs normally
live longer when this is done early in their lives. When spayed, females are less likely to have cancer-causing uterine
problems, and males are not likely to have testicular cancer if neutered. In short, the dog's life span is normally lengthened
upon spay/neuter.
What is the difference between an Olde English Bulldogge
(OEB / Oldie) and a Standard English Bulldog (EB)? The Olde English
Bulldogge (Oldie) is close to what the ORIGINAL bulldog was, bred to be an athletic and healthy farm dog.
They were meant to be healthy, hearty, and strong, able to live outdoors in most climates. A Dog Bluff adult Oldie will
range from 55-75 pounds (depending on gender and parents' structure), will sport a bully head and a taught, muscular
body. Average height in our adults ranges from 18-20 inches at the top of the shoulder. Our Oldies are bully and wrinkly
enough to be beautiful, but they have enough muzzle length to free-breathe, run, & play all day long without
difficulty! All of our Oldies live OUTSIDE, but they DO have access to our A/C building in the summer months, just
because we spoil our bully kids around here. However, they prefer swimming in the pond to sitting around in the
A/C! As a rule, Oldies breed and whelp naturally. We raise Oldies here, but we're also proud to own "Logan" - our resident EB.
The Standard English
Bulldog (EB) was thought to be created by selective breeding techniques, making a shorter, more compact build
of bulldog. The EB is very short (ranging from 15-18 inches in height) and extremely "bully" - very flat-faced
/ hardly any muzzle length, wrinkled face/head & body, and quite often has a screw-tail. (The screwtail trait
is seen in some of our Oldie lines, as well.) Even though the EB is smaller and "cute" to the eyes, their body
structure IS physically limiting. By reducing the length of the muzzle, the nasal passageways are crunched,
increasing the chances of breathing problems. Typically, EB's must live inside, as their muzzles are too short
to withstand outside elements. Due to shorter leg length, the EB is normally not as athletic as an Oldie.
Between their short stature and short muzzles, they are usually unable to do strenuous exercise without becoming
exhausted. And, because they are so short and compact, EB's are prone to weight gain; so owners must
be careful to monitor food intake. An adult EB should not weigh over 55-60 lbs. EB's are known for requiring veterinary
assistance to breed and require C-section births the majority of the time. It's RARE, but SOMETIMES an EB can breed
AND whelp naturally! Dog Bluff Logan, is our "exception to the rule!" He
is extremely athletic for an EB, and he LOVES living outside and running on the farm during cooler months. Logan
is 18" tall, and weighs in at a healthy 53 lbs. He has enough "leg" to him to race around and play with our Oldies without
problems. So far, he has shown the ability to breed naturally, which makes him even more exceptional!
Many thanks, by the way, to my good
friend, Sherry Stroud, who allows Logan to live inside at her home during our hotter months, so Logan has the best of
both worlds! We do plan on using Logan in the future of our breeding program... so stay tuned to his page for developments.
I do not pretend to be an "expert" on ANY bully breed. But my preference
is the Oldie, simply for the overall health, athleticism, stamina, and especially for their LOOKS and personality!
We own an OLD dog. What should I do
to make sure my OLD dog will accept a NEW PUPPY? It is YOUR responsibility to make
sure you have socialized your older dog appropriately before bringing in a new puppy or a new adult dog. My strongest
advice is to expose your older dog to other small dogs or puppies if you have willing participants to help you with this.
You may also contact your local PetSmart or a local trainer to seek advice on obedience and socialization training.
I do NOT pretend to be a dog trainer. Please be confident that your current pets WILL ACCEPT A NEW PUPPY before you
reserve a Dog Bluff puppy.
Will my bulldog love my CAT? Excellent question! If you already OWN a cat, and you are adopting a bulldog PUPPY, everything
should be fine. (It's good if your cat's front paws are declawed, as one scratch to the puppy's eye can result in an
ulcerated cornea.) You may EXPECT the cat to paw & hiss at a new puppy, because cats just don't have the tolerance
that dogs do for newbies in the home. Most of the time, cats and new puppies end up sleeping together and being life
long buddies. TIP: Make sure the litterbox is out of reach to puppies/dogs, because cat poop seems to be a temptation
to puppies/dogs to eat - YUCK! Now... IF you own a cat and you plan on adopting an Adult bulldog, you must be sure that
the dog is socialized with cats prior to adoption, or you may have a major disaster on your hands. For example, our
dogs consider stray cats, squirrells, ground moles, mice, slow birds, oppossums, and other "critters" as FAIR GAME.
We don't have cats, so felines are considered "critters" on our farm, and bulldogs are critter-gitters. I have had my
Retiree dogs to be adopted into homes with cats, and they did just fine. But I cannot guarantee that an adult dog of
any breed will take well to a cat. Puppies, on the other hand, are just great to socialize with cats and/or any other
species of pets already in the home.
I know that for the first few nights in the new
home, my puppy will CRY in his kennel for a while, UNLESS I put him in bed with me. Is this a GOOD thing or a BAD
thing to start? Allowing a puppy to sleep with you or your kids is TOTALLY up to YOU,
the adoptive family. I don't judge, either way. If you can stand the first few nights of your new puppy sqawking
for long periods of time, go for it. The quicker that puppy learns that the kennel is his bed, the better. BUT,
if you are a "snuggler" and you don't mind your puppy snuggling with you at bedtime, here's my suggestion:
BUY A WATERPROOF MATTRESS PAD and do NOT be upset when that puppy pees
in your bed. THINK ABOUT THIS: What is the FIRST thing you do when you wake up in the mornings?
Most of us hit the restroom, right? It is no different for a puppy / dog. When a puppy wakes up, the
first urge is to urinate. If your puppy so much as whimpers during the night, it's time to jump up and take him
out for a potty break. If you're too sleepy to do this quickly, you should expect an "accident" to happen.
Instead of getting mad at the puppy (puppies do not have complete control of the bladder for 3 to 4 months), just be prepared
for accidents and deal with them as they happen. My biggest rule of thumb in house training or if you choose to allow
your puppy in the bed is this: If your puppy has an accident inside the home whatsoever, it is YOUR FAULT. Deal
with it.
There is hardly a substitute for the bond between a child and a new
puppy; if your child begs for the puppy to be in the bed, that's totally your call. But protect the mattress ahead of
time, so that you're not forced to purchase a new mattress.
How are BULLDOGS with CHILDREN? Depending on how much time you devote to obedience training, your bulldog puppy or adult dog should be excellent
around children. From adoption day throughout old age, bulldogs have the potential to be docile, well-mannered, loving
dogs with laid-back temperaments. Typically, bulldogs LOVE for children to roll all over them, hang on them, and just
spend every waking moment TOUCHING them. Bulldogs THRIVE on human touch, and they have a unique talent of
reading our emotions. As a rule, they ADOPT their "human children" and are pretty good protectors of children. While
my dogs are very clown-like and just thrive on attention and playtime with their owners, I do give one specific
warning to parents of small children: Once your bulldog has reached adulthood, DO NOT SPANK YOUR CHILD in front of your
grown bulldog. I have not had any reports of ANY of my dogs biting their owners in this type of situation, but I can
say with certainty that a bulldog WILL put himself between a parent and small child if the dog believes that the child is
in danger. So... if you feel the need to spank your child, it is best to put the dog outside or in another room before
doing so. For that matter, if you raise your voice to a threatening tone at your child, be prepared for your bulldog
to hover close to your child out of sheer protection. The dog may still be wagging his tail at you, in
hopes that you're not "mad" at HIM! But he will take the brunt of your anger before he'll allow you to harm your own
child, regardless of the fact that your child deserves to be disciplined. This is just one of the ways that a bulldog
shows LOVE for children. In the same respect, if your child is outside playing, your bulldog will have a watchful
eye on your child AND the environment around your child. Rest assurred that no harm will come to your child without
"war" between your bulldog and an intruder to your property. Lord willing, though, this will not be an issue.
But I take much comfort in the fact that my bulldogs love children, adults, and even senior citizens equally, and make excellent
pets for any age person.
How long has Dog Bluff Bulldogges' breeding program
been around? I am proud to have enjoyed our breeding program since 1992! With each planned
breeding and with each litter I raise, I ALWAYS learn something new, which allows me to keep improving my program. I
am blessed with excellent bloodlines, and with outstanding clients!
How often do you breed your females?
When an adult female is mature enough to breed (approximately 18 months to 2 years of age), we assist
her with and supervise the raising of her first litter closely, to determine what kind of mamma dog she will be. If
she proves to be a "natural" at motherhood with her first litter, we will sometimes allow her to breed again on the following
heat cycle; this produces two litters within a year. We will then give this dog a full year "off" before breeding her
again. Sometimes, a female will only have ONE litter and is then spayed for early retirement, depending
on how she reacts to motherhood. "Good mamma" dogs will usually have 3 litters before retiring at a young age,
so that they have a long life with their Forever Families.
If I decide to breed my female dog, will you be
there to help me through that process? I do not sell my puppies for breeding purposes. I
do not appreciate it when people buy a puppy from me and decide later on a "whim" to breed their dog. Can I prevent
this from happening? NO. But I can warn you in advance: If you have any intentions of breeding your
female Dog Bluff bulldog, you need to make this clear in your adoption interview. We can go into an in-depth conversation
that will probably convince you to stick with Pet-Only adoption. Please do extensive research on the perils of
breeding before you ask for my advice on the subject, as I value my family time and do not care to spend hours on the
telephone with someone who is not prepared for the physical, emotional and financial responsibilities of breeding a bulldog.
The potential nightmares of birthing and raising puppies are too numerous to list on this page. I do this because it
is my PASSION and I signed on for all of the ups AND downs of having a successful breeding program. It took me several
years to actually have one litter that I saw any profit on, and that was very little. If you think that breeding your
dog is FUN, offers extra money for your household, and that you want your dog to experience being a mamma "just once
and then I'll have her spayed..." - you are putting yourself AND your dog through totally unnecessary mental and physical
stress. I wish I had a dollar for every time I've heard somebody say, "Dogs have been having puppies for centuries -
my dog will be fine... nature will take its course..." Belive me, nature WILL take its course and have you running to
your vet for an emergency C-section in the middle of the night. With most Oldie mammas, birthing is natural, but sometimes
even the most athletic dog can have complications and emergency surgery is the only option to save mamma dog and hopefully,
puppies. Whether birthing is natural or surgical, there are many things that can go wrong; an inexperienced
owner is likely to lose puppies if not educated on how to help mamma and pups. You'll be praying that your mamma dog lives
so that you're not bottle-feeding a litter of puppies every 2 hours, 24/7, getting zero sleep, tending to sick puppies if
they get so much as a sniffle, tending to mamma dogs with mastitis. Even if you are fortunate enough to have a
good mamma dog that does EVERYTHING RIGHT with her puppies, you still need to be a stay-at-home owner for the duration of
raising your puppies to the point that they are eating dry food and drinking water independently... that would be at least
4 to 5 weeks being able to supervise the entire ordeal. The amount of money you will spend on raising a litter
the RIGHT way will make your head spin.
Do I have a problem with spontaneous breeders? YES.
How do I obtain a "Retiree" dog?
Our "Retirees" are normally females. Once a female dog is retired, we screen her Forever Family
carefully. We PREFER that our retirees be the ONLY dog in the home. Otherwise, we hope that they will have a buddy
of the opposite sex, for the best possible companionship. The #1 requirement is that our Retiree be spayed/neutered
within 1 month of adoption into the new home. This allows for BONDING between the dog and the new family, as the dog
will be dependent upon its Forever Family for comfort after the surgery. Call Angela for details on this special adoption
opportunity, which comes along RARELY at Dog Bluff!
Advantages of Adopting a Retiree:
House-trained, Maintenance-Free, Up to date on ALL health care, Protected
against heartworms, flea/tick control, wormed regularly, VERY socialized with people and other dogs, and a Retiree is PAST
all of the puppy worries.
OUR NEXT RETIREE will be "CHANCEY" - Female
Boxer, born in May, 2006. Chancey is available as of April, 2010. Adoption Fee = Cost of SPAY SURGERY. Please read Chancey's
Adoption Requirements at the bottom of her webpage, and call Angela if you are interested in this wonderful dog! AT PRESENT, Chancey is "on hold" for Leslie and Garv of NC.
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