How to Take Care of an English Bulldog Puppy

The English Bulldog goes by several names, including the British Bulldog and simply bulldog. These dogs are stocky and have a short snout, which makes it difficult for them to breathe in hot weather. Experts recommend that they stay indoors as much as possible during hot summer months. The English bulldog has wrinkles on its face, shoulders and tail, which demand extra attention during grooming. As the puppy grows into an adult, the wrinkles increase and will need additional cleaning. Taking good care of the puppy will help the dog grow into a healthy adult English bulldog.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Feed the bulldog puppy. In order for the puppy to grow into a healthy adult, you should feed the puppy up to four times a day. You can either leave the food out and refill when needed or set out the food four times per day. The appetite of the bulldog puppy will determine whether you should leave food out at all times. If the puppy is a picky eater, it is recommended to leave the food out. If the puppy eats every bit of food quickly, then feed at four separate times. Stick with the same type of food as well, otherwise the puppy can get sick from too many different kinds of food. Ask your veterinarian about the best food to give your puppy..

2. Clean the English bulldog puppy's wrinkles. Making sure that the puppy is clean and groomed is an important part of the bulldog's health. Since the bulldog has wrinkles, you must make sure that they are cleaned properly. Puppies' wrinkles are not as deep as those on adult dogs, but they still need to be cleaned thoroughly several times a week. When bathing, wipe the shampoo through the wrinkles and wash away. When drying, take the towel and gently wipe through the wrinkles. On a weekly basis, take a dab of petroleum jelly and wipe it through the creases to keep it moist.

3. Bathe your puppy. Bathing doesn't need to be done often and you should do so no more than four to five times per year. This is good enough since the bulldog possesses oils needed for their skin and bathing tends to wash away many of the oils. Brushing the bulldog daily will help keep the puppy clean.

4. Take the puppy to the veterinarian. Choose a doctor who loves and understands bulldogs to make sure that you receive the best treatment for your puppy. Keep up to date with vaccinations and have blood tests run annually to help detect any diseases or problems such as heartworm or tapeworm. These tests will also help to detect if the puppy has a heart murmur or an enlarged heart, which many bulldogs tend to have. Bulldogs are prone to hip dysplasia, arthritis and bloating/gastric torsion. If your veterinarian knows about bulldogs, he will know what to look for and what to do if your English bulldog puppy has any of these problems.

5. Take care of the bulldog puppy's tail and eyes. Bulldogs' eyes can get irritated rather easily and can turn red on any windy day. Use delicate eye cleaner to help the puppy, such as Clear Eyes. Bulldog puppies are prone to cherry eye, which is when the dog's gland in an eye pops up and sits at the edge of the bottom part of the eye. This is mostly caused by an allergic reaction from something they breathed in and it will need immediate treatment. An antibiotic lubricant will probably be prescribed by the vet or the pup will need to get it surgically removed. Keep the tail clean by using a cotton swab and wiping in the crease where the tail meets the back end of the puppy. As the bulldog grows into adulthood, the crease will become deeper. It is best to get the puppy used to such grooming techniques before she becomes an adult.

6. Check the puppy for fleas. If the bulldog puppy has fleas, he will scratch a lot and end up getting hot spots or fungus spots on his skin. This will cause scabbing and your puppy will need to be treated. Have the veterinarian recommend a cleaning solution to help get rid of the spots. Keeping fleas off is a little more difficult with a puppy than an adult dog since you cannot use any flea killer until the puppy is at least 6 months old. If the pup is younger, you will need to bathe him daily with puppy shampoo even though this is not the best for the puppy's skin, but the fleas are more harmful. Brush frequently with a fine-toothed comb to remove some of the fleas. Avoid flea shampoo since it is too harsh. Use preventive measures within your home and outside to help get rid of fleas. Change out the puppy's bedding as well.

Tips & Warnings

• Be prepared to visit the veterinarian often when getting a bulldog puppy since this type of dog has a tendency to develop skin problems.

Resources

• Bulldog puppies
• Information about English bulldogs
• Bulldog breathing problems

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on 10/15/2009
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