Breeding English Bulldogs

[Flatcoatluver]

Welcome to Pet talk
I won't say anything....................

[BC_MoM]

Welcome to Pet Talk.

If you can't afford both dogs at the same time, I don't encourage you to breed. It will cost a heck of a lot more to raise a litter properly than to buy two English Bulldogs.

[jackie]

I agree 100%!Most people just rush out and buy the dogs with no clue what they are doing. Good on you for researching first Rivera.

I hope this thread doesn´t turn ugly, as I have seen so many similar threads turn into arguments.

[luvofallhorses]

I agree please don't..please spay and neuter your dogs..if you want another dog why not adopt? http://www.petfinder.com

[Giselle]

I have to agree with the above, but I'll add this:

You sound like you want to do this the right way, which I applaud you for, so here's a few tips for breeding:

Don't do it.

Simple enough, eh? However, if you're REALLY intent on improving the English Bulldog breed and you don't want to do it just to make more puppies, my suggestion for you to be is to stop and think about it. Before you make the jump and buy your foundation b*tch (you most likely will not go far with a male dog as studs are pick of the litter-type pups and reputable breeders RARELY sell their top studs to novices), you should study the breed itself. Know who the top dogs *were*. Know who the top dogs *are*. Know how the breed evolved and fluctuated over the span of a few centuries. Know the "legends" of the breed. Be able to recognize and analyze a good pedigree. Get in touch with the "legends" of the breed. Go to numerous dog shows, be it conformation or performance events. Get yourself involved in the sport. Know how to properly groom and feed your specific breed. Know how to handle them in the ring, be it conformation or performance. Know all the medical problems your breed is susceptible to (Bulldogs have many). Know how to prevent them. Know genetics!!! You will most likely encounter in/linebreeding when dealing with conformation-heavy dogs, so if you want to continue that tradition, you'll need to have a firm grasp of genetics. In/Linebreeding can be done successfully as long as you know how to do it.

Now that we've got the bare basics done, find a breeder you really admire and ask him or her to be your mentor. More than likely, they will jump for joy and begin to show you the ropes of the dog breeding world. There is SO much more to it than Fido and Fifi, and, honestly, the best advice comes from one with experience within the breed. Once you get in touch with a mentor, he or she will readily provide you with a top quality dog. A good breeding program lies in its foundation, and the foundation of a good program lies in good breeding stock. To find good breeding stock, you'll need connections within the breed and you'll need to know the past and present "legends" of the breed. Beyond that, you'll need to take all the necessary precautions before even considering a stud for your foundation b*tch.

Bulldogs, in particular, are susceptible to many hip, knee, eye problems and even bloat!

Possible Health Problems

Bulldogs have numerous known genetic defects and are subject to various illnesses that affect many breeds. Common Bulldog health problems you may encounter include: elongated soft palate, small trachea, allergies, dermatitis, demodetic mange, eye lid anomalies, hip dysplasia and heart problems. Some of them have a tendency toward self-mutilation (especially if they have itchy skin), so owners should watch carefully for signs of skin irritation and scratching. If you are adopting an older dog, many of these conditions will already have been identified.

Twenty-four hour care by a qualified veterinarian must be available. Since not all veterinarians are knowledgeable about the health problems Bulldogs may have, you should consult experienced Bulldog owners or the rescue to find a capable veterinarian. Any veterinarian who will be doing surgery on your Bulldog should have previous experience with putting Bulldogs under anesthesia.

To prevent these health maladies, you'll need to get your dog tested via:
CERF (http://www.vmdb.org/cerf.html)
Optigen (http://www.optigen.com/)
OFA (http://www.offa.org/)
PennHip (http://www.pennhip.org/)
...and the normal blood/thyroid tests. These tests aren't cheap. Attending and preparing for conformation shows easily run upwards of 1000$ per show, including hotel and gas costs. If, despite all this, you still want to breed, I have to give you a clap on the back and will offer myself to help find you a mentor.

Actually, I know one English Bulldog breeder quite closely and I can PM her website to you. Good Luck!

[Alysser]

Don't breed unless it's good for the breed!

[bckrazy]

Welcome to PT! I'm glad you came here for advice, it's a brave thing to do to seek out input from others.

My sister has bought 2 English Bulldogs - they are GREAT dogs! Her first is from a very reputable local breeder, he was $1500 and the only pup in his litter. His sire is an International Show Champion, and his mom is a Champion. Of course, to properly breed any dog they need to be exhibited in whatever sport is suitable for their breed - for English Bulldogs, they should be proven as an excellent show specimen before breeding, FOR SURE! Showing dogs costs $1000's. And, even more importantly, both parents must be checked for luxating patellas (knees), hip dysplasia, breathing problems, bronchael problems, eyes, ears - which will cost around $300-500 for both parents. THEN, English Bulldogs can rarely breed naturally so you'll need your bitch artificially inseminated. Well over $100. Bulldogs cannot give birth naturally, either... C-section will cost over $1000 and will put your bitch's life in danger, it could cost much much more if any complications result. THEN, all of the puppies need bi-weekly dewormings from week 2 to week 8, along with sets of shots, check-ups, fecal exams, blood panels, etc, etc. Think $250 per pup. On top of that, your female will need lots of high quality food and supplements, and so will her puppies! She'll also need an ultrasound and check-ups through out her pregnancy, which are not cheap.

So, all of that said, the wonderful breeder they bought their boy from was in the hole $1000+ after breeding properly, because only one pup was produced, which is not uncommon... there was also severe complications with her C-section. After bitches have C-sections, many cannot nurse, so you will be up every other hour nursing newborn puppies.

Take all of the expense, the countless hours of effort and time and dedication, the countless hours of research... and if it seems worth it now, go ahead and find a great mentor in an English Bulldog breeder that actively shows their dogs. Breeding is not a little thing - it's a HUGE thing. You're bringing lives into this world, a world that's already overflowing with homeless pets. Please do not breed unless you intend on doing it ethically... that means, striving to IMPROVE the English Bulldog breed, not just making a few bucks off of half-azzing it. There are already soooo many unhealthy English Bulldogs out there already. Plan on showing and titling your breeding dogs, health testing your breeding dogs, doing all you can for the growing puppies, selling them on spay/neuter and return contracts, and all of that!

I also wanted to add - there are so many horrendous English Bulldog breeders out there, I couldn't imagine counting them all. English Bulldogs are the #1 most sold breed on puppyfind.com and other puppy mill/backyard breeder websites. The breed is just, being, ruined! My sister bought a sweet little 12 week-old fawn English Bulldog pup from what was claimed to be "good" breeders - they promised her husband that their puppies and parents had all been healthy and shown. Well, a few weeks later, when they took her to finish up her shots, they asked about some heavy breathing issues... she had 2 huge holes in her heart. Holes that HAD to have been detected by any Vet. So, basically, her breeder walked away with $2000 and never returned their calls, knowing very well that the puppy would die in a few weeks. When Lily started coughing up blood, they put her sleep . Just ONE example of all of the unethical English Bulldog breeders out there, please don't add to the problem. Breed only if you're doing this to better this wonderful breed.

[Rivera7]

I logged on last night and was astonished at some of the responses I received with a very, very honest query for additional assistance with getting started with raising and breeding E. Bulls. I am a enthusiastic pet owner and lover and I came to this website to hear ideas and suggestions from fellow pet lovers, of whom I thought would be caring, supportive, and helpful. However I was so mad and hurt last night from comments made by Vela and "Her Followers" I decided to not respond last night and stoop down to their levels. Do you think I just decided..."Hey, I want to make a buck... lets get 2 bulldogs together and see what I get." I have owned an English before. The best dog I ever had. I have always been in love with English's. If you have ever owned one or had the priviledge to be in one's company you understand what I am saying. The established breeder that I obtained him from had done an awesome job in breeding and potentiating great qualities in this breed. I had NO health problems with T-Bone (except for a little redness he had in a wrinkle he had right above his nose). That is it. What a great specimen he was. T-Bone's mom was able to deliver naturally which is not typical. I have done tremendous research on this breed via internet and books. I thought I would seek out information at this site. Boy, was that a bad idea.
Vella, and your followers ,that can only muster up a few words like..."well said Vella" stated by Iv4dogs, back off. I am going to raise the parents from puppies to make sure they have what I think needs to be continued in their breed. And any IDIOT knows that you should obtain male and female form seperate places. And , no , I can't afford both of the pups at the same time because of the quality of the breed that I am obtaining... over 3 grand for a E.B. pup is what I expect to pay because I want the best. A few months later I will venture out for the next addition. I don't have to jump in with every dime I have. I want to be sure of every step I take. I don't want to make any mistakes. And it is not your job/role to assist me in how to manage my finances for vet visits, emergencies, dog supplies. I am very well aware of what I will need. THANK YOU!
I will stop now because I can tell I am getting angry and going to say unnecessary things.
I do want to thank Giselle for your information and understanding. As well as bcKrazy. If there is anyone else that was genuinely concerned and helpful ,thank you.
If their is anyone else that has a rude or undermining comment please keep it to your self.
If their is anyone else that cares and is concerned and can be helpful please respond.
Thank you so much.

[BitsyNaceyDog]

Rivera7, Please don't find this a negative post, I don't mean it to be. I simply want you to understand where we are coming from. I'd like you to go back a read your first post. You gave us NO information except that you want to breed english bulldogs and you can't afford both dogs at the same time. You have to understand that this was your first ever post on this board and we know nothing at all about you. Had you explained yourself like you did in your second post you would have gotten some better responses.

There are a lot of people here who are against breeding and 100% for rescuing only. Others here support both rescuing and reputable breeders. I fall into that second category, I am very much involved with rescuing however I'm not at all against reputable breeders. You will not find anyone here who will support or even tolerate a backyard breeder, I'm sure you can understand that. This board is full of very passionate people.

any IDIOT knows that you should obtain male and female form seperate places.

The fact is that the world is full of "idiots". When it comes to breeding there are way way more backyard breeders than reputable ones. Because you gave us no information about your plans and knowledge on breeding we had to assume you had none. Understand that and you will understand why you got the responses that you got.

I agree with giselle that shadowing a reputable breeder would be the best place to start. It takes time to earn the respect of other reputable breeders. Get in the show ring with another breeders dog. You need to know how to swim before jumping into the pool, otherwise you'll probably drown.

I wish you the best of luck. I hope you can now see where we are coming from and I hope you'll give Pet Talk another chance.

[Vela]

I will stop now because I can tell I am getting angry and going to say unnecessary things. Thank you so much.

Pretty sure you already did, but whatever. You assume an awful lot and you were the only person who said rude and unnecessary things in this thread and intentionally tried to do so. Nobody else directed anything rude to you in any manner so how about taking your own advice and keeping your negative comments to yourself. Good luck with the dogs.

[beeniesmom]

Any IDIOT...

She must be talking about me.

[KYS]

Welcome to Pet Talk..

Giselle and bckrazy pretty much posted what you need to do
if you are seriously thinking about breeding and breeding the right way.

1: I would suggest going to the AKC web site and looking up the "official
breed club". Than start corresponding with that breed club.
You also can join and start attending a local breed club in your area before
you even own the breed.

2:Usually their are one or two "good" breed pacific e-mail forums where
many rescue, show breeders and pet people have joined.
This is also a good way to introduce yourself to others and sit back
and learn.

3: start attending local dog shows and when the handler/owner is not busy
they usually do not mind answering questions about their dogs etc.

4: Take your time and do your research. Learn who the reputable
breeders are. It is helpful if you try to learn about genetics and
make sure the breeder you choose has knowledge and honest
about the genetics their dogs lines regarding health issues/faults etc.
(if it sounds to good to be true usually it is)

5: Make sure the breeder you choose is a good mentor who will help
you for the life of the dog with all questions. A good mentor
will help you with showing, health screening and any other questions you might have pertaining to your dogs. A good mentor is very valuable and will usually make a life time friend.

6: Gets your dogs titled and during this time do the required health tests you need to do on your breeding pair. IF your dogs do
not pass the required healthy tests, than do not breed your dogs titled
or not.

Good luck

[Alysser]

Thank you Vela. I have now changed my mind a little. If you honestly have reasearched and you think you can afford the dogs then breed. But if you know nothing about breeding, English Bulldogs,ect. that would be a bad idea. Good Luck! But a word of advice: If you want opinions/suggestions then please do not be offended by people's posts.

[bethanypiglet]

I agree with you Rivera7! What's with all the ANTI BREEDERS!! Nice advice... just don't breed? What a bunch of purebred ***** ... check out these MYTHS ABOUT BREEDING:
http://www.bulldoginformation.com/breeding-myths.html