I have a very unusual passion...Breeding Bulldogs!
It is not as easy as it sounds though. You should not just put any 2 bulldogs together and create puppies.
Over the last 50 years or so, people have done immense amounts of damage to many breeds, not only the Bulldog, but my focus is on these fine creatures.
Due to human vanity, we decided in our wisdom to breed bulldogs with extremely flat faces, short legs and lots of wrinkles.
They look cute right? But unfortunately, this also brought lots of health issues.
The snout of a dog is not just used for smelling things. It is an important tool for dogs to cool themselves down. The majority of the dog cooling process is done in the nose as they do not sweat like humans, so if there isn't much of a nose channel behind the nostrils, they will struggle in any kind of heat of exertion. This is one of the main problems with Bulldogs as you cannot over exercise a dog with cooling issues or there is a very real danger of death. Also, as the nose was reduced, nostrils were also pinched together, which restricts the airflow.
As the nose was squashed, the amount of skin stayed the same, which means in some dogs, the pallet is too long for the mouth, and extends over the windpipe, which causes breathing issues. The only way to correct this is with surgery unfortunately.
Bulldogs also have a nose roll, which in the past was bread so large that it could hang over the nose itself causing sores and other skin issues. Daily cleaning isn't always enough if you have a really bad nose roll with a yeast infection, and they may need medication.
I am proud to be a part of reversing the damage done by irresponsible breeders in the past. In the UK we have some really amazing Bulldog breeders, the best in the world I would say! There is a real emphasis on health testing bulldogs before they are bred from and only paring them with a breeding partner that will improve the breed at every litter.
It is no longer sought after to create overly exaggerated features, in fact this is now frowned upon. We have a Bulldog Breed Council who are amazing at offering health advice and breeding advice and can help with understanding the breed standard required.
My aim with my line is to produce healthy athletic build Bulldogs, not too heavy, nice small nose rolls, less wrinkles, shorter pallets, good legs, straight mobile tail and clear eyes. I want a puppy to be able to run around and play without the fear that it will collapse due to breathing issues. My babies actually run around the field every day with my German Shepherd, which gives you an idea of their health and fitness levels. I am very proud of them!
Image of my girl thanks to ALTernative Reality Photography
But with anything, there will always be the darker side of dog breeding. Due to the high prices that Bulldogs fetch, there are many BYB (back yard breeders) and puppy farms that do not work with the health of the breed in mind. We are always working against these people as they create masses of sick puppies, but do so within the limits of the law and usually have lots of spare cash to create very deceiving websites for unknowing buyers. Marketing is key for these people.
I would always suggest contacting the breed council for reputable breeders and do your research before buying a puppy. Even better, you could rescue from one of the breed rescues available across the country, although many of these do come with health issues as they have mainly come from poorly bred parentage. But they deserve your love and forever sofas just the same.
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