Anybody have an English bulldog?

[Mik 0]

Yeah, so I lost my dog when my girlfriend and I broke up and I'm looking into getting a new one. I really want an English bulldog but I know they are associated with a large number of problems, including cost and health issues. I was just wondering if anyone here had one that could maybe give me some more information on just how much extra care they need and how bad (and costly) their health problems are.

[Guest Legalise Drugs and Murder]

How big is your yard?

[MrRant 0]

English Bulldogs are actually not super active and will do well in an apartment if it's a decent sized. They have eye and skin problems that can come up from what I remember. Also being snub nosed, they can be sensitive to heat as they can't deal with as well as a dog with a normal sized snout.

 

Google is your friend.

[Mik 0]

Yeah I did google all that stuff.

 

But I was hoping to get at least one first hand story.

[Giuseppe Zangara 0]

I'd love to get an English bulldog, but they're really, really expensive. The breeders around here charge about twice as much for puppies than the breeders for almost any other breed.

[Mik 0]

Yeah. The reason for that is because they all need to be artificially inseminated and all the pups are delivered by c-section. The breed is pretty messed up.

 

I found a breeder in Ohio, about 8 hours from me, that charges $1400 for female puppies with the promise that you won't register your dog with AKC. I'm on the waiting list and I think I might end up getting one this summer.

[Guest Vitamin X]

Out of curiosity, how did you lose your dog when your girlfriend and you broke up? She took it with her?

 

I don't know, but that seems pretty messed up if you were close to it. I have a hard time replacing pets I'm close to since I tend to value them like family members. Well, this is just in regards to only one cat I had most of my life who just died last summer, but yeah.

[Mik 0]

Yeah - she kept the dog. That was probably almost worse then ending a 4 year relationship.

[Guest "Go, Mordecai!"]

I don't trust purebred pets. We had a Maine Coon (cat!) that died early from a heart condition, a Bichon Frise (dog!) that died young from leukemia, and our current Maine Coon had some upper-respiratory ailment for almost three months before finally getting well again. Meanwhile, my first cat was just a kitten that our cat at the summer house had, and she lived to be 18, healthy until the last two months. Mr. Baby was just a "free kittens, take one" little guy, and he's always been healthy too.

[Mik 0]

It's true for any species, actually.

 

I work with mice and it's the same deal. We deal with inbred mouse strains that have been kept up for over 200 generations and are 99.99 percent identical. Each strain is associated with certain maladies (one is blind, one is a poor breeder, etc.). As soon as you outbreed them, the F1 generation (first crossed generation) has increased vigor, alot of the problems go away and they generally live a lot longer.

 

Genetic inbreeding is not good for anybody. Mutts live the longest but if someone has in their mind the idea of the dog they want - usually the only way to get exactly what you want is to get a purebreed. Some are relatively healthy (usually the smaller dogs) but there are dogs like the boxers and bulldogs that are just saddled with health issues.

 

Unfortunately for me - I have always wanted a bulldog and I will get one at some point (if not this summer). But I know what I'm getting myself into.

[Scroby 0]

Wow, I didn't know English bulldogs had that many problems and they're normal things. I've always wanted one though...or a Corgi. Corgi's are freaking awesome.

[Guest "Go, Mordecai!"]

What's so great about a bulldog that you're willing to take a chance on lingering health problems, shortened life expectancy, and a high price to buy one in the first place? I mean, I love the way Persian cats look, and they're supposed to be one of the smarter breeds, but having been burned twice-and-a-half now by expensive purebreds, I'd rather just get a healthy cat.

 

Speaking of smart and healthy cats, Mr. Baby has recently taught himself how to operate the sink.

[PUT THAT DICK IN MY MOUTH! 0]

Speaking of smart and healthy cats, Mr. Baby has recently taught himself how to operate the sink.

 

Post pix

[Ted the Poster 0]

That's impressive. All my dumbass cat can do is open a door.

[Giuseppe Zangara 0]

I can't bring myself to spend that much on a breed with the potential for so many problems, but hey, it's your money and bulldogs are cool, regardless.

 

I like purebreds, though. I'm considering getting a second dog—a playmate for my mutt (though calling him a "terrier mix" is nicer)—and it'll likely be a purebred. Something about my dog's size (20 lbs). Maybe larger, but nothing smaller.

[Mik 0]

What's so great about a bulldog that you're willing to take a chance on lingering health problems, shortened life expectancy, and a high price to buy one in the first place? I mean, I love the way Persian cats look, and they're supposed to be one of the smarter breeds, but having been burned twice-and-a-half now by expensive purebreds, I'd rather just get a healthy cat.

 

Speaking of smart and healthy cats, Mr. Baby has recently taught himself how to operate the sink.

 

It's hard to say, really. I just always wanted a bulldog. The closer and closer I got to being able to afford one, the more I read up about them and learned about them. It was only then that I learned about all the problems they have and just how expensive they are (and why). By that point, I think it was too late for me to just change my mind. My enthusiasm is curbed, so to speak, but I think they would be the perfect complement pet for me.

 

They don't require a lot of exercise, which is good for me because sometimes I work long days in the lab. They are friendly and loyal, good to children and other dogs and I happen to find them to be among both the cutest and the coolest of dogs. I get asked this a lot because a lot of people ask me how I could be spend so much money on a dog but I don't really have a perfect answer.

 

Then again, I also have a Mac so maybe I just like spending money on things that are way overpriced and not necessarily that much better then the cheaper options. I don't know.

[Gary Floyd 0]

Wow, I didn't know English bulldogs had that many problems and they're normal things. I've always wanted one though...or a Corgi. Corgi's are freaking awesome.

Back home, my parents have a Cogi, so I'd have to agree. Best dog we've ever had.

[Giuseppe Zangara 0]

One of my best friends has a corgi. She's adorable, if a bit of an attention whore. I don't know if that's common for all corgis, but I'm glad I don't have to be around that one all the time.

[Mik 0]

So yeah... this is the mom that is due to give pups that I am on the waiting list for. I am going to get a free Mac laptop from my department, which will allow me to sell my iMac on eBay (still sells for about $900) and have no problems paying for this.

 

Her name is Luna:

 

One of her girl pups is going to be mine... I'm 95% sure.

[Scroby 0]

Luna doesn't like pictures taken of her does she?

[Edwin MacPhisto 0]

After watching some of the Puppy Bowl last night, I've decided that I want a small army of Samoyeds.

[Guest Grossman=Fag]

As soon as I get a place with a yard, I'm getting another hound. My brother has two beagles, and they're hilarious. Not pure bred, but enough to where they look like your typical beagle. When let out of their kennel, they run and run and run then they get wind of something and track it to a tree, then bite each other.

 

Basset hounds are my favorites.

 

 

Just look at that damn pooch. They always look so depressed, but are a riot when they get all excited about something. Then they roll over next to a heater vent with their legs in the air.

[Guest Grossman=Fag]

More fun with hounds:

 

 

Beagles always look surprised and intently interested in everything.

 

As a general rule, I just like any floppy-eared sloppy looking clever dog that sniffs everything and howls.

[Giuseppe Zangara 0]

Man, I love the Puppy Bowl. It was getting a bigger reaction at the Super Bowl party I went to last night than the Super Bowl itself.

[Edwin MacPhisto 0]

I voted Lucy the shepherd mix Most Valuable Puppy. The guy who comes in to call penalties and replace the water dish has the best job ever.

[MrRant 0]

I'd like me a bloodhound personally.