The English Bulldog Puppy Blog

Who wouldn’t want to hug a good-smelling English bulldog? There is one way of showing that you care for your bulldog – treat your dog to a bath on a fairly regular basis. Start your dog’s bathing regimen by learning suggestions here.

(Photo Credits: Dann Tardif/CORBIS)

Like other dog (humans too), English bulldogs will eventually get dirty and must be bathe. This breed can be allergy prone and easily develop dry, itchy skin so it is important to know the correct way to bathe this breed. Proper bathing also helps lessen the amount of hair shed by your bulldog.

Don’t neglect giving your bulldog frequent brushings and rubdowns. It turns out that when your dog receives daily brushings and brushdowns, it does not need frequent bathing. It is most recommended to bathe your dog when it obviously needs a bath, as well as when you plan to exhibit your dog. A show dog in the ring should be a squeaky clean dog in the ring.

Where should you bathe your English bulldog? Well, any place you want to and can! Always ensure you can control bathing your pet which means you can easily control the water supply and where you can rinse the dog thoroughly. You may use a big and deep sink, bath tub, kitchen sink or even on the lawn. If you’re handling a puppy, it’s best to take it outside and let it “do his thing” just before you bathe him.

Here are steps on how to bathe your English bulldog:

1. Gather all necessary things you will need to start. Prepare shampoo, any rinses you plan to use, cotton balls, Q-lips, eye ointment or mineral oil, Vaseline, wash cloth, towels. Opt for a mild and no-tears shampoo such as Johnson & Johnson no Tears or Avon Tearless. Most bulldogs use a dog shampoo such as Lambert Kay or Groom-Rite. Others also use a special whitening shampoo for white dogs (Lambert Kay Snowy-Coat, Bio Groom Super White, etc.). Many use a special shampoo for red dogs (Ring S Burnished Bronze, etc.). You may on occasion need to use a flea shampoo but since these are quite harsh, don’t use one unless you really need to.
2. Apply a couple of drops of mineral oil or a small amount of eye ointment in the eyes. Place a cotton ball securely in each ear before you wet your pet.
3. Slowly wet the dog thoroughly from just behind the ears to the tips of the toes on his hind feel. Wet the underside, too, not just the top and sides.
4. Apply the shampoo starting at his neck and working back. Work the shampoo in to be sure you get all the way through his hair to the skin. Pay extra attention and care when washing the paws (wash between the toes), his tail (clean all around the base), and the genital area. On a female English bulldog, be especially careful to clean the vulva and its folds.
5. Wet the wash cloth and use it to dampen the bulldog’s face and ears. Put some shampoo on the washcloth and wash the dog’s face. Wash the wrinkles over the nose, on the forehead, around the nose and under the eyes. Wash his nose. Wash his ears, inside and out.
6. Now rinse. Don’t stop rinsing until you are sure every area, especially in the wrinkles and tight places, is thoroughly rinsed with no signs of shampoo residue.
7. Apply a good conditioner to keep your dog’s coat soft. You can use a dog conditioner rinse like Oster Creme Rinse, Oster Coat Conditioner or Francodex Oatmeal Creme Rinse. If dog conditioner may be a bit too expensive for you, you may use a regular conditioner (for people) like L’Oreal Creme. For a white dog, you can use a rinse of 4 Tbs. Mrs. Wright’s Bluing, I qt. water, 1/4 cup baking soda. Mix enough bluing into the water to get a darkish blue not black. Pour the bluing mixture over him and work in with your fingertips. Do not rinse. Do not towel dry. Let the dog drip dry. For red dogs, try VOS Henna Conditioner.
8. Dry your English bulldog with towels. By this time, remove the cotton balls out of the dog’s ears. Make sure to clean any wax carefully using a dry Q-Tip or one with a dab of Panalog. Keep your dog’s nose soft by rubbing a dab of Vaseline. Dry your bulldog either by air dry or with the use of a hair dryer to finish the drying. It’s recommended to keep the dog indoor until it is completely dry for about two hours.

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