The English Bulldog Puppy Blog

Many bulldog show and pet pageants are constantly undertaken annually where bulldogs and other dog breeds strut their stuff on the red carpet. As a bulldog owner, the idea of showcasing your English bulldog in dog shows may have cross your mind but you don’t know where to start. Explore the world of bulldog show and what you can do to prepare your English bulldog and develop its winning streak.

Preparation
The nice thing about prepping up your bulldog for show is that bulldogs are relatively simple and easy to show. English bulldogs require very little preparation. With regular brushing, they will naturally have a clean and shiny coat greatly enhanced by rubbing it with chamois leather or velvet pad. Parts of their good hygiene are occasional bathing (especially when they are predominantly white) and daily wiping of the eyes (to avoid eye staining). Check if al wrinkles are clean and dry and make sure his ears are clean and nails are trimmed.

Show Training
When you exhibit your English bulldog, remember to emphasize the good qualities and tone down the not so good feature. Show training is long term investment which requires your bulldog to start early in life. The international Championship judge, Judith Daws, recommends letting your puppy stand on a table every day even for a few minutes preferably from the age of six weeks. Let him wear his collar without any leash. At the start, focus on getting your puppy to stand still while you continuously stroke him. The position of your dog’s legs and feet are not important at this point. Next, place one hand on his chest while the other hand cupping his rear. You hold this position for ten or fifteen seconds while continuously saying the command “stand”. After a few sessions, you will be able to move his legs into the proper square position sometimes holding his chin or his collar to stabilize your pet. The back legs should be placed slightly closer together. When viewed form the front, the back legs can be seen between the front legs.

Show training should be adjusted to the temperament of your bulldog. Be constantly patient and ensure it to be a fun time for your dog with a treat at the end of each session. Avoid getting distressed and frustrated when training didn’t end as you planned. In this case, your dog will notice you have become exasperated. It’s better to avoid showing any signs of frustration otherwise your dog will regard training as something unpleasant. As with other trainings, keep sessions short and always end it on a positive note regardless how small the achievement.

Entering Shows
Your bulldog must be at ease in the presence of other people. You should do this before you let your dog enter shows.

In UK and USA, puppies are accepted in the show ring from the age of six months on. Refrain from entering any breed shows until you are sure that your puppy and you are prepared. It is most often wiser to hold back young dogs that are not yet ready for the show ring than risk his chances of being placed.
When it is your first time to attend, just sit and watch other more experienced handlers, while your dog will get accustomed to older dogs and new environments before his debut. Unlike other dog breeds that are judged by standing sideways, bulldogs are always exhibited front-on facing the judge.

What to Wear
The author of the book Bulldogs, Christian Bruton, highly recommends handlers the following tips. Pet owners should plan an outfit that complements your bulldog. Look for something that looks reasonably professional without distracting attention from the exhibit. Women should refrain from wearing long flowing skirts that tend to flap around and detract from the general outline of the dog while moving. It is wise to leave high heels and dangling jewelry at home. Loose trousers and flat shoes are most widely accepted. For male handlers, the same author recommends “a shirt, tie and jacket. Make sure that the trousers are loose fitting enough to allow you to get down and stack your bulldog. Jackets should not be too tight across the shoulders which restrict your arms when you reach over your dog.

What to Take
Bring a breed bag containing bowl of drinking water, bottle of water, dry towels, a brush and a chamois leather, grooming chalk for the white parts of the coat, showing leads, plastic hand spray with water and diluted shampoo for last minute cleaning when the venue of the show is dusty or muddy. The emergency kit should have travel sickness tablets. Select a bag with a secure, separate pocket in which to keep the show schedule, the car park ticket and passes and ring cards. Don’t forget to bring along a crate and trolley on which you place inside the crate. Bring blanket or cushion to place inside the crate. Take plenty disposable kitchen towels to clean up the cage in case of “accidents”. A lock and key may also be very useful to secure your dog in his cage when you need to leave your dog for a short while. You can also cover the crate with a light piece of cloth, dust sheet or scarf so that your dog won’t be distracted by the crowd and other dogs.

Behavior in the ring
Be calm, confident and relaxed to avoid nervousness “traveling down the lead to the dog.” Don’t over handle your dog. Aim to show leads of the loose fitting nylon variety that fall away form the neck. A very important feature of the Bulldog is the arch and strength of the neck. Thus you do not compensate lack of show training by “stringing up” your English bulldog like a terrier.

Here is a toast to the next big winner of beauty pageants. Good luck!

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