The English Bulldog Puppy Blog

Vaccinations play an important role on the immune system of animals, even for indoor pets. Some diseases are airborne or can be transmitted by contact with the fecal matter that could be brought into the house on your street shoes. Animals, including English bulldog, can acts as a host to diseases, in turn, can be spread to humans.

Animals exposed outdoors should be vaccinated annually for rabies. It includes ferrets and bunnies. Always seek your vet’s medical advice on the type of vaccination necessary for your English bulldog puppy.

Vaccinations protect your beloved pets from painful and deadly diseases. It helps ensure a happy and healthy life of pets. The cost of vaccinations is only minimal compared to the cost of treatment or unfortunate death. Most communities established vaccination clinics where you can get free rabies vaccines for example. Check with your local animal shelter or vet to find out when a free vaccination clinic is scheduled.

The vaccination schedule is based on your pet’s age, health, lifestyle, environment, and geographic location. Ask your vet and decide what appropriate vaccines your English bulldog puppy should have.

Heartworm prevention in English bulldogs is not considered as a vaccination but should be given at 8 to 15 weeks of age, continued for life, with annual heartworm blood tests.

Following vaccination, keep an eye on your pet for the next couple of days for nay signs of reaction to the shot received. Your puppy might show possible symptoms including:

• Loss of appetite
• Low grade fever
• Irritability, expressed in biting, growling, or socially withdrawn to other people
• Lack of energy
• Unusual sleepiness
• Swelling or redness around the injection site

Contact your vet when you notice any of these signs. Your dog may react to vaccines from time to time. For the most part, the safest way to protect your pet is to have it vaccinated and a health check up annual. Keep your English bulldog healthy and live longer through vaccinations.  It is a good investment as an ounce of prevention of numerous diseases.  Who wants to go through the financial burden of having your sick treated when you could have prevented it in the first place.

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Now that you have learned the causes and symptoms of hip dysplasia. Let’s find out if your dog is predisposed or has risk factors to be a likely candidate of CHD.

Hip dysplasia is caused by the subluxation in the hip joint. Subluxation creates abnormal wear and erosion of the joint, which leads to arthritis and pain. Browse through our list of risk factors for the development of hip dysplasia.

Genetics
Hip dysplasia is known to be a genetics disease. When a parent dog has a hip dysplasia then the offspring are at greater risk for developing the same disease. It is important to know the dog’s lineage. If there are no carriers of hip dysplasia in your dog’s lineage then it will not contract the disease. Selective breeding cannot completely reduce the incidence of hip dysplasia. If you breed two dysplastic dogs, the offspring are much more likely to have the disease but the offspring will not all have the same level of symptoms or even necessarily show any symptoms. The offspring (or next generation) from these dogs will be carriers and hip dysplasia will most likely show up in their offspring in later generations. The challenge therefore is to eliminate the disease from a breed or specific breeding line.

Nutrition
The biggest factor that displaces a dog to be genetically prone to hip dysplasia is the amount of calories your bulldog consumes.

Studies have shown that obesity can increase the severity of the disease in genetically susceptible animals. Excess weight will exacerbate the degeneration of the joints in a dog, including the hip. Dogs, also English bulldogs, are born genetically prone to hip dysplasia and are overweight are at a much higher risk of developing hip dysplasia and eventually osteoarthritis.

The likelihood of hip dysplasia is the rapid growth in puppies during the ages from three to ten months. Experiments shows that the incidence has been increased in genetically susceptible dogs when given free choice of food. A study has Labrador retriever puppies fed free choice for three years. It placed them on a higher incidence of hip dysplasia than their littermates who were fed with the same diet but in an amount 25% less than that fed to the free choice group.

A diet having too much or too little calcium or other minerals can result to a detrimental effect on the development of the joint. However, today’s complete and balanced dog foods solve the problem of inadequate diet. The practice of feeding homemade dog foods is popular with dog owners. These types of diets must be carefully monitored for proper nutritional balance including calcium and all other essential minerals.

Exercise
It shows that dogs that are genetically susceptible to the disease due to over exercise at a young age. At the same time, however, we all know that dogs with large and prominent leg muscle mass are less likely to develop the disease than dogs with small muscle mass. It is advised for dogs to exercise and maintain good muscle mass to decrease the incidence of the disease. Moderate exercise strengthens the gluteal muscles such as running and swimming is highly recommended for English bulldogs to help keep the weight at bay. Be cautious though to only introduce exercises that do not apply a lot of force to the joints such as playing Frisbee.

Diagnosis of hip dysplasia

The diagnosis of canine hip dysplasia is typically made from a combination of clinical signs of arthritis and pain, a complete physical exam, and radiographs (x-rays). If a dog is showing physical signs of arthritis, there are usually easily recognized changes in the joint that can be detected on radiographs. In addition, the veterinarian may even be able to feel looseness in the joint or may be able to elicit pain through extension and flexion of the rear leg. Regardless, the results are straightforward and usually not difficult to interpret.

However, about half of the animals that come in for a determination on the health of their hip joints are not showing physical signs, but are intended to be use for breeding. The breeder wants to ensure that the animal is not at great risk for transmitting the disease to his or her offspring. There are two different testing methods that can be performed. The traditional is OFA testing. The other relatively newer technique is the PennHip method.

Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA)

The method used by the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) has been the standard for many years. The OFA was established in 1966, and has become the world’s largest all-breed registry. The OFA maintains a database of hip evaluations for hundreds of thousands of dogs. Radiographs are taken by a local veterinarian using specific guidelines and are then submitted to the OFA for evaluation and certification of the dog’s hip status. Since the accuracy of radiological diagnosis of hip dysplasia using the OFA technique increases after 24 months of age, the OFA requires that the dog be at least two years of age at the time the radiographs are taken. Because some female dogs experience additional hip subluxation when they are in heat, pregnant or nursing the OFA recommends that the evaluation should not be performed during these times.

To get the correct presentation and ensure that the muscles are relaxed, the OFA recommends that the dog be anesthetized for the radiographs. OFA radiologists evaluate the hip joints for congruity, subluxation, the condition of the acetabulum, and the size, shape, and architecture of the femoral head and femoral neck. Three radiologists review the radiographs and a consensus score is assigned based on the animal’s hip conformation relative to other individuals of the same breed and age. The OFA then places the evaluated dogs into one of seven categories. Normal hips are graded as: excellent, good or fair. If the consensus is unclear the dog is graded as borderline dysplastic. And dogs with obvious radiographic signs of hip dysplasia are graded as: mild, moderate, severely dysplastic. Dogs with hips scored as borderline or dysplastic (mild, moderate, severe) are not eligible to receive OFA breeding numbers.

The OFA will also provide preliminary evaluations (performed by one OFA radiologist) of dogs younger than 24 months of age to help breeders choose breeding stock. Reliability of the preliminary evaluation is between 70 and 100% depending on the breed.

Pennsylvania Hip Improvement Program (PennHIP)

The diagnostic method used by the University of Pennsylvania Hip Improvement Program (PennHIP) uses unique radiographic views of the dog’s hips to more accurately identifies and quantify joint laxity. This program was conceived in 1983 and became a usable system by 1993. To assure quality and repeatability among diagnostic centers using the PennHIP technique, veterinarians must take a special training course to become certified. Radiographs of the hips are taken with the dog under heavy sedation. These radiographs can be taken on a dog as young as 16 weeks. Two views are obtained with the hind limbs in neutral position to maximize joint laxity. These are known as the distraction and compression radiographic views. Weights and an external device are used to help push the head of the femur further into or away from the acetabulum. The amount of femoral head displacement (joint laxity) is quantified using a distraction index or DI. The DI ranges from 0 to 1 and is calculated by measuring the distance the center of the femoral head moves laterally from the center of the acetabulum and dividing it by the radius of the femoral head. A DI of 0 indicates a very tight joint. A DI of 1 indicates complete luxation with little or no coverage of the femoral head. A hip with a distraction index of 0.6 is 60% luxated and is twice as lax as a hip with a DI of 0.3. A third radiographic view is taken using the same positioning as the OFA. The “hip-extended” view is used to obtain additional information regarding the possible presence of degenerative joint disease (DJD) in the hip.

When the PennHIP DI was compared to the OFA scores for 65 dogs, all dogs scored as mildly, moderately, or severely dysplastic by the OFA method had a DI above 0.3.

Hip laxity as measured by the DI is strongly correlated with the future development of osteoarthritis. Hips with a DI below 0.3 rarely develop osteoarthritis. Although hips with a DI above 0.3 are considered “degenerative joint disease susceptible,” not all hips with a DI greater than 0.3 will develop osteoarthritis. It is known that some hips with radiographically apparent laxity do not develop osteoarthritis. A means of differentiating lax hips that develop osteoarthritis from those that will not is important in developing a prognosis and making treatment or breeding recommendations. In one study, the DI obtained from dogs at four months of age was a good predictor of later osteoarthritis, though the 6 and 12-month indices were more accurate.

The PennHIP method has gained popularity and more and more veterinarians are becoming certified.

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Your English bulldog loves to explore its way by sniffing and at times eating food off the floor. They find garbage cans quite appealing when searching for meals. It is never a bad idea to keep an eye on our pets. Dogs can be similar to toddlers who do not know what is good or bad. Dogs are clueless if foods eaten from trash are poisonous or not.

Food poisoning can happen to any other bulldog as it happens to every dog at least once in their lifetime. Once dog smells something they like then it will eat it even if rotten or not. Spoiled foods are rotten and rich in bacteria and other harmful microorganisms capable of making your pet sick. When these harmful microorganisms reach the digestive tract, its body will employ every means to eliminate these substances as manifested by vomiting and diarrhea. The extent on how far the microorganisms are located can be known by the symptoms shown by your pet. Vomiting usually means that the germs are spread through the upper intestines. Diarrhea means that it has now spread to the lower intestines.

Symptoms of dog food poisoning

The symptoms of food poisoning in bulldogs can be a combination of vomiting, diarrhea, lack of appetite, and generally feeling unwell. When your dog is suffering from food poisoning then it will not defecate more than usual and feces will be in large amounts unlike other lower digestive system illnesses.

Causes of dog food poisoning

Don’t take the case of food poisoning of your bulldog lightly. You should investigate and check possible areas in your house that may have contributed to your pet’s sickness. Food poisoning can be found in its sources such as garden, on a walk, around the house, or in the garbage bin where the illness derived its nickname of “garbage disease.”

When the gastro intestinal tract including the stomach is irritated from unwanted substance, it causes the body to flush it out of the system either through vomiting and diarrhea. It is the same mechanisms as with human and other animals on coping with damaging substances in the digestive system.

Your English bulldog may respond to a sudden change of diet by showing signs and symptoms of food poisoning. Its body may not be accustomed with the new food variety given so you may want to introduce foods more slowly next time around.

What your vet may say or do

The most effective, if not the only, way to cure dog food poisoning is to enable the dog to get rid of any offending foods or substances in the digestive system. You will need to stop feeding your dog for 24 hours and give them only water. If you continue feeding your dog then its body will not have any means to get rid of all the food in its system. It will only make vomiting and diarrhea worse since it makes the digestive system think there is more bad foods to get rid of.

The initial step to take on the detoxification and clearing of your dog’s digestive system is to start feeding it with strictly water only for 24 hours. When 24 hours have passed you should begin feeding it with bland foods such as boiled rice, pasta, boiled chicken, turkey or white fish. These bland foods will ensure that the stomach is eased in gently and minimize the risk of food rejection due to strong taste.

Continuously monitor your bulldog to note if it has produced at least two normal stools then you can gradually begin introducing them back to their regular foods. You can do this by mixing the bland food with some stronger tasting food then slowly increasing the amount of normal food you add until your dog is eating full portions of their daily diet.

This process should not take longer than 48 hours after the initial 24 hours of “water diet”. If the vomiting and/or diarrhea become worse over this period then it is strongly recommended to seek further advice from your vet. The vet will then assess for other symptoms such as obstructions, infections, or inflammation caused again by dog food poisoning.

Pet owners should be responsible enough to practice proper dog food preparations, maintain a clean home environment, and ensure your pooch does not eat whatever it sniffs. Treating a simple sickness won’t be too costly but not as less costly when prevention of likely sources of food poisoning.

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photo credits to Jon Bradley

The need to lower the cost of vet care is impeccable following the global recession. The cost of vet care for last year (2008) is estimated at $10.9 billion, increased to almost a billion from last year. With thousands of job disappearing, low stock market and depressed economy, most of us are postponing dog care because we can’t afford trips to the vet and dog treatment. It’s high time to cut those unnecessary services and products which many pet owners think are absolutely necessary.

1. FEED QUALITY FOOD. It may sound strange to spend more on high quality dog food but it is your best shot at long term dog health and lower vet bills. Once you start feeding your bulldog wisely, you will notice allergies; intestinal problems, joint pains and other ailments disappear. You may want to switch feeding your dog from grocery store brands to kibble to canned foods. Gradually shift feeding your pet frozen raw or fresh cooked or raw food.

2. STOP THE UNNECESSARY VACCINATION. There is no point of vaccinating your dog against diseases your dog is unlikely to catch and against sickness to which your dog already has developed immunity. Apart from wasting huge waste of time and money, excessive vaccination will result to adverse health consequences that will wreck your dog’s health and cost you a fortune on vet bills.

3. KEEP TRASH, RECYCLING BINS AND TOXIC CHEMICALS AWAY FROM PETS. Dogs love taking a peek in garbage cans in search of food. Bad thing about it is dogs tend to stay this way a lot longer. This habit can lead to food poisoning. Rancid food found in garbage is rich in bacteria that will make your dog sick with diarrhea and vomiting. Better to keep an eye on your dog or place it in a leash when no one is around. By keeping your dog away from garbage cans, you will save any vet trips for cases of food poisoning.

4.  STOP GIVING UNNECESSARY OR DANGEROUS DRUGS TO YOUR DOG . Double check the medicines you give your dogs especially steroids and arthritis medication. Typically allergic reactions from medications will develop after multiple doses of the medication. Signs of allergies include scratching or itching, facial swelling or hives as shown by your pet. When your dog had overdose then it is necessary to contact your veterinarian as soon as possible, which is another medical bill for you.

5. FEED YOUR DOG LESS. In a study conducted by Purina which made use of 48 Labrador Retrievers in a 14-year study, “lean-fed” dogs (receiving 25% less food compared to their mates) eventually developed the same health problems as their group mates as they aged, but required treatments for sickness developed 2.1 years later. As a result, treatment began at a mean age of 12 versus age 9.9. A secret to longevity is to feed your bulldog healthy, lean (not too skinny) food eliminating fattening, corn-laden foods. Thus, it is not about feeding a particular brand or letting your dog overeat to keep it healthy. Remember, fat dogs poses health risks needing expensive treatments.

6. WASH YOUR DOG’S FEET (OR PAWS). Ensure the cleanliness of your dog’s feet after a walk on chemically-packed pavements such as city streets and salted roads. Be extra careful of park areas which may have been recently treated with herbicides or other potentially dangerous chemicals. Refrain using toxic chemicals in your home or yard. Once these chemicals stick on your dog’s feet, it won’t be long until it reaches to your dog’s mouth. You may be risking your English bulldog to developing cancer later on.

7. REGULAR BRUSHING OF YOUR DOG’S TEETH. Dental problems often equates to expensive vet bills. One way to avoid dental caries on your dog’s teeth is by feeding them low-carb foods and by brushing its teeth at least three times a week. Use good toothpaste intended for dogs and not humans. You can apply and brush your dogs’ teeth with a super-soft toothbrush or gauze wrapped around your finger as a substitute of a toothbrush.

8. STOP REWARDING YOUR DOG WITH DANGEROUS TREAT. You may not be aware of the risks involved when your dog is given treats of hard to chew food. Treats such as cooked bones, rawhide chews, pig’s feet among other can lodge in tracheas and intestines. Surgery for obstructions and perforations doesn’t come cheap. Surgery can remove these obstructions but may be too late to save your dog’s life.

9. GET YOUR DOG A BLOOD TEST. Dogs age faster than human which makes them more susceptible to diseases. Senior dogs should have a blood test every six months. A thorough blood test is the easiest and only way to detect a disease while it’s still curable and cheaper to treat. Have your dog check for heartworms regardless if taking drugs or not.

10. SEARCH ONLINE. You can save money on flea and tick control, ear care products, vitamins, joint care supplements, and other non-prescription maintenance items sold on online pet supply stores and pharmacies. Check the specials offered and compare prices for low prices with free shipping included on most orders.

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The role of being a dog owner is not just a privilege but a responsibility as well. These pets are dependent on us for their basic needs of food and shelter just to name a few. If you are considering adopting a dog into your life, you need to think seriously about the commitment that dog ownership requires. In the event that you already own a dog, you need to consider if you are fulfilling your obligations as its owner.

From the moment you purchase your new English bulldog puppy, you are aware of the costs of keeping a dog. Dogs can make wonderful pets that offer unconditional love, level of security plus health benefits. It’s hard to put a price tag on that kind of pet-owner relationship. You may not be aware about the long term costs involved when buying or adopting a dog. Let’s face it that in reality, the initial price or adoption fee is only the beginning. It’s common sense to know that getting a dog doesn’t only require time as a commitment but financial commitment as well.

Average Cost of Keeping a Dog

The American Pet Products Manufacturers Association (APPMA) National Pet Owners conducted a survey in 2005-2006 and was able to conclude that the average yearly cost of owning a dog is $1571. Let’s say if your English bulldog lives for 9 years, although most dogs live longer, that arrives to a figure of $ 14139, excluding the inflation rate. That’s only an average so costs can run lower or higher depending on your dog and your financial management skills.
The cost of raising your English bulldog entails maintenance such as nutrition, healthcare, grooming, training and necessary documents. Let’s study the real expenses, more or less the initial price or fee, in keeping a dog.

Newman’s Own®Organics Adult Dog Food Chicken & Rice Formula, 12.5 Pound Bag

Dog Food
There are different kinds of dog food. Start by purchasing puppy food and gradually changing it with adult food. You can buy dry, canned or packaged. The monthly cost ranges from $10 to $40 depending on the size of your dog. The cost of dog treats at an average is $7.00. You ma also want to give vitamins or supplements for your dog which costs $10-20 for one month.

Prevent Disease

Your dog needs a check up from a veterinarian. Basic appointments may run from $30 to $40. The cost of vaccinations can be expensive at an initial look but will save you money by rendering illness prevention. When your dog gets sick, you end up paying more than the cost of vaccinations for veterinary fee, treatment, medicines among other expenses when your English bulldog gets sick. Young puppies and adult dogs need shots to protection from illness which could run from $15 or higher.

The American Kennel Club Pet Healthcare Plan can help with the cost of providing quality healthcare throughout your dog’s life. You can do some research on pet insurances available that commonly include regular check ups for your pet.

The price of ignorance

An effective way to avoid paying more than what you expected in raising your English bulldog is to be smart when you choose a puppy. Remember that mixed breeds often have fewer health problems than purebreds. Have your veterinarian check your dog. You can also do research on the English bulldog breeds before you start looking. You have to adopt your own English bulldog for all the right reasons not jus because you feel sorry for it especially when you take a puppy from a shelter.

There is no such thing as a “free puppy”. Americans love dogs and don’t have nay second thought to spend money on them. Consider it as an investment so it only makes sense to be extra careful about choosing your own puppy. It is much better to pick a dog that matches your lifestyle. It may come as a shock when you spend $1000 on a puppy however it is worth every penny when your puppy is healthy and guaranteed defect-free. Be wary of puppies bred for appearance and not structural soundness, intelligence, health, and disposition which will often cost you much more than the price of a good puppy in health problems. Ask your breeder to show any medical proof that the parents and grandparents of your puppy are free of health problems. Both parents should have the disposition and intelligence as well as being well-trained. This guarantee may also cost you more time and money but it can be very worth it.

There are baskets full of purebred puppies for $75 to $300 each as shown on Sunday papers. Chances are they are unlikely to have parents bearing certified hips, eyes, elbows, or free of allergies. The parents of these dogs are often poorly trained and owners have never seen the grandparents. The stamp of dogs as “registered” doesn’t guarantee they are free from defects such as hip dysplasia, skin allergies, bone problems, behavior problems and eye problems. Don’t compromise the quality of the dog breed you choose. You get what you pay and ignorance can be a dear price to pay.

Dogs remain unmatched in their devotion, loyalty and friendship to mankind. It is a good idea to reconsider once you have your other expenses sorted. As your dog gets older, the costs of keeping it will mount up depending on the breed. There is no value on keeping a dog but it repays you in unconditional love deemed priceless. You can couldn’t ask for the huge difference of the presence of your English bulldog at your home.  It gets excited when you come home, the wagging tail at the sound of the leash being taken from its hook, the delight in the tossing of a ball, and the head nestled in your lap-those are only some of the rewards of being a dog owner.

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A 48-year old woman from Bethlehem had long wanted to adopt a pair of English bulldogs. She paid $800 to have the bulldogs shipped to her home, police said. Alas, the dogs never arrived and the woman’s contact has asked for more money to expedite shipment.

The woman, not identified by police, of the 900 block of Itaska Street, exchanged emails with a person supposedly based in Florida regarding her intentions to adopt the dogs, police said. The person in Florida said the dogs would be sent from Nigeria and asked for a shipment cost of $ 700. By this time folks, be wary of the enormous red flag when Nigeria is merely mentioned in talks of adopting bulldogs. Scams these days comes in all sorts and sizes.

As any scammers do, the contact asked for an additional $100 later which the Bethlehem woman paid it, police said. The dogs were expected to arrive in the Lehigh Valley on Saturday, but no shipment came. When the victim asked her contact what happened, the city woman received an e-mail that stated that the dogs were in California and another $470 was required to ship them to Bethlehem.

One thing is for sure, the woman will never unite with the alleged dogs, and is unlikely to have her money returned to her.

Consumers need to exercise a great deal of caution when transacting business online. In case of animal adoption, it’s better to buy form a local source where you can meet the buyer in person. Be cautious of any products or money originating from Nigeria.

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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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The bulldog made a comeback as the 8th dog in the list of the most famous canines released by the American Kennel Club (AKC). Lisa Peterson, a spokesperson of AKC, shares that the “docile and adaptive nature of the bulldog is gaining ground as a family favorite“.

The bulldog’s popularity is growing in the US as opposed to its absence of 70 years in the AKC list and has since jumped two notches from the 10th rank last year. The bulldog ranks second behind the Labrador in Las Vegas, Los Angeles and San Diego, but is off the list in Honolulu; Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minn.; Portland, Ore.; Raleigh, N.C.; and Salt Lake City.

The Labrador retriever emerged as the top people’s choice among purebred pooches for 18 years straight. AKC disclosed that more than twice as many Labs are registered in the U.S. in 2008 as Yorkshire terriers (Top 2 on the list) – clearly showing that Labs will most likely retain the title of Most Popular Dog in the near future. The rest of the top 10 canines are German shepherd, golden retriever, beagle, boxer, dachshund, poodle and Shih Tzu.

The news comes as the country’s new first family has yet to decide their choice of a dog for the White House. It looks like that none of the purebreds appears to be a candidate considered by Obama and his family. President Barack Obama has said his family was considering a Labradoodle, a hybrid of Lab and a poodle, or a Portuguese water dog. The advantage of both breeds are low-shedding breeds that won’t get hair all over the furniture or cause problems for the Obamas’ 10 year-old daughter, Malia, who has allergies.

The American Kennel Club said the hypoallergenic Portuguese water dog has increased 44 percent in popularity in the past decade and is currently the 64th dog in the recognized breeds list.

The kennel club will celebrate their 125th anniversary this year and offered some other information treats in its report.

The number three spot went to the German shepherd as the top dog in Detroit and Miami, with the Lab as the runner-up.

The Boxer, same with bulldog, is making a comeback as the second choice in Baltimore; Cincinnati; Des Moines, Iowa; Louisville, Ky.; Omaha, Neb.; and Kansas City, Mo. It is third in Atlanta, Cleveland, New Orleans, the Twin Cities, Pittsburgh, St. Louis and Philadelphia.

AKC started with nine breeds in 1884 and now recognizes 161. The most popular dog in the first yearly survey is the pointer, is now number 111. The Chesapeake Bay retriever used to be top two in 1884, is now number 48.

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Here comes a new dog-lovers flick to a movie theatre near you. “Hotel for Dogs” stars Emma Roberts in a smart, funny comedy adventure that shows how far love and imagination can take you. The young actress had a fun, chaotic time shooting the film together with her 20 canine co stars but apparently doesn’t love bulldogs.

Roberts said she “loved the Australian sheep dog. She was the smartest and the prettiest. My least favorite was probably the bulldog. He was kind of lazy and very stubborn. He smelled, too.” To each his own, in this case, to each her own so to say. Roberts may have a different opinion towards English Bulldogs but for me or most of us still love English Bulldogs because they’re plain adorable and timid – not really lazy. Of course, I’m saying this in an English bulldog lover’s point of view.

“Hotel for Dogs” will take you to a hotel where you will see dogs doing cute things enough to make children, parents, dog-lovers and movie lovers say “awww” every so often. Just about every breed imaginable makes appearances in the movie: an English Bulldog that will devour almost anything especially license plates; a Boston Terrier that loves to play fetch; a Bullmastiff that likes to bray at an open window; a Chinese Crested named Romeo that is interested in only one thing, it isn’t even playing dead.

Emma Roberts plays “Andi” along with his brother “Bruce” played by Jake Austin had to think of a way to rescue their dog, Friday. Lisa Kudrow and Kevin Dillon play their foster parents who forbid the kids to keep a pet. The resourceful kids were able to find an abandoned hotel as their dog’s new home – eventually for all Friday’s friends. Bruce as the mechanical genius transforms the dogs’ new home into a magical paradise for dogs. When the barks of the dog guests became louder making neighbor suspicious, Andi and Bruce resorts to all possible means to keep anyone from knowing who let the dogs in.

Like all other dog movies, “Hotel for Dogs” shows ideal go-to scenes and close ups of dogs (including English Bulldogs, yay!) looking mischievous, forsaken and other human emotion. English Bulldogs may not be Emma Roberts’ most favorite dog in the world. “Cooper“, an English bulldog, as one of the 20 breeds cast in the movie, is enough for me to catch “Hotel for Dogs” in cinemas.

Watch the sneak peek video of “Hotel for Dogs” right here.

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