Bulldog

Despite a painful history as a fighter, the English Bulldog is now seen as a very affectionate dog who enjoys spending time with members of his social group. Sensitive and loyal, he needs affection and attention to be completely fulfilled.

Despite his somewhat grumpy air, he is a dog that likes to play and especially spend time with children. If he is not too hot and he is not bullied, he participates happily in the game.

The English Bulldog is sometimes so calm and sweet that one might think he is lazy. His temperament is very balanced and he knows how to adopt a serene attitude when necessary.

His intelligence is reflected in his ability to adapt to many environments, lifestyles and activities.

There’s no excessive predatory instinct with this dog, who prefers to sleep at the foot of the couch rather than chasing prey that he will certainly never catch.

Since he is a natural protector of the people who are known to him, this hound can be suspicious towards outsiders. He will need time to offer his trust to someone he doesn't know.

Despite appearances, this grumpy-looking dog is clearly devoted to his master. Independence is not his thing, and he always needs to be with a person in whom he has confidence.

Loneliness is the worst enemy of the English Bulldog. Thus, people who work at home (or who have the opportunity to take him to work) or retired people, for example, are the best masters for this sensitive dog.
Absences should never be long, for risk of seeing different behaviours such as destruction, immorality, etc.

This hound may be difficult to motivate but when you have his attention, he is rather docile. On the other hand, if he perceives confusion or unfairness in the attitude of his master, then he may express his disapproval.

Education should be initiated as soon as you get an English Bulldog puppy to prevent him from learning bad habits.

As he may have a thick head on occasions, any training exercises will have to be repeated regularly and in the most positive way possible, but with a dose of firmness. The sessions should be short to prevent the loss of the dog’s concentration and to guarantee success.

Teaching him to be alone is recommended to prevent this dog from stressing as long as you don’t push your luck with long absences.

Walking on a leash without pulling will also require a swift star to the learning process if you want walks to be enjoyable, both for the master and for the dog.

If we put aside his snoring and his loud breathing, this little hound is not noisy and he barks little.

The homebody side of this dog prevents him even thinking about running away. He is far too dependent on his master and not very bold. The English Bulldog prefers to keep warm with his people.

He is particularly destructive as a puppy, mainly when teething.

This dog is very greedy, so he will never refuse his bowl or a treat. Therefore, it is very important to monitor his diet as to avoid the obesity that’s very common in this breed.

However, good quality treats can be used to motivate this lazy dog during training sessions.

The English Bulldog is a very protective dog and can, due to his physique, be a serious deterrent. However, this dog should not only be adopted for a guarding job as he is, above all, a sensitive pet dog.

He resorts to aggression only when someone threatens his master or, worse, his children: he is ready to give his life for them.

He is a formidable foe because he has a steel grip and is practically insensitive to pain.

The English Bulldog is exclusively an indoor dog and does not need a lot of space to be happy. He can get used to living in a city environment, especially thanks to his easygoing and docile temperament.

Life in the countryside, meaning in a house with a garden, is also enjoyable for a bulldog, but this should not justify the absence of outside walks.

There’s no need to be athletic when adopting an English Bulldog. Even if he can be dynamic and playful, he can’t resist intense physical stimulation for too long.

Indeed, his brachycephalia (crushed nose) causes many respiratory problems, so he cannot indulge in very intense physical activities.

A few daily walks can suffice his need to expend energy. For this dog, mental activities (games), socialisation (peer meetings) and sniffing tasks (research, tracking, etc.) will be preferred.

Travel is tricky especially because of their breathing difficulties. This dog will not be able to withstand a confined space for long hours.

The cohabitation between a cat and an English Bulldog is possible only if they grow up together. If this is not the case, you have to teach immense control to the dog during his interactions with the cat (although the cat can always hide up high).

His fighting-dog heritage has left a few traces. In fact, this dog can sometimes be too abrupt with his peers. Without implying that he is a dominant dog, he remains indelicate in his deportment and this can cause fights.

Early socialisation will have to be taught to the English Bulldog puppy to develop strong inter-dog behaviour and to create as many positive experiences as possible.

Be careful of same-sex dogs who may not be able to find common ground.

If he is respected, this dog can get along perfectly with children he likes to play with. He is also very protective of them in dangerous situations.

Some ground rules will have to be put in place so that cohabitation is healthy and safe.

He is a good companion for old people, especially because he does not need to exercise much and he adapts well to a sedentary life.

However, this dog will need masters that can offer him several walks a day. The use of a dog walking service will have to be considered if his masters cannot meet this need.

This dog is a very good choice for your first adoption. However, be careful not to adopt an English Bulldog simply for his atypical physique. The characteristics of the breed must be seriously taken into account.

Do not underestimate the few "flaws" of this dog: he drools immensely, often snores and encounters many health problems especially regarding his breathing.