English bulldog puppies, though very sweet and relatively good dogs, can develop a not so pleasant characteristic known as dog food aggression.  This is when your pooch becomes overly protective of his food and will snarl, growl, and/or bark while attempting to keep you at a distance from his food.  This is not normal behavior and is not something that should ever be encouraged.  Possessiveness is never a quality you want your bully to have, even as a pup.

You might find it cute when you see english bulldog puppies show aggression and act tough and protective, but you won’t find it so darling when he becomes a full grown dog, you can’t control him and the situation evolves into something more dangerous.

When a pup is aggressive during feeding time what he’s telling you is to back off because this is his food not yours.  Though you might think there is nothing wrong with this, as your pooch is entitled to eat and you aren’t the least bit interested in munching on dog food, the reality is by letting him get away with it you are giving up your position as the alpha in your household.  Thus, you are allowing him to think he now has control over you.

Canine possession aggression needs to be dealt with in an appropriate manner immediately.  It doesn’t matter if it suddenly occurs or you feel there is a good reason why it is happening.  English bulldog puppies need to know this is not acceptable behavior and it will not be tolerated. The following are some suggestion on how you can effectively correct the issue:

• If your bully is aggressive towards another pet while eating, the best method is to feed the animals in separate rooms at meal time.
• Make sure your whole family or as many household members as possible are in the room when your puppy eats to get him used to eating around a lot of people.  This can also help prevent the bad behavior from developing.
• Only feed english bulldog puppies once you and your family are finished eating.  The bull dog knows by instinct that the alpha and the rest of the pack who are above him eat first.
• Make him sit and wait before he is allowed to eat.
• Gently stroke and talk to him while he eats to get him used to contact.
• Hand-feed him some of his meal to make it clear that you are the one who supplies him food.

Basically, the more you show your english bulldog puppies where their place is in the pack and make feeding a social event, the less of a problem you will have with aggression.  On that note, always make sure the rest of the people who reside in your home use the same tactics as you, so you don’t confuse your pooch.

This is my Super Cute English Bulldog Jackie. Only 8 weeks old. Contact me for stud info and our Bulldog puppies for sale.

Popeye shows that Bulldogs can achieve a very high standard of obedience training with the right techniques and a little patience.

He also has a small skin irritation on his hind leg that he tries to
bite on. I would like to try and take care of it before it gets any
bigger.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you!
Lila

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First of all, if you are using plastic feeding or water bowls, stop immediately!  They
have been shown to actually cause chin acne and other problems.  Instead use
ceramic or stainless steel bowls.

Pimples on the chin could be from several other things.  I’ll list them in order of severity.

When your bulldog eats, he probably sticks his chin in his food, getting it moist and this can lead to irritation.  Keeping it dry and clean could be the answer for this.  Wash with an anti-bacterial soap or Chlorhexiderm Shampoo.  Keep his chin as dry as you can daily.

The next factor could be he is getting too much oil or is allergic to the fish oils in Omega 3 oil.  I’m not sure what you’re feeding him, but sometimes a bulldog gets a reaction to too much oil or too many fats.

If the pimples are oozing, he could have a surface pyoderma.  A surface pyoderma is a localized infection caused by staphylococcus bacteria.  It can be treated with anti-bacterial ointment such as polysporin.

Staph is a very common bacteria found on the skin of dogs and humans and in the environment.  Usually it is harmless, as the dog’s immune system fights it off.  Unfortunately in bulldogs, this is not always the case.

Because the Bulldog is a man-made breed and been subject to such intense inbreeding, the breed is often left with genetic weaknesses.  And a compromised immune system is one of them.  That is why I put so much importance on a healthy diet.

Once the dog suffers an assault to the immune system, as in fighting off a cold or an infection, his immune system can become taxed and unable to fight off this type of skin infection.

The next level of concern is if the infection becomes a Deep Pyoderma.  In this case, the infection has gone beneath the surface and can become systemic.  This is a serious condition that needs to be treated with anti-biotics.

The fact that he has one on his leg as well is troublesome.  He bites at it because it itches. It could mean he has a systemic staph infection that is spreading in his body. The signs of this are usually oozing lesions that crust over and then flake off, leaving bald spots.  In this case it may need to be treated with anti-biotics.

Try using the anti-bacterial soap on those two spots and see if they get better.  If they are oozing or if they get bigger rapidly, or if more of them appear, you better take him to the vet, preferably a dermatologist.

There are other conditions that can cause this sort of chronic outbreak of skin rashes.  The most common is a hormonal imbalance.  Usually the symptoms include hair loss and increased thirst.  A vet can test for thyroid imbalance by doing a tyroid panel test (be sure it’s the panel test).

your bulldog pal,

Jan

Original source: Ask bulldog

I need some advice and I’m hoping you can help me please.

We have an almost 3 month old puppy. About 8 days ago we noticed a runny nose. The discharge is very snotty (greenish). She doesn’t have as much discharge during the day. We mostly notice it when we get up in the morning. She can hardly breathe and her nose is blocked up with snot. Poor baby. We do run our a/c at about 75 degrees most of the day. I try to turn it off at night but sometimes we do run it when it’s too warm. She plays outside in the evenings when it’s cooler. Her demeanor is still the same. Except for the early mornings when she can hardly breathe. She’s eating & pooping well.  Is there anything that I can do to get her better or should I just take her to the vet?

Thanks for your time and consideration.

Dayna

—-

Hi Dayna,

You need to take her to a vet today.  A greenish discharge usually indicates
infection in the lungs.  It is worse in the morning because she has been laying
down at night and the lungs fill up with fluid.  Because of their anatomy and
breathing problems, Bulldogs are prone to aspiration pneumonia and it sounds
to me like that’s what she may have.   It can be very serious and life threatening.

Original source: Ask Bulldog

Do you have any experience with persistent paw yeast infections? My son’s bulldog has one in between his toes that won’t go away. It only flared up again when the pills prescribed by the vet were used up. The MalAcetic Otic they gave us isn’t working. I hestitate to go back to the vet again and waste more money.
Any suggestions? I don’t like to bother you, but I’m at my wit’s end.

Attached is a photo of his paw.

There seems to be a couple of bumps and it’s yeasty. On November 4, the vet injected him with Dexamethasone and gave him Enrofloxacin pills. It seemed to calm down. Now that the pills are all gone, it has flared up again. I was soaking it in warm water and salt, plus pouring peroxide on the wound today which I think made it worse. The vet put him on a special diet because he has a stomach infection – Medi-cal Gastro formulated for gastrointestinal conditions. He was throwing up everyday and had loose stools. He’s no longer throwing up since on this kibble. The stools are better.
Have you seen this condition before in between the toes?

Thanks, Debbie

Hi Debbie,

The photo is not very clear but that looks like an interdigital cyst to me. If so, they are notyeast, they are either ingrown hairs that get infected or a fungal infection – there is some debate.

The medical term for them is interdigital furuncle. I think they are an ingrown hair that gets a mild infection. They usually clear up on their own and I am of the opinion they should not be punctured because that can lead to infection. And I wouldn’t go the antibiotic route because I think it not necessary unless there is a bad infection. And I’ve found that the least amount of fussing with the sore is best.

Your vet prescribed a broad spectrum antibiotic for the perceived infection.

Here is some advice from various bulldog owners and breeders on how they treat them:

As for the cysts, I have used part of the process you’ve included: we usually soak the affected paw in Epsom salts water. I don’t worry about applying Panalog or other creamsunless the vet has recommended it.

Generally with a cyst or any lesion on the paw that I am just starting to treat, I just start with soaks. That way I clean the foot and can get a really good look, and Epsom salts helps to soften and start the lesion draining if it needs to. If it’s a cyst, is there a need for Panalog or other anti-bacterial (antibiotic) ointments or creams? Not necessarily, only if it’s infected. So, if draining it and/or keeping it clean is enough, then why bring in antibiotics and tinker with resistance and such? If pus drains, then I do use ointment, usually triple antibiotic or Bacitracin. Like you, if soaks (with or without ointment) don’t work in 2-4 days, or if it worsens, it’s off to the vet we go!

–Margaret

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What I have found is that many cysts are caused by ingrown hair. I soak the affected food in Epson salts for about 5 minutes. When drying the paw if you look on the underneath side of the foot between the pads on the toe that is effected you will probably see an area that appears to have a black head. You can usually use a tweezers and pull the hairs out without causing your pet much discomfort. This has always worked on my dogs.

——

a long coarse of antibiotics usually cephalexin. and give it some time. i have two that got cysts between the toes and used antibiotics 1 dogs went away and hasnt come back… the other girls cyst has been back several times now i dont even put her on antibiotics anymore, i keep it clean use panalog oint and basically just keep popping the cyst to drain it and within a week it starts to go away her last cyst i did this and it hasnt been back in over a year. i am a technician at a vet clinic and ive seen surgeries removing these cysts and 90% of them ive seen return anyway after several surgeries and alot of money it is very hard to get all of the stalk inbetween the toes so you often get regrowth any way…

well thats my 2 cents

chrissy

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There are as many interdigital cyst remedies as there are Bulldoggers. I think the cysts have multiple causes including fungus advancing to infection as the cyst develops.

Along that reasoning, I use a Nolvasan Surgical Scrub solution; 5% Surgical Scrub, 95% water, applied with a spray bottle and massaged onto the affected area. I apply twice daily and I’ve never had it last more than three days.

Nolvasan Surgical Scrub is a bit pricey,perhaps $55.00/Gallon, but a gallon will last a lifetime (Or more) It’s very effective for hot spots and simple skin problems. Most importantly, It’s an anti-bacterial agent and an effective fungicide, not an anti-biotic. A simple solution for a complex problem.

Walt

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I agree with Walt’s solution -

That’s a great idea

I also use a home made concoction we fondly call “Oden’s Foot” It is 50% rubbing alcohol, 50% water – you boil the water and ad 2 heaping tablespoons of salt till it dissolves. Let is cool a bit then mix with the alcohol put in a sprayer bottle and spray several times a day -

this dries up themoisture and the cyst – this is a people remedy given my son when he had severe fungal infections of the toe nails – it works great you just need to be consistent and spray frequently

Kathy J

—–

The most common home remedy I read about was to soak or compress the affected foot several times per day, then apply antibiotic ointment. A few people recommended applying Preparation H or other hemmorhoid creams. We decided to do a bit of each.

Three to four times per day we’ve been soaking Elliott’s foot in Epsom salts. The easiest way we’ve found to do this is to fill the laundry tub up with 2 to 3 inches of fairly warm water, to which we’ve added a cup of Epsom Salts. We then stand Elliott in the tub, and sit beside him for ten minutes or so. Luckily for us, he’s a good boy, and just stands there patiently so long as we give him the occasional head scratch.

After ten minutes or so have elapsed, we put Elliott on a thick towel and gently pat his affected foot dry. I then fill a large, wide coffee cup with about an inch of hydrogen peroxide, and hold his foot in the cup for a few moments. The affected areas on Elliott’s foot, in particular the cyst itself and the surrounding hair follicles, respond to the hydrogen peroxide with bubbling, whereas the rest of his foot does not. This shows that there is catalase enzyme present in these areas, which is one of the components released when blood or damaged cells are present.

After soaking in hydrogen peroxide, we again pat Elliott’s foot dry. I then apply either Panalog ointment, or Anusol hemorrhoid ointment.

We’ve been treating him using the above method since Saturday morning, and in that time period his swelling has reduced by approximately 40%, and the redness is almost completely gone. With any luck, it will be completely gone within another day or so, and with no antibiotics. Of course, if it doesn’t clear up, or returns, then we’ll try traditional Veterinary treatment and oral antibiotics.

Frogdog blog

And here are some links to more information and photos on the topic:

http://www.bulldogsworld.com/DigitCyst.html

http://www.provet.co.uk/Petfacts/healthtips/interdigitalcysts.htm

Good luck, let me know how he’s doing.

Your Bulldog Pal,

Jan

The British Bulldog has for many years had the reputation for being an aggressive dog, often making people fear the dog. This goes back to their days of being used for chasing and attacking cows and bulls for their owners. They had the task of grabbing them by the legs and making sure they were brought home. In addition, they were trained to pen them in the corner so they couldn’t move. Their job was also to bait the bulls, grab them by the nose and pin them to the ground. Although this was later considered cruel and inhumane, this is how the dog got their name. This led to people believing the dog was not only aggressive but mean as well.

The Bulldog’s face makes one remember what they were used for, with their short muzzle and undershot jaw making it possible to put the bull in a tight grip like a vice. The nose is set back on the face so the dog could still breathe while holding the bull. When people look at their face today, they can still remember what the dog was used for years ago. This facial characteristic is yet another aspect that gives the dog the appearance of being mean. Through the years, breeders have been trying to breed the aggression out of the dog to show that the British Bulldog could be made into a good family dog.

The bulldog is very stubborn in nature, and so it doesn’t tend to do well in obedience training. They are a very mellow, easy-going dog, however, choosing to stay quite happily with family members. If strangers come to their home, they may bark and growl, but seldom do they do much more. They have had the reputation for so long of being aggressive, though, that many still fear the dog and don’t want much to do with them as family pets. Their personality is such that they are a dog that “thinks things through”, which often makes people think they are just being ‘bullheaded’ and aggressive.

Because the bulldog is such a couch potato on the lazy side, many feel that they are being stubborn and unruly, when all they want is just to lay around and be comfortable. Although they are not the greatest dog to take for a walk, they do love the human companionship. They may not be the best dog to get for first-time pet owners, but they are lovable and protective animals. The history of the dog as well as their facial appearance still has some people thinking the dog is mean. Much has been done to transform this dog into the wonderful family pet they’ve become. Many breeders have been part of irresponsible breeding programs that have hurt the British Bulldog’s reputation, which has led to some people still believing they are aggressive and mean.
Original source http://www.terrificpets.com/articles/Bulldog.asp

As much as we love our dogs, they all have little quirks and habits that seem to annoy or bother us. With the British Bulldog, it’s their never ending drooling. It’s true that many dogs drool, but the bulldog seems to have it a little worse than most dogs. Many owners of bulldogs would like to know first of all why they have this problem and secondly, if there is anything they can do to help the problem.

The reason why British Bulldogs drool is because of the size of their face and all the loose skin that hangs on their face. The more loose hanging flesh they have, the more they drool. There really isn’t enough ’sturdy’ flesh to hold the drool inside their mouth. Anytime the bulldog has anything to drink, they are going to drool and there really isn’t any way to prevent that. Many owners will dry the dog’s mouth after they drool to lessen the chance of them getting a pimply rash, which is common with Bulldogs.

With all the excess drooling the bulldog does, many of them end up with the dog developing lip-fold dermatitis, a disorder consistent with dogs with a hanging upper lip and lower lift folds. It is cause by dermatitis brought on by an accumulation of saliva and food. The symptoms are the lips and skin around the mouth becoming smelly and having a greasy brown look to them. Again, if you dry the loose skin often, you may be able to eliminate this problem.

Some bulldog owners believe that not all bulldogs drool, but most of them do. Some of the ones that do drool can actually get their owner wet; some have described it as being like someone had spilled a glass of water on them. Another ‘wet’ habit the British bulldog has is coming up to his owner and shaking his head back and forth. The owner will often feel like someone threw some water on him! Others claim that when their bulldog walks through the kitchen, he leaves a trail of water behind him from all his drool. This is how bad the drooling is with some of the dogs.

In short, the more loose skin a bulldog has on his face, the more they are going to drool. Short of wiping the dog’s face off all the time, there is very little you can do about the drool. One possibility is to try to train your bulldog to not shake his head while next to you. Some individuals, on the other hand, find this behavior of their bulldog quite endearing. Another thing you may try is never to feed the dog by your table or while you are eating. Each time he opens his mouth to get a treat or food, he is going to drool. Another method one family uses is to tie a bandana around the dog’s neck with the triangle part on their chest. This is pretty efficient for catching the drool.

Original source: http://www.terrificpets.com/articles/Bulldog.asp