The Basics
Always ensure there is fresh water available to your Bulldog.
Check with your breeder what your puppy is being fed and I recommend that you do not change the diet until at least one year of age when all the skeletal growth is nearly complete!!
If/when you change the diet, please introduce the changes slowly to avoid diarrhoea and/or vomiting. If at any point puppy does get a bit diarrhoea, just because pups chew all sorts, stress a little, withhold a meal then give them the next one with a good teaspoon of Natural Acidophilus Yoghurt added.
Usually I say there are no hard and fast rules to feeding your puppy but I recommend using a really good quality, premium food (Puppy Large Breed) to ensure your puppy gets the crucial amounts of calcium, vitamins and minerals required in the very important first year.
After age one, all my dogs are fed a ‘variety' diet, a good meat mix, with a little dry ‘commercial’ pet food, just be careful in regard to food colouring additives, too much red can encourage tear staining, and even staining round the feet. A good quality dog roll, please make sure you cut this down into very small pieces, bulldogs DO choke and too many have died choking on dog roll. Beef mince, meat mix, chicken mince, chicken necks chopped up are a welcome treat. I stand and supervise every single meal from puppy to geriatric, accidents can happen and they do happen but if you are there on the spot you can help!! I use tux dog biscuits and also give them a large UNCOOKED beef leg bone every couple of weeks. NEVER feed ANY cooked bones as they can splinter!!!
When your puppy first comes home they may go on a temporary hunger strike. As long as they are well and not running a temperature, this is due to losing the competition of his/her littermates at feed time. Do not be tempted to fuss over them and offer different foods. All this will do is teach them to become a fussy eater. Bulldogs are masters at getting their own way and will remember just how to get roast chicken for dinner again. Simply take the food away and offer it again at the next feed time. They will learn to eat when the food is offered. At some time in the next few weeks they will also begin to lose interest in a meal – this is an indication that it is time to only feed 2 meals a day.
TOYS
Pups need something to cuddle up to that keeps them company and warm. Soft toys with no hard eyes or noses, that can be easily washed. Chewy toys that make a noise, or something they can safely chew on. Definitely Not those rawhide bones that they can unravel the knots and half swallow.
VACCINATIONS
Your puppy should have had his/her first vaccination, weigh in and basic health check at 6 weeks. When you pick puppy up round 8 wks old you should also receive his/her Pet Passport with their record of vaccinations and worming. This will tell you when they are due to visit the vet again.
WORMING
Your puppy should have been wormed every two weeks and will require this until 3 months old. Thereafter, worming should be done every 3 months.
MICROCHIPPING
Your puppy will need to be microchipped by law. This is normally done at the last vaccination. When you register your puppy with your local council, you will be asked your microchip number which your veterinarian will supply you with at the appointment.
NZKC
Hopefully you have purchased from an NZKC registered breeder then your puppy should be a New Zealand Kennel Club registered pedigree Bulldog. It may take two or three weeks after you get your pup for the paper work to be processed, but you will receive in the post your Bulldog puppys NZKC pedigree which is often referred to as his/her papers, these will have your puppys full pedigree name and family history on them.
A breeder may decide to endorse the paperwork in regards to future breeding or exhibiting, this will be discussed with you in full at the initial discussions, the pup will be on the Restricted Register. Not every pup in every litter is show quality, nor do they all carry attributes to be bred on, these maybe small things that do not affect the pup in anyway as a loved pet, but are things that a good breeder does not want to see carried on through a breeding programme, this is why breeder's place endorsements and require them to be neutered.
EXERCISE
At the moment the only exercise your puppy needs is what it gets from play. Lead walking is not necessary until the puppy is around 6 months. Lead training and getting used to a soft collar is a good idea long before then though.
Exercise should not be excessive to the point that the puppy is exhausted. Short times of free running and short fun walks are fine until then. Your main concern at this age is feeding and sleeping, don't let puppy play after a meal. Jumping from high surfaces such as the couch or bed should be avoided as bulldog puppies are quite heavy and repetitive jarring can create stress fractures that can lead to full fractures or bone deformity. It can be worthwhile to place a rubber mat in places such as the back doorstep as this can be quite a distance for a puppy to jump down and if the puppy is in and out of the house several times a day it can create problems.
Contrary to popular belief, bulldogs DO enjoy exercise and it is good for them. Of course, this is very restricted in that first year of growth, pounding the pavements for half an hour is going to do some serious damage to their soft joints, introduce it slowly and build it up quietly as they get older. Another factor to consider is the weather, do not consider exercising your bulldog in the heat!
Many do not need a great deal and certainly over exertion can be harmful but once they are a little older a walk every day or so will be appreciated by most bulldogs, some require less and some require more. They will let you know when they've had enough and need a rest – breathing will become loud and heavy. Let them rest until they are ready to resume and offer a drink. Bulldogs are in fact an active, playful breed when allowed to be and have far more energy than is commonly believed. Get to know them and set limits accordingly.
Or tongue in cheek, rule of thumb - never walk a bulldog further than you are able to carry them home!!
A good tip is to take a drink along on walks – a small spray bottle can be used for when your bulldog becomes hot or needs a drink.
Swimming is another good exercise, again introduce it slowly and build it up, always with a lead on them so you have control. Bulldogs do not take naturally to swimming, you have to teach them as they are so top heavy often they just tire and sink! NEVER leave your bulldog in or near water unattended, they tire very fast and just like children they can get into trouble pretty quickly, if you have a harness and rope put it on them and then you can pull them in. Doggy Life jackets are available at a number of places.
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Up to this stage any puppy coming from me has been looked after by the fabulous team at Total Veterinary Services Ltd. If you are in the Christchurch area then I would strongly recommend, no, DEMAND that you continue this relationship until your pup is at least 12 months of age. I make no apologies for this statement, I have found them to be fantastic, level headed people handling my bulldogs and in my personal opinion, well worth the effort to drive that little bit further.
If you are not in the Christchurch area then make every effort to find a Veterinarian that knows the breed and is confident in handling them, ask around or your breeder may even be able to help find one. They simply are NOT comparable to any other breed out there and if a vet does not handle a number of them through their practice then they can really terrify new owners with comments. Because of the uniqueness of this breed they do have some things that happen in the first twelve month growth stages that other breeds don't and if it is picked up on and handled properly then there is no need for panic and dire warnings. In saying this, you will tune into your Bulldog and if you feel it is "not quite right" then go with that instinct. A Bulldog's pain threshold is pretty high, sometimes they may be feeling quite uncomfortable for a while before letting it show.
You have chosen this breed because of its uniqueness and all that makes it a Bulldog, they are a specialty breed and I can not emphasise enough that you heed and take on the advice of your breeder!!!!!!
Bulldogs are worriers, they often need guidance and reassurance ie they need you to explain/show them what you want, and then encourage them quietly and tell them how good they are when they get it right. They can get themselves quite worked up over nothing occasionally, take them away, settle them down, let them know there is no need for their reaction.They are not always as brave as people think they are, but the worst mistake people can make is patting them and reassuring them that they have reason to be scared of something.
Bulldogs need a firm hand, not a harsh hand. Voice control generally works, a good loud firm NO and take them away from what they are doing. They ARE stubborn and they ARE persistent, you HAVE to be as well, be consistent and start off the way you want to carry on. If they are really having you on, roll them on their back and hold them for a few seconds repeating NO. If they keep going, put them in their crate for time out.
Don't encourage tug of war games, think about what would happen when you try to remove something they shouldn't have, don't encourage biting games, getting them grabbing your hands and feet, these are dominance games and they will be determined to win it, if you loose just once they won't forget.
There is a whole lot of information out there with easy access to the internet these days, but please ensure it is reputable people and the correct actions they are suggesting. There is nothing like someone with a few years of experience behind them as opposed to self appointed experts.