These Bulldogs belong to a breeder who, on a Facebook page discussing my earlier blog about Bullodgs, has written: "Fuming... crock of shit."
And it neatly illustrates the problem. They simply don't see - and hear - how abnormal this is. They think it's a bunch of Bulldogs having fun in the show.
While the rest of us watch and weep.
Add 11/3/13
The video has now been removed... inevitable, I guess.
poor things.. they're trying so hard to play, but their deformed bodies stop them.. they're struggling! it's really sad to watch.
ReplyDeleteand yet people think there's something cute about videos like this..
Now I am loosing my temper, how dare you say they have deformed bodies, you ignorant coward, I am so sure of the lies perpetrated in this blog, that I actually have my name to my replies no writing lies & bullshit with the name up as anonymous, no cutting videos short, & while typing this I am watching my 5 year old Bulldog cashing my Dad round the garden, catching balls & shock horror they've been out the over half an hour, please do not believe the hype & lies being spread by this person, go & seek out some genuine Bulldog owners & ask to get to know them & their dogs, then you may be able to make some genuine & educated views of your own on the best breed of dogs I have had the pleasure of sharing my life with.
DeleteCaroline perhaps it's time you answered a question honestly............what WAS wrong with the bulldog of yesteryear? You cut the crap and bollocks and explain what advantages the changes in today's dogs have brought to the breed, so far none of you breeders will answer that question and for me that speaks volumes.
Delete"what WAS wrong with the bulldog of yesteryear? "
DeleteThis, perhaps?
http://www.bulldogsofbaltimore.com/images/bulldog_university_images/bulldog_history_pic1.jpg
Thanks for the link.........how saddening and depressing that there has been no improvement for the breed, obviously I was referring to the dog of yesteryear that was capable of doing the job it was bred for!!!!!!
DeleteHere's a great selection of historical pictures of Bulldogs. Some are real shockers - but some provide a great template for what the modern dog could be.
Deletehttp://smg.beta.photobucket.com/user/Pietoro/library/Dog%20Breed%20Historical%20Pictures/Bulldog
Jemima
Thanks for the link Jemima, thoroughly enjoyed that so far.........think we can be fairly certain which ones stood a chance against the bull (why anyone would think of such a barbaric activity is beyond me, thank goodness that is in the past).
DeleteSome are indeed quite freaky and others a superb example of what I've been referring to, strikes me that every one of those dogs bodies appeared longer, leaner and more masculine than anything seen today.
Oh come on Jemima surely anyone can see these are fit, athletic and agile dogs enjoying a bit of footie, can't they..............???
ReplyDeleteDear god in reality they can only manage a few seconds burst of activity without needing a rest, what is wrong with these BULLY breeders?
Just a few seconds and they all stop to kind of breath.
ReplyDeleteSad for the dogs, pathetic for the humans who breed them like that.
If one of you has ever had a blocked nose or felt exhaustion after climbing some stairs now imagine having that sensation all day every day. Yeah, sounds awful.
Unbelievably sad, how anybody could deliberately bring animals into the world that simply cannot funtion at the most basic level (breathing!) is beyond me.
ReplyDeleteOne of my neighbours has a bulldog from a successful show kennel. At 3 years old the poor bitch has had operations to correct both hip dysplasia and cherry eye, the folds of skin on her face are sore despite being cleaned and her breathing is consistently as bad as the dogs in that video. She's also not walked as apparently the breeders advice was that 'bulldogs don't need excercise'. So she exists in her crate eating the specially shaped kibble designed for her grossly deformed jaw, what a life eh?
Would think the moon is made of cheese if somebody told you it was too?
DeleteBulldogs don't need exercise? Need specially shaped kibble? What utter nonsense. You might as well say Jack Russels need sunglasses to keep the sun out of their eyes or say that Labs should eat carrots as it would make them better guide dogs!!
Oh good lord. And they are in the snow getting that hot.... Last snow storm here where we had about 6 inches, my Corgis spent about 15 minutes playing frisbee in snow up to their bellies (they had to bunny-hop through it), then we went for a half hour off-leash hike though the woods, then came back and played some more frisbee, and then stopped to play with some kids who were sledding. All told they were running and trotting in it for about an hour. And when I tried to bring them in the house my male planted his feet and did not want to come in because he was not close to tired and was having so much fun. I was tired from hoisting my own legs through the snow, they were ready for another game.
ReplyDeleteAnd this was in snow to their (admittedly short) bellies that they actually had to plow through. They DID pant a few times, but it was the normal panting that dogs do while they are still running around smiling, not heavy snorting can't-catch-their-breaths panting.
Wow. That's hard to watch.
ReplyDeleteLol, adding insult to injury! Are you trying to attract attention to the haters?! Damn. As funny as this event is, in motion, I have to say I disagree with the methods of what this blog generates. Its not what you show, but how you show it, and by your angle, it shows like emotional replies to an already emotional audience that are not exactly fond of your ideas. Its this sort of drama I hate. Best stay objective unless you want to edit again, after seeing so many of your own supporters criticize your yellow journalism.
ReplyDeleteThis is an obviously delicate topic, while in a powerful position. And although it is obvious that detractors will flock with hate no matter what, I believe it best not to encourage it even more.
Here's something to hear, from several brachycephalic St. Bernards in Canada, a colder climate.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PgIz1Add98s
I see the few that are running and playing, but I also see and hear the wheezing, snorting, heaving, and horrible gasping throughout the whole video. The dogs that are just walking shouldn't be so noisy in that climate. It's sad to think this breed used to have long faces with none of the drool.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kQ_3f4bLkME&feature=player_embedded
Thanks goes to the person who posted this video in a previous post, absolute eye opener and worth watching. Even bring to light how breeds with less brachycephaly and more facial soft tissue padding, like the Shar Pei and Chow Chow, can have just as many breathing problems.
People might not like things, like this issue, brought to their attention. There is a thanks that it has been as it needs to be addressed instead of just ignored or taken as acceptable and normal for any dog or breed. Why is a health problem or genetic defect ever in a breed standard or considered proper?
Jesus wept!
ReplyDeleteI'm so disjusted that u think it is ok to openly try and damage the bulldog breed , wot god given right do u have to post such dam right drivel , yes there r back street breeders that do not have the bulldogs best intrests at heart , but that goes for every breed , I have watched the whole video that u have took upon urself to try and disgrace these dogs and u have cut it ! Not showing the time and fun these fit healthy bulldogs have spent , all dogs pant ! , no I'm not a breeder and do not own a kc bulldog , so am not bias , I love these dogs , u should take a little more time with them and educate urself a little , rather than than trying to get people to believe your crap , u r a disgrace to the dog world ! Marie
ReplyDeleteMarie, perhaps you should educate yourself first. How about starting off with English grammar and spelling?
DeleteDoes the RSPCA and Dog's Trust have an opinion on irresponsible breeding?
I don't understand how these people can be anywhere near dog's let alone breed them, sell them and own them.
Why do people like you ALWAYS say,"educate yourself?" Insulting much? Go to one show, meet some in the park and you have the entire ugly picture. For God's sake, they can't even mate and birth normally!
DeleteAs someone who knows the owners of the above dogs I would just like to point out that this video was taken after the dogs had been out for a walk (hence they still had collars on), they had been playing with that ball for over half an hour, and two of the bullies had recently had a litter of puppies each, and one of the bullies was a grandma for heavens sake, would like to see your Grandma chasing a ball around in the snow without panting
ReplyDeleteBla bla bla bla........... You don't have to be that old to be a granny in the dog world, ummm............. dogs should be capable of activity all day if that is wanted or necessary, I've had dogs all my life and I have never heard any of them sound like that after light activity, simply not good.
DeleteThanks for sharing what you would like to see our grandmas do. The world is a wide and wonderfully diverse place, apparently.
DeleteSeriously though, if my granny was chasing a ball around in the snow, I think whether or not she was panting would be the least of my worries.
Are you serious, the topic is dogs and their health and welfare not grannies......................... No wonder some of them are in the state they are really!!
DeleteAnonotroll @ 08:01
ReplyDeleteThe only people damaging bulldogs are the breeders. They ought to be ashamed of themselves. That so many aren't ashamed is a disgrace.
You are pathetic these dogs had been running around for over half hour before this!!!
ReplyDeleteThese are healthy dogs if they dont like it or felt ill they wouldn't play would they I've had border collies they pant when playing like this like all breeds but some how it's a deformity if a bulldog pants!!!
Surly all of you have better things To do then bad mouth innocent people who have lovely healthy dogs!!
If my dog breathed like this after a half hour of chasing a ball, I'd have him to the emergency vet.
DeleteIn fact, mine will run around pushing a ball for over a half hour with another ball stuffed in his mouth (and therefore keeping him from panting at all) for the entire time and not pant for even a few seconds.
You are all so, so wrong. Do any of you have a Bulldog.???? No, I bet you don't. We do, and I can quite honestly tell you, that they are as fit and healthy as any other dog. Its how you bring any dog up. So before you talk more nonsense, think before you speak. I bet none of you know anything about the breed. So all go and slate something else, cause that's all you seem able to do.
ReplyDeletetell you what I'll tie a sausage to the tail of my setter and your bulldog can chase it
DeleteHa ha ha, that is funny, enough said :-)
DeleteCan your dogs give birth without surgical intervention? If you have a breed of dog that can hardly mate without assistance and cannot whelp without surgery and you still think you haven't gone too far then i dispair for this breed i really do!
DeleteYou are in denial. I wouldn't have one. They are ugly and useless. And that's not their fault, it's the fault of the breeders and the owners that are delusional about normal dog behavior.
DeleteJemima you are the "Pied Piper of Bullsh@t", and yes you write this "Crock of shit" and you're dirty little rats follow. If there is a problem with the breed what are you and you're dirty little rats going to do about it........NOTHING.
ReplyDeleteYou're going to waste your seemingly pointless existence writing this "Crock of shit" every year and stirring up you're little rats who then feel the need to express their narrow minded, uneducated views.
There's bigger things which need addressing regarding dog/animal welfare, do something useful.
Well, thanks to Jemima, this little rat is informed on the awful health status of many bulldogs.
DeleteLike many other rats, I desire to cuddle and enjoy the critters I live with and love. I love bulldogs. They are by far one of my most favorite breeds. They're full of personality.
I think many of them look cute and have amazing temperaments. But I will not get one. Why? I want to have long friendships with my furry friends and not have to lose them prematurely to some health issue caused by bad genes and body structure.
It's quite a shame, because I love bulldogs so much, but because I don't want the potential heartache of early death or excessive vet bills, I'll have to settle for more moderate breeds that live longer, but whose personalities are not the same as the bulldog's unique character.
And that is precisely what we are doing. If more people know the heartache a breed may cause due to a tragically short life, fewer extreme dogs are sold. That's why us rats are not as popular as dogs. We're much cuddlier and have just as much love, but we only live a few years.
Oh, I didn't realize I was dirty. I'll go groom myself, then. We're normally very clean critters, you know.
Ano ,I'm so glad my grammer has been checked by urself it has bothered me ! I can work on that , u though it seems got alot more to work on , starting with meeting some very healthy bulldogs and then maybe ur rude attitude
ReplyDeleteI just want people to stop breeding dogs who are physically deformed, who suffer unnecessarily and for the breeders to take some responsibility for their actions rather than keep making excuses.
DeleteMaybe then I'll stop coming on here and being rude. It is upsetting for people who care about the welfare of dogs to see people making excuses for the Brachycephalic breed's pathetic existence. Empathy? Go look that word up!
And what is the Breed Club doing about it? Still no recommended health screening for the breed. Sadly this needs to be seen and pressure does need to be put on those that say they love the breed but can watch them panting for breath like this. If my dogs had been out for an hour walking and came back to play with a ball...there's no way they would be behaving like this. One dog a grandma! That depends on how old the Grandma is and two bitches having just had a litter.....so what! If you hold up a video that tries to promote how healthy your bulldogs are...at least make it one that shows how healthy they are.... Honestly, I really feel for this breed....with all the denial that's going on! While you say we are doing nothing...at least bringing the shocking state of this poor breed to the public's attention is a start. Nobody, and I mean nobody, can say that their bulldog is healthy without having had sufficient health screening carried out to confirm this. I wonder if the bitches that had recently had the litters have been hip scored, elbow scored, eye tested, heart tested...and all the rest that other breeds carry out before mating. I really think you need to look at what you are seeing and realise just how awful it is to watch by those of us that have dogs that can run and play without looking as if they are going to pass out at any minute.
ReplyDeleteSorry but once again your facts are wrong. The Breed Council Health Committee have many many health screening procedures in place.
DeleteI don't know about anyone else, but I've never seen a bulldog "run around for half an hour." I've never even seen a bulldog retrieve (or known one to give birth without a C-section). Based solely on my experience with them as a veterinary assistant, I wouldn't want to own one.
ReplyDeleteAnd that's why I found this so impressive:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RSDDVGRyCIA
YouTube has several "English bulldog agility videos," but this is the only one I saw that shows the dog running the pattern without any cuts.
EXACTLY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!You don't know, so you can justify your comments on your own experience can you??
DeleteIt's a big world out there you know, so until you find the time to go explore the bigger picture i suggest you and the rest of the "RATS" jog on.
I'm glad you wouldn't want to own, you are obviously the kind of person who doesn't deserve a Bulldog (not English Bulldog) in your life.
DeleteI don't undestand in the first place, why would anyone want a this kind of dog. You need to blind and deaf to think this is how a dog should look and sound like.
DeleteWhy not have a bulldog like this?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y1ctT_9PaKM
Or this? (overweighted thought)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HZPjzHZqZZE
This?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EYk6wCxGauw
Heck, even these guys look better.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XlsysUS9Zlc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pEpGmD9e_jU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=topLc2PZ3qw
So why have this?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-NlJwe17nwE
Because they think that if the dog doesn't has a smushed-in face and is covered with wrinkles, it's not a bulldog.
DeleteI wonder who decided that? The modern french and english bulldogs are only recent freak show creations, and have nothing to do with the baiting dogs of the past.
A *real* bulldog is an athletic, functional animal that can work all day if it needs to.
Oh and, I have a Mallorcan bulldog. Does that count? (Probably not, because he can breathe and run just fine.)
iv never met a dog that doesn't pant after chasing a ball around. I know a couple who have a bulldog its fit as a fiddle and keeps up with my lab no problem dont get me wrong there is alot of bulldog owners out there that think there bulldogs dont need walks ect there the lazy owners who are giving bulldogs a bad name
ReplyDeleteThis!!!
DeleteI show in the utility group and i have always been disturbed by the sight and sound of Bulldogs that i see. Does that make me emotional? Some of you people are in the deepest possible denial. In all those shows and at my ringcraft class that is popular with some of the top Bulldog kennels i have never seen a Bulldog that was capable of much other then walking and trying to breathe. I was in a varieties class not so long ago and i had a Bulldog standing behind me, that was making such a ghastly rasping sound as it tried to breathe that my normally bomb-proof dog was scared of it!
ReplyDeleteWhen someone starts ranting and calling people "little rats" i think we can all agree who is getting emotional around here. And if you don't think that the state of this breed is a matter of animal welfare i am not surprised that you're so deluded.
The evidence of my own eyes is all i need to form my opinion. I think what you mean by an uneducated, narrow-minded view is anything that doesn't agree with you.
I can appreciate that you are hurt and offended but you can't and will not shut people up with the kind of crap you're posting. You can suggest all you like but it won't stop people talking and eventually the public will begin to realise that certain traits are not normal or trivial.
I realise that when people have clawed their way to the top of the tree in the show world they don't want to be told they need to rip it up and start again. But sadly i think you do. You are breeding animals that are at a disadvantage from birth. These dogs that you keep claiming are fit and healthy have absolutely no chance of a healthy happy life with a permanently compromised respitory system. If that is love for the breed that you have, it is of the selfish variety.
And there's nothing you or the other RATS will/can do about it (even if there was a problem). And if its evidence gathered by your own eyes you should have gone to Specsavers.
DeleteYour dog is scared of a breathing dog??
DeleteSeriously though, I can understand some people will get emotional over a number of attacks on the breed. there is no denial from a number of people in admitting that there are some inherent issues with the bulldog as with a number of other breeds.
What is of course remarkable is that we keep hearing the same old, 'born with a disadvantage', 'cant breath correctly' arguments do not wash. I could quite happily illustrate many non brachycephalic dogs that would easily collapse on their backs gasping for air having walked far less than a bulldog. The myth that they are the lazy mans dog still annoys me in the fact that these dogs can be walked and excecised more than a number of other breeds without any detrimental impact to the dogs health and well being. It would of course be interesting to see a study into the 'body mass oxygen intake and heart rate' statistics in a number of differing breeds and see which ones struggled to regulate the oxygen the least. Id be happy if somebody could point me in the direction of the statistic that shows a correctly weighted bulldogs oxygen intake is inadequate to effectively keep the heart rate normal in ALL activity. The breed's health has improved immensely due in no small part to the breeders (of the non back yard variety)who are trying to breed sensibly by removing as many of the aforementioned 'defects' as possible. No chance of a healthy, happy life? If it werent for a large number of owners who love and care for their dogs like no other breed and better than some people actually treat their own children, Id probably agree with you. Selfishness in loving an animal really? I think that comment is a little unfair and somewhat of an oxymoron
No this wasn't just a breathing dog! However i did expect one of you denial people would point that out. Perhaps you'd like to imply i have an emotional dog! That is why i described it as Bomb-proof. This Bulldog wasn't just breathing.. Why would my dog be scared of breathing? It was making a loud rasping sound which at one point almost sounded like it was shouting!
DeleteI was going to say i'd like to see a Bulldog on a treadmill going head to head with a non-brachycephalic breed, but on second thoughts i wouldn't. I see them all the time lolling around outside the showring, often laid flat out on the ground, i've even seen one propping itself up in its cage. I realise that there are some that are capable of being more active then others, but sadly i don't accept that the breed as a whole is capable of much real activity. I don't know about the defects that have been removed but one still remains. I don't doubt that these dogs are owned and loved.. Of course i understand that and i understand how the comments must hurt. Bulldogs always seem like a lovable breed. But i'm sorry, insisting that they have no problems with health or activity because breed fans like the current look of the breed is a selfish kind of love.
Sorry that the somewhat sarcastic breathing comment escaped you, it was meant as a joke more than anything. But if of course as you mention your dog is bomb proof (and believe me Ive experienced the real thing and many of my friends sadly were not) then I must point out to a few comrades that loud rasping sounds in Afghanistan may mean an imminent threat to their safety (again Im being sarcastic).
DeleteI am of course somewhat shocked that you class me as someone in denial. I actually don't dispute the fact that some of the bulldogs characteristics still need addressing, the most important one is the breathing issue. Im not sure what a treadmill would prove other than the fact that one breed will do better than another,(plenty of brachy's would give many a non brachy a run for its money) the bulldog, as Ive mentioned before will become a fat lazy and unhealthy specimen generally because the owner lets it get that way. So yes, you maybe right by saying that a breed as a whole isnt capable because the owners as a whole dont allow it to? I then set myself up with even the bulldog owners themselves in that respect but I can honestly say that the vast majority Ive had the pleasure to meet are very active. Im still not sure, even the most stalwart and defensive of bulldog owners would surely suggest that nothing is wrong wth the breed. Its really easy to misrepresent a group of people by picking out the most obvious negatives whilst totally ignoring the greater picture. 15 years ago I think the bulldog was a shadow of what it is today, its 100 times improved but still not quite there. Im sure, and I think many have mentioned, that looks is never what draws a person to the bulldog breed. Out of all the breeds Ive owned Ive never come across a more loyal and loving companion than a bulldog (and Im a person whos been brought up with and around many a working gun dog)
My apologies for bracing for fall-out instead of going with the joke. I like to think i'm not attacking the people, i'm a dog person myself and i know the criticism is painful. You'll have to forgive me again for thinking that there is a long way too go with this breed yet. Certainly until they can breed naturally and they breathe freely.
DeleteWe all think our breeds are wonderful and we find it hard to believe that anyone could accuse us of doing anything detrimental to something we love so much.... Totally get that. But as someone who loves dogs i don't think i do the species any favours if i turn a blind eye and i don't say what i think.
Much appreciated response :)
DeleteThe first step to fixing a problem is admitting there is one. From the level of denial I'm seeing in the comments from the owners/breeders, sadly, nothing will be done to help this breed. Jemima, great job on documenting all of this and making people aware of the issues. Hopefully the breed clubs will take a serious look at the mess being created.
ReplyDeleteI'd admit to there been a problem in the good old US of A, mind you you lot know how to f%^k things up good and proper
DeleteOops....looks like the video has been removed!
ReplyDeleteThere is something that can be done about it Bulldog fan and here it is.... You're reading it. And the more people talk about it the more pressure Bulldog breeders will be under to come back down to Earth and start breeding dogs that are not destined to suffer in the name of doggy fashion.. Because for sure it isn't in the name of anything functional!
ReplyDeleteI don't need glasses to hear a dogs rasping away just a few feet away from me. I don't need educating i have owned dogs for the last 40 years. I unlike yourself do not live in denial. I know what i am looking at and unlike yourself am not deluded into thinking it is OK or normal. I can see and hear that it is not. If the full extent of your counter argument is typing the world Rats in capitals as if it is going to have a deeper effect or telling us we "can't do anything about it.. Na na ne na na" i think we can all see we're wasting our time with someone like you. But that's perfectly OK because there are still some adults out there that i am sure can shoulder the criticism of their breed and at least think about what others are saying even if they don't agree.
Hi Anon.. may I just ask.. do you feel that dogs should only be bred to perform a 'function'.
DeleteCould you explain what that means? i.e. must it be bred purely to perform a task at the behest of say the owner?
1. I am not a Bulldog fan I just don't like you and the other RATS 2. From what I can gather the Responsible Bulldog breeders are taking major steps to ensure healthy/healthier dogs and finally 3. No you'll do nothing about it, do you really think this is major world changing problem, haha get a life you old fuddy duddy, why should you care anyway, by the sounds of it you won't be around for much longer, well hopefully not anyway.
DeleteWell you showed your real class there didn't you. Probably another chav who bought a Bulldog as a fashion statement.
DeleteDo i think this is a world changing problem? No, but it's wrattling your cage isn't it.
I won't do anything about it but you can't stop anyone talking about it can you. And i don't have to have a reason to care about it, but hey unlike you i am a genuine animal lover. Oh no! One more Rats in capitals i'm going to run away! Seriously!
So the RATS girl hopes that anyone that doesn't think Bulldogs are healthy dies. Wow there must be Bulldog breeders out there cringing at your contribution to this discussion. Actually wishing death on people who have lives and families that love them because they don't agree with your opinion.
DeleteHaha rattled my cage. Did you not read I'm not a bulldog fan, that would indicate I don't own one wouldn't it. Talk about it until you're blue in the face it will get you as far this blog is going to get, nowhere, but deep down if you've half a brain you'd already know that.
DeleteI am an animal lover but I also like trolling bullshit blogs like this winding old fuddy duddies up because, and I hate to admit it, we have something in common, I too have nothing better to do with my life.
You seem way too emotional to not be a Bulldog owner so you're fooling no one. I mean here you are wishing people you don't know dead over the subject.. How creepy can you be? And yet you're not a Bulldog person! Did you tell us earlier that we should get better educated on the subject?
DeleteI think we all know how far this blog has already gone but as you also think that Bulldogs don't have problems i would imagine you'll remain in denial about that also.
And as for winding anyone up... I draw your attention again to the fact that you wish i would die and all because of a little exchange on the internet.... And i'm the one wound up! HA HA as you say.
Newbandman, all breeds were developed for some function or other even if it was just being a lap dog. The Bulldog had quite an athletic history didn't it? But in this case i use the word functional in it's most basic sense... A dog that can't even lick its own bum let alone give birth to a litter.
DeleteDo you think dogs should be bred purely to be aesthetically pleasing then?
I dont think the name calling was directed at myself but, Chavs and Bulldogs? Hmmm quite wealthy Chavs then especially when it can often cost more to insure a bulldog than it does a Chelsea tractor....however....
DeleteI may be out of touch here but Id never seen a Bulldog as a fashion statement. Normally dogs that one could place into a fake Gucci handbag possibly.
No i wasn't refering to you in that sense at all and as i said previously i do know a lot of Bulldog owners and as with all breeds there is a cross section of owners. There are plenty of zero-class people with money out there and i do think the Bulldog had a run of being in fashion with some, not all obviously. I hear that Malamutes are fashionable now.. Buggered if i'd want to stuff one in a handbag!
DeletePlenty of wealthy Chavs out there. You can't buy class or taste though eh? Or brains...
DeleteHowever, just because a Bulldog is expensive to insure doesn't make it a valuable asset! it is because the breed of dog is well known to require a large amount of veterinary care throughout it's life. I still can 't believe people actually buy these dog's. Talk about being ripped off....or being gullible.
My sadness comes from the fact that so many bulldog owners here seem to think this is normal panting. First of all, it's snowing so presumably cold; a short-coated dog should have to work REALLY hard for a long time before panting at all ("laughing" type panting is something different; dogs will pant instantly if they are happily excited--- this video is exertion/heat related).
ReplyDeleteSecond of all, these dogs are hardly "chasing a ball" in the sense that most people mean it; they are pushing a ball around at a shambling speed.
Third, the dogs ARE having fun and that is great. The fact is though that they should not have to work so hard to move so slowly in cold temperatures.
Finally, people can love their own bulldogs for their hearts and kindness and still recognize that any dog would be much happier being able to undergo very minor exertion without heavy panting like this.
The only time I've seen one of mine pant like this is when she starts running/barking/chasing and it's over about 85 degrees; she is heavily coated, her belly is covered, she lacks the sense to lie down on the tile when she gets in (which my other dog does) and she starts this heavy rapid panting (without the wheezing). We resolve it by wetting her belly, and of course we don't allow any dog to exercise heavily when it's 85 degrees.
But dogs cool through their pads as well as their tongues, so walking on snow should have a cooling effect and a dog moving that slowly for that short a time should not be panting as if they are overheated. And no dog should make those noises when they pant.
So the fact that so many seem to think this is normal dog behavior is sad and troubling; how can we ask to change when people are so accustomed to it that they think it's cute?
Beth, its been pointed out a number of times that the dogs shown in the video had previously been for an hour long walk.
DeleteNow as for the pads... only a very small amount of heat is lost from the pads (of any dog). Walking on snow doesnt have any more of a cooling effect on the body as would walking on a carpet indoors
Panting. Dogs dont only pant to reduce heat, they also do it when excited. My family also own Golden retrievers (who I would guess seem to pant more than my bully)
As for heat... theres quite a number of dogs that would struggle to run around in 85 degree heat, as would many a human.
newbandman, can the majority of Bulldog bitches give birth without a C-section? If not then too me that really is the definitive sign that you've gone too far.
DeleteHi Anon.. this is even something that annoys me and divides a lot of 'breeders' as some even say that self whelping is cruel (I disagree and feel that c-section is the crueler option and often one that vets seem to jump to far too quickly. Personally Ive always felt that c-section should be the last resort. This is my opinion and I would probably upset many an owner and breeder by saying this, but Im honest in my opinions, and far from blinkered. Im not a breeder by the way.
DeleteHonestly... I do believe that it would be a greater figure if the 'back yard' breeding was better controlled. You'd be suprised how many bulldogs are actually self whelped. I still laugh that many suggest that the reason they cannot is because 'their heads are too big'. I despair at how many people still actually believe this.
newbandman, again with respect if my dogs breathed like that after a walk and a short ball-playing session on a cold snowy day I'd have them at the vet. That is not normal panting or breathing, and is really excessive for a day cold enough to have snow on the ground.
DeleteI posted on the last blog the same thing but this myth all Bulldogs struggle to run and exercise normally without panting is simply not true:
ReplyDeleteIts not all bulldogs....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BeB6rIZxXk4
My 3yr old KC can run, swim and does not suffer in the heat. He is athletic and fitter than most of the overweight labs and cockers we meet on our walks - He even comes with me for a Jog. You won't see him at the dog shows as he isn't the beauty pageant type.
Huge improvements have been made to the breed over the last decade but the more athletic type tend not to be shown.
Couldnt agree more with your last comment there IDR
DeleteIDR... I'm really impressed by your Bulldog... Taller, athletic, much-smaller nose-roll, great eyes and not as flat-faced. If the dogs in the ring were like your boy I would have much less of a problem with them. His breathing is still a bit noisy at times but thank you for posting the video link (and I enjoyed watching the other videos of him too).
Delete*Please* show him!
Jemima
" but the more athletic type tend not to be shown. " And therein is the issue, I think.
DeleteYour bulldog is a lot closer to the old type, and I saw a bulldog like yours once around here (intact boy too) who could definitely run and play and didn't wheeze and huff. He had perhaps even a bit more muzzle than your guy. He was an impressive, powerful dog, much like yours.
And I thought "Where are THESE bulldogs in the show ring?"
I wish they would show the more athletic type. THAT should be what wins classes.
Jemima,
DeleteThanks for your comments on my boy.
I won't be showing him as it does not benefit him; he would much prefer I take him for a walk around the lake or in the woods with his "best friend" a golden retreiver.
My boy is the tip of the iceberg with Bulldogs - there are lots of other athletic Bulldogs bred by breeders who care and are doing their best to improve the breed.
Those breeders and owners who are striving for a better Bulldog are frankly undermined when you write sweeping comments and generalisations like the following from your previous article:
"But let's not pretend that Bulldogs are anything other than a gross parody of what a dog should be"
That angers me (as a humble pet owner) and it does no justice to the breeders who strive to breed better dogs.
It erodes your credability to make such rash unfounded comments and simultaneously riles the breeders who you are trying to get through to. After reading such a comment do you expect them to listen to your cause and reason?? What kind of reaction do you expect? or was your mandate simply to get a reaction?
Have a look deeper into the breed (outside of the narrow window of the show ring) - there are many good dogs and breeders, ask yourself why those dogs are not at shows.... but I emplore you stop putting down the breed as a whole, it does no one any favours.
You have a unique platform from which to aid in the improvemnet in many breeds. Hold up champions of what you think breeders should be aiming for rather than writing the breed off and having a cheap pop at the few whom you think have it wrong.
Thanks,
Ian
Hi Ian, it is very pleasing to hear that news about bulldogs, what is deeply saddening and obviously jemimas bug bear is that those dogs that are presented in the showring are meant to represent the very best of the breed, it is the show breeders/exhibitors that are letting the breed down and them alone!
DeleteIan, your Bulldog is just lovely. I am keeping my hopes high that more bulldog breeders will start breeding bulldogs like yours. (I really hope.)
DeleteCheers!
Well that pisses on that theory of bulldogs not being able to keep a ball in the mouth, he is a credit to whoever bred him and you the owner :-)
ReplyDeleteThat's one dog we're talking about. What happened to the "look at the bigger picture"?
DeleteJemima, I'm wondering what you think of the American dog called the Olde English Bulldogge? They seem to have somewhat restored the look of the older bull dog, and the couple of breeder sites I looked at seem to health test, though it appears there are some of the same issues cropping up with a creep towards more extreme type that we see with the traditional English Bulldog.
ReplyDeleteI'm not posting any links because I don't want to associate any breeders with the site without their knowledge. Apparently their dogs all can free whelp, have muzzles, no screw tails, etc.
most are illegal in many places in the USA and are confiscated and killed when found
DeleteCould you provide a link to substantiate that claim please Bestuval. I have been looking online and haven't found anything to suggest that this is so but that may well be my inadequate search abilities!! I have no affinities to Bulldogs of a ny type but through curiosity had a look after Beth's comment and was pleasantly surprised by the photos I saw. Photos are one thing of course and reality another but I thought some of them appeared to be very handsome animals with much better noses less skin folds and good legs, no idea on temperament though. One dog in particular I would happily have given a home to.
Deletebestuvall, I live in the States and have not heard of that policy. Do you have more information? Most states don't have BSL, and those that do are generally directed at APBT's. Normally, you need a specific reason to confiscate a dog here.
DeleteTo me, the Olde English Bulldogge is a vast improvement over the ones in the Crufts showing.
DeleteI will never understand how breeders could have taken such a magnificent breed and turned it into such a mess, all for their own vanity, pride and wallet. I do NOT mean just the bulldog either. The list has gotten too long to type out.
I am surprised that Bestuvall has not replied to this, but assume she must know what she is talking about, being a bull terrier breeder based in the US as well as an AKC judge?
ReplyDeleteOr maybe that was a throw away line ...
I still can't find anything more online only various kennels breeding The Olde English. Funny they are allowed to continue if the dogs are illegal!