English Bulldog

[allenmurray]

I want an English Bulldog. It is a long story that probably doesn't need to be told. It doesn't have to be purebred, but it does need to look like an English Bulldog and act like an English Bulldog (you know, ugly and dumb).

We have always gotten our dogs at the animal shelter. However, I have checked in with the local ones (I live in durham) and they don't seem to be common shelter animals. I don't want to get one from a breeder because a) I am cheap, b) I prefer to rescue a dog, and c) I don't care about it being purebred, having papers, etc.

Any ideas? Anybody know of a rescue group, or have a friend needing a good home for their doggie?

http://imgs.sfgate.com/blogs/images/sfgate/pets/2009/12/11/BulldogChampsBossWhiteEnglish2.jpg

[BlueDevilBaby]

I'm picking up foster dog tomorrow through Lucky Dog rescue here in DC and can check for you.

[allenmurray]

I'm picking up foster dog tomorrow through Lucky Dog rescue here in DC and can check for you.

Thank you very much. I ordinarily wouldn't travel that far, but I have friends and family in DC, so going there is no problem at all.

We want a bulldog on the smaller side of the breed (or a mix that is mixed with a smaller dog). American Bulldogs tend to be 75 pounds and up - English Bulldogs 50 pounds or less.

W already have one dog (a 50# mutt) so our new dog has to be one that both plays well with others and doesn't run with scissors (he will be an indoor dog).

[BD80]

I want an English Bulldog. It is a long story that probably doesn't need to be told. It doesn't have to be purebred, but it does need to look like an English Bulldog and act like an English Bulldog (you know, ugly and dumb).

We have always gotten our dogs at the animal shelter. However, I have checked in with the local ones (I live in durham) and they don't seem to be common shelter animals. I don't want to get one from a breeder because a) I am cheap, b) I prefer to rescue a dog, and c) I don't care about it being purebred, having papers, etc.

Any ideas? Anybody know of a rescue group, or have a friend needing a good home for their doggie?

http://imgs.sfgate.com/blogs/images/sfgate/pets/2009/12/11/BulldogChampsBossWhiteEnglish2.jpg

Here are 7 dogs nearby:

http://www.adoptapet.com/pet-search-display?city_state=durham%2C%20nc&clan_id=1&clan_name=dog&country_code=US&end_number=50&family_id=29&family_name=Bulldog&geo_range=100&geo_range_km=160&is_dog=1&is_family_specific=1&postal_code=27701&start_number=1&state_code=NC&tmpl=search_dogs_1039

Other rescue orgs you might try:

http://www.midatlanticbulldogrescue.com/

http://www.heavensentbulldogrescue.com/

http://www.rescuebulldogs.org/

Good luck, and name him/her Churchill.

[sue71, esq]

You can also check out Petfinder.org (www.petfinder.org) - you can search by breed, region, etc. It's for animals with adoption groups, rescues, or shelters.

[Lord Ash]

Do be careful though... English Bulldogs are dogs that demand a LOT of time and attention, and have FAR more than their fair share of issues... so just know what you are getting into from the start. They also have short life spans compared to other dogs.

[OZZIE4DUKE]

I want an English Bulldog. It doesn't have to be purebred, but it does need to look like an English Bulldog and act like an English Bulldog (you know, ugly and dumb).

Ah. A self portrait! :eek:;):D:D

Just kidding, Allen. You know that!

[allenmurray]

Ah. A self portrait!

Just kidding, Allen. You know that!

They are also stubborn, and as they age they tend to lose both their hair and their hearing. The similarities just keep piling up! :eek: :D

[allenmurray]

Do be careful though... English Bulldogs are dogs that demand a LOT of time and attention, and have FAR more than their fair share of issues... so just know what you are getting into from the start. They also have short life spans compared to other dogs.

That is excellent advice. We have done our research and feel prepared, but you are correct that they can be a intense breed to own. Our vet has actually told us that she considers a mixed breed with a lot of bulldog features the best way to go as it will minimize some of the health concerns common to bulldogs, but still give us the things we like. Which may be for the best given that we won't buy buying a purebred ($2k and up) as we far prefer to rescue from a shelter.

[GLTBD]

When you get the new addition pictures would be great. I'm a proud "parent" of 2 beagles.

[allenmurray]

When you get the new addition pictures would be great. I'm a proud "parent" of 2 beagles.

Beagles are my favorite dog. This is my older son's choice.

[GLTBD]

They can be quite vocal at times, especially when I am watching the Duke games and yelling at the TV they seem to yell with me. Cooper the puppy proudly wears his Duke collar.

[davekay1971]

Allen, my wife and I found our two dogs through petfinder.com, which is a nice resource for finding rescued dogs. We had a very good experience. One dog was on the site through the Forsyth County animal shelter. The other was through a private rescue in Hillsborough. With some simple phone calls and a visit to the dogs, we felt we were able to know exactly what we were getting with both dogs.

I went to petfinder.com and searched English Bulldogs and put in a Durham zip code and a few dogs popped up (mostly adult, though). At any rate, that may be a useful website for you.

[DevilAlumna]

Do be careful though... English Bulldogs are dogs that demand a LOT of time and attention, and have FAR more than their fair share of issues...

Demand a lot of attention? Hardly. My bulldog sleeps a good 20-22 hours a day; and when he's awake, all he wants is to just be in the same room with me. No need for long walks, no insistence on throwing balls to him - he's about as low maintenance a dog as I've ever been around. Yes, they have unique health issues and such, but if you stay on top of it all, it's not a problem.


They can be quite vocal at times, especially when I am watching the Duke games and yelling at the TV they seem to yell with me. Cooper the puppy proudly wears his Duke collar.

Wow, my bully never barks unless totally startled by something. (And at the garbage men making noise when emptying our bins every week.) Even then, it's more of a low, "woof," than a sharp bark.

I see others on the list have already mentioned some good resources, but I'd re-emphasize looking for a bulldog-specific rescue group in the area.

[DukieInKansas]

I think GLTBD is referring to his beagles.

[DevilAlumna]

I think GLTBD is referring to his beagles.


D'oh! But of course he is. And they are noisy, in addition to smart and energetic. Kind of the anti-bulldog. ;) But they are darned cute. :D

[allenmurray]

Allen, my wife and I found our two dogs through petfinder.com, which is a nice resource for finding rescued dogs. We had a very good experience. One dog was on the site through the Forsyth County animal shelter. The other was through a private rescue in Hillsborough. With some simple phone calls and a visit to the dogs, we felt we were able to know exactly what we were getting with both dogs.

I went to petfinder.com and searched English Bulldogs and put in a Durham zip code and a few dogs popped up (mostly adult, though). At any rate, that may be a useful website for you.

Thanks - I checked there as well - one of them we may go visit after we dig out.

[GLTBD]

I think GLTBD is referring to his beagles.

He is a SHE

[weezie]

Do be careful though... English Bulldogs are dogs that demand a LOT of time and attention, and have FAR more than their fair share of issues... so just know what you are getting into from the start. They also have short life spans compared to other dogs.

Cesar Milan, "The Dog Whisperer" just did a show about dealing with a bulldog puppy, along with a couple of other breeds. It was fascinating how well he understands the bulldog in particular.

[allenmurray]

Well - after a bit of looking we decided on getting a beagle. We adopted her from a family who was "re-homing" her on behalf of their brother (who had been given new military orders and thus could no longer care for the dog). She is a purebred beagle (not that it matters to us one bit). She is incredibly cute, though in heat right now so she has made it her mission in life to go to the bathroom every 7 minutes to announce her availability to all the male dogs in Durham. That will be over tomorow as she will be getting spayed in the morning. She gets along well with Queen-Loki-the-Wondermutt (our other dog), and loves to be around her. That is except for the fact that she also always wants to be around people, so even though Loki loves to go outside in the fenced yard, when Loki goes out the new beagle (Lucy, though we may rename her) wants to stay in with the humans.

[BlueDevilBaby]

Congrats! Very adorable.

[DukeMom]

Well - after a bit of looking we decided on getting a beagle. We adopted her from a family who was "re-homing" her on behalf of their brother (who had been given new military orders and thus could no longer care for the dog). She is a purebred beagle (not that it matters to us one bit). She is incredibly cute, though in heat right now so she has made it her mission in life to go to the bathroom every 7 minutes to announce her availability to all the male dogs in Durham. That will be over tomorow as she will be getting spayed in the morning. She gets along well with Queen-Loki-the-Wondermutt (our other dog), and loves to be around her. That is except for the fact that she also always wants to be around people, so even though Loki loves to go outside in the fenced yard, when Loki goes out the new beagle (Lucy, though we may rename her) wants to stay in with the humans.

Long time lurker and now my first post is about beagles and not basketball! We have a 5 year old male tri-color who is the best dog we've ever had. Smart, with lots of personality and loves his "Mom and Dad". Loves his Duke collar and watching all the games. I don't think we'll ever own another breed.

[HateCarolina]

I missed this thread the first time around, but I am sure you will be happy with your beagle. I grew up with two different bulldogs (Chauncey and then Oscar) and everytime I see one I miss both of them. However with that said I remember my parents having to pay the vet bills and they were expensive back then (I remember an $850 & 1400 bill specifically), so I can only wonder what those same bills would be now (20 years later).

[Devil in the Blue Dress]

Well - after a bit of looking we decided on getting a beagle. We adopted her from a family who was "re-homing" her on behalf of their brother (who had been given new military orders and thus could no longer care for the dog). She is a purebred beagle (not that it matters to us one bit). She is incredibly cute, though in heat right now so she has made it her mission in life to go to the bathroom every 7 minutes to announce her availability to all the male dogs in Durham. That will be over tomorow as she will be getting spayed in the morning. She gets along well with Queen-Loki-the-Wondermutt (our other dog), and loves to be around her. That is except for the fact that she also always wants to be around people, so even though Loki loves to go outside in the fenced yard, when Loki goes out the new beagle (Lucy, though we may rename her) wants to stay in with the humans.

My sister, who lives in Downers Grove, recently adopted an adult beagle/chihuahua mix. Cupcake is very much like your description of "Lucy." She's bright, loyal and charming. She is quite appreciative of her new home and a very loving addition to the family.

[allenmurray]

I missed this thread the first time around, but I am sure you will be happy with your beagle. I grew up with two different bulldogs (Chauncey and then Oscar) and everytime I see one I miss both of them. However with that said I remember my parents having to pay the vet bills and they were expensive back then (I remember an $850 & 1400 bill specifically), so I can only wonder what those same bills would be now (20 years later).

It was a vet who dissuaded us. That, and the virtual unavailability of bullies from rescue groups or shelters and our unwillingness to buy from a breeder (we feel there are enough dogs in the world).

[allenmurray]

Long time lurker and now my first post is about beagles and not basketball! We have a 5 year old male tri-color who is the best dog we've ever had. Smart, with lots of personality and loves his "Mom and Dad". Loves his Duke collar and watching all the games. I don't think we'll ever own another breed.

We had a beagle some years back. We absolutely adored her. So much that after she died we decided aganst another as we didnt' want the reminder. We fnally decided we'd moved past that. I thnk beagles are the coolest dogs there are.

When we adopted our frst beagle from the shelter a few years ago I recall the woman who ran the shelter making a great comment. After we were done with all of the paperwork and were ready to leave, she stopped us and said, "You know, beagles are the smallest dog that is really a dog. Other small breeds are fine, poodles, shi tzus, and all the other small breeds are great pets, but that is exactly what they are, pets. A beagle is a dog."

[BlueDevilBaby]

My sister, who lives in Downers Grove, recently adopted an adult beagle/chihuahua mix. Cupcake is very much like your description of "Lucy." She's bright, loyal and charming. She is quite appreciative of her new home and a very loving addition to the family.

My boys' first buddy was a Chi/Beagle that looked like a giant Chi (all brown) with a beagle snout and ears. It is such an interesting mix of breeds - what does Cupcake look like?

Incidentally, my boys' best friend was a beagle. Consequently, they love every beagle they see. Any other dog, not so much.

[sivartrenrag]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AQDbE9kFUkw

[Jeffrey]

Congrats on the new addition! I cannot say enough great things about beagles. My childhood dog was a rescue dog (mostly beagle) and brought me/us extreme love & happiness. She was a very smart dog who always wanted to impress us by bringing her catches inside the house. Her hunting skills were obvious and her sweetness was second to none. IMO, the perfect dog for kids.

The Murray Family has made a great choice and I wish you'll many, many years of love & happiness with your beagle.

[Devil in the Blue Dress]

My boys' first buddy was a Chi/Beagle that looked like a giant Chi (all brown) with a beagle snout and ears. It is such an interesting mix of breeds - what does Cupcake look like?

Incidentally, my boys' best friend was a beagle. Consequently, they love every beagle they see. Any other dog, not so much.

I don't have a picture..... her body looks pretty much like a Beagle, especially her tail and how she carries it. Coloring looks very Beagle like. Ears are a bit long, particularly when she holds them up like Chihuahuas do. But it's her eyes that are really special. They are quite expressive.... sit under a brow with a definite Beagle line.

[DukeMom]

We had a beagle some years back. We absolutely adored her. So much that after she died we decided aganst another as we didnt' want the reminder. We fnally decided we'd moved past that. I thnk beagles are the coolest dogs there are.

When we adopted our frst beagle from the shelter a few years ago I recall the woman who ran the shelter making a great comment. After we were done with all of the paperwork and were ready to leave, she stopped us and said, "You know, beagles are the smallest dog that is really a dog. Other small breeds are fine, poodles, shi tzus, and all the other small breeds are great pets, but that is exactly what they are, pets. A beagle is a dog."
They are the best. When I first looked into the breed, people would say that they smelled and they howled and they weren't that smart. Nothing has been further from the truth, in our experience. He howls so rarely that when he does, we love it; such singing. Smart as a whip and no, not smelly. The only think he is not is a guard dog. Super friendly and so good with kids. Yeah, I don't even want to think about the "next" dog. I can't imagine another one like him.

[GLTBD]

Congratulations on your new addition. I think I mentioned before my husband and I have two beagles. Lucky and Cooper. I'm unsure how to put their pictures on this post.