Anyone in Florida?

TacorisBulldogs

New member
Feb 11, 2014
66
0
Fredericksburg, Virginia
Country
USA
Bulldog(s) Names
Tacori
Does anyone on here live in Florida? I'm asking because we are debating on either moving to Florida or California when I retire next year. We've lived in both so we know the areas, but now we have Tacori and we plan on getting another EB in about a year. We are concerned about the heat during the summer months in Florida though, would love to see how first hand experience with your EB is!

Thanks
 

2BullyMama

I'm not OCD....now who moved my bulldog?
Staff member
Community Veteran
Jul 28, 2011
48,581
3,673
Gilbertsville, PA
Country
USA
Bulldog(s) Names
Chelios (Frenchie), Nitschke (2004-2011) Banks (2005-2014) and Lambeau (2014-2024)
A lot of members in Florida
[MENTION=900]KMARINO[/MENTION] [MENTION=7064]mer55[/MENTION] [MENTION=649]bubba[/MENTION]sapig [MENTION=3331]Bella[/MENTION]'s Mom [MENTION=9462]Baxter Tiberius[/MENTION] that I can think of off the top of my head
 

mer55

Well-known member
Community Veteran
Nov 16, 2012
1,049
105
Venice, FL.
Country
USA
Bulldog(s) Names
Jackson, Bogey (granddog) Ruger (granddog)
We LOVE Florida! In fact, I took Bogey to Ct for Christmas and he was as miserable as I was. He HATED the cold, and for the most part the snow. One day it did warm up to 50 and he seemed to enjoy the melting stuff! As for our summers here in the SUNSHINE State, - it does get hot, but we learn to do,things early in the morning, or in the evening. Bogey did slow down in the heat, but I never took him anywhere in the heat of the day. He actually enjoys the heat, and I have to drag him in sometimes because he will sunbathe until he has heatstroke!! Of course our home and car are air conditioned so he is comfy. I always ran a fan for him even with the AC, especially at night.. I think dogs will acclimate to any area, you just have to know your bully and what he can tolerate. Bogey could spend an hour jumping in and out of his baby pool, chasing the hose, in pretty hot weather. Another bully may not be able to tolerate that. I hope you choose Florida!! The West Coast is awful nice!!! Congrats on your pending retirement!!!
 

KMARINO

I couldn't make this sh*t up if I tried!
Jul 21, 2010
7,219
728
Bradenton Fl.
Country
USA
Bulldog(s) Names
VEGAS and REBEL
I love Florida too. How we deal with the heat?? Well anything above 75 and Vegas is in an out to potty only, summer it can be over a 100* for days on end. We just have to keep him occupied inside, when my son lived here we would have play-dates indoors with our dogs. If I do have to take Vegas out, like to the vet or to get his nails done, I start the truck about 15 min. before we leave so it's nice and cool and always carry cold water bottles with me. I have had Vegas for almost 5 years here in FL. and we just have to be very careful, he loves to sun himself and I limit it to around 5-6 min. Congrats on your retirement!
 

Davidh

Head Pooper Scooper
Staff member
Mar 21, 2011
13,407
848
Katy, Texas
Country
USA
Bulldog(s) Names
BeBe, Hazel, Lucy Lu, JLO, Hillary, Henri, & Katie
Several members live in Florida and their bullies do fine. We live in Texas and it gets hot here too. The bullies love to sun, but we don't let them stay out very long unless it's early in the morning, or late in the evening.
 

jenzaar

Active member
Aug 24, 2013
956
50
Country
USA
Bulldog(s) Names
Winslow
How do you manage exercise, if even the mornings and nights are too hot? This boy loves his walks, and the dog park.
We have this conversation almost every month, but if the stars align a certain way then my husband says we are Florida bound by the end of the year. :/

I guess that's my main concern. I'll also be super bummed if he can't go everywhere with us, like he does in NJ.
 

mer55

Well-known member
Community Veteran
Nov 16, 2012
1,049
105
Venice, FL.
Country
USA
Bulldog(s) Names
Jackson, Bogey (granddog) Ruger (granddog)
I still walked Bogey every day, even with 90 degree heat and high humidity. He is a fairly active Bully, so we went out in the mornings and gave him a good walk. The heat would get to him for sure, but I know his limits. It would also tire him out, so he always took a nice nap upon returning home in the AC. As for his doggie park- I avoided them in the summer because they are HAVENS for bacteria in the hot weather. If we got a cooler day, I take him for a little while. We have a marina I can take him to, cool ocean breezes and a nice TIKI bar for the humans! Dogs are welcome, so we go there sometimes in the evening. I always took him to our backyard when the shade hit that side of the house- sometimes it can be a 10-15 degree difference. He would just lounge in the shade. We kept him active with nary a problem!
You would be surprised to see how many bulldogs are here in Florida!
 

jenzaar

Active member
Aug 24, 2013
956
50
Country
USA
Bulldog(s) Names
Winslow
I still walked Bogey every day, even with 90 degree heat and high humidity. He is a fairly active Bully, so we went out in the mornings and gave him a good walk. The heat would get to him for sure, but I know his limits. It would also tire him out, so he always took a nice nap upon returning home in the AC. As for his doggie park- I avoided them in the summer because they are HAVENS for bacteria in the hot weather. If we got a cooler day, I take him for a little while. We have a marina I can take him to, cool ocean breezes and a nice TIKI bar for the humans! Dogs are welcome, so we go there sometimes in the evening. I always took him to our backyard when the shade hit that side of the house- sometimes it can be a 10-15 degree difference. He would just lounge in the shade. We kept him active with nary a problem!
You would be surprised to see how many bulldogs are here in Florida!
Do you know the relief that just went through all of me? Wow. I do feel a lot better. Winslow is only a year so I suppose there's not much telling yet if he will always be so active, but he is a beast when he's not exercised. But we have a lot of fun taking him to the boardwalk here for walks, or the parks just to romp around. So it's really nice to know that it doesn't have to end.

We were in South Beach right after Christmas and actually saw two! I was happily surprised but it made me miss Winslow even more! :p
 

Rural mystic

New member
Jan 1, 2013
1,600
105
North Florida
Country
United States
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Ace
Have lived in North Florida all my life, up to this point, and from several generations of native Floridians on my mother's side of the family. There is quite a difference in mean temperature between North Florida and South Florida but regardless it can be quite muggy and hot in the summer months. I don't think you should have any problem with your bully here as long as you take reasonable precautions. On the hottest days just don't allow overexertion but you should be able to take your dog for a leisurely walk on any day and not be concerned if you don't allow too much exertion. On most days it will be fine. I have an OEB and he exercises outside all seasons but in the hottest days of summer I limit the amount of exertion and time. I love North Florida, its always been home, I love the rivers, lakes, cypress ponds and piney woods. I can't think of any other place I would rather live when considering the landscape and temperatures. During the winter time here we get several days below freezing and some days in the teens. During the winter months the temperatures can range 40 and more degrees during the day. Could be in the twenties at night and early morning and get into the 70's by the early afternoon. We get quite a bit of rain during the year and of course the dreaded tropical storms and hurricanes. Depending on the part of Florida you reside in I think you would like it. I live in a rural part of Florida and I prefer it to the urban areas. I wouldn't live in a big city unless it was by necessity
 

jenzaar

Active member
Aug 24, 2013
956
50
Country
USA
Bulldog(s) Names
Winslow
[MENTION=7587]Rural mystic[/MENTION] that sounds like just what we want... I can't do cities, and doubtful that a suburb would work for me. We don't even know what area we'd like to live in, just a place with enough space to grow some of our own food (maybe a chicken coop too, and a couple of goats ee!), a spot to build a pond, and lots of green per my husband's request.
May I ask where you live? :)
 

Rural mystic

New member
Jan 1, 2013
1,600
105
North Florida
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United States
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Ace
@Rural mystic that sounds like just what we want... I can't do cities, and doubtful that a suburb would work for me. We don't even know what area we'd like to live in, just a place with enough space to grow some of our own food (maybe a chicken coop too, and a couple of goats ee!), a spot to build a pond, and lots of green per my husband's request.
May I ask where you live? :)
C
Well the North Florida area would suit you both just fine. I live in Columbia County just south of the city of Lake City. I am about 20 min from the Santa Fe and Suwannee River which I have spent many, many hours on fishing or just boat riding. It's beautiful to me and I love the entire area in which I live. We are about 50 miles north of Gainesville Florida the home of the University of Florida. My job is in Gainesville and my wife works in Lake City.
 

jenzaar

Active member
Aug 24, 2013
956
50
Country
USA
Bulldog(s) Names
Winslow
Wow that sounds perfect! You may be getting a new neighbor! Haha. Thanks for the info. Obviously we've got a lot of research to do but I'm glad to know there may be a spot where we'd be happy. :)
[MENTION=11093]TacorisBulldogs[/MENTION] I will now stop hijacking your thread! :D
 

Rural mystic

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Jan 1, 2013
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North Florida
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Ace
Wow that sounds perfect! You may be getting a new neighbor! Haha. Thanks for the info. Obviously we've got a lot of research to do but I'm glad to know there may be a spot where we'd be happy. :)
@TacorisBulldogs I will now stop hijacking your thread! :D

I'm biased but I would suggest, if you like what I have described, focusing on the Columbia County [Lake City is the county seat] or Suwannee County [Live Oak is the county seat] you should be able to find the right spot in one of these areas without too much difficulty.
Personally I wouldn't want to live any further south in Florida than the Gainesville area [Alachua County] or Ocala area [Marion county] is the furthest south I would want to go. But I prefer the North Florida area. If what I have described stirs that certain something on the inside or rings a bell so to speak then do the research and check it out. Depending on what your use to it may be a bit of a cultural shock, there are quite a few of what may be referring to as Red Neck's in the area but many are just good country folk and of course there are cultured folk as well. It's got a decent mixture of both. But it's really southern its not necessarily what a lot of folks think about when they think of Florida the landscape and people are more like South Georgia and Lower Alabama folk by that I mean southern and you get the picture. To me its the genuine Florida that not many folks are that familiar with, its the Florida I love as home.
 

jenzaar

Active member
Aug 24, 2013
956
50
Country
USA
Bulldog(s) Names
Winslow
It absolutely sounds like where I'd like to be. And believe it or not I grew up amongst rednecks haha. I lived in a very rural part of northwest new jersey, nothing like where I am now near the beach. Coming here was the culture shock!!

I will need to look at a map - now I need to find a place with all that, and not far from the beach! :facepalm: does such a place even exist? :p

But thank you, I truly appreciate you giving me so much input!
 

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