Newest bully mom

ddiizzyy

New member
Oct 4, 2013
17
2
Country
USA
Bulldog(s) Names
Augustine
**Edit, I posted photos somewhere in this thread but can't see them so I added them to my profile**

I also forgot to mention I had her nose corrected for the nares.
Hello all. I am usually a Boxer lover but my son talked me into getting an English Bulldog. I had difficulty finding a breeder and my son kept on about how badly he wanted a bulldog so I went off to the petstore (ugh! always hated them and swore I wouldnt purchase). I had made my way to Puppies N Love (animal kingdom) and saw a cute little brown bulldog. Problem with him is that he was barely awake and had no energy and I left. Thenconvinced my husband to go to one more mall and off we went.

The next pet store (puppies n love, different mall) had a cute white bulldog with brown spots. My only other experience with bulldogs stemmed from the previous store so I wasn't expecting to be impressed. However, this little thing ran around the greeting room like a spider monkey, flying through the air, stealing everyone's shoes, biting feet, and just extremely happy to see us. I knew right then I had to have this dog. I left and came back the next day and purchased this beautiful angel for upwards of 4000.

3 days later, Pneumonia fighting for her life in an animal hopsital. A dozen vet visits, a 3 day stay in hospital and 10 weeks later, Pneumonia free, but not before my two boxers fell very ill to the same disease. I literally was in agony. Three dogs, all wont eat, sicker then you can imagine and all I wanted to do was spend time with this amazing little puppy.

I got all my girls well but went on an insane rampage. I wrote the petstore long and threatening, but educated emails and they were forwarded all the way to the owners.

Meanwhile my vet bill was 3000 for this bulldog. I thankfully had a warranty and didn't care how much it was (even if i didnt have the warranty i would have paid this bill). Wouldn't you know it, the warranty company tried to deny my claim and pay only 1000 of the bill.

Another rampage.......Attorney General, 5 news stations, and emails back to the owner of the petstore who employed this warranty company (P.A.W.S). The owner, Frank Minero, decided to work on this case (the threats of exposure and extreme victory in court probably helped) and now I am getting the vet bills paid. Of course though its been in accounting for over a month so who knows when I'll see it.

During this entire ordeal I have had the vets tell me how bad pet stores are, as if i didn't know, but in the end they did tell me "you probably saved this animals life so I am not as mad about it coming from a pet store".

The night I brought her to the hospital I wasnt sure how sick she was. I contemplated it for 2 hours cause I knew she wasnt right but I thought it was the kennel cough. Finally when I saw that she kept getting up and moving cause she couldnt get comfy and I noticed her breathing was so bad I ran to the hospital. When I got there, she was at about 20 percent oxygen.

Now, this girl is 45 lbs (was only 8lbs at hosp) and she follows me everywhere I go and has to sleep on my chest.


Questions I have about her are....

She pee's in dog beds, I hate it and have no idea why, maybe being in a box at a petstore? Anyone know how to correct this?

She is scared of the dog and ran around in barking attack mode in the middle of the night last week. It scared us so bad my husband turned grey in color. Is this normal?

She is not on nurtri source grain free as she seems to be allergic to grass and grain. Had to run her to vet for a steroid and benedryl shot for hives that covered every inch of her.

She also growls a little when you try to do something she doesnt want, is this ok? Maybe just stubborn.


BTW, she is like my daughter, I spoil her rotten and pretty much give her anything she wants (except people food, gives her diareah).

Okay, I'm ranting but wanted you to know the hell I went through for this sweet angel but I tell you what, she is the cutest thing on earth. She had the longest toungue and never sticks it in her mouth. Poor girl.

I even bought her a filtered water fountain. hahah
 
Last edited:

dolphin

Pooper scooper
Nov 5, 2012
10,936
962
Country
USA
Bulldog(s) Names
7
:welcome: Wow you've really been through the ringer. I commend you on getting that Vet bill paid for, nice job! What do you mean when you say she is scared of the dog and ran around in bark mode?
 

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)
HOLY wow... what an ordeal! Thak you for saving her and fighting to make sure this doesn't happen to someone else... hopefully you will get you money refunded, as you should!
an only hold

Crate peeing --- keep in mind pups can only hold their bladder for 1 hour more than they are old... so if she is 5 months old, then she can only hold for 6 hours. If she is older than a year, you need to make sure she on is on a real good schedule and maybe keep all bedding out of crate till she is fully trained.

Barking at night --- could she have been startled by the movement of the other dodg? If yes, not much you can do... just like her barking woke and scared you, she was also woken and scared.

May want to look into Fromm grain and chicken free foods.... I feed Pork and Peas, my girl is allegic to chicken and all grasses. I wipe her paws when we come in from outside and give her two 25mg Benedryl twice a day.

Growling is never acceptable.... look up on the web 'Nothing In Life Is Free', it is a great training tool that will teach her that you are her pack leader.

Best of luck --- very happy your found us!

:welcome3:
 

brutus77

Skinny-Dippin' Smokin' Tidy Bowl Bionic Woman
Jul 18, 2013
6,940
593
Long Island NY
Country
USA
Bulldog(s) Names
Brutus, Frankie, and Jack
Well I'm glad you got her healthy. How old is she becase as far as peeing on the beds, My Brutus would pee on any dog bed in the house when he was little. He would also chew any of them as well. As far as the growling, you have to show her you are the boss. Whatever she has when she growls needs to be taken away for a bit and then given back so she understands you are in control whether it be food or a toy or whatever. If you are trying to groom her, then just talk calmly to her and keep trying. Brutus is my first bulldog and one thing I have learned is YOU MUST ALWAYS WIN NO MATTER WHAT. If for one minute Augustine thinks she is in charge your life as you know it is over!! Haha, not quite but you know what I mean. Good luck and for goodness sakes post some pictures.
 

jlcox24

New member
May 5, 2013
363
20
NC
Country
USA
Bulldog(s) Names
Ollie
Welcome! you've come to the right place and there is lots of help here! I hate with a passion pet stores, but I agree you saved her life!! My husband and I were about to get a dog from a pet store but had talked to a friend from outta state thats a breeder and she gave us the whole insight on pet stores! Again welcome! and can't wait to see pictures of your crew!
 

fastmatt613

Socks Don't Hold Pee.....Trust Me on This!
Community Veteran
Aug 6, 2013
1,026
55
New Jersey
Country
United states
Bulldog(s) Names
Rocco
Welcome! Sorry to hear everything you had to go through but happy that most of the hardships are behind you! How old is your son who convinced you to get a bulldog just out of curiosity? I was about 18-19 when I first became really interested in them. When I first got Rocco (8 wks old) he had very little energy as well. All he wanted to do was sleep. Now, he is a hyper little guy who never stops lol. But I was concerned at first as well. Looking forward to seeing some pics!
 

Texas Carol

Texas Carol....put the heart in EBN
Community Veteran
Jul 4, 2012
7,581
832
Central Texas
Country
USA
Bulldog(s) Names
Brutus & Cami live in Heaven
What a moving story and so much to go thru so soon. I applaud your fighting
spirit, Congratulations on your victory...you sound like a Texan!

Welcome to EBN!
 
OP
D

ddiizzyy

New member
Oct 4, 2013
17
2
Country
USA
Bulldog(s) Names
Augustine
  • Thread Starter
  • Thread starter
  • #9
It was 130am and out of no where she went hysterical, in attack/barking mode. She was so fierce like she saw someone in my room. She ran to the corner where her water bowl was, then ran to the other corner by my bed and even when we crouched on the floor to let her know "it's ok" she kept backing up and barking fiercely as if there was something there. My voice (i am seriously like her mom she treats me like mom) is what woke her. It was almost as if she had a nightmare. When i looked in the spot where she was backed up against there was either some pee or water. SHe had to be pretty scared to pee like that if it was indeed that. She is also very jumpy. If she is laying on my lap (45lbs, 10 month old) and i touch her back she just about jumps out of my lap. Shes scared of everything.
 
OP
D

ddiizzyy

New member
Oct 4, 2013
17
2
Country
USA
Bulldog(s) Names
Augustine
  • Thread Starter
  • Thread starter
  • #10
With the allergy to grass I made my husband go outside and hoe the entire yard to dirt. Hahahaha. Poor guy cause it was 10pm on a Sunday but he didnt mind knowing how sick it made her.

She just eats chicken everything so I don't think she is allergic to chicken yet but I did hear of Fromm and it's a great food and I am going to try that if this other food doesnt work out. I went to a feed store with a man that has his dogs lying all over the floor and he educated me on different nasty foods out there and referred me to the nutrisource grain free. It's quite expensive so I bet its better then the Iams she started on. Believe it or not, she hated that blue buffalo.

There were no other dogs present when she freaked out like that and she is not crated at night cause she is crated in the day so I refuse to crate her that much.

I will gladly look into the literature you referred me to. I was going to revert to growling back even though she just looks at me like I'm crazy. BTW my 9 yr old boxer bit her and made her bleed a week after we brought her home and reminds her that she is the boss and the bully pretty much doesnt bother her anymore. I hated that and the boxer was in a bit of trouble for that move.
 
OP
D

ddiizzyy

New member
Oct 4, 2013
17
2
Country
USA
Bulldog(s) Names
Augustine
  • Thread Starter
  • Thread starter
  • #11
She is funny and the most loving loyal thing I've ever seen. She is now 10 months and 45 lbs. She has the largest under bite my vet has seen and also the longest tongue. She put her paws on my bed and night and demands to sleep with me but she's a bed pee'r so I wont let her but i did buy her an expensive coolaroo. I figure with her weight and the way it seems to hurt when she lays on me that perhaps a hammock bed would make her more comfy. Of course she prefers my bed.

I am seeing her stubborn side. When I am trying to tell her something I see both her ears go back and then forward when I am done speaking so she cant pretend she can't hear me. She does get butt hurt very easy. Like if I go "bully no" she goes off to the corner, plops down like a baby, stares at me sideways and pouts then wont listen to me. I have to literally walk over, roll her over, and rub her belly and all is well again. BTW, she also had a vagintitis cause she wont clean herself so I have to baby wipe her all the time. When she hears the baby wipe lid she runs over to me, plops on the floor, then rolls over with all four legs up in the air. She does this everytime. It's funny though when I am getting a wipe out for her face and not her other area's. hahah.

Did I mention she loves anything edible??? OMG what a pig.
 
OP
D

ddiizzyy

New member
Oct 4, 2013
17
2
Country
USA
Bulldog(s) Names
Augustine
  • Thread Starter
  • Thread starter
  • #12
My son is 19. I'll tell you what though this little girl has had energy since she was a tiny baby and i still have trouble getting her to lay down or rest. She hardly lays down. always in trouble. She also runs her bottom jaw up your calf when you get home which is kinda gross and slimy. BTW how do I post more photos. In the thread or on my profile??
 
OP
D

ddiizzyy

New member
Oct 4, 2013
17
2
Country
USA
Bulldog(s) Names
Augustine
  • Thread Starter
  • Thread starter
  • #13
Thank you. One concern I have is the Baytril she was on. she had to do three rounds of baytril, doxy, and amox. Baytril is not suggested for puppies cause it can mess with the cartilage and i know these dogs already have a hard time with that.
 

Most Reactions

📰 Latest posts

Members online

No members online now.
Top