Looking for my first! Eng Bulldog Mix?

[AMart79]

So my gf and I have been searching and doing tons of research on English Bulldogs and we know its a perfect fit. The only thing that doesn't match well with us is the price. I have a job, fresh out of college and my gf and is continuing on to grad school so unfortunately a $2000-3000 price tag is well out of our price range. I found someone looking to sell puppies that are from a full english bulldog mother and a half english half american bulldog father. (i'll put up some pictures of the parents and the puppy) Both parents look like english bulldogs, but i'm worried that i'll end up with a dog that's not what i'm looking for when its grown up.

I was hoping some of you seasoned vets could help me out and tell me what you think. I like the little guy as a puppy, I just want to be sure he'll look like an english bulldog when he gets bigger.

Here's the pictures of the Parents and the little guy we're considering.

Thanks in advance for the help!

 

[wfd38383]

Do you know who you are buying it from?? Just be careful as there are many scams out there trying to sell Bully puppies for $500-1000. The breed has health problems and a lot of time you do not know what you are getting from certain breeders...just do your research...there is a TON of information from extremely knowledgeable people on here and you will learn a lot!

 

[AMart79]

Do you know who you are buying it from?? Just be careful as there are many scams out there trying to sell Bully puppies for $500-1000. The breed has health problems and a lot of time you do not know what you are getting from certain breeders...just do your research...there is a TON of information from extremely knowledgeable people on here and you will learn a lot!

That's exactly what i'm hoping for! I've run into countless scam emails about shipping from ridiculous places and whatnot, so i know to stay away for sure. I know that the person is from nearby and says theyve been checked out by a vet so, from what i've read, I should be able to speak to said vet about the check up? If something like this hasnt happened, my plan is to get the little guy checked out first and foremost.

Im definitely one of those people that does a ton of research before even making the smallest purchase and this is that x100. I know i'm not just looking to buy something, i'm looking to add a family member Any idea what you think about how he looks?? Thanks for the reply!

 

[Krisandtob]

I'd be real careful due to health problems. Just my thought though. Have you considered rescue?

 

[AMart79]

I'd be real careful due to health problems. Just my thought though. Have you considered rescue?

I have actually. Trust me, I'm all for adoption. Aside from my gf wanting a puppy, the only problem is availability. All the rescues around not only have really strict requirements, but also a limited availability. Plus, i'm sure some of you know, you can't just go and fill out an application for a certain bulldog. You basically fill out an application and pay the fee and hope they get back to you with a match. It's just too long and difficult of a process. It's definitely something I'll consider in the future, but its just not a very good fit at the moment. :/

Also, the health problems is a big concern for me too. The guy told me that he has the certificate with all the info from the vet from the puppy got checked out and got its first shots. Is there anything else that needs to be done right off the bat for a puppy, anyone?

 

[Donna LeBlanc]

Have you and your wife considered adopting/rescuing an English Bulldog? There are so many homeless full blooded Bulldogs in need of a good home...you would know EXACTLY what he/she would look like. You can rescue/adopt for about $250 - $500 depending on the dog...

 

[Donna LeBlanc]

A health certificate is NOT worth the paper it's written on...trust that! If you are concerned about health problems, you might consider another breed! I'm not saying that all bullies have health problems but the majority of bulldogs DO have health issues!!

 

[AMart79]

It's not the general health issues that may arise with bulldogs i'm concerned with, it's any serious issues that may already be a problem for the puppy due to poor breeding or genetic issues. I understand all of the possible issues that arise and are typical of bulldogs, i've done my research there.

I also would love to adopt a bulldog, but I just feel like the odds of getting one that i'm looking for are slim and I also don't like the idea of signing away my money and having no idea when/if it's going to return anything. I've noticed that in other areas, it's a solid way to go about it, but where i'm from there simply aren't many bulldogs or rescues nearby. Not to mention, I can't travel to find one due to the fact that most rescues only adopt to people locally. It all adds up to really just not make it a good option for me.

 

[LariP]

That picture is pretty difficult to see for me.

When we were looking for an EB Bruce talked to a breeder of Olde English Bulldogs who tried to convince him that was the way to go because resemble EB's but don't have the health issues. They are typically larger than bullies. I think that pup could be considered an olde because my understanding is they are mixes of EB,Americans and boxers in some way or another. (not an expert so I could be wrong in that assumption)

We didn't go that route because Bruce was set on an EB.
We got HRH as a retired breeder. She was almost 4 years old and was 1/4 the price of a puppy.
We are totally and completely besotted with her. And she's the perfect fit for us.
So that's an option I thought I'd share with you too. You can PM me if you'd like more details.

 

[GatorRay]

Well, I think he is pretty cute...and others have pointed out the potential risks. Would they give you some sort of health clause in the contract? Meaning if there IS a major health issue, would the breeder be willing to help with the cost?

I know we sort of sound like a broken record filled with gloom and doom, but there are many out there (and on this forum) that have ended up with puppies with serious and life threatening problems. Believe me, we don't want to discourage you from finding a new member of your family .

 

[AMart79]

LariP, yea I've had some of the same concerns. I think I may wait it out and see what comes up the next couple weeks. That way I also have some more time to save up money. I think i'll keep my MO at finding a puppy but i'll definitely keep an eye out for any older ones that become available and possibly attainable.

GatorRay I understand, and trust me, I'm not discouraged. If anything you guys have added tons of great insight and perspective for me. I think I'll just keep looking and try to right the right little guy for me.

 

[Alice Kable]

Are the parents both healthy? Are they good breathers, can they go on a walk without huffing and puffing? Do the parents have any skin problems, any allergies? How many puppies are in the litter and how are they doing? Have the parents been bred before? If so, could you contact the owners of those puppies? Are the parents related...same mother or same father?
I have had 6 Bulldogs over a 30 year time span and I think that puppy is darling. The face isn't smushed up like most 100% Bulldogs but healthwise that should be a good thing. I am seriously considering getting an Olde English Bulldogge when my senior passes on. They live longer and have fewer health issues!

 

[AMart79]

Alice: Thanks for those questions, those sound like good things to find out.

I am actually glad you brought that up and i'd like to pose a new question. What do you guys think I should get absolutely, 100% from the breeder when getting one. I've actually got 2 different people now that i spoke to recently and have decided to come down in price.

So what questions do i need answers to (and preferably their good answers) and should i get something in writing about guaranteeing the puppies health for a year (seems somewhat standard?)

Thanks so much for helping me in this long and often difficult journey.

 

[cali~jenn]

I think you have heard enough on advice and warnings. Welcome aboard and good luck on your search. I agree with alice kable olde english bullies are some of the most amazing looking pups ever, you may wanna go that route. Completely off bulldog radar, sort of but have you thought about a pug? When we got our pug it was cuz we SO wanted a brother for Cutty but couldnt pay the $2500 again after buying our home too. Our Mugsy was MUCH cheaper and actually I didnt go thru the most notable breeder, we just saw an ad and got lucky that he has no health issues whatsoever. Now I know a lot more than I did then thankfully. Anyhow pugs are very similar in a lot of ways to the ebs but quirkier, or at least mine is. Something maybe to consider.

 

[MissPennyLue]

What do you guys think I should get absolutely, 100% from the breeder when getting one. I've actually got 2 different people now that i spoke to recently and have decided to come down in price.

So what questions do i need answers to (and preferably their good answers) and should i get something in writing about guaranteeing the puppies health for a year (seems somewhat standard?)

Thanks so much for helping me in this long and often difficult journey.

We got a health guarantee for 6 months against anything that would end/threaten to end Penny's life with a VERY specific list of things is would NOT include (i.e., cherry eye which we have dealt with in one eye).

Also, I would consider if the breeder cares what happens to the puppy. Our breeder had us fill out a 2 page questionnaire (maybe a little excessive) about our lifestyle and living arrangements. We are renting & had to provide the contact info for our landlord so that he could verify they did in fact allow pets. I think it says a lot when the breeder actually cares what type of him they're sending their babies into.

Ask if you can see the parents. The mom was on site when we went to see the litter, and she helped seal the deal. She was SO friendly, healthy looking, and sweet. You can also ask if the parents are AKC registered. If so, they may have DNA testing done or hip x-rays.

The biggest thing I would do would be to actually go & SEE your puppy. They first breeder we visited had a great website, sounded like she was knowledgeable on the phone, etc. We got there and the puppies were cute, but their personalities were off (very timid/lethargic), the puppies were filthy, and the breeder didn't offer to let us see the parents, etc. We didn't ask because we knew we weren't interested almost immediately. We had a completely opposite visit when we went to see Penny's litter.

So, go with your gut! It may be worth it to save a little extra $$ to be able to get what you are really looking for in your dog. This is a huge commitment!

I also wanted to add that the same thing happened with us. The first breeder called with a drop in price the next day. We paid asking price for Penny, but there were several people interested in her & we wanted to reserve her. There were 9 puppies in the litter, and the breeder did end up reducing the cost for the last few in the litter.