What's the best.... for the bulldog?

[clraymond]

Hello- We just adopted an american/english bull mix from the shelter and I can't wait to go shopping for him! Can someone please tell me the best of the following that I will need to get. I've had dogs before, but I wasn't sure if there was something with this breed that might work better than others. I did just get 2 books from the library on the breeds to read up on before he comes home Friday, but I REALLY want to go shopping!

Okay, so here's what I'm thinking:
-food and water bowls? should they be the elevated ones or not because he is closer to the ground than most? is the stainless steel the best?
-size of crate? the person at the shelter said I wouldn't need a very big one because he won't get much bigger, but that didn't help me out much. Even though he is the mix of the 2, visually, he looks exactly like an english (IMO- I'm NO expert!)
-collar and leash? The previous owners wrote on their sheet they turned in that he didn't do well on a leash and that he hated to be restrained. However, when we played with him and they took him out with a leash he showed no tugging and happily went along. I know that this was just a short time I saw that though....
-toys? He's only 10 months so I am thinking he is still going to want to chew. What's the most durable?
-Food? He will be an indoor, except of course to play, go potty and all that, puppy. (BTW- at what age is a dog not considered a puppy anymore?) Is there a better brand than others, are they all the same, will he need puppy food and if so for how long?

That's it for now! I'm sure things will come up as we go along! I had dreams about him last night being in the house. I can't wait for him to get here!!
Lori

[dollface]

bowls : I use stainless steel and if he is close to the ground then personally I wouldn't worry about raising them... If he grows to be much bigger then I would, I find it is easier for them to eat and drink and don't gulp in air when doing so.

Crate: This should be big enough for your dog to lay down stretched out, sit up comfortably, turn around... I would get a fair size crate one that will fit when full grown you can put something in the crate to make it smaller. I put a fair size box in mine to make it smaller till they grew into it, or may I say I knew they would not mess in it with all the room...

collar and leash: seems like he would do fine on them

Toys: I find the Galelio (sp), Kong, herculies, Gernade and Big bone to be real good for hard chewers.

food: I would think he should be fine on adult as long as it is a good dogfood... you have to find what works best with your dog.. I have heard that NaturesDiet, Burns is really good but we don't get it here... I feed nutro natural choice.... Don't buy any food that you can purchase in a grocery store and make sure it start with a meat meal or a meat as the very first main ingredients. Don't buy it if it contains BHT, BHA or ethoxyquin as a perservative, much better to be preserved with vitimen E.... One kind of dogfood can work wonders for one dog and not as good for another, its all trial and erroe and find what works best with yours and on your pocket book as well.

Best of luck, he sounds adorable

[clraymond]

Thanks for answering! We went yesterday and got a bunch of the basics. I got the stainless steel, and the Kong so I'm happy I got those right. The crate we got the size 36. It had a picture of a bulldog and it goes to a weight of 70. The next lower that we saw, the 30, was only to 50 pounds and he is already 45. So... the inof on the food is very helpful!! That was one thing we were waiting on because I have no clue with that! But now I do... so thanks again!

Lori

[Crossfire Bulldogs]

The only other thing I'd be sure of is that whatever food you plan on getting make sure its the SMALL bits rather than the larger for larger breeds. Bullies have a very small windpipe and the larger bits create a choking hazard.

Even though your new baby is a mix I still wouldn't chance it.

[Bullylover]

If your dog is anything like my bullies, he will be a chewer!!! I have found that Kongs and Nylabones do best. They can chew through just about every other toy they have. I'd love to see pics when you get some!!!

[clraymond]

Thanks for the info!

I can't wait until tomorrow!!! I will def. post pictures. I'm a camera freak and I know he is going to be one of our babies. You guys will probably end up telling me, okay, no more pictures!

I was hoping someone would help with the food. I read where everyone has been saying to look at the ingredients. This might sound really stupid, but why should the main ingredient be a meat of some sort? Everything I looked at today, I went shopping for him again!, was the corn mean stuff that people were saying NOT to get. Thanks for mentioning the small bits!! What are the best treats to get? I did get him the Kong so I hope he'll love to chew the heck out of it.

Okay, thanks again and stayed tuned tomorrow for pictures!!
Lori

[clraymond]

Okay! I just read the post in "beneful pet food"- or it was called something like that. Anyway, it answered my question about why buy that kind of dog food. I looked at every single dog food brand today and it was all what you all said not to get. So, I will go to a local, small pet store tomorrow am and see if I can find some of these brands. You all are really so helpful!!

[Crossfire Bulldogs]

Although there is always a debate over what is the "best" food to feed I can tell you from my own experience with the Bulldogs that the following they seem to do pretty well with.....

Wellness, Eagle Pack, Wysong, Health Food For Dogs, Solid Gold and Canidae.


As for treats, again try to stick with something fairly good for them and stay away from large bits. Canidae has a great one called Snap Biscuts and Wellness has a few like Buckaroo Beef and Tiny Tots.

[Novel]

Use peanut butter in the kong to get him started chewing on it!! And you can use crackers crushed up in the peanut butter in the kong to make an even longer treat!

The corn meal is dangerous as a first ingredient because it is not what dog's need for optimum nutrition, it is a filler that sits in the dog's stomach and doesn't do much of anything except cause allergic reactions.... Not good. It's kind of like drinking soda instead of water. There's nothing really good in it for you, you'd be better off just drinking water.

If you insist on feeding a dog kibble, I recommend Solid Gold, (Wolf Cub or Wolf King) they're made with Bison, Eagle Pack (they have lots of different varieties, the Holistic line is the best) and Canidae. It's a good food but they don't make it specific, and they keep changing the formula.

When looking at the meat ingredients, avoid meals if you can. Like Chicken Meal vs. Chicken. It's kind of like hot dogs vs. Steak. Corn is not a good filler, and either is wheat. Soybeans are alright, carrot, peas, beans, these are all good.

The main problem with all commercial dog foods is lack of varieties. If you ate Special K (which is supposed to be 100% nutrition) every day for the rest of your life, eventually you'd get sick. There is no such thing as the perfect food, you need variety. You can not expect your pet to be in optimum health by eating the same thing day in and day out for the rest of his life. I also don't recommend switching kibbles, because they all have the same inherent problem, not set up for the way a dog eats, digests, or uses food.

[Crossfire Bulldogs]

I agree, commercial foods do lack in variety and if you feed commercial you should supplement and add to their kibble once in awhile.

I add plain yogurt, egg, chicken backs and things of that nature to keep things from getting dull as well as adding extra nutrition.

[Novel]

Great Compromise, Crossfire!!

[clraymond]

Thank you so much!! I honeslty always thought the only difference was the "prices". But, after reading allt he cons, on this message post and others, I think I have the big picture now. I'm going to research the brands listed and see what I have in my area. Also, I always thought that you should not change foods on your animals, that it will mess them up per say. Was I reading too much into something when I read this:

The main problem with all commercial dog foods is lack of varieties. If you ate Special K (which is supposed to be 100% nutrition) every day for the rest of your life, eventually you'd get sick. There is no such thing as the perfect food, you need variety. You can not expect your pet to be in optimum health by eating the same thing day in and day out for the rest of his life.

Does that mean I should change his dog food, or does that mean what Crossfire said about adding the yogurt, eggs and such to the food? I also heard the "people" food isn't good for them so are there certain things that are? Sorry I'm asking so many questions! Goodness, just wait until he comes home. I hope you guys don't regret me finding this site!

Thanks again!!
Lori

[Novel]

Lori, I would never ever stop answering all your questions.

If you change commercial dog foods, you should do it slowly. If you ate Special K every day for a year, your stomach probably wouldn't handle a change to anything. You'd probably get the runs. Same in dogs.

You'll find me to be very biased about diet and nutrition, but it is all borne of experience. I feed raw 95% of the time, unless it is physically impossible, because of traveling and cooler space, and I believe that a raw diet is the absolute best nutrition for your dog.
Crossfire has made a good compromise and added additional foods to her kibble. This is acceptable, but still misses out on some of the benefits of a raw diet. Some minerals and nutrients do not work well, or at all, when in the presence of other nutrients. That's why a balanced food creates toxicities and deficiencies. You eat different things all the time, creating a balanced diet. Not everything all in one meal. That is essentially the difference between the best possible kibble out there and a raw diet.
People food is great for dogs! Most dogs were raised on nothing but table scraps until the advent of commercial dog food in the 40's. The problem in today's society is that what most people eat isn't good for them, and definitely not in the quantities that they eat it, and it in turn, people that feed scraps, feed the fatty, high carbohydrate portions of their meals to their dogs, in addition to the high carbohydrate kibble they are already eating. A recipe for disaster.

In a typical week my dogs enjoy the following foods:
chicken or duck, the whole thing, feet and feathers (I raise my own)
carrots
lamb
turkey
raw marrow bones
eggs, fresh, including the shell
lettuce
asparagus
green beans
oranges
celery
sunflower or canola oil
tripe
and whatever else comes across my plate.

The meat and bones makes up about 75% of their diet. They work hard and we do lots of stuff and this keeps them lean and trim. The veggies, ground to a pulp, consitute the rest.

www.barfworld.com is one of the places that got me started, and is a good resource even if you dont feed raw. BARF stand for "Biologically Appropriate Raw Food" or I've also heard, "Bones and Raw Food"
Keep the questions coming...

[clraymond]

Thanks so much! It's funny because I can see your dogs coat shine even thru the picture.

We actually didn't get to pick him up today! I'm so bummed. The SPCA called at 2:30 (we were picking him up at 4!) The said that they had emergency surgeries this am and so it put them behind schedule. We were all so upset! Tomorrow morning at 10 am though so, one more night! We just want him here so bad! My daughter ran off the bus, I hated telling her one more night. She took it like a pro though- she just said Oh, well at least we get him tomorrow!

lori

[Novel]

Oh, I'm sorry he didn't get to come home yet! That'll be a wonderful present in the morning, and you sound like you have a wonderful daughter!!!

Post pics of this boy when you get him. I've never met an English or American Bulldog I didn't fall absolutely head over heels for!