October 2020 Bulldog Breed Council

Newsletter

Issue 004

BULLDOG

Who Are We?

BULLDOG BREED COUNCIL

‘ Britain'sBreed National

Promoting healthy Bulldogs, carefully bred to the Kennel Club Standard

If you have an interest in Bulldogs, then join a Bulldog club, there are 18 clubs all around the country.

They are organising Bulldog specific shows, educational seminars and events.

So, if you have a Bulldog, wish to buy a Bulldog or simply

want to talk to like-minded people. Join a Bulldiog Club

’

All 18 Clubs and Secretaries’ contact numbers are listed on the Bulldog Breed Council website. under ‘contacts’.

http://www.bulldogbreedcouncil.co.uk

BULLDOG BREED CLUBS SHOWS AND EVENTS

We are very fortunate in Britain to have a large number of local Bulldog Breed Clubs, and two national clubs. Nearly all of these clubs hold at least two shows each year. The Club Secretaries’ contact de- tails are on the Bulldog Breed Council website: www.bulldogbreedcouncil.co.uk/contact. There are also General Canine Societies which also hold shows during the year, so there are lots of opportunities to see beautiful Bulldogs bred to the Kennel Club standard and chat with the breeders.

Bath & Western Bulldog Club 2021 TBA Birmingham & Midland Counties Bulldog Club Champ show: Sunday 18 July 2021 Judge Mrs Petra Grell-hansohm. Venue: Wednesbury Liesure Centre, High Bullet, Wednesbury, WS10 7HP.

Blackpool & Fylde Bulldog Club 2021 TBA Bulldog Fun Day Sunday 6th June 2021 Newark Showground NG24 2NY British Bulldog Club Champ Show: 22nd November 2020 Unfortunately, this show has been cancelled. Open Show & Gold Medal Puppy Competition: 11th July 2021 Open Show Judge: Mrs V Eaton (Ricatori) Gold Medal Puppy Competition Judges: Mrs D Bishoprick, Mrs V Williams (3rd judge TBA) Venue: Shirland Village Hall Championship shows: 20th/21st November 2021 The British Bulldog Club will be holding a huge weekend celebration of Bulldogs in November 2021 with TWO Championship shows Judges will be Mr Kevin Davis (Saturday) and Ms Elizabeth Hugo Milam (Sunday). On Saturday night, (20th November) there will be a memorial evening, remembering all our wonderful Bull- dog friends who have recently died. Venue: Royal Court Hotel, Coventry

Bulldog Club Incorporated

Bulldog of the Year November 2020: This event is definitely going ahead. Details will be found on the club website: www.bulldoginc.co.uk Details of Championship show and Bulldog of the Year 2021 will be on the club website in due course.

Bulldog Club of Scotland 2021 TBA Bulldog Club of Wales Open shows 7th November 2020 Unfortunately, this show has been cancelled 13th February 2021 Judge Mrs Gail Westmoreland (Gailbulls) Venue: Caerwent Community Centre, Lawrence Crescent, Caerwent NP26 5NS

East Midlands Bulldog Club Open Shows 28th March 2021, Judge Mr D Nealings (Neptunebull) 3rd October 2021, Judge Mrs J Smith (Saintrosemil) Venue: War Memorial Hall, Dorothy Avenue, Glen Parva, Leicester LE2 9JD

Junior Bulldog Club Championship Shows: 4th April 2021 Judge tba 16th October 2021. Judges Mrs S Garside (Iceglint) Dogs. Mrs A Van den Heuval (Beefeaterbulls) Bitches Venue: Brackley Leisure Centre, Springfield Way, Brackley, NN13 6JJ

London Bulldog Society

Championship Show : Sunday 10th January 2021

Judge: Paul Reynolds (Biddle)

Venue: Bracknell Leisure Centre , Berks.

Open Show: Sunday 13th June 2021

Judge Steve Parker (Albionspride)

Venue: Larkfield Village Hall, Kent

Limit Show: Sunday 24th October 2021

Judge Richard Eaton (Ricatori)

Venue: Larkfield Village Hall, Kent

Manchester & Counties Bulldog Club:

Championship Show: Saturday 6th February 2021.

Judges: Dogs: Mr P Moody (Bulldurham) Bitches: Mrs L Watkins (Shipshape)

Referee: Mr B Johnson (Trumbul)

Venue: Tillington Hall Hotel, Stafford

Northern Bulldog Club Championship Show: Sunday 27th December 2020

Judge: Mr W Goodwin (Britishpride)

Venue: Swinton Masonic Hall

Northern Ireland Bulldog Club Open Show: Saturday 25th September 2021 Judge: Mrs E Lees (Milasha) Venue: Oakfield community centre Carrickfergus BT38 7SP BT38 7SP

Northumberland & Durham Bulldog Club TBA Pennines Bulldog Club TBA Plymouth Devon & Cornwall Bulldog Club Open Show: Sunday 2nd May 2021. Judge: Mrs AWalters (Cholto) Venue: Kentisbeare Village Hall

Champ. Show: Sunday 8th August Judge Mr Peter New (Newrock) Venue: Utility Day Paignton & District Fanciers Association

South of England Bulldog Club Open Show: Sunday 21st February 2021 In memory of Mrs Lynn Manns (Lynmans) Judge: Ms R Wells Stutter (Linmist) Venue: Cobham Village Hall, Open Show: Sunday 18th September 2021 Judge: Mrs P Freeman (Testwood) Venue: Cobham Village Hall,

Yorkshire Bulldog Club Open Show: Saturday 12th June 2021 Judge: TBA Limit Show & Silver Rose Puppy Comp: Monday 30th August 2021 Puppy Comp Judge: Mrs J Booth (TBC) Show Judge: Ms R Bonilla (Sharonbull) Champ Show: Saturday 13th November Judge: Mr W Goodwin (Britishpride) Venue: Brodsworth Miners Welfare Hall, Woodlands, Doncaster.

Facebook is no substitute for seeing well-bred Bulldogs live, so please come to the Bulldog club shows. You will see beautiful Bulldogs, be very welcome indeed and join the ‘Bulldog family’. The Club Secretaries will be able to give you the address or send you a ‘Schedule’. The schedule gives all the de- tails of the show, including the time, venue address, postcode and the judge. Secretaries’ details are on the Bull- dog Breed Council website under ‘Contacts’. WHY WOULD YOU WANT A BULLDOG ?

To come home from work to something to cuddle …………………. No, get a cuddly toy To be the envy of my friends………………………….. No, get a 5 carat diamond ring To put in my handbag and take shopping ………………………… No, get a Chihuahua To be my running companion …………………….. No, get a Dalmation To guard my home and business ……………………….. No, get a Rottweiler To have a dog to groom and clip …………………………… No, get a Poodle

To have a loyal, steadfast & courageous friend ……. … Yes, a Bulldog is perfect To have a wonderful family pet who loves the children …………. Yes, a Bulldog is perfect To have a quirky, funny dog who loves me unconditionally………. Yes, a Bulldog is perfect To have an active, fun-loving companion ………. Yes, a Bulldog is perfect To have a dog who makes the most revolting smells ………….. Yes, a Bulldog is great at this too! YES, I REALLY DO WANT A BULLDOG, BUT WHERE TO START?

Start with the Bulldog Breed Standard. This is the written ‘blue print’ for the breed, and is the template all serious breeders use to breed the best Bulldogs that they can. It can be found on the Bulldog Breed Council website: www.bulldogbreedcouncil.co.uk Get as much information as possible, but be very careful where you get that information—there are lots of face- book sites and websites giving information which is inaccurate,. The Bulldog Breed Council has loads of infor- mation leaflets and details of the Health scheme, The Kennel Club is also a great source of sensible, trustworthy advice. Go to the shows and have a look at the Bulldogs being exhibited, and decide what you like best, and then chat to the breeders. Be honest and explain why you want a Bulldog. You can put your name on breeders’ lists for a puppy, but it may well be quite a wait, as many show breeders only breed one or two litters a year, but this is a brilliant option if you are prepared to wait. If, having made your decision to have a puppy, you just cant wait any longer, go to the Kennel Club website, where, in their ‘find a puppy’ section, you will discover puppies which have been KC registered. This also gives the status of the breeder under the KC Accredited Breeder Scheme. This means that the breeder has been in- spected by the Kennel Club and has met their criteria for hygiene and animal welfare. Be very careful at this stage, because although the Assured Breeder Scheme is designed to weed out the import- ers of pups and the puppy farmers, the Kennel Club is still registering poorly bred dogs and dogs which are not proper Bulldog colours. These are called CNR (colour not recognised) . There are various internet platforms where you will find puppies advertised, but again, be very careful if answering these adverts. Make sure you know exactly what a well bred Bulldog puppy looks like by visiting as many litters as you can. Do not buy a puppy from anybody you don’t trust, or where the conditions are poor or if the pups look sickly. Unfortunately, there are no guarantees when buying a puppy, so go to people who are doing their very best to breed healthy Bulldogs who will live long, healthy lives. Remember: it is the puppy buyers who drive the market. How to get a healthy Bulldog

Always go to a responsible breeder who prioritises health, such as a Kennel Club Assured Breeder

The Kennel Club website has a ‘find a puppy’ facility, where you can find Assured Breeders, or a breeder that is participating in the Bulldog Breed Council’s Health and Conformation scheme and the Kennel Club and Universi- ty of Cambridge Respiratory Function Grading Scheme. Speak to a breed club Secretary for advice. Contact details are on the www.bulldogbreedcouncil.co.uk website Avoid buying a puppy online. Always see the puppy with its mother in its breeding environment, and observe the condition, health and vigour of the mother. You should do proper research before getting a dog to ensure you are choosing a breed that is the right fit for your lifestyle. You should familiarise yourself with health problems and the associated costs – both financial and emotional – when choosing a breed. Seeing mum (and dad if possible) is an important part of buying any puppy, but especially so for brachycephalic (short nosed) dogs, as it may tell you something about the future health of your puppy. If you are concerned about the health of the mother then you should not proceed with the purchase of the puppy.

If you would not be happy to own a dog which resembles or acts like the puppy’s parents, then do not choose a puppy from that litter. Both the mother and father will pass various traits on to their puppies and the traits that you don’t like will probably appear in the puppies when they are a little older. The puppy should have been reared in the house and become used to all the normal household routines and noises: tv, vacuuming etc. If the puppy conditions are not good, then walk away. Do not support anyone who rears puppies in poor conditions. The Bulldog Breed Council’s Health Scheme encourages health testing and publishes the results on their website. The Kennel Club and University of Cambridge Respiratory Function Grading Scheme helps owners reduce the risk of breeding puppies that grow up to develop breathing problems. These schemes helps breeders and puppy buyers to make informed decisions and the Kennel Club strongly recommend that breeders use these schemes and puppy buy- ers always ask if the puppies’ mother and father have been through them QUESTIONS YOU MAY LIKE TO ASK BEFORE CHOOSING YOUR PUPPY

 Did they breed the puppy themselves? You should only ever buy a puppy direct from the breeder.  How many puppies are there and how old are they? You may want to ask this question when you see the puppies to double check you get the same answer.  Will you be able to see where they were bred? It’s advisable to see where the puppies were bred to ensure the conditions were good.  Will you be able to see the mum? You should always be able to see the puppy with its mother.  How old is the mother and how many litters has she had? The mother must not have been mated before 12 months of age, must be no older than 8 years old and should not have bred more than four litters in her lifetime – including this litter.  Was the birth natural or was a caesarean section required? If a c-section was required, have they had one before and how many times? A dog should not have more than two c-sections.  Will you be able to see the father? The father of the puppies may not be there, but it is worth meeting him if possible.  Have the puppies had any health problems? You want to ensure that the puppy you buy is healthy from the outset.  Have the parents been checked for inherited conditions? It's important to find out what health tests are relevant for your chosen breed and whether your puppy's parents have been screened.

 What is the puppy’s inbreeding coefficient? Highly inbred puppies can be more susceptible to inheriting genetic diseases from the parents.

 Can you have the registration details of the sire (father) and dam (mother)? This will allow you to check the health tests and inbreeding coefficient.  Will the puppies be vaccinated and wormed before coming home with you?

If you are happy with all of the answers you have been given, then you can arrange to see the puppies.

Information from KC website WHAT TO EXPECT WHEN COLLECTING YOUR PUPPY

Arrange a date and time to collect your puppy. Please ensure you arrive on time, and be properly prepared with a blanket and ideally an appropriate sized pet carrier and water available for the journey home. With the puppy, you should be given the puppy’s Kennel Club registration papers, ideally a 3 or 5 generation official Kennel Club pedigree and the breeder should start the five weeks Kennel Club puppy insurance, giving you the policy document There should also be a Bulldog Breed Council puppy contract which explains what you should ex- pect and what the breeder expects. The puppy should have had at least its first inoculation and microchip number. These are all really important documents.. The registration paperwork and pedigree should always be original, official Kennel Club documents carrying the Kennel Club logo and in a Kennel Club folder. The breeder should then go through everything associated with your particular puppy: if he is male, have the testicles descended (if not, you may wish to come to an arrangement with the breeder should they fail to descend). What is the puppy eating—ensure you continue to feed EXACTLY what the breeder is feeding, as there may be an explosive reaction to a change of diet. Get advice on equipment needed: A warm bed, appropriate feeding bowls, robust puppy toys (never rawhile which can be really dangerous if it slides down the puppy’s throat) Be prepared for Bulldog puppies to chew everything and anything. Make sure your puppy has a small, cooked beef bone (from the pet shop) to help prevent chewing furniture. The breeder should also give you advice on exercise, socialising, training and grooming. The Kennel Club website has really good advice, so go onto their website. Your puppy should be checked by your own vet as soon as possible to confirm all is well. WHAT DOES THE OFFICIAL KENNEL CLUB PAPERWORK LOOK LIKE?

If you want a Kennel Club registered pure-bred Bulldog, all the official documentation should carry this logo

An official Kennel Club Pedigree should An Official Kennel Club Registration document should look like this: look like this:

You will see the Kennel Club logo is on these documents. These are official Kennel Club documents and confirm that your puppy is Kennel Club registered. Because there are so many breeders claiming falsely that their dogs are pure-bred Bulldogs, and also the unconventional Bulldogs, there are a lot of groups who write their own pedigrees and maintain their own databases, so to ensure your puppy is a pure bred Bulldog, make sure the pedigree and registration doc- uments are original Kennel Club documents.

Ideally, your Puppy Contract will be the Bulldog Breed Council one, but it is fine if the breeder has their own, this does not affect the status of your puppy. Just check very carefully that you understand all the implications of the contract before you sign it, and make sure you have a copy signed by the breeder to keep. You will also be given the puppy’s inoculation paperwork, and microchip paperwork. Check with the Breeder that the puppy passed its vet check and whether the vet noted anything.

Because your puppy is KC registered, there will be a Kennel Club Pet Insurance 5 Weeks Free cover note to cover your puppy during this vital transitional period. This again is an official Kennel Club docu- ment. The Kennel Club will contact you about extending this cover. It is best to be prepared and check out the various insurance deals to find out which one suits you best. The last document is from the Breeder, and should explain all your puppy requirements, covering devel- opment, nutrition, exercise, equipment required, grooming, training, socialising and worming. The Kennel Club website, www.thekennelclub.org.uk, the Bulldog Breed Council website, www.bulldogbreedcouncil.co.uk, and Bulldog Club Secretaries are great sources of information, but your own breeder is the place to go if you have any concerns. AT LAST, MY PUPPY IS HOME

Yes, the eagle has landed—Elvis is in the building. Now the fun starts. It is important to remember that the first 16 weeks of your puppy’s life is absolutely crucial in ensuring he becomes a well socialised, loving pet, who is good to live with. He needs to be introduced in a gentle and controlled manner to everybody in the house. He hasn't been fully inoc- ulated yet, so be careful that he is not allowed out on the pavement. Two things to do: while he is having a look around: get the paperwork changed into your name, including the microchip. Phone the vet for a check up and to discuss inoculations and worming. treatment.

Establish where he is to go to the toilet, where his bed is and whether you are happy for him to be on the furniture. Do not let your little pup- py do anything you would not like him to do as an adult. Your puppy will need routine, so feed him four meals per day at regular intervals, ensuring he is encouraged to go to the toilet after his food. Put him to bed at a regular time each evening. The puppy needs company. It is no good just leaving him and expect- ing him to behave while you are out—he wont, he may become de- structive or depressed. Remember—he is a companion dog, and he also needs your company.

Feed your puppy with the same food the breeder has used, ensuring he has clean water always available. If you chose to change his diet, do it over a period of about a week, slowly introducing the new food alongside or mixed in with his original food. Puppies‘ tummies can react pretty explosively to a quick change of diet. His joints will still be soft, so his exercise must be gentle, playing in the garden and gentle lead training, over about 50 metres to start with, slowly increasing the lead training over the next couple of months. He needs to get used to being groomed and being kept clean, so start him off straight away, using a soft brush on his body and fragrance-free baby wipes for his face and bottom. Once he has completed his inoculations and the vet has confirmed it is safe for him to go out, book into puppy socialisation or training classes. Join your local Bulldog Club (details on the Bulldog Breed Council website www.bulldogbreedcouncil.co.uk) come to the shows and enjoy the ‘Bulldog’ family. There is an absolute wealth of detailed information on rearing your puppy on the Kennel Club website www.thekennelclub.org.uk. Remember, you are not alone, your breeder will be delighted to get catch-up photos, and there are lots of Bulldog clubs, each of which has a website.

MOST IMPORTANT OF ALL—HAVE FUN TOGETHER KNOW YOUR CORRECT BULLDOG COLOURS

This is the Bulldog Breed Standard paragraph describing colour: Colour Whole or smut, (i.e. whole colour with black mask or muzzle). Only whole colours (which should be brilliant and pure of their sort) viz., brindles, reds with their various shades, fawns, fallows etc., white and pied (i.e. combination of white with any of the foregoing colours). Dudley, black and black with tan highly undesirable.

WHOLE OR SMUT BRINDLE

RED WHITE

PIED FAWN (white with any of the permitted colours).

The Kennel Club will not register Merle Bulldogs because of associated health issues I Don’t Really Want a Puppy—so how about Rescue?

The Bulldog breed has two rescue organisations, Bulldog Rescue and the Edward Foundation, both of which have Charity status.

Bulldogs are accepted into the two Bulldog rescue organisations for a variety of reasons. Often it is the breakdown of a family or the owner has died, some- times the dog has fallen out with another pet at its home, occasionally it is due to ill treatment or ne- glect, and rarely, it is due to abandonment. Whatev- er the reason, the rescued dog is treated with the utmost care and kindness. The safety and wellbeing of the dog is the absolutely paramount concern of both rescue organisations.

When a dog is accepted into Rescue, he (or she) is assessed, usually in a foster home. He will go to the vet for a complete check, any health issues will be resolved, and he will be neutered. In the foster home, his temperament will be checked for suitability with other pets, adults and children, cleanliness within the home etc. Once the Rescue organisation is satisfied that they understand the dog completely, and what his ideal living conditions will be, he is matched with a suitable adoption home.

In order to offer yourself as an adoption home, a member of the Rescue team will visit your home and assess the type of dog who will be a suitable match for you. Following adoption, you will be responsible for the wellbeing of your new pet, but Rescue will remain a lifelong mentor and friend and can always be called on for help and advice. Every Bulldog who comes into Rescue is precious, and every adoption home is treasured.

You will understand that the costs of running these two organisations is enormous, and donations are always very welcome. This has been a partic- ularly difficult year as fundraising events have been severely curtailed, and your help would be enormously appreciated. You can donate to either or- ganisation through their websites: Bulldog Rescue and The Edward Foun- dation. Bulldog Breed Council Health Certificate Scheme

The Bulldog Breed Council’s Health Certificate Scheme consists of Bronze, Silver, Gold and Gold Star awards. You can find all the dogs who have achieved a Breed Ciouncil award on the Bulldog Breed Council website.

The aim of the Bulldog Breed Council Health and Conformation scheme is:

 To promote the health and well being of the Bulldog

 To promote healthy breeding practice

 To enable data collection, to monitor current issues of the Breed and to compare with the past and to make improvements in the future.

 To educate both breeders and pet owners. To reward their participation in the scheme by achieving Bronze, Silver and Gold awards.

The Bronze award checks colour, heart, breathing, nostrils, skin, pigment, interdigital cysts, eyes, eye colour, fore legs, hind legs, patella, tail, testes, temperament, movement and weight. A Bronze Certificate will not be awarded if the dog does not meet the following criteria: Clear Heart – referred to a cardiologist (if any abnormality found). Eyes – with any conditions that are detrimental to the dog health. Any sign of aggression. Spine – any palpable abnormality will be referred for further investigation and X-ray. (eg: Spina Bifida)

For a Silver award, the following is required: To have been awarded a Bronze Level Certificate. Clear results on eye examination recorded. To have Putnam Test (Grade 0-1) To have an HUU DNA test of Clear/ Carrier) To have obtained a RFGS (Grade 0,1,2 (BOAS). No adverse tail problems (inverted or lack of tail will fail Silver level) Any undesirable characteristics as applied by the Breed Standard. Both testes to be normal. Not to have blue or green eyes. Not to have colours not rec- ognised. Not to be a Dudley.

For a Gold award, the following is required:

To have been awarded both the Bronze and Silver levels. BVA or ECVO eye Scheme – copy of certificate. Clear results on eye examination recorded. Test to be done at 2 years of age or over. Heart screening by quali- fied Auscultation approved Veterinary Surgeon. (Grade 0) RFGS (BOAS) (Grade 0,1)

Gold Stars are also awarded for:

Trachea measurements. Spinal X-Ray (Thorax area). Heart Doppler examination. HUU Clear. Kennel Club Stud Book Number. UK Champion. RFGS tested in the chamber at Cambridge University (Grade 0,1)

So you see, the Bulldog Breed Council takes the health, wellbeing and continual improvement of the breed very seriously indeed. All the dogs who have achieved these awards are listed on the website: www.bulldogbreedcouncil.co.uk.

It should also assure you that if you buy a puppy from a breeder whose dogs have achieved these awards, that they take the health of the puppies very seriously indeed. This is not just a marketing ploy, it is a health scheme designed to ensure the continuing improvement of the health of the Bulldog and is sanctioned by the Kennel Club. Have you ever considered Rescue and maybe rehoming a Bulldog. We have 2 Bulldog Rescue Charities: Bulldog Rescue Edward Foundation.

Contact one of these Bulldog Rescue Charities To register your interest

Both of these charities do amazing work on behalf of the Bulldog Breed. Unfortunately this year, their fund raising activities have been severely disrupted due to the Covid pandemic.

For details on how to contact them, or to make a donation, please go directly to their web- sites.

The Bulldog Breed Council DVD is available through the website.

An educational film explaining all the points in the Bulldog Breed Standard.

A ‘must’ for any serious

Bulldog fancier,