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My English bulldog doesn't have odor and doesn't fart that much (once a week?). I think fart may have something to do with diet. With him, I notice the more chicken based treat, more gas. Regarding odor, my feeling is that once bacterial infection established (like biofilm) at their skin fold, the odor would be difficult to get rid of. So I diligently clean his wrinkles as soon as I got him at 8 week old. So I don't believe odor and fart are the inherent characteristics of Bulldogs.
Out of all the dogs I've had, different breeds, the bulldogs tend to have more gas then any of the others. Rugby much more then Rita. They also tend to gulp there water which means taking in more air. Certain foods can also cause gas also. I do agree that keeping the folds clean on their face will help in keeping down odor. My male seemed to have that "old dog" smell as he got older, but other then that neither one of mine had any odor.
That "dog odor" that some breeds tend to be more prone too is often do to the oil in the coat and some breeds just tend to have more of it then other breeds. I think diet can be involved in odors too but that smell that people often think of as a dog odor is oil related . What often happens is people then over bathe the dogs then end up drying the coat out and end up with skin issues and it becomes a vicious cycle some breeds are just meant to have more oil in the coats.
As for farts and bulldogs because of the smooshed faces they tend to swallow more air.When you breathe air goes in you lungs not your stomach but because of the facial structure and the fact they tend to pant a lot to cool off they tend to swallow more air into their stomach then dogs with longer noses do. I am not sure but I think my brothers male farts more but as I said he has the very smooshed face and pants more unless the female has been running wild as then she pants a lot too.
My English bulldog doesn't have odor and doesn't fart that much (once a week?). I think fart may have something to do with diet. With him, I notice the more chicken based treat, more gas. Regarding odor, my feeling is that once bacterial infection established (like biofilm) at their skin fold, the odor would be difficult to get rid of. So I diligently clean his wrinkles as soon as I got him at 8 week old. So I don't believe odor and fart are the inherent characteristics of Bulldogs.
Same here. PC doesn't have the wrinkles/folds/tail pocket that all the other Bulldogs have, so there is nothing to clean and no odor. We also cook 100% of his meals, using grass-fed meats and only human-grade ingredients, so he doesn't have the farting issue either.
I do know that many of the poorly bred Bulldogs have a ton of yeast issues with their skin and tend to smell really bad. If you do your research and get them from a reputable breeder, you won't have these issues. And if you feed them a high-quality diet, the farting is non-existent. I totally agree with LingLing....odor and farting are not characteristics of the breed, but poor dog ownership in my opinion. I find it very hard to believe that we got that lucky to have such a healthy Bulldog without any of these issues.
Health concerns: brachycephalic syndrome, heart problems, hip dysplasia, dry eye, eyelid problems, internalized tail, shoulder luxation
Suggested tests: Hip, eye, heart
Reference: The Dog Breed Bible
Do your homework cannot be said enough. You can find good breeders through the AKC. Personally, I would want to meet the dame and the sire if possible. That is usually not the case but you should be able to see the mom and pups (together.) Make sure to talk with many, many owners. You want to stay away from pet stores and byb. Be prepared to spend a pretty penny on your pup. This is an expensive dog from day one.
Stubborn does not really do them justice, tenacious would be a better word to describe their personality. Since they are a bully breed, if you are not the pack-leader, they will take the position. That is not something you will want when they are cute puppies, let alone when they become 40-50lbs bulldogs.
You'll need to get past the loud breathing / wheezing, snoring and um...green clouds (farting). They are willing to please, jovial, comical and loveable! These are just some of their endearing quirks.
The eye lashes can grow inward and require surgery, their skin wrinkles and tail folds need to be cleaned daily to avoid a rash or bacterial infection and most do not handle hot and cold weather well. So, they need short walks in cool/cold weather. Overexertion or exertion in hot or humid weather is dangerous. Bulldogs cannot swim, so be careful around water, the lack of a muzzle / snout will get them into trouble every time. (They are so muscular, they are not buoyant.)
If they are not exercised (mentally and physically) they can fixate (laser focus) and their tenatious behavior can work against you.
If you have never owned a bully breed, you could volunteer for your local shelter and get some experience with bullies to see if this is something you not only want but can handle. Bullies are more than a handful they are a huge responsibility...but let me say this, if you are willing to put in the time and effort, the rewards are out of this world. They are worth it!!!
As long as you do your homework, you will make an informed decision whether the bulldog is right for you.
I just want to add that there are English Bulldog rescues. Many English Bulldog ended in rescue because of their skin and ear infections. Because their owners don't know how to keep their skin fold, tail pocket and ear clean. A friend adopted one with a deep tail pocket that was not cleaned by previous owner. The poor dog tried to rub his butt against bed frame, causing damages and smells bad. His previous owner claimed the dog had mental problem, therefore constantly rubbing his butt. The rescue did home visit and taught my friend how to keep him clean. He is now a happy and clean dog. I was not qualified to adopt because of my GSD. My GSD snapped at the rescue worker's bulldog. If you can, adopt one and learn from rescue workers how to care for a Bulldog.
My Bulldog was never kept in a crate. He was kept in a bathroom with a lot of pad (pad for human use. See photo) and toys. The first two months (3-4 month old), there were a lot of cleaning. If he was not at his room, I took him out every hour to pee and poop. He was truly a poop machine. At 5-6 month, he was taken out every two hours. Now at 9 month old, he is completely house broken and taken out every 4 hours. I let him run free now during daytime.
The reason he was not kept in a crate is because I don't want to get up in the night to let him out. So I just accept the fact that he was going to poop in the bathroom. However, at 5 month old, he stopped poop in his room.
At eight week old, he knows to keep himself clean and keep distance from his waste. And I think he knows to poop and pee outside if given chance to go out. He is smart that way. Good Luck.
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