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The First Few Weeks
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Bringing a bulldog home is often an exciting but stressful time for both you and your pup. The puppy is placed in an environment which it knows nothing about and is spending time with complete strangers instead of its mother, siblings and humans who helped to raise it. Be mindful of that when your bulldog puppy cries, whines and whimpers---even in the middle of the night---as it tries to acclimate to its new home.
To help your bulldog ease into its new life, try not to change too much during the first few weeks. The Bulldog Club of America recommends feeding your puppy the same brand and amount of food that the breeder did, as well as at the same times. Spend a good amount of time cuddling and loving your puppy to comfort it during this transitional period.
Bulldog Puppy Equipment
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Bulldog puppies are in a league of their own when it comes to their physical composition, with stocky bodies, wrinkled faces, pushed-in noses and droopy jaws and eyes. Because of these signature characteristics, bulldog puppies require basic equipment.
Feed your puppy out of a pan with a flat bottom and straight sides. Pans give the floppy jaws room to move around and also make it easier for their mouths to reach the food. Stainless steel pans work best, as they last longer than pans made out of other material such as plastic, suggests the Bulldog Club of America.
Wire crates typically make good dens for bulldogs. Their wire design allows for more circulation than a crate made out of plastic, which is necessary for bulldogs puppies, as they tend to get hot rather easily and some have respiratory problems.
Bulldog Puppy Essentials
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Bulldog puppies are prone to respiratory problems and skin issues. They often choke on their phlegm. If this occurs with your pup, squirt a bit of bottled lemon juice down its throat to break up the material and clear the airway. Rub petroleum jelly on your puppy's nose to prevent cracking, in its eye wrinkles, and anywhere else that requires moisture. Use baby wipes with aloe and lanolin to help clean and soothe the puppy's wrinkles, which should be addressed every day. In addition, bathe your bulldog once a month in oatmeal shampoo if it has dry skin. Getting your puppy accustomed to these practices now will make them easier to administer when it is an adult.
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Bulldog Puppy Tips
Most everyone can use a couple of tips when caring for puppies, and those raising bulldogs are no exception. Popular and friendly, bulldog puppies have big personalities along with bigger hearts. Most folks who own bulldog puppies thoroughly enjoy the companionship that bulldogs provide, and many never stray from the breed. While bulldog puppies can be very stubborn, they are also very sweet. Owning a bulldog is easy and rewarding when you follow a few tips.