They are
ENGLISH BULLDOGS A
colleague recently acquired an English bulldog puppy. I immediately like him (the colleague, that is)–the pup was a given. I begged my way into meeting the little duffer. As I awaited the day, the subject of these interesting canines had me thinking about the allure of English bulldogs.
Penney
22 4 Legs & a Tail
What makes them special? They are slow walking, swaying medical nightmares. They drool. Their food (free of corn, wheat, and soy) often has to be special ordered, their prescriptions compounded. An innocent sneeze on Tuesday could be life-threatening pneumonia by Thursday. You have the vet on speed dial, and the staff knows you by voice. They are stubborn. They know what they want, when they want. Drinking water becomes a five- star alarm with dish cloths at the ready. They start the day at 4 a.m. by barking and getting fed only to have the dawn made sweeter by the early morning nap taken after said feeding. You cannot go back to bed. They do–often. They need daily cleanings between their skin folds with nontoxic anti- fungal wipes as they are prone to yeast infections. Their noses need coconut oil to keep moisturized, their nails trimmed weekly and medicated baths given several times a month to stave off infection, allergy and bacterial growth. They are not in a hurry and heaven help you if you are. They slobber. They burp and pass gas. Inflamed hot spots typically develop due to excess itching or licking. Would you know how to treat them? Ear and eye infections, too, are common. Preventative care will save both pain and trips to the vet’s office. Pet insurance is highly recommended. The unique, stocky, tough-dog physique is both attraction to and deterrent from ownership. Overfeeding mouths lead to overweight bodies putting unnecessary pressure on already-sensitive joints. They are English bulldogs. They’ve (or have they?) come a long way from the days of the 18th century when they were used for the blood sport of bull baiting, pinning the massive beast to Spring 2022
