Are English Bulldogs Good With Kids?
Are English Bulldogs Good With Kids?
So you’ve decided that you want to adopt a loving puppy into your family. And for some reason, you are drawn to bulldogs and want to know if they are good with kids before you commit. As a potential bulldog adopter, it is vital to do your research before diving in.
A bulldog that is too hyper or dominant could potentially be a bad match. And this is where the breeder comes into play. Here at Bruiser Bulldogs, we are really invested in matching the correct puppy with the correct adopter. Before purchasing we do verbal interviews with all of our adopters to get to know them and the environment the new bulldog puppy will be going home to.
We use this information to recommend specific puppies that have the correct personality for the family. This is the starting point for any conversation regarding children and bulldogs. The fit has to be a correct match.
This match starts with doing a personality test first for all of our bulldogs. We do this with both dominant and energy level characteristics as well as understanding the family that is adopting. We are dedicated to guaranteeing you the perfect match for your family!
A puppy and child relationship is beautiful and special. The right bulldog puppy can grow up to create a close bond with their adoptive families and develop memories that will last your children for a lifetime.
Reasons Why English Bulldogs Will Make a Great Family Pet
Selecting a dog to live with your family isn’t like choosing which flowers to grow in front of your house. A dog is a permanent member of your family, and you want to make sure they will be a perfect fit before you commit. English Bulldogs are known for their affectionate and lovable nature, which makes them a prime addition to any family.
1. Bruiser Bulldogs Healthy Bulldogs
Of course one of the main decisions when selecting a dog is to make sure it is a healthy dog that will live a quality life. When researching the English Bulldog, one of the first things you’ll notice is the health issues that surround these bulldogs.
This is why we here at Bruiser Bulldogs go the extra step as breeders to test for things like elongated soft palates, narrow tracheas, stenotic nares, luxation in the patellar tendons, heart defects, cherry eye, optic cilia, and entropion.
Historically, our bulldogs have a much better quality of life because we focus on their health early on. They can breathe more freely and move athletically unlike other English Bulldogs who are bred differently.
2. Bulldogs Are Easy To Live With
Day-to-day living can vary for many families. Perhaps you are a military family that’s always on the move, maybe you live in a small one-bedroom apartment, or you could be the owner of a mansion with a helipad out back. English Bulldogs are notoriously easy to live with because they adapt easily to their living situations.
If you like to lounge in your house watching TV or cozy up with a good book by the fireplace, bulldogs will curl up right next to you and relax. Or if you have a house full of kids that like to splash outside in the sprinklers, bulldogs will be alongside the family soaking up the fun.
We could go on and on about the benefits of choosing an English Bulldog to be a member of your family. But, we think you get the idea.
Now that you’ve chosen that an English Bulldog will be your family dog of choice, you have to prepare for this first interaction. And the first introduction doesn’t happen face-to-face. It happens by getting your home ready to receive a new English Bulldog puppy.
Preparing to Have an English Bulldog Puppy In Your Home
Creating a bond between bulldog and child comes in stages. The first stage is preparation. No one should bring a puppy into their home unless they’ve done the work to make sure their home is ready.
First, make sure everyone in your home knows how to take care of your puppy. We recommend getting a book to help you learn how dog training should work. Our favorite book is “Imagine Life With a Well Behaved Dog” by Julie Bjelland. She dives into the similarities between raising a child and a puppy. They both need structure to know what they can and cannot do in the home.
Discuss the rules surrounding the puppy with your children. Depending on how old your kids are, you can assign them different tasks that are appropriate to their maturity. Here are some great things to go over with younger kids on taking care of their bulldog puppy.
- How to pick the puppy up
- How to play with the puppy
- Helping with feeding time
Older children can be assigned more mature tasks such as the following:
- Feeding the puppy
- Bathing the puppy (with adult supervision)
- Walking the puppy outside
- Taking the puppy potty (this helps during the potty training period. This can give your child a sense of accomplishment when they are the ones that potty trained the puppy.)
- Making sure the crate is a safe space that is kept clean
Now that everyone in the family is prepared to welcome a bulldog puppy as the newest member of the family, you all can finally meet the puppy face to face.
Family Meeting Bulldog Puppy for the First Time
The day has arrived, and it’s finally time to bring your puppy home! We understand that everyone will be excited, but it’s important not to overwhelm the puppy. Introductions between a child and a bulldog should be supervised and structured to ensure everyone is having a positive experience that won’t scare anyone (puppy or child).
If a bulldog has had a previous negative experience with children, it may cause them to be wary of children in the future. It’s especially likely if it happens when they are young, or if it is the only experience they have had with children.
That’s why, if you have kids, you should prepare and make sure that your puppy can have the best experience in your home possible.
Before your kids meet the puppy, remind them to stay as calm and gentle as possible. They don’t want to scare the puppy. We recommend having an adult hold the new bulldog puppy while your children gently pet it. This allows your puppy time to warm up to your children without getting startled.
Bringing the Bulldog Puppy Home for the First Time
Once you’ve brought your puppy home, there is so much exciting energy flowing through the home. Undoubtedly your kids want to show the puppy every inch of the house. And your new bulldog puppy can get overly excited very quickly.
It’s important to ensure the rules stay in place. Don’t allow the puppy to bite the children, even if it’s a gentle bite. Also, don’t allow the kids to hit or roughhouse with the puppy.
If your child or puppy is having trouble being gentle, make sure they are supervised with the puppy until they both know how to treat each other. This will guarantee a smooth transition for your family with a new adoptive member.
We believe that growing up with a puppy can be a great experience for children. Focus on training your English Bulldog well and fostering a good relationship between them and your kids. And your bulldog will easily become a valuable addition to your entire family for many years to come.