I'm about to get a female english bulldog - what are things I need to know about female dogs?

Question

I've never had a female dog before because of the fear of taking care of them during heat - any advice?

I just need to know if there's anything special that I need to do for them and how would I take care of them during the time they're in heat

I already own a male bulldog but mostly, my concern was just dealing with a female dog in general.

Answer 1

I have a female English Bulldog in heat right now. I am breeding her with my male English Bulldog. Unless your want puppies, or plan on breeding her, I would get her spayed. Pre-estrus, which occurs in the seven to ten days before a female dog will mate is actually like a female human having her period. They bleed. Their genitals swell, and they get a little moody. Female bulldogs, like all bulldogs are people dogs - they need attention and love. But they get even more needy in heat. You can get them a diaper like thing that you put disposable pads in. But the other thing about bulldogs is that they CHEW EVERYTHING., so the chances she will get her pad off and eat it are pretty good.

Once she stops bleeding, there are still a good seven to ten days when she can conceive puppies, so keep her away from any male dog unless you want puppies. They go into heat about once every six to nine months. Best breeding is the second or third heat depending on the dog.

And when bulldogs mate - they get stuck together for about 20 minutes afterward due to swelling of the male genitalia.

Answer 2

I would get her spayed unless you plan to breed her, and it is very expensive to breed a Bulldog. They have to be artifical insemanated and they have to have a c-section to get the pups out. The vet also usually requires at least 1 ultrasound during the pregnancy. I have a friend who breeds them, and has told me it is like 4 thousand to start breeding to get the genetic testing and everthing else for a pairs first litter, and about 2 thousand to breed 2 dogs that have already had all their genetic test done. That is 4 thousand up front for the first litter and 2 thousand for any litters later on.
I have a female Bulldog that has now been fixed, but we did not get her fixed before her first 2 cycles, and it is nasty. They tend to bleed pretty heavy. I used cheap pull ups on mine and made a tail hole, because the doggie pads did not help much. My dog has never been bred, but the heat thing is nasty. She was also more listless, and not in her normally good mood. I am telling you unless you are going to breed her get her fixed, especially if you have nice furniture and carpeting. It will get ruined, because they bleed heavy.
They are very sweet natured and friendly dogs though, and they love everyone. I have never seen an aggressive Bulldog. They can overheat very easily from being outside to long in the sun or getting super excited. You do not want to let this happen, because Bulldogs will die very quickly if they over heat(in minutes). They should always have water available, especially outside. You can take them places, mine loves the dog park, just not for more than 1-2 hours with water for her, and do not take her in extreme heat. Your vet will probably tell you all this if you ask.
They are really sweet dogs and I am sure she will bring you a lot of joy. Ours has brought my family years of joy. Good Luck with your new baby and I am sure she is beautiful.

Answer 3

First you should really know A LOT about an English Bulldog before you go buy one. They have a lot of health problems & it's common. When female dogs are in heat there's really nothing you can do. They sell diapers at pet stores though, that way it doesn't get all over everything. But other than that, it's more of the puppies health issues than anything.

Answer 4

Your best bet is to get her spayed.

It's difficult to get purebred bulldogs bred because it usually has to be done artificially due to their conformation. This does not mean that the Heinz 57 down the street can't get the job done though. You might end up with a litter of half-bulldogs. And female bulldogs, due to their conformation, generally have to be delivered by C-section. Pricy, and a bigger risk than a spay surgery.

It's not worth the expense of keeping her intact unless you are a very serious breeder with the bucks to spend on producing bulldogs. As you're obviously not a breeder, save yourself the money and trouble and just get her spayed.

Answer 5

If you are not a serious, well educated breeder, and do not intend to breed the dog, get her spayed. In the long run, this avoids many problems, including cancer, unwanted pregnancies, and dealing with heat cycles. You do not have to wait until after her first heat to have her spayed, just generally until her vaccinations are compeleted (around 6 months).

Answer 6

Advice on female dogs in general or do you want to know what to do when they are in heat?