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American
Bulldog Questions
and Answers:
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Q: What does "Hip Score"
mean?
A: It takes more than a good set of hips to make a good
bulldog, but the structural integrity of a dog is very
important and hip-scoring is one useful tool in assessing this.
In the UK, a dog's
hip score is calculated by a panel of vets who will study x-rays of a
dog's hips. I would strongly urge the prospective owner of a pup to consider getting a bulldog bred from hip-scored parents. Hip dysplasia
is a significant and crippling problem in the breed and if the breeders
of a litter have not hip scored the pups'
parents then you should be cautious. Make sure you get to
see the original BVA hip score certificates, don't just take the
breeder's word.
You can view the current hip score data for all breeds
examined by the British Veterinary Association here: BVA
Hip-Score data. As of January 1st 2006 the best BVA hip-score
achieved by an American Bulldog is 5 and the worst is 102 (out of a
total of 188 dogs examined).
In Britain, a dog's hip score is determined by experts
from the British Veterinary Association in partnership with the Kennel
Club. A score number is calculated for each hip based using readings measured from the dog's x-rays. At this time, individual scores
are not made public, but a basic list is published annually showing the lowest
and highest scores for each breed along with the average scores. Under the BVA system, the lower the score the better the hips.
The individual scores for each hip should not vastly differ. Please
note: The BVA scheme is only open to dogs aged 12 months or over.
The BVA also operates an elbow scoring system. Elbow
problems are not that common in the breed but may be more likely to be found
at the extreme bully end of the conformation scale.
In the States, the OFA and Penn-Hip systems are used.
Hip-Scores: The
OFA System
Hip-Scores: International Comparison Table
BVA
Hip Dysplasia Page
2006
Hip-Score data for dogs of all breeds
hip-scored under the BVA scheme
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Q: What is NCL disease?
A: NCL is short for Neuronal Ceroid Lipofuscinosis.
This is a serious and fatal neurological disease that is found
in several breeds including the American Bulldog. It is passed on
genetically from dogs that are affected/carriers to their
offspring. Research is currently being undertaken at veterinary
colleges in the United States and in Germany and a blood test is
available to determine if a dog is afflicted or not.
If everyone blood-tested their dogs, NCL could be completely
eradicated.
Presently many vets are unaware of the existence of
NCL, so it might be helpful for you to print out some information
on the subject and give it to your vet.
Here are some relevant links:
NCL Page
Canine Gentetic
Diseases Network
Columbia College of
Veterinary Medicine
University of Veterinary
Medicine, Hannover
NCL Testing at the
University of Veterinary Medicine, Hannover (this includes translation
notes very kindly provided by Glyn Andrew of Churchills American
Bulldogs, England).
German NCL Test Submission Form
According to the NCL test result, a dog will be "Clear",
"Carrier" or "Affected".
Clear: The gene responsible for causing NCL is
not present in the dog.
Carrier: One copy of the NCL gene is present. The
dog will not display any symptoms of the disease but can pass the
NCL gene on to it's offspring.
Affected: Two copies of the NCL gene are present.
The dog will go on to develop symptoms of the disease and will
ultimately die as a result. The NCL gene will be passed on to it's
offspring.
Breeding anything other than "Clear" to
"Clear" will produce a percentage of pups with the NCL
gene.
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Q: What should I feed my adult bulldog on?
A: Different people have different
viewpoints, but this is how I do it. I use a good
quality kibble, supplemented with raw meat several times
a week. It is not necessary to use a very high-protein kibble,
something between 20% and 25% protein is perfectly ample for
normal use unless you have a very active working dog.
Excellent quality kibbles are available from
companies such as John Burns and Arden Grange. They are not the cheapest feeds, but since when
did the cheapest mean the best? If you can't afford to feed your dog
a good diet, then perhaps you shouldn't have one?
The John
Burns product range can be viewed here: John
Burns
The Arden Grange product range can be
viewed here: Arden Grange
Most kibbles contain ingredients which have been shown to cause
skin and/or digestive intolerances or allergies in many dogs. Common
trigger ingredients have been found to include wheat, soya, beef, cow's milk/lactose, chemical
preservatives, artificial colours etc.
Never use tinned dog foods; generally
they are poor value (both in terms of value for money and in terms
of nutrient levels).
Alternatively you might consider a
"BARF" diet for your dog. Some people say the BARF diet is a great
natural way
to feed your dog, whilst others such as British vet and animal
dietician John
Burns BVMS MRCVS think differently (LINK).
Most dogs will get everything they need if you feed a
high-quality hypo-allergenic kibble supplemented with raw meat at least three times a
week, but one of bulldogs has very sensitive skin which is prone
to redness and severe itching and
she benefits greatly from being fed exclusively on a natural BARF
type diet of brown rice, vegetables and raw meat/fish.
(BARF is an acronym for "Bones And
Raw Food" or "Biologically Appropriate Raw Food").
Whatever you feed, always ensure that a
plentiful supply of fresh drinking water is available.
Remember that good feeding is only part
of a dog's requirements for good health: adequate exercise and
mental stimulation through play are equally vital to a dog's well-being
along with regular grooming and examination of the condition of
his teeth and gums.
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Q: How should I feed my bulldog puppy?
A: Well, this is what I do....
I feed a high quality hypoallergenic puppy kibble served with
full fat goat's milk four times a day up until 4 months old, then three
times per day up until 6 months. At 6 months I
will introduce the pup to a feeding regime of eating two
meals per day, later reducing that to one evening meal per day.
From 12 weeks onwards, I introduce the pup to small quantities
of raw
meat and bones. I change from puppy kibble to adult kibble before
the dog is 6 months old.
Always avoid overfeeding your pup: he should be well covered
but not fat.
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Q: Do I need to feed my dog any
supplements?
A: If you feed a good quality balanced diet, I don't believe
many supplements
to be necessary.
However, I do use the following supplements:
I give a 500mg glucosamine tablet daily to pups from 8 weeks up
until one year old. Dogs over one year get 1000mg glucosamine three
times per week.
My dogs all get a 1000mg cod liver oil capsule three times per week
from 12 weeks onwards for the rest of their lives.
Many researchers believe glucosamine and fish oils are beneficial, particularly in relation to skin, hair and joints.
Apple Cider Vinegar has also been shown to have many health
benefits.
If you do try supplementing your dog's diet, avoid the temptation
to overdo it because you could end up having a negative effect on
your dog's condition. The important things are to give your dog a
good well-balanced diet combined with
plenty of exercise, mental stimulation and regular grooming: this
will keep him in good shape.
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Q: What books about American Bulldogs are available?
A: Several titles are available, some are better than
others.... here are some examples.
(There are also articles/chapters in many general dog books and
in books about bullbreeds, but I won't go in to them here. You'll
have to take a look around and see what you can find).
"American Bulldog Stories, Facts and
Legends" by Pastor Lemuel Miller. 
My personal favourite, this very readable book is full of stories and factual information along with input from
some of the famous old names in the breed. Buy it!
Available to order from Lem at Joshua
Kennels.
"American Bulldogs" by
John Blackwell.
In my opinion this is probably the least useful book that is
available on the subject. It is also the cheapest....
Published by TFH Publications ISBN 0-7938-2369-2
"American Bulldog" by
Abe Fishman.
This book is worth adding to your collection. Whilst not
perfect by any means, it is sensibly written and it considers the
breed's origins in a thoughtful way. Worth reading.
Published by Pet Love ISBN 0-9668592-4-3
"The Working American Bulldog"
by David Putnam.
I met Dave at a dog show when he came over to England a few years back; he is
an intelligent, articulate and sincere man. He is also an all-round nice guy.
Every bulldogger should have this book in his collection, it is an
interesting read and full of colour photographs. However, it is
written from a very personal standpoint. Iunderstand that it is currently out of print, but at the time
I wrote this copies were still available if you look around.
Published by Bulldog Press ISBN 0-9672710-0-2
"American Bulldog" by
Gesa Fenge
This book was written by Gesa Fenge, one of the proprietors of Chestnut's
Little Indians kennel in Germany. The book is written in
Gesa's native tongue (German) and since my German is pretty much
non-existent I can't really comment meaningfully on the text.
However Gesa is a person who does all the right things with her
dogs when it comes to testing and evaluation, so I would expect
the book to be a worthwhile read. Or you could do what I do and
just look at the pictures!
Published by Rinty Press ISBN 3-936335-00-1
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Q: What is the natural life span of an
American Bulldog?
A: On average, a good ten years plus.
Some will live longer, some shorter. All other things being equal,
a well cared-for and fit dog will obviously live longer than an
overweight and unfit animal or a dog that is a structural wreck.
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Q: Doggehouse doesn't breed dogs for sale
to the public, but can you recommend any UK breeders?
A: There are many people out there who breed these dogs, but
many
of them have little planning behind what they do apart from the hope to
make some money. If you are looking for a bulldog bred by someone
who is committed to the breed, try these:
For a hybrid bulldog take a look at Bluebloods
Kennels and Churchills
Kennels. They both have very high standards and all of their stock has been
thoroughly tested for both structure and temperament.
For a Johnson type bulldog I would suggest that you try Georgia
Summerville Kennels or Earthquake
Kennels.
(Note: All the above breeders have stock from very different bloodlines
to
my own dogs. Also, they are enthusiasts who occasionally breed,
not people who keep churning out litters. So you should be
prepared to have to wait some time before a pup may become
available).
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Q: I'm considering importing a dog from
the United States. How difficult is it? Where can I find
more information? How does the Pet Passport scheme work? How
much will it all cost etc?
A: Below are some links.
For up to date information consult DEFRA
and your DEFRA-approved Quarantine Kennel. It
won't be easy or cheap: by the time you've flown out to America and bought your dog, paid for
shipping, vet's fees, kennel fees etc you may not get much
change out of £5000.
A cautionary note: When any dog arrives in the UK from abroad it
is subject to vigorous inspection before it is released. If an inspector
believes that an imported dog has characteristics which he feels
may fall within the definitions of physical "type" laid out under
Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 legislation,
the dog may be refused entry and you might even find yourself subject to
prosecution. Whatever pedigree papers and other supporting
documentation you may have will probably be of no help to you if a
dog is refused entry under the terms of the DDA because this legislation is based on
physical "type"
rather than on specific breed names: in other words, it is
irrelevant what breed a dog is, it's legality will be judged
purely on it's appearance. This is one of the absurdities of
the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991. At best you will have to pay to send
the dog back to where it originated from (and this has happened); at worst the dog
could be
destroyed and you might even earn yourself a criminal record.
Importing a
dog in to UK Quarantine
Licence
application to import a dog in to UK quarantine UK (as of Feb 2006)
Importing
a dog from the USA without quarantine under the DEFRA "PETS"
scheme
DEFRA
PETS Travel Scheme
DEFRA
Dangerous Dogs Leaflet
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Q: I'm considering importing frozen semen
from a stud dog in the United States.
Where can I find
more information and who do I contact about it?
A: Below are some links.
For up to date information consult DEFRA
Import
Requirements
Import Application
Q: How much will it all cost?
A: Read on....
This is the basic rundown of approximate costs, at the time I
did it and using the American vet that we used....
Stud Fee to dog's owner= Whatever he wants. (Make sure you are
both 100% clear if the stud fee is for the whole batch of semen or
if stud fees will be due for each breeding that gets done using
the frozen semen).
Cost of collection and six months "quarantine" storage
in US vets= $250
Rental of liquid nitrogen filled shipping vessel from Synbiotics=
$250 (+ deposit)
US vet's fees for packing/processing/paperwork= $200
Cost of airfreighting shipping vessel to UK= $230
Cost of airfreighting empty shipping vessel back to USA= £175
Cost of storing frozen semen in UK per year= £45
Cost of artificial insemination procedure, including multiple
blood tests for progesterone levels= £300
And probably some more charges/expenses that I've forgotten to
include!
Obviously all the above charges are subject to change (probably
upwards).
You need to be dealing with someone in the States that you can
100% trust not to let you down. It is all quite a lot of hassle and
stress both for you and also for the people in the States whose
dog you want to use.... and there is the
potential for things to mess up at all stages right up to the time
when the AI procedure is done. There is no guarantee that it will
be a success, so do import enough semen for more than one
breeding. Depending on the quality and quantity of the ejaculate,
one semen collection may be enough for around three surgical
artificial insemination procedures on average. The collected semen
will be frozen in "straws" by the vet in the States and
you can expect to get around a dozen or so straws per collection;
each surgical artificial insemination procedure will normally use
three or four straws. Artificial insemination is a specialised technique and at the time that I did my semen imports
there was only one veterinary surgery in the United Kingdom who
were able to store frozen canine semen and carry out the AI
procedure. A brief outline of the procedure (as carried out by
the vet I used) is as follows: From
day seven of the bitch's season daily blood samples must be drawn
and sent to the vets who carry out the AI procedure; they have
their own in-house lab and will monitor the progesterone levels in
each daily blood sample. When they feel the progesterone levels
are right, you will be summoned to bring your bitch in on the
following day. The vet will then perform the surgical artificial
insemination procedure which involves giving the bitch a general
anaesthetic and then making a small incision in the lower abdomen to
expose the uterus. A cannula will be passed through the wall of the
uterus until it enters the inner cavity of the uterus. The thawed
semen will then be injected into the cavity. The abdominal wound
will be sutured closed and the anaesthetic reversed. You will be
given a course of antibiotics to take home. After five or six
weeks the bitch can be ultrasound scanned by your own vet to
confirm the presence of pups (or not). The surgical AI technique
has been found to have a slightly higher success rate than the "turkey-baster"
technique which involves introducing the thawed semen via the
vagina. On the other hand, the vaginal technique is less invasive
and would not always require a full general anaesthetic etc and
(being less invasive) it is less prone to complications. I understand that the vet
I used has now switched to using a vaginal technique as the
surgical method was frowned upon by senior figures in the British
Veterinary Association. No surgical
procedure is without risk, including adverse reaction to
anaesthetic agents, surgical complications or postoperative
infection. There is a lot that you should carefully weigh up
before you consider importing frozen semen.
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Q: How long is the gestation period for
a dog?
A: On average, 63 days from the date of the tie. Follow this LINK
to my handy calculator.
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Q: I heard someone say that the American
Bulldog is little more than an over-sized pitbull. Is this true?
A: No, this is definitely not true.
Like most of today's bullbreeds, the American Bulldog shares some
common ancestry with other bullbreeds such as the American Pitbull Terrier but it is most
certainly not the same breed and it was bred and used for quite different
purposes. Read about the breed and it's origins here: American
Bulldog History and the Different Types of American Bulldog
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