In This Chapter
Finding Bulldog Information on the Internet
If you search the Internet by
typing Bulldogs, you will literally get thousands of hits for sites to
search for information. One good site, supported by the American Kennel Club,
is The Bulldog Club of America’s site. Visit www.thebca.org for a variety of
general information about Bulldogs. Discover the annual specialty show; find
breeders; subscribe to The Bulldogger, the club newsletter; get information
about joining the Bulldog Club of America; and learn about rescue.
For more Bulldog info, visit some
of the following sites:
- Bark Bytes Canine Cyber-Magazine, www.barkbytes.com/clubs/bulldog.htm
- Bulldog Club of Greater Tulsa, www.bulldogclubofgreatertulsa.com
- Bulldog Club of Northern California, www.thebcnc.org
- Chaparral Bulldog Club, www.chaparralbulldogclub.org
- Heart of America Bulldog Club, www.heartofamericabulldogclub.org
- The Lone Star Bulldog Club, www.lonestarbulldogs.com/rescue.html
Contacting the Kennel Clubs
Kennel Clubs provide many
resources and connections within the Bulldog world. For that reason, getting
registered with a recognized club has many benefits, even if you choose not to
show your Bully.
The American Kennel Club
The AKC’s Web site, www.akc.org,
gives you information on all the AKC events, as well as general articles on
dogs and their care. You can even shop at the online store. Contact the AKC by
mail at 5580 Centerview Drive, Raleigh, NC 27606. For registration information,
call 919-233-9767 or e-mail info@akc.org.
The United Kennel Club
The United Kennel Club is the
second oldest and second largest all-breed dog registry in the United States.
Its Web site, www.ukcdogs.com, has
information on registering your Bulldog, as well as UKC-sponsored events, and a
store. Its address is United Kennel Club, 100 E. Kilgore Road, Kalamazoo, MI
49002-5584. The phone number is 269-343-9020. Fax: 269-343-7037.
The Kennel Club
Checking with the Local Breed Clubs
Local Bulldog clubs can provide
you and your Bulldog lots of hands-on help, great new friends, and practical
advice. Bulldog breed clubs also give shows and matches for Bulldog fanciers,
and they also often give conformation and obedience classes. The Web sites of
some clubs are listed in other sections of this chapter, and you can find more
through The Bulldog Club of America: www.thebca.org.
Browsing for Books
For more information of the
Bulldog breed, consider reading The New Complete Bulldog, by Bailey C.
Hanes (Howell).
Also recommended are health books
for dog owners. These books are not intended to replace your veterinarian, but
to guide you in understanding canine healthcare and what you can do, with your veterinarian,
to ensure your Bulldog’s good health:
- Pet Care in the New Century: Cutting-Edge Medicine for Dogs and Cats, by Amy D. Shojai (New American Library)
- The Angell Memorial Animal Hospital Book of Wellness and Preventive Care for Dogs, by Darlene Arden (McGraw-Hill)
- Pills for Pets: The A to Z Guide to Drugs and Medications for Your Animal Companion, by Debra Eldredge, DVM (Citadel Press)
For training your Bulldog, Dog
Training For Dummies (Wiley), by Jack and Wendy Volhard, is a good basic
book that will get you and your Bully off to a good start.
If you’re interested specifically
in clicker-training your Bulldog, read anything by Karen Pryor. Also, visit her
Web site at www.clickertraining.com/home.
This site provides a wealth of information, from the basics of training to
conferences and events you can attend.
Flipping through fabulous dog fiction
There may be a reference or two about Bulldogs in
the following books, but they make great reading no matter what breed is
featured. Dog lovers love to read about dogs, and it doesn’t matter what
breed the dogs are. These are some of my favorites:
- Any book by Albert Payson Terhune. Stories
about his Sunnybank Collies make great reading.
- Any book by Susan Conant. Conant writes
mysteries featuring a dog writer named Holly Winter and her two Alaskan
Malamutes, Rowdy and Kimi.
- Any book by Carol Benjamin. Her detective,
Rachel Alexander, has a pit bull named Dashiell, as well as various other
breeds in each novel, from a Dachshund in The Long Good Boy to a Puli in Lady
Vanishes.
- Virginia Lanier wrote a book series based on
trailing with Bloodhounds. Besides being gripping stories, you can learn
about trailing.
- Rita Mae Brown’s mysteries feature a Corgi and
a cat.
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Acquainting Yourself with Agility Sources
Do you want your Bulldog to be
quick and clever? Well, he’s not going to be the fastest of all the breeds, but
to help with his agility, check out these helpful resources:
- The United States Dog Agility Association (USDAA) promotes the international standards in dog agility. For the complete text of the official rules and regulations, visit www.usdaa.com/rulesReg_eBook.cfm.
- The North American Dog Agility Council (NADAC) lists its information at www.nadac.com/rules.htm.
- If you’re not particularly competitive, but you’d like to enjoy agility anyway, consider Just for Fun: Dog Agility For the Rest of Us. Check out the Web site, www.dogwoodagility.com/JustForFun.html.
- For advice on training for agility, try the book Having Fun with Agility, by Margaret Bonham. The guide is easy to read and understand, and may be just what you need to get you and your Bully started in agility. For more information on Bonham’s book or agility according to Bonham, visit www.havingfunwithagility.com.
Pursuing Holistic Medicine
You
may pursue holistic medicine for your Bulldog for personal reasons or for
general relief from chronic disease. With holistic medicine, the possibility
exists to reduce medications, which in turn reduces side effects and improves
your pet’s health.
Acupuncture is one component of
holistic medicine. The International Veterinary Acupuncture Society is a nonprofit
organization with a Web site that can help you find a certified veterinary acupuncturist
in your area. Visit www.ivas.org for an acupuncturist directory.
Homeopathy, another part of
holistic medicine, is a system of treating disease based on the administration
of small doses of a drug that in massive amounts would produce symptoms in
healthy individuals similar to those of the disease itself. For further
information, you can visit www.holisticdog.org or www.alternativesforanimals.com,
or contact your local veterinarian’s office.
Rescuing Bulldogs
Hundreds of sources exist in
print and on the Internet as references for rescuing Bulldogs. Every year many
Bulldogs are placed in rescue organizations’ care because their owners have
mistreated, abandoned, or forfeited their right to their pets. If you want to
be part of these kind of organizations or wish to receive your Bulldog through
rescue, try perusing the following Web sites to get the process started:
- Cascade Bulldog Rescue, www.cascadebulldogrescue.org
- Long Island Bulldog Club, libcrescue.tripod.com
- On the Rebound Bulldog Rescue Foundation, www.ontherebound.org
- Smoky Mountains Bulldog Rescue, www.discoveret.org/smbc/rescue.htm
- The Bulldog Club of America, www.rescuebulldogs.org
Recovering Lost Bulldogs
Providing for Your Bulldog When You Can’Tip
A time may come when you are no
longer able to care for your Bully. As sad as that day may be, you owe it to
your dog to plan ahead. Who will take care of your Bulldog in the case of your death?
What will you do if you are physically unable to meet the daily needs of your
dog? Death or losing our capability to take care of our dogs is not something
any of us likes to think about, but thinking about your future and the future
of your Bully is the responsible method of long-term care.
Many sources are now offering
information and help to pet owners facing this dilemma, offering information
about shelters and sanctuaries, as well as explanations of trusts and wills.
The Washington State University Office of Veterinary Medicine and the Kansas
State University College of Veterinary Medicine are only two examples of places
you can contact for more information. Their Web sites can be found at:
Washington State University Office of Veterinary Medicine, www.vetmed.wsu.edu/depts-prd/pc.asp
Kansas State University College of Veterinary Medicine, www.vet.ksu.edu/depts/development/perpet/program.htm
Lisa Rogak’s book PerPETual
Care: Who Will Look After Your Pets If You’re Not Around? (Williams Hill)
also provides useful information on this subject.
by Susan M.Ewing
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