Happy Friday!

Lady's enjoying a nice lazy day on her brothers bed ;)
Hope you're having a great day too!

Lady is ONE!

It seems as though it wasn't more then a few months ago that my friend Kelly (Owner of Beach side Bullies) headed with Daisy (lady's mom) to the vet for her scheduled c-section of which seven healthy beautiful chunky bullies were born! Somehow however - crazy as it seems - this was a whole YEAR ago! Time really flies!
Lady enjoyed her birthday yesterday and was given yet another clean bill of health from her vet! :) we also begun briefly talking with her vet about our plans to breed her in the not-too-distant future of which she said Lady looks promising to be a great breeder and to produce beautiful puppies!
With how quickly this year has gone and an addition due to our family in the next month, I'm sure this next year will pass in even more of a blur and so I'm thinking its about time for my husband and I to begin looking at stud candidates. Lady comes from a great blood line with a champion father and several siblings winning first in show multiple times as well (we unfortunately are beyond busy with a 5 year old boy and one due in the next month so showing our Lady hasn't exactly fit into the schedule) and so we want to be sure to find a stud of equal quality.  In addition to this we are looking into color options for the stud. Lady is a beautiful red and white color, but likewise we've seen other color patterns we are fond of (namely a brindle pattern like her mom and brother have) as well that may be fun to try and add into a litter.
What's your favorite coloring for a Bully?

We will keep everyone posted on an estimated time frame for when breeding will take place as well as studs we are looking at so stay tuned!

Happy 1st Birthday Lady!

Almost a year!

It has been quite some time since I last posted! I can't believe we are coming up on our

Lady's 1st BIRTHDAY!! 

(Only 3 days left and she will officially be ONE!)

 

Lady has grown quite a bit since our last update, she is now around 55lbs and overall 'solid' (at least that's what everyone who tries to pick her up has to say!) Her markings are as beautiful and symmetrical as when she was a puppy, (we are in touch with most of her siblings families and although we are probably a bit biased we feel as though we got the most uniquely marked, beautiful female puppy of the litter!) and her adorable wrinkles match her typical Bulldog personality just perfectly! :)

You hear everyone talk about just how stubborn Bullies can be but I must say that even with as prepared as we were for her stubbornness there are still days that we can't help but just laugh at how strong willed she can be! In addition to their stubbornness you also hear that bullies "just aren't that smart" - to be honest I haven't found that I agree.  While she may not learn tricks QUITE as quickly as her 'Big Brother' (our 110lb Labrador Retriever, Cam - who on the opposite end of the spectrum is a breed known for learning all sorts of tricks) she was housebroken quickly, (yes we crate trained both our dogs and yes I am a HUGE believer in that being the key to success if done correctly (more on that at a later date) ,) she knows all her basic commands (sit, lay, stay, down, etc.) knows not to jump on visitors, and won't eat until she's told - another thing we are big on in our house as out young son's 'chore' is feeding the dogs their breakfast and dinner, and we needed to know this could be done without any concern of him being bulldozed over by a hungry Bully!! :)  (Lady LOVES her food - each serving is gone in about 5 seconds once she has at it - so to watch her resist the temptation of a full bowl right in front of her until she's told by our 5 year old that she may have it, is quite impressive!) All in all, she's a good girl - stubborn enough to live up to the Bulldog rep, but also smart enough (given the right amount of patience ) to learn any trick we take the time to go over with her, and I must admit our first year with her has truly gone by SO fast!

Since my last post was about vaccinations as Lady ended her puppy series, and now we're fast approaching vaccination time for her again (she gets her yearly shots the end of this week) I figured it would be a good opportunity to visit another important topic -

Bordetella Vaccination in English Bulldogs

What is the Bordetella Vaccination? The Bordetella vaccination (otherwise known as the Kennel Cough Vaccination) is a preventative measure taken to keep at bay the highly contagious bacterial illness that is easily spread between animals known as Bordetella, or kennel cough.  Bordetella is easily recognizable in animals by the hacking cough, sneezing, and runny nose they develop anywhere from 2-14 days after exposure.   While this infection isn't generally life threatening on it's own, (a dog with a healthy immune system can often fight off the illness on their own,) it can lead to complications such as bronchitis and pneumonia that could put your dog in danger. Due to the readiness of this illness to spread, mostly all places which welcome dogs overnight or for extended periods (such as grooming facilities or doggy daycare facilities) require proof of Bordetella Vaccination at least annually if not bi-annually.  This vaccination can be given intranasal (a quick squirt of fluid up the nose,) or in a shot form, and works the same as other vaccinations by exposing your pet to a small dose of the virus helping the immune system to build antibodies.

Should my English Bulldog receive the Bordetella vaccination? Yes, BUT not the intranasal version.  Bulldogs are prone to respiratory issues and so I strongly advise that all bulldogs are vaccinated against kennel cough especially if they are going to be out and about where they could get exposed. (No this doesn't mean if you aren't going to be boarding your bully once a month you can skip the vaccination - if at any time during the year your dog may be expose to another dog that could be carrying the virus, they need to have been vaccinated - this includes a quick trip to the store with your pup, visiting the beach, dog park, etc. ANYwhere they could come in contact with another dog who has kennel cough - they NEED to have been vaccinated)

Unfortunately however, bordetella and it's vaccination are a bit of a double edged sword for your bully as they need the vaccination to boost their immune system, but also run a bit higher of a risk of coming down with a cold from the vaccination.  For this reason it is recommended that English Bulldogs receive the shot not the intranasal Bordetella vaccination.  I have seen countless cases online where people have been told by their vet it would be 'fine' to give their bulldog the intranasal and the dog has ended up fighting a tough battle against a case of Kennel Cough or even worse, pneumonia.  Thankfully my vet is very familiar with bullies and has never suggested anything other then the shot version of the bordetella vaccination, but should you ever run across one that does, politely request that this is not done. I'd hate to see your bully have to go thru that, as well as your wallet go thru the vet bills that could so easily be avoided!

 

That's all for now! Check back later this week as I will post some pictures of Lady's first year! :)

Some Food for Thought on Vaccinations

As our Lady nears her final round of vaccinations (something of which my husband is so very happy for as it means I will allow her to be paraded around town and shown off as he has been so anxious to do) I felt it would be a good time to share some info on here for our future puppy owners regarding some vaccination info I've learned over the years thru owning a few puppies as well as having worked as a veterinary assistant. 

Puppies receive 4 rounds of vaccinations after birth, the first beginning at 6 weeks of age, and continuing on at an average of every 2-3 weeks until the 4 round series is completed.  (Note: Honey Bee Bullies will all have received their first round of vaccinations and a health check before they move on to their forever homes)

That being said (and this is one that applies to ALL breeds, not just Bullies)...DO NOT parade your adorable young puppy all around town until they've received ALL their vaccines!!!  While it is extremely tempting to take your new adorable 4 legged friend all over town with you, this is something that is extremely dangerous to your fur baby, and something which can be a potentially fatal mistake. 

Now to explain....when puppies are with their mom, feeding on her antibody-rich milk, they are 'protected' from many of the common harmful bugs in the world without the aid of vaccines.  Once they stop feeding from mom however, this protection starts to wear off and they become susceptible to the many harmful and potentially fatal germs that are out there.  Unfortunately (and fortunately) mom's milk is very strong, and has the sole job of protecting those babies as long as it possibly can.  It varies from mom to mom and pup to pup just how long these antibodies will remain active for, and as long as they are active, not even the vaccines are able to trigger a puppy to build their own immunity.  This is why puppies receive multiple rounds of vaccinations before the vets give them the 'all clear.' (So basically that first round of shots your puppy got may not have even worked bc of the left over antibodies of moms milk fighting it off.)

Now, keeping that in mind, you must also take into consideration the fact that you never know where a sick puppy has been & left behind harmful germs! One of the most harmful viruses a puppy or person may have unknowingly left behind, is the Canine Parvovirus (which you may click that link to read more on.) Parvo virus is one which causes many awful symptoms to your animal, symptoms which can potentially even lead to death.  Parvo virus is originally transmitted from the feces of an infected animal, however this virus is a 'hearty' one and can survive under even the most unfavorable conditions.  This being said, parvo virus can be introduced to areas the sick puppy hadn't even visited by people's shoes, other animals feet, etc.

Having personally watched several ill puppies come into the vet's office too dehydrated and weak to be saved, the thought of Parvo alone is enough for me to miss out on the fun of taking my 8 week old puppy out around town, and it is also important to remember that parvo is one of MANY bugs out there you do not want your puppy or wallet to have to go thru.  In our house puppies are kept home (or in other controlled environments such as our parents homes) until they have been fully vaccinated, and I highly recommend the same to any new puppy parents.

Just something to keep in mind and be aware of and something I wanted to share with my future-puppy owners as I am very passionate about the dangers out there. (And yes all my puppy owners will go home with a nice little hand out on this as well!) :)  

Our Lady

Our Little Lady

Meet our family's Bulldog, 'Honey Bee's Lady of Charleston,' aka "Lady"

Since Lady will one day be a mommy bulldog, we felt it only appropriate that we document her puppy years and beyond online in a place where the future owners of her pups have easy access to information on Lady, quick access to information on this adorable breed, and of course, an easy way to ask questions should they arise!
For now though, at only 14weeks old, Lady is only a puppy herself, and quite some time away from needing to worry about having some of her own! Until then however, we will update on her growth, milestones, etc. along with posting some information on the breed to benefit our future puppy owners!

Some background on Lady...


  

Lady at 1 week old
 

Lady came from a small private breeder in Florida, who also happens to be a good friend of mine.  She has one female bulldog, Daisy, and strives to breed quality bulldogs. Daisy was bred to a champion bulldog, (whom I will post pictures on when I get the link!) and on February 8th, 2013 seven beautiful pups were born via C-section. (Fun Fact: Bulldogs rarely give birth naturally, a C-section is much safer for momma & pups) 8 short weeks later, Lady came to live with us in Charleston, SC. Lady lives with my husband and myself, as well as our 4 year old son who she adores. We also have a 100lb Labrador, Cam, who she is best friends with, and a cat named Spartacus, who she loves to play with and bark at for hours on end.


Vet appointments...

Since coming home Lady has had two vet appointments for her vaccines, and will be fully legal after receiving her last set and rabies shot in another 2 weeks. At the most recent appointment (4 days ago) lady weighed in at 19lbs 4oz. Her hips, demeanor, and overall health continue to check out well as does her crate training and house training - Lady has made it two weeks without any accidents that were her fault (technically two have happened but we were most definitely to blame) - YAY! Despite some chewing habits that have picked up over the past week (thanks to her losing her baby teeth) we couldn't be happier! Stay tuned for more updates!