Sauder's English Bulldogs

Supplies to have when you

bring your Bulldog Puppy home!

Of course you're thrilled about bringing home

a new puppy. The puppy too, will be excited and

curious enough to gambol about your house,

poking their nose into everything. But before you

bring home your new puppy, spend some time

puppy-proofing  your home and gathering the

supplies you'll need to start your relationship on

a happy, even keel. Your puppy is a baby Bulldog.

Like all babies, they need lots of love and cuddling,

rest and sleep, lots of good, nourishing food and

more love. Moving to a new home, leaving their

mom and litter mates and the only people they

have ever really known is a very difficult

experience for the puppy, so try to make the

move as easy as possible for them. For the first

weeks, try to change their life as little as possible.

           Stock Up on Puppy Supplies

Scout out your neighborhood for pet supply stores

and establish a relationship with them. Think

ahead to bad weather or times you'll be really busy.

Are the store hours convenient for you?

        Here's a basic list of what

      you'll need to get before the

                    pup arrives:

Bowls for food and water. Glass and ceramic can

break; plastic is chewable and can harbor

bacteria. Stainless Steel is sturdy and easy to wash

and the best choice. You'll need a bowl holder,

too, so your puppy doesn't learn the neat trick of

pushing herdinner all around the kitchen. A crate

to serve as their den. Wire is more portable than

plastic and allows for better ventilation in warmer

climates. Since your puppy will grow, you may

want to buy one that can be sectioned off to allow

for expansion. Or, be prepared to buy a new one

in several months. A bed and accessories. For

most dogs, especially at the beginning, a washable

plastic bed padded with washable towels or

blankets, as well as a tee shirt or old bathrobe that

carries your scent, is just fine. Be sure the bed will

fit inside the crate. You might want to have a hot

water bottle on stand-by. A ticking clock and a

sturdy, babyproof stuffed toy may also keep her

company the first few weeks. A soft, adjustable

collar with identification tags and a leash. Safe

toys. Don't buy too many at first, but have

enough to keep the puppy distracted from

chewing your shoes and furniture. Check the

labels and look for quality, same as when you buy

toys for children. Be sure that parts won't break

off. Buttons, plastic shards and small balls can

lodge in the puppy’s throat and block air

passages. Rawhide products should be avoided.

Balls should be softball size to be safe. Kongs,

sturdy tug ropes and things that will spark

interest are the best choices as is a hard ball.

Grooming tools that you will probably want

include brush, shampoo, scissors, desitin diaper

rash ointment, and baby powder will all be

great to have. Also a dremil or nail clippers,

Q- tips and some cotton balls. A mustard plastic

bottle (like you use to squirt the mustard out of)

is great to fill with baby powder and to squirt it

into the hard to get to wrinkle areas and under

the nose rope. In addition, Peroxide is another

thing to have on hand and an anti-biotic

ointment, plus a good rectal thermometer,

Clear Eyes, visine, etc. for irritated eyes,

Benadryl, (capsule) - use this if the dog is stung

by a bee/insect, and has minor allergic reaction,

Kaopectate for minor diarrhea or upset stomach.

You should also have vaseline for his nose daily

and keep lemon juice on hand in case your

bulldog gets choked up put a squirt of lemon juice

in their mouth. You will also need a toothbrush. A

good book or two is always nice to read.

It will be some time before you can trust your

puppy to roam the house alone. Baby gates, vetted

for safety by consumer organizations, protect the

puppy and your belongings. Use them to block

off stairways, carpeted rooms and other

forbidden areas.  Ask your breeder what brand

of food your pup is usedto. Changing the

puppy’s diet abruptly may cause stomach

distress and diarrhea. If you want to change

foods, phase them in by mixing them with her

old brand over a week or two.

           Put Away Poisons

       and Precious Possessions

Your home, garage and yard make for a puppy

wonderland of chewy sneakers, enticing power

cords, sweet-smelling antifreeze, warm and

fragrant flower beds, dolls with button eyes and

hanging drapes with tie-back tassels, sweep

through and put them away NOW. Digestive

tract X-rays of sick dogs have revealed all sorts

of unusual things, from ribbons, spoons and

dominoes to knives with blades sixinches long.

Look at your home as your puppy sees and

smells it. You might want to keep your kids'

rooms off limits for a while. Close closet doors

and be sure that cabinets are secured. Hide

electrical cords under carpets. Put knick-knacks

out of reach. Lock up anything chemical, from

soaps, waxes and cleaning solventsto medicines

and cosmetics. Certain human foods and plants

such as English ivy and tiger lilies are poisonous,

too.  If in doubt, use caution and assume its bad

and don't let her get around it. Puppy proof the

contents of your garage. Put away ethylene-

glycol antifreeze and other automotive compounds,

fertilizers, pesticides, paint, nails and anything

else that may cause trouble if swallowed. Make

sure your backyard fence is in good repair, so your

puppy can neither jump over nor dig under it.

Fence off flowerbeds and treesand check for a long

list of poisonous plants,including boxwood, bulb

flowers, hemlock and sage. Watch out for uninvited

milkweed, poison ivy, oak and sumac, too. Make

sure to pick up objects like shovels, small rocks,

kids toys, trash or other things she may want to

eat including any type of plastic bags.

         Rehearse Your Family's

                "Puppy Speak"

Agree on a game plan for keeping the puppy

warm and calm during her first days with you.

Your puppy will want to please you and will be

eager to learn how, but she'll also be nervous.

Every member of your family must give uniform

commands."Sit," "stop," "down," "kennel,"

"come" and "stay" must have the same meaning,

no matter which family member uses them. Write

up the schedule you'll use for your pup's first few

days home. The puppy needs you to be regular

and consistent. Don't invite the neighborhood

over to welcome your new dog. Brace yourself

now, so you don't yell at the pup when they soil

the carpet or bites off Barbie's head. The puppy

doesn’t know any better at first.

                          Have a Vet to Turn To

Your puppy will probably come home with medical

and inoculation records. If you don't already have

a family vet, ask friends to recommend one and

visit several offices to check for efficiency and

cleanliness. As soon as the puppy is settled in,

have your puppy checked over by the vet you

choose. That way, you'll be prepared for

emergencies before they happen. Make sure to

use a Bulldog experienced Vet. That is a very

important thing to do.