Each week we receive many emails and calls from people who want to bring a Bulldog into their family.  We are happy to help guide you in your search.  Sadly, we also receive many calls from families who have bought a Bulldog pup from the wrong sources, and they are now faced with severe health and behavior issues.  Please take your time, read the information below, and learn how to discriminate between reputable breeders, puppy mills and ill-informed backyard breeders.  

The best place to look for a reputable breeder is through your local Bulldog club and/or the Breeder Referral page on the Bulldog Club of America website  (www.bulldogclubofamerica.org).  The Bulldog community is quite small, actually, and we all know each other.  BCU and BCA club members often know who has puppies on the ground to refer you to.  Please try us first, before becoming the victim of a scam or heartbreak.

As much as we love Bulldogs, they are not the right fit for every family.  They need attention and structure.  Their grooming needs are minimal, but they do need their wrinkles and ears cleaned, and nails trimmed regularly.  They are not all “couch potatoes” and will need regular exercise and mental stimulation.   Bulldogs need to be indoors in very hot weather and are not suitable as a jogging companion.  A well trained Bulldog is generally wonderful with children.

Pet Stores: Never buy a puppy from a pet store!  We cannot stress this enough.  Reputable breeders will not sell pups to pet stores, as they cannot guarantee the pup will end up in a suitable home.  The source of puppies for pet stores is from puppy mills.  These are commercial facilities, often in the Midwest, that breed dogs for profit.  No reputable breeder will ever be involved in this.  The "mill dogs" are often kept in horrid conditions in small wire cages, bred until they are no longer useful as breeding stock.  They usually do not meet the Bulldog breed standard, and often times these puppies grow up NOT looking like the Bulldog you imagined.  They are commonly riddled with health problems, as well.  Note the signs on kennel windows in most pet stores indicating that the puppies are from the mid-West, usually Kansas and Missouri.  They are often removed from their mothers at 4 weeks of age, much too soon, which can cause behavioral and psychological damage.  If they are not sold by a certain age, they are often euthanized, and a younger pup is brought in to take its place.  Prices are often twice what a good breeder would charge.  Don’t be tempted to “rescue” one of these pups, as you will only be supporting the mills and further breeding.

Craig’s List/Newspaper Ads:  These ads are often placed by backyard breeders and those out solely to make a profit from a litter of puppies.  These are people who simply buy two dogs and breed them, with no regard for correct structure, temperament, or health.  They know nothing about the pedigree or genetic history of their dog(s), have no idea what the Bulldog Breed Standard is, and often lack the knowledge for proper health care.  Rarely is health testing done and little attention is given to select the best mate to complement their female, instead they use whatever dog is available.  You will find that they often use their puppy sales to supplement their income, if not be the sole source of their income, so they are very motivated to pass inferior pups on to unsuspecting buyers.  

High-Volume Internet websites:  Almost anyone can put up a flashy website.  Here are some ways to determine whether the breeder is reputable.  The correct name of this breed is “Bulldog”.  If you see sites with “English Bulldogges”, "Olde English Bulldogs", "Victorian Bulldoggs", etc., you can assume the sellers are not BCA members and the dogs may not even be AKC registered.  Another sign is if a website advertises they always have puppies available.  Bulldogs are difficult to whelp, so this is a red flag they are likely brokering puppies domestically or importing them from other countries.  Sites that sell many different breeds of puppies are brokers – they buy entire litters, usually from sources outside the US, and deal with hundreds of puppies annually.  Websites that offer a constant supply of puppies, ship anywhere, and sell pups with unusual colors or sizes are NOT reputable breeders.

In the same way that licensed physicians belong to the American Medical Association, reputable breeders belong to the Bulldog Club of America and to a local Bulldog club.  As members, they are required to adhere to a Code of Ethics to practice ethical breeding standards, promote the health and welfare of the breed, and to strive to produce Bulldogs that will have a true Bulldog appearance and loving nature.  Do not confuse AKC papers with membership in a breed club.  AKC does not regulate the quality of dogs; they are a registry service that only records and provides information on dogs' parentage.

A good breeder spends thousands on breeding quality animals, keeping them in good health, showing them, and health testing them.  The purpose of dog shows is a means to evaluate breeding stock.  We enter shows to obtain an expert judge’s opinion as to whether or not our dogs meet the Breed Standard.  Only the best dogs are selected to represent the breed and produce the next generation.  This ensures that in years to come, Bulldogs will continue to look like the dogs we know and love today.  Show breeders have their own personal careers and do not live off of puppy sales.  They spend far more on their dogs than they earn in puppy sales.  They have a reputation to protect and pledge to do no harm to the breed.  Their main concern is the health, structure, and temperament of their dogs.

Contact your local Bulldog club and ask for breeder referrals.  You will be connected with experienced breeders who will be an ongoing source of information and assistance for the life of your bulldog.