Edie MacKenzie

Edie MacKenzie is a published author, traveler, dog lover, and tortoise enthusiast. Passionate about what she does, her books provide peopel a firm grounding in the dog breed and their unique characteristics with a nice touch of humor.

The Bulldog

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Bulldog History and origin:

Bulldogs were first used in England during the Middle Ages as baiters and fighters of bulls.  They were originally bred to have courage and tenacity similar to the Mastiff.  These early dogs were incredibly aggressive.  It was not until the 19th century that the present personable temperament was achieved.

Description:

The Bulldog stands 13 to 15 inches at the shoulder and weighs between 40 and 60 pounds.  He has a dense, powerful body, an extremely blunt muzzle, a pronounced under-bite, and a short, smooth shedding coat that requires regular brushing with a fairly stiff brush. The color may be brindle, white, fawn, red, or patched.

About the Bulldog:

The Bulldog is a courageous, intelligent, sweet, stubborn, incredibly strong dog that is filled with athletic enthusiasm.  Despite his ferocious appearance, this breed has a docile temperament.  He is extremely personable and loving, but because of his strength and enthusiasm, he is not always the best choice for the elderly or the disabled.  Though normally not aggressive, he may resist training because he has a stubborn streak left over from his bull-fighting days. The Bulldog needs training from early on, particularly in learning not to pull on the leash, not to jump up on people, and in general to contain his exuberance.  He is a fast-learner and loves taking part in games.  He loves children and  gets along well with strangers; just make sure he does not get overenthusiastic and knock your friends or your children with his bowling-ball body.  Training should start form puppy hood and should be firm and persistent.  You must gain adequate control of this eager, powerful, stubborn breed early in life.  The Bulldog is susceptible to respiratory problems.  He will snort and sneeze, spewing out undesirable secretions, usually while licking your face.  The Bulldog also snores.  In addition, the deep wrinkles on his face and forehead tend to get infected if not cleaned and powdered with cornstarch once a day.  Some Bulldogs may need eyelid surgery if a condition known as entropion sets in, causing the eyelids to turn in so that the eyelashes rub against the cornea.  This breed is also sensitive to extremes in temperature and can easily become overheated.  Finally, because of his heavy frame, the Bulldog can develop structural problems and arthritis later in life.  Do not take this dog jogging or let him get overweight.

Feeding:

Recommended feeding for this breed is 1 can (13.3oz) of high quality meaty product with biscuit added.  1 teaspoon of cod liver oil daily is recommended in winter.

Ideal home:

An apartment is fine provided this breed is exercised regularly.  The owner of a Bulldog should be an active, capable leader who desires a sweet, personable, vigorous dog that is good with family and friends.  Children are fine as long as no roughhousing is allowed. The elderly and the disabled may have difficulty dealing with this breed’s high level of enthusiasm; the Bulldog can be a very physical animal and, in his eagerness to play, may knock his owner down and cause an injury.  Time to train, exercise, and socialize thie Bulldog is important.

Dog Health – The Powerful Role Of Water To Your Dog

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Water is as important in dog health as it is in human health. Your dog’s body is made up of 70% water. He can live even if he loses all the fat and half of the protein in his body. However, he will die if his body loses even just 1/10 of his water.

In order to survive, a full-grown dog requires, at the very least, two milliliters (mls) of water for every pound he weighs every single day (keeping in mind that there are 30 milliliters of water per 1 ounce). The two milliliters are just enough for the dog to produce urine in his body.

Without enough water necessary for urine production, your dog, any dog, will not be able to live and their overall dog health suffers.

When given an unlimited amount of water, your dog will drink much more than the required two millimeters. This is especially true when you always keep a fresh bowl of water.

Giving your dog just the least amount of water every day may be enough for him to survive, but not for long.  Deficiency in water harms the body and gradually terminates its functions. He will eventually turn weak, get sick, and die.

The importance of giving your dog more water than the least amount needed for dog health is used in several ways:

1. Water is used to help digest and absorb nutrients.

2. It is used to burn fuel, which is turned into energy.

3. Water is responsible for maintaining a normal body temperature.

4. Drinking enough water replaces the fluids that are lost in the body during secretions.

5. Water is also responsible for mixing different types of chemicals in the body as they dissolve and transform into different chemical reactions.

6. Water carries nutrients to the cells and also transfers toxic waste products from the cells to the organs for proper elimination. With the absence of water, these organs will not be able to get rid of toxins from the body.

7. Last but not least, water is needed to regulate the blood’s acid level.

As you can see, water is almost always required for every function that takes place in the dog’s body.

And because of its versatility and the degree to which it is used, water is considered to be the most important nutrient for dog health required on all breeds of dogs.

So, in order to successfully maintain good dog health, don’t forget to fill the water bowl

Understanding Balanoposthitis In Your Older Dog

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Certain disorders are rather common occurrences in many older dogs and are potentially life threatening. In the female dog, conditions such as mammary gland tumors and pyometra, as well as the less serious false pregnancy and mis-mating, can be prevented to varying degrees by ovariohysterectomy. If your mature dog has already had such surgery you have removed the sources of several major threats to her continuing good health.

Although castration of the male will similarly prevent at least two reproductive disorders related to aging, side effects are more extensive and such surgery is rarely recommended for preventive reasons. The treatment of existing reproductive disease may, however, require such an operation.

Balanoposthitis: This inflammation of the penis and prepuce (sheath) is seen with variable frequency in dogs of all ages, even young puppies, but is more common in aging males. Small amounts of yellow or grayish discharge at the opening of the prepuce are apparent although the dog’s licking at the area may clean most of it away. In several cases, the amount of discharge is quite large and will be greenish and pus-like, often matting the surrounding abdominal hair in long-coated dogs. The surface of the penis and the lining of the prepuce develop multiple little bumps, called lymphoid follicles, and bacteria actively begin to grow in the secretions. Should your dog have this problem, you will often find some of the discharge on the various surfaces that he lies on for any length of time.

You can usually clear up mild cases yourself by gently flushing out the sheath twice daily with hydrogen peroxide solution for a week or ten days. Using a rubber human ear syringe to hold the peroxide, insert its tip into the sheath opening, at the same time pulling the sheath gently toward the syringe. This will avoid the syringe tip touching the penis. Holding the sheath opening firmly around the syringe tip, slowly instill the peroxide until the prepuce distends slightly. Remove the syringe, keeping the prepuce opening closed, and gently massage the fluid back and forth within the sheath. Release the opening, let the fluid drain out, and carefully clean the surrounding area.

More severe cases should be treated by your veterinarian and may require the application of irritating medications to these delicate tissues. This would, of course, be done under anesthesia and probably followed with soothing antibiotic ointments which you would continue at home as instructed.

Your older dog may be recurrently bothered by this condition. Regular flushing with peroxide or the application of an antibiotic ointment or both, done once or twice weekly should keep the discharge under control and avoid the more serious problems.

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