American Bulldog Nutrition
Dog food brands can be loosely categorized into three types: low quality, mid quality and very high quality. The types are going to vary based on price and the ingredients in the food. If you want the healthiest American Bulldog you can have the low quality foods should be avoided. They are made with the cheapest ingredients possible and are therefore the cheapest in price. The low priced brands often found in the grocery store such as Alpo and Friskies are a good example of a very low quality dog food.
The quality differences of the three types of dog food can been found by reading the list of ingredients on the packaging. The low quality type foods are going to list vague terms for the protein such as meat, meat meal or bone meal. Meat such as these could come from just about any source including road kill or euthanized animals. In addition it could be any combination of any meat of any kind of animal. It could have some very low quality chicken and horse, or horse and dog as well as many other combinations.
The mid quality type foods are going to list a specific type of meat such as lamb, beef or chicken as a key protein ingredient as well as by products of this ingredient. By product means it could come from any part of the animal. The highest quality and most expensive brands are going to list a specific meat as a key ingredient and are not going to list any by products of the meat in the ingredients. In other words the protein from meat in the high quality type foods is good enough to meet the standards of human consumption.
Purina Pro Plan, Science Diet and Eukanuba all make reputable dog food that fall into the mid quality category. You will find many vets that will recommend one or more of these brands.
If you don't mind spending more and want to feed your American Bulldog dog food that could actually be more nutritious than what many humans eat, the Solid Gold brand that is made in the United States makes dog food with the highest quality ingredients possible. Here are the ingredients in their dry lamb adult dog food:
Lamb | Lamb Meal | Millet | Brown Rice | Cracked Pearled Barley | Oatmeal | Rice Bran | Menhaden Fish Meal | Canola Oil | Flax Meal | Amaranth | Blueberries | Dried Chicory Root | Carotene | Choline Chloride | Vitamin E Supplement | Iron Proteinate | Zinc Proteinate | Yucca Schidigera Extract | Copper Proteinate | Manganese Proteinate | Potassium Iodide | Thiamine Mononitrate | Ascorbic Acid | Vitamin A Supplement | Biotin | Calcium Panthothenate | Sodium Selenite | Pyridoxine Hydrochloride | Vitamin B12 Supplement | Riboflavin | Vitamin D Supplement | Folic Acid |
Notice that you don't see the word “by product” anywhere. Also notice there are no preservatives listed. The low grade products include preservatives.
http://americanbulldogguide.com/american-bulldog-info.htm
American Bulldog Puppy
puupy
Saturday, August 20, 2011
Grooming the American Bulldog
Grooming the American Bulldog
Less is more with this wash-and-go dog.
Steve Carney
Because American Bulldogs were bred to work on farms to guard against intruders, hunt vermin, and chase wayward cattle and hogs, it's no surprise they don't require a fussy or fancy grooming regimen.
"They're pretty low-maintenance," says Tonia Lorensen, president of the United States Traditional American Bulldog Club. They're a wash-and-go kind of dog.
But there are still a few basics to remember for optimal health and grooming. The one thing you do have to keep in mind is their ears. "They have to get cleaned out a lot, or they can get a yeast infection," Lorensen says.
Another area to watch: the mouth. Food can get trapped in the pockets of the mouths of dogs with pendulous lips or tight faces; this can lead to tartar and tooth decay. To avoid that, Lorensen suggests brushing the teeth often — every couple of weeks, or even daily if food collection seems to be a problem.
The breed sheds its short, coarse hair year-round, so Robert Latsha, owner of the United Kennel Club's top American Bulldog the past two years, King Haven's Brickhouse, uses a curry comb to remove the loose hair. Others say a few quick swipes with a rubber grooming glove once or twice a week suffice.
Like many white-coated, short-haired dogs, American Bulldogs have sensitive skin, often susceptible to allergies. Lorensen suggests bathing them only once every two months — as long as they haven't found a mud puddle to roll in. Latsha's dogs sleep on wood shavings to keep them from getting dirty; he only bathes them before a show or if they got really filthy during a hunting trip, for instance.
Samantha Jones, East Coast coordinator of the National American Bulldog Rescue Alliance, says she uses baby shampoo on her dogs because of its gentleness; she knows other owners who use mild human shampoos, such as oatmeal-based formulas, so as not to irritate their Bulldogs' sensitive skin
http://www.dogchannel.com/dog-health/dog-grooming/article_4865.aspx
"They're pretty low-maintenance," says Tonia Lorensen, president of the United States Traditional American Bulldog Club. They're a wash-and-go kind of dog.
But there are still a few basics to remember for optimal health and grooming. The one thing you do have to keep in mind is their ears. "They have to get cleaned out a lot, or they can get a yeast infection," Lorensen says.
Another area to watch: the mouth. Food can get trapped in the pockets of the mouths of dogs with pendulous lips or tight faces; this can lead to tartar and tooth decay. To avoid that, Lorensen suggests brushing the teeth often — every couple of weeks, or even daily if food collection seems to be a problem.
The breed sheds its short, coarse hair year-round, so Robert Latsha, owner of the United Kennel Club's top American Bulldog the past two years, King Haven's Brickhouse, uses a curry comb to remove the loose hair. Others say a few quick swipes with a rubber grooming glove once or twice a week suffice.
Like many white-coated, short-haired dogs, American Bulldogs have sensitive skin, often susceptible to allergies. Lorensen suggests bathing them only once every two months — as long as they haven't found a mud puddle to roll in. Latsha's dogs sleep on wood shavings to keep them from getting dirty; he only bathes them before a show or if they got really filthy during a hunting trip, for instance.
Samantha Jones, East Coast coordinator of the National American Bulldog Rescue Alliance, says she uses baby shampoo on her dogs because of its gentleness; she knows other owners who use mild human shampoos, such as oatmeal-based formulas, so as not to irritate their Bulldogs' sensitive skin
http://www.dogchannel.com/dog-health/dog-grooming/article_4865.aspx
Are You an American Bulldog Type of Person?
Are You an American Bulldog Type of Person?
How we choose our pets reflects the kind of person we are. These pets are often extensions of our personality and figuring out what kind of a dog you want as a pet may be tantamount to the kind of person you are. How does one figure out if one is cut out to take care of an American bulldog? Does a bulldog fit the kind of person you are?
Raising any dog breed takes a certain amount of patience and care and some dog breeds require more of these than others. If you are thinking of adopting an American bulldog, you may need to find out first what is needed in raising such a dog breed. Since bulldogs grow to become rather sizable creatures, you may need to consider the space you have in your home for a full grown American bulldog. You may also need to consider your budget and whether or not you have enough money for a big dog like the bulldog. Since bulldogs need to be trained, you will also need to consider the costs of training and getting your dog disciplined. These are just a few of the things you may need to think about when deciding on getting yourself a bulldog.
If there is one thing that a bulldog owner needs to have in abundance it is patience. These dogs are considered one of the hardest breeds to train. Getting them to do what you want can be considered quite a big feat at first but once you do get them trained and properly accustomed to your commands and edicts, they are very loyal pets that protect and love their owners. The bulldog is a very energetic and intelligent dog and if you do not see yourself as the kind of owner who can stimulate such intelligence or who can get their bulldogs to use this energy in a good way, you may be better off getting another kind of dog.
A lot of families often take in a bulldog as a pet due to the animal's inherent protective nature. For those who are thinking of getting a pet for the family, a bulldog is a pretty good choice since it has this protective instinct that can give you an assurance that it will be kind and gentle to your kids. Of course, pets like the bulldog need to undergo a little training and a lot of care for it to build some loyalty towards the family it is adopted in. If you think that your family is ready for a bulldog and you are ready for the responsibility of having one become part of your household, then you may be an American bulldog type of person after all.
Finding Out What It Takes
Raising any dog breed takes a certain amount of patience and care and some dog breeds require more of these than others. If you are thinking of adopting an American bulldog, you may need to find out first what is needed in raising such a dog breed. Since bulldogs grow to become rather sizable creatures, you may need to consider the space you have in your home for a full grown American bulldog. You may also need to consider your budget and whether or not you have enough money for a big dog like the bulldog. Since bulldogs need to be trained, you will also need to consider the costs of training and getting your dog disciplined. These are just a few of the things you may need to think about when deciding on getting yourself a bulldog.
The Bulldog's Personality
If there is one thing that a bulldog owner needs to have in abundance it is patience. These dogs are considered one of the hardest breeds to train. Getting them to do what you want can be considered quite a big feat at first but once you do get them trained and properly accustomed to your commands and edicts, they are very loyal pets that protect and love their owners. The bulldog is a very energetic and intelligent dog and if you do not see yourself as the kind of owner who can stimulate such intelligence or who can get their bulldogs to use this energy in a good way, you may be better off getting another kind of dog.
Family Pet
A lot of families often take in a bulldog as a pet due to the animal's inherent protective nature. For those who are thinking of getting a pet for the family, a bulldog is a pretty good choice since it has this protective instinct that can give you an assurance that it will be kind and gentle to your kids. Of course, pets like the bulldog need to undergo a little training and a lot of care for it to build some loyalty towards the family it is adopted in. If you think that your family is ready for a bulldog and you are ready for the responsibility of having one become part of your household, then you may be an American bulldog type of person after all.
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