A bulldog really seems like the perfect dog for us (with looks and personality!), but they are very expensive dogs. A puppy would be anywhere from $1500 – $2500, and they tend to have a lot of costly health problems and a short life span.
Brandon and I went looking for a dog to adopt this weekend, but we were unsuccessful. We went to three different shelters, but we just didn’t find the right dog for us.
Jamie
February 25, 2008 at 9:57 amI just brought home my puppy from a breeder yesterday. She is a corgi! There are pictures on my site if you want to check her out :)
Bethany
February 25, 2008 at 9:57 ampuppy love! we just got a puppy. we bought a golden doodle – not what we thought we would get! They are non-shedding… nuf’ said! (and ours looks just like a retriever)
gena
February 25, 2008 at 10:16 amhave you tried something along the lines of rescue organizations? i have friends at new leash on life in chicago, and they do amazing work. you may not get a PUPPY but youll get a great dog that just wants to be loved.
amy purple
February 25, 2008 at 10:37 amyikes on that price tag! Don’t stress, you’ll find a dog soon. Just keep looking.
It took us a few months to find the one we’re interested in and that’s still not a 100% done deal yet.
Andrea
February 25, 2008 at 10:57 amAh ha, you are puppy hunting too! I was in love love love with French Bulldogs, but realized they have too many health problems. Not to mention snorting/snoring! Now we have decided on a Boston Terrier. They have the same gorgeous bat ears as a French Bulldog and small boxy strong bodies. Little Kaiser comes home with us in 2.5 weeks. I hope you too find the dog of your dreams!
Carolyn
September 6, 2011 at 1:41 pmI just wanted to make a French Bulldog comment… While Andrea’s comments are not untrue, I had to mention that I’ve had Esther (my amazing Frenchie) for over 6 years and she has not had a single health problem and doesn’t snore or snort! I do know a couple Frenchies that display these traits, but I had to share my story that people would know that there are Frenchies out there without those infamous issues. Esther (and this breed) is the most wonderful dog I have ever owned. :) Good Luck finding the perfect puppy for you and your family!
Andrea
February 25, 2008 at 10:59 amI forgot to say that Boston Terriers have smooshy faces too!
Aimee
February 25, 2008 at 11:12 amThat’s too bad about the price. Did you try Petfinder.com? They will have a list of rescues in your area and you might be able to find a dog more easily that way. :)
kimberly
February 25, 2008 at 11:16 amyou’d be surprised what a chore bulldogs are anyway.
our best married couple friends bought one as a puppy about a year ago, after doing months and months of research.
this dog is the stinkiest, snottiest, slimiest mess of bad-gas trouble. CUTE of course, but really too much of a chore for a couple of designers with an adorable house that they had (previously) enjoyed keeping ultra-clean (and fresh smelling).
Kathie
February 25, 2008 at 12:05 pmOkay, so there’s a bulldog rescue that lists their dogs nationwide. They DO have a location in Chicago. and upon looking at their site there were at least five dogs all under the age of 5 that were looking for homes. Might be a way to go. The link is below.
http://www.rescuebulldogs.org/display.pl
Ana
February 25, 2008 at 12:07 pmKeep trying to adopt!
taryn hipp
February 25, 2008 at 12:09 pmmy husband & i recently brought home a yorkie poo puppy! he is amazingly awesome. a bit hyper but that’s expected in a puppy. they are smart & cute, totally snuggly. i had a poodle when i was a little girl & i have to say, the yorkie poo has all the great traits of a poodle with the loyalty & cuteness of a yorkie.
so, i say… go yorkie poo!
Jules
February 25, 2008 at 12:09 pmWhat did I tell you? Expensive and short life span is what ruined it for the Mister and I.
alana
February 25, 2008 at 12:25 pmpetfinder.com
you can pick the breed and location and it will give you a list of homeless bulldogs (including a much lower animal shelter-price) in your area.
Making it Lovely
February 25, 2008 at 1:00 pmJules, I know. Same here.
Taryn, yorkie poos are so cute! I have to make my way over to your flickr photos and take a peek! You know, I really like most of the poodle mixes. We had a poodle mix mutt when I was a little girl and I LOVED that dog, so I’m sure that has a lot to do with it. :)
I have been looking on petfinder – thanks for the recommendation.
Making it Lovely
February 25, 2008 at 1:04 pmThis was our poodle mix mutt:
That’s my mom, not too long before I came along. :)
dani cruz
February 25, 2008 at 1:10 pmi adopted my cat, it was love at first sight. he helped me through dark depression times :)
did you tried petfinder? i’m not from the us, but i helped a friend of mine adopting her pet through this site.
here’s a cute bulldog waiting for adoption. but he’s deaf. which FOR ME doesnt mean much ;)
http://search.petfinder.com/petnote/displaypet.cgi?petid=10115188
amy purple
February 25, 2008 at 2:49 pmLook at Bart on the link Kathie posted! Good with kitties!
http://www.rescuebulldogs.org/showdog.pl?id=1465
Jules
February 25, 2008 at 3:52 pmSo cute, Nicole! :)
caroline
February 25, 2008 at 4:58 pmi recently adopted my pug boy luke from a rescue group.
it was amazing how many hoops those rescue people make you jump through (home visits, references, etc.), but in the end it was so worth it. he’s such a happy little guy and smiles all the time! http://www.flickr.com/photos/carolineduke/2243275766/
just be patient and you’ll find the one that’s perfect for you!
coveiter
February 25, 2008 at 6:55 pmthere is nothing better than having a doggy! we sure love ours. we rescued our pooch from the pound, i have a soft spot for pound puppies. try petfinder.com. perhaps you can find a rescue bulldog…save some money and a life in the process!
Laura
February 25, 2008 at 7:22 pmHi – I live out in Portland, OR and we got our dog, Morgan, from a beagle rescue. I find that rescue groups are a great way to go instead of a shelter because the dog is placed in a “foster” home so you really know what you are getting into. There are quite a full bulldog rescues in Chicago, as well as tons of other breeds too. Here are a few links you might want to check out!
http://www.ebullymatch.com/availablebullies.html
http://www.petfinder.com/shelters/IL360.html
http://www.bullhaven.org/
http://www.pgaa.com/illinois.html
Amanda
February 25, 2008 at 10:11 pmHello, I stumbeled upon your blog from my sister-in-law’s blog. You have a fab style and great ideas. I really like all the purse sewing projects… my other sister-in-law just started a purse blog and I think that you might enjoy them. Check them out at http://www.sacsbysarah.blogspot.com – Just a little tip from a total stranger to a total stranger. Keep up the good work!
Amanda
February 25, 2008 at 10:13 pmWow I totally spelled stumbled wrong… Ooops. I hate that.
bandelle
February 25, 2008 at 10:23 pmDon’t worry, when you find the right dog you’ll just know. It sounds totally corny but it’s very true. My husband and I went to the SPCA looking for a little male hound that we could call Stevie. Thirty minutes later we adopted a beautiful Australian shepherd mix and HER name is Aura :) Good luck with the search.
Elizabeth
February 25, 2008 at 10:30 pmI echo the recommendations you’ve gotten to check out bulldog rescue groups. My dog, Lulu, came to me from a rescue group when she was just over 2. So she still had all the fun of a young dog without all the hassle of a puppy.
Madeleine
February 26, 2008 at 12:36 amHi,
I’ve had alot of dogs and please realize that pure bred dogs, almost all of them will have terrible and expensive health problems. I finally gave up on them, I spent too much money and suffered alot of emotional trauma.
Hundreds of thousands of great dogs are killed in shelters. Why don’t you look for a nice one and save a life, and get a healthy mixed breed.
One of my Dobermans cost over twenty thousand dollars when she got lymphoma and died a year later. Bulldogs and pugs can have really bad breathing problems.
Sorry I’m preaching
m
Artsy Fartsy
February 26, 2008 at 9:36 amI vote for a yorkie poo, as well. Not that you are taking votes or anything, but we and several of our friends have yorkie poos or some other poodle mix. None of them shed, they are all very loving and inquisitive, and have given all of us hours and hours of entertainment and love. Also, it is quite nice to have an 8 lb dog instead of a 35-45 lb dog, when you take them with you on road trips.
Good luck with your hunt!
Jen
February 26, 2008 at 10:23 amI’ll second the suggestion you check and stay in touch with Bulldog rescues. There are lots of great purebred rescue groups out there, and they offer the added advantage of making sure they definitely place the pup with the right family (or adult dog, as the case may be).
Personally, I’ve no problem with people wanting purebred animals, and frankly, think it is a bit presumptuous of others to excoriate or belittle someone who prefers a purebred: in general (I say this as someone with lifelong animal experience from various avenues, from ownership to pet-sitting to rescue volunteering), purebreds are often more predictable as far as temperament, health (you generally know that, for instance, collies tend to have bad eyes and Golden Retrievers often have hip problems and a tendency to get fatty tumors) and needs (terriers and herding dogs need lots of exercise because of what they were bred for).
When I adopted my beloved Remington, I wanted to be sure I’d end up with a kitty that was very people-oriented, affectionate, and not one that had a tendency to hide under the bed like most cats do. That’s exactly what I got after narrowing my breed selection down to a handful of cat breeds bred for lovey-dovey personalities. Had a Birman popped up in a nearby rescue, that would have been the route I took, but as it was, I purchased him from a terrific breeder. It just happened that way.
Anyhow…a bulldog rescue, if you’ve your heart set upon one, might be a good idea. There are probably many. Also, stay in touch with breeders whose dogs you like the personalities of…often, they’ll have a pup they show for a year or two but won’t breed because they might have, say, hips that are .00001% off; they’ll sell the dog as a pet after they’re done showing the pup, and you get a very well-mannered dog for a lot less than a puppy. Your vet may have some ideas as well or know someone with a bulldog who needs to find the dog a good home.
Then again, you could meet the perfect dog at a shelter two weeks from now who is a Great Dane-poodle mix or something. One never knows.
Best of luck! I’m sure you’ll find something wonderful soon.
paola
February 26, 2008 at 10:31 amHi Nicole,
Absolutely nothing to do with dogs whatsoever, but I have a little something for you over on ‘mirrormirror’. No pressure to play…
Paola
kate
February 26, 2008 at 10:33 amplease continue to try to adopt!
brittany
February 26, 2008 at 11:27 amI’m an avid Making It Lovely reader and my husband and I just got our first dog together! Keep your eye on craigslist. We found Nellie, our lab/pitt mix through a vet student at a local university here in Michigan that rescues dogs and trains/rehomes them. Please get your future friend through a shelter or rescue there are so many amazing dogs that need homes! See recent photos of our Nellie here: http://brittanyanddylan.blogspot.com/
modernemama
February 26, 2008 at 11:27 amyou’ll know “your” dog when you see it, don’t give up.
zee
February 26, 2008 at 11:53 amGood luck on your doggy search Nicole! I wouldn’t get *too* bogged down in the notion of finding your “ideal” dog or the dog who seems like “the one for you”. We’ve had our basset hound Polly (new pics up on Homebug today!) for a month and my first impression of her, and my thoughts for a few days were “This is NOT the dog for us. What have we gotten ourselves into?” I didn’t sweat it too much though because I can remember that when we got Django a few years ago, those were my exact thoughts then too! But in both cases it turned out to be the case that WE were the “right people” for the dogs.
Django was hyperactive with a mean streak when we got him, but with some love and attention, he’s now the most affectionate and sweet dog I’ve ever known. Polly is still adjusting, but a month ago she was a heartbreakingly timid little thing who’d had a hard life and was scared of everyone and everything. She’s learning how to trust, play and be a pet for the first time in her life and it’s adorable to see how much personality she has and how she hasn’t let a bad start hold her back. Sorry for all the rambling, I just wanted to say not too put too mcuh stock in first impressions with pound dogs – the right owner can bring out in the best in them!!
Black_Sheep
February 26, 2008 at 1:22 pmWe just got a Bullboxer. Soooo cute. We were debating between a boxer and an English Bulldog and happened upon an ad for these pups in the paper. The “breed” is not recognized yet as it’s new (it takes like 10 or more years to establish a new breed) but is suppose to get rid of some of the problems associated with the Bulldog.
Jennifer
February 26, 2008 at 1:30 pmIf you want a poodle mix mutt (I saw you talking about them in the comments above), I know of a litter making it’s way to Illinios for rescue right now… they are 6 months old.
Plus, these two…
http://search.petfinder.com/petnote/displaypet.cgi?petid=10327916
http://search.petfinder.com/petnote/displaypet.cgi?petid=10292015
Of course, I’m partial to the poodle mixes. :)
If you want a bully, just keep waiting and researching… the right one will pop up soon!
Cindy
February 27, 2008 at 11:03 amTry googling for English bulldog rescue organizations.
There are actually two of them in the DC area.
One fo the guys I see in town has a wonderfully eccentric bulldog he adopted from the resuce place in Northern VA.
Jennifer
February 27, 2008 at 3:42 pmI am so happy to see so many people have suggested rescue to you as a means of finding your dog. As far as I’m concerned there is no other way to go. I never understand why so many people buy dogs when every breed under the sun is available for rescue. nd let me tell you, they know when they’ve been rescued. They are so thankful & full of love!
While I have you, let me climb off my soap box to tell you how much I love your blog!…..Top of my list!
Keep us posted on the search!
Karalee Serra
March 3, 2008 at 3:37 pmI have an “Old English Bulldog.” They were bread to be a little more healthy and more active than the bulldog. I just couldn’t imagine constantly paying vet bills. Anyway, her name is Matilda and she is the love of my life. Other than eating a plastic bone and being highly allergic to bees, my little lady is a healthy little monster :)
French Bulldoggy Blog
May 23, 2008 at 10:54 pmYES, it can be VERY hard to find that perfect dog. Especially a frenchie.