Hoosier Bulldog Rescue Interview

My French Bulldogs inspired me to start this blog but not because they’re irresistibly adorable and all-around great dogs, but because they’re high maintenance, they have health issues, and caring for them can not only be stressful but expensive. Having them truly makes my life feel whole even in comparison to the issues they come with – I love all of my dogs to the end of the earth. I wish I could truly convey to every future Bulldog owner what they’re in for, but I can’t.

It’s always been a goal of mine to interview a Bulldog rescue because they truly see it all with this breed. I feel so lucky and excited that I was able to chat with Ashley from the Hoosier Bulldog Rescue that is based out of Indiana. She has so much knowledge when it comes to Bulldog care, responsible breeding practices, Bulldog genetic testing, and so much more. Ashley is an awesome foster for Hoosier Bulldog Rescue and she handles a variety of administrative processes for the rescue as well.

I truly owe this blog entry to Ashley. She provided a very informative and honest interview in regards to Bulldog health and what it means to rescue this breed. I highly suggest you check out her adventures with her sweet Bulldog crew on Instagram. (@perfectpennybulldog)

Before we get started, please consider checking out the Hoosier Bulldog Rescue site. I have provided some direct links to important pages!

Hoosier Bulldog Rescue Interview

What inspired you to start working with Hoosier Bulldog Rescue?

About five years ago, a friend of mine connected me with a woman who had an English Bulldog up for adoption. Her name was Betty, and she was attacked by other females in a puppy mill and she was taken to this woman who got her emergency medical care and had nursed her back to health. I already had a French Bulldog and I thought I was prepared to take on an English Bulldog, but I had a lot to learn. This dog had never lived inside, she wasn’t potty trained whatsoever, she had c-sections scars, she was food and dog aggressive at times, and she didn’t understand what toys were. I didn’t even think she had a tail until we went to the vet and they started pulling clumps of hair out and we saw a little infected tail! She was heart-worm positive, she had skin allergies, flank alopecia, and ended up passing away about 3 years later due to what we think was heart failure at the age of 8. After she passed I realized how much work I had put in with this dog, and from then on I knew I would never buy from a breeder again. I found Hoosier Bulldog Rescue on Facebook and applied for a dog they had named Penny. She was about a year and a half old and came from a supposed “good breeder.” This breeder kept her in a shed because she had an umbilical hernia and couldn’t be bred or sold for top dollar. She was not socialized or potty trained. I just knew I could help this dog, and I ended up adopting her and started to volunteer with the rescue. I have been a volunteer with HBR for just over 2 years now and it’s such a great organization. I have fostered both Frenchies and English Bulldogs over the years and I have learned so much about both breeds in that time. I have a soft spot for special needs dogs and the mill mamas that end up coming to us.

How many fosters currently work with Hoosier Bulldog Rescue? How many Board Members keep the day to day business neds running smoothly?

We are a fairly small rescue, so we generally have about 10-12 foster dogs at a time. We are completely foster-home based so we do not have a shelter facility. We find bulldogs do much better in a home environment due to their high-maintenance, daily needs, and medical issues. We can also only take in as many dogs as we have foster homes, so good foster homes are always needed.  Fostering also helps dogs acclimate to a home environment so they’re more prepared to go to their future forever home. We have 4 board members with the rescue that make decisions for the rescue and day to day operations.

I know most Bulldogs will need some sort of special healthcare in their lifetime which can range from short term to long term care. Are there one or two very common health issues that cause Bulldog owners to surrender their dogs to you?

The biggest issue we see hands-down is allergies/skincare. This is a very broad issue and when I say this I’m referring to interdigital cysts, infected wrinkles, tail pocket issues, tear stains, hair loss (alopecia), itching, rusty coats, licking, etc. Ear infections are also big with Bulldogs and are related to food sensitivities. A majority of these issues can be fixed by diet alone. Once we get a new foster on a good high-quality, grain-free diet, you will see a lot of these issues clear up. There are times we have to get dogs on antibiotics to clear up ear infections, tail pocket infections, or yeast infections. But it’s amazing what a good diet will do. We are firm believers that if you are feeding a good diet, you won’t have as many vet visits and you won’t have to put your dog on medications for allergies. In some cases, we have to try various proteins or different brands before we find the right fit, so we don’t have one go-to food and flavor. A few food brands that we’ve had great luck with are Farmina, Fromm, and Answers Fermented Raw. Our website is a great resource for more information on diet.

We also get a lot of people that reach out to us to surrender their aggressive dogs. These are very difficult for us to take in as almost all of our foster homes have their own pets, and it can be difficult to bring in an unpredictable, aggressive dog as well as find them a forever home. 

I can see you take a lot of special care to rehabilitate the dogs in your care and then place them in great forever homes. How long is the adoption process? Are you typically looking for people that have experience with the breed?

The adoption process can range from a few weeks to a few months. The first thing we have to do is make sure the dog is “adoption ready.” Each dog brought in is taken in for a vet exam and we take about 2 weeks to evaluate a dog’s personality to determine what kind of home would be the best fit. If a dog comes into our rescue and they are sick, it may take longer for their true personality to come through, so we never want to rush that process. All dogs are spayed/neutered, and we do get them any other surgeries that they may need (eye surgeries, elongated palates, dental cleanings, etc.), so we do take applications for a dog during this time, but they may not be adopted out for a while as they recover.

On the admin side, we do an initial phone interview, and if everything looks good there, then we do personal reference checks, and a vet reference check (if you’ve had previous pets). Once that is done we do a home visit, and we do a meet and greet with the dog to see how the dog does with other pets in the home. 

While having bulldog experience is nice, it’s not required and doesn’t always make you a good fit. We get a LOT of bad apps. The problem with bulldogs (and probably other dogs as well) is that they’re adorable, and people look at their photos and apply without looking at the dog’s bio. We have people with kids that will apply for dogs that would not do well in a home with children, or they try to tell us their kids are different. While that may be true, we aren’t willing to risk it. Safety is important to us for not only our dogs but for everyone in the future household. We also never want a dog to ever go through what they’ve been through before they came to us. 

One thing that doesn’t sit well with us are people who want to rescue from us so they can have a “cheap” bulldog. While an adoption fee may be less than buying a puppy from a breeder, there are still plenty of expenses. I remember researching how much the average pet owner spends on just ONE dog per year and it was over $1,000. You have the cost of food, vet visits, preventatives, supplements, toys, beds, etc. This isn’t even taking into account any emergency visits. I’ve had several emergency vet visits with my own dogs, and that definitely wasn’t cheap! 

The other thing we get a lot is “I want a dog as a gift.” Living animals are not gifts, they are a responsibility. We want the dog to be a good fit, not a burden or expense that someone wasn’t planning to take one. Plus, if we haven’t talked to you, how would we know your level of experience and knowledge with the breed?

We also believe in fear-free training and we automatically deny any applicant with an electric fence or someone that uses prong collars, shock collars, physical force, etc. This can make a dog more fearful and more aggressive. 

I love HBR’s Mission points listed on the homepage. I especially love that you make it a point to assist families in keeping their Bulldogs! Also, your mission to educate the public on the special needs of this specific breed is so incredibly important. What tips could you give potential owners whether they’re looking to rescue or if they’re looking for a Bulldog puppy from a breeder?

My best advice is to do your research. If you don’t know anything about bulldogs when you apply, we’re going to be very skeptical about how you will do if you actually got one. We expect you to have researched the breed before you apply to adopt. I sometimes say that bulldogs should just be their own species because they’re not like other breeds of dogs. While they are adorable and fun, they are a lot of work. You may have to bathe your lab once a month, maybe even once a week….but you may have a bulldog that needs their butt wiped every time they potty, or you have to clean their faces every time they eat a meal. They all need their wrinkles cleaned out and if they have a tail pocket, it needs to be cleaned too.  It’s basically like having a perpetual toddler. 

Be patient! Sometimes we may not have a right match for you, but then a dog shows up one day and they’re a perfect fit. We aren’t willing to compromise on what a dog needs, and you shouldn’t want that either. If you do adopt a dog from a rescue, it’s important to give them time to acclimate. If you just moved into a new home with new people, you’d probably be a little stressed right? Some dogs regress when they go to a new home just due to stress. My dog hid under the bed for 2 weeks before she was brave enough to even walk down the hallway. There is something called the 3-3-3 Rule in rescue. In the first three days, your new dog may be overwhelmed with his new surroundings. He may not eat, or be himself. After three weeks, he’s starting to settle in, feeling more comfortable, and is realizing this just might be his home. He starts to let his guard down and may start showing his real personality. After three months your dog is now more comfortable in his home. You have built trust and a bond. He knows he’s there to stay. But remember this is a guideline – Some dogs need less time, some may need even more time. 

If you’re one of those people that feels they have to buy a puppy, my advice is still generally the same- do your research and be patient. Make sure the breed is right for you, and then search for a good breeder. Do not ever buy a puppy from a pet store-  it is 1000% a puppy mill puppy. No reputable breeder will let their dog be sold at a petstore. They want to make sure you’re the right fit for their dog also. Also, do not buy a puppy on a whim. A good breeder actually won’t let you do this. If something doesn’t feel right, don’t go through with it because the puppy was cute or you felt bad or because you put down a deposit already. A heated debate in the bulldog world, but – do not buy exotic colors. These dogs are full of recessive traits and tend to have more health issues. Most of the ‘rare color’ breeders are breeding for color only and/or to get more money out of the dog. There is little to no concern about health and temperment. An AKC registration really doesn’t mean anything. It costs a breeder $20 to register a litter, and that’s all it is- a piece of paper. It is not a guarantee of health. You may have found the breeder on the AKC website, but that doesn’t mean they’ve been endorsed/approved by the AKC. They again pay a fee to advertise their dogs on that site. One of our board members rescued a dog that was originally purchased from a pet store. The owner gave her the AKC registration that the pet store provided her upon purchase –  the breeder listed on the form doesn’t even exist. It’s fake. I’ve gone to some of these websites and then they have photos of the dogs in outdoor enclosures. Bulldogs are not made for extreme heat, so you can imagine the conditions these dogs are in. 

Ask to see the parents, where are the puppies raised? How many litters do they have per year? Are they having multiple litters at the same time?  If someone calls themselves a hobby breeder, then they do 1-2 PLANNED litters per year, they don’t have multiple litters at once. Don’t just look at the puppies page on their website – also look at the pages that list their studs and breeding females. I recently saw a website that had 31 stud dogs! You cannot tell me these dogs are all living in the home and receiving adequate care and attention. It’s hard for us to provide adequate attention/stimulation for under 10 dogs under one roof. Breeding should be done to better the breed. The breeding dogs should be well cared for in loving homes. They should have all health tests, including genetic testing and OFA certifications.

I also have a real problem with the fact that some pet stores / breeders that allow people to finance a puppy. What happens if you have a medical emergency? What if the puppy dies and it’s not paid off, that’s a whole new can of worms. Some websites will let you click a button to order your puppy. Like the latest, greatest toy. Just add to the cart and buy. How many litters do you have per year if you can have a button on your website like that? How does the breeder know that their puppies are going to a good home if they just give a puppy to whoever has the money? They should want to know about you too!

Some breeders will say they’ve been inspected by the USDA. Honestly, that’s a red flag! If that is the case, then they are considered a commercial breeder. This means they have so many dogs that are being bred or puppies born per year that they have to have a license and they have to be inspected annually. You aren’t going to get a well-socialized puppy that was part of the family. 

I would check with a local bulldog rescue and see if they know anything about the breeder you’re looking at. Also, do a simple google search on the breeder, you may find a lot of information such as violations, abuse allegations, health issues, or they may be on the Humane Society’s Horrible 100 List, which is a list of known puppy mills.

Health guarantees are another tricky issue with breeders. Like I mentioned above, always ask what genetic tests have been done for the dogs being bred. And don’t just take their word for it, ask to see the information. This isn’t a genetic test to determine colors, this is health testing. Both parents should have a Genetic Health screen for: Canine Multifocal Retinopathy, Degenerative Myelopathy, Canine Hyperuricosuria, as well as OFA certification for Patellar Luxation, Cardiac, Tracheal Hypoplasia, Eyes, Hips, Elbows, and preferably also Autoimmune, Congenital deafness, and Hyperuricosuria. 

Remember many of these “breeders” are out for the money, and they’re willing to tell you anything you want to hear. They assume you’ll just take their word for it. If they don’t do health testing, pass on this breeder. The genetic testing panels don’t cost that much in the grand scheme of things, and they test for some really serious issues. Most breeders who are really trying to better the breed, are not making money on it! To do everything right, it’s expensive to breed. 

Maybe you’re someone who lucked out and your puppy had no issues, but what if you’re not? You may love your dog, but you don’t want to be stuck with the expense and heartache of having a sick dog when it simply could have been prevented had the breeder just not bred that dog. 

Some breeders say they’ll take the dog back at any time, no questions asked. That sounds great, right? I’ve ran into this a lot in rescue. Anytime we get a person wanting to surrender their dog that they had purchased from a breeder, we ask if they’ve reached out to the breeder about returning the dog. Every single time that person says the breeder won’t take the dog back. Or even worse, some breeders do take them back but put them down or take them to a shelter. Ask the breeder how many dogs they’ve had to take back, what happens to the dogs, what is the reason for them coming back?

We are definitely not against breeders, but we are against bad breeders. While we’d love for everyone to rescue, we understand some people won’t. So we do want people to understand what to look for should they decide to buy a puppy.

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I hope you loved reading this interview and I hope you learned something new! Before you head out, don’t forget to check out HBR’s adoption page and/or other ways you can support Hoosier Bulldog Rescue.

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