Grooming
Your Bulldog should be thoroughly brushed at least three times a week. Most Bulldogs love to be brushed. Use a soft bristle or rubber brush. Start at the rear and brush against the hair. After you've brushed the entire dog against the grain, brush it with the grain. Follow this with a good rub down. This will keep his hair shiny and his skin healthy. During shedding time, spring and fall, you may need to brush more often, give more frequent rubdowns. The idea is to remove the dead hair and distribute the natural oils.
Bathing
A Bulldog that receives frequent brushings and rubdowns does not need frequent bathing. Most Bulldoggers bathe their dogs when the dog is dirty - when it obviously needs a bath.
Place a cotton ball securely in each ear before you wet the dog. Wet the dog thoroughly from just behind the ears to the tips of the toes on his hind feet. Be sure his underside is wet, too, not just the top and sides. Use a natural wash shampoo bar. Apply the shampoo bar at his neck and working back. Work the shampoo in to be sure you get all the way through his hair to the skin. Pay special attention to his paws (wash between the toes), his tail (clean all around the base), and the genital area. On a bitch, be especially careful to clean the vulva.
Wet the washcloth and use it to dampen the dog's face and ears. Put some shampoo on the washcloth and wash the dog's face. Wash the wrinkles over the nose, on the forehead, around the nose and under the eyes. Rinse until you are sure every bit of the dog, especially in the wrinkles and tight places, is thoroughly rinsed and there is no shampoo any place.
Dry the dog with towels. Take the cotton balls out of the dog's ears and clean any wax carefully using a dry Q-Tip. Rub a dab of Chubbs Topical Salve onto his nose to help keep it soft. You can then let him air dry or use a hair dryer to finish the drying. It's best to keep the dog inside until it is completely dry - about two hours. Make sure to thoroughly dry the tail pocket!
Nails
Most Bulldogs need their toenails cut on a regular basis - about every two weeks. The nails should be kept as short as possible. You may use dog nail clippers or an electric grinder. Most Bulldoggers use the clippers, either guillotine or scissors type. Which type you use is up to you, but they should be sharp. When the blade begins to dull, replace it or buy new clippers - dull blades can be painful to the dog.
Wrinkles
How often you need to clean wrinkles will depend on the dog and the diet. If you keep your puppy on the suggested BARF (Biologically Appropriate Raw Food) raw diet, then you will notice that very rarely will you be required to clean wrinkles or ears.
Fleas
The best way to treat fleas is to prevent them. Some dogs are allergic to flea saliva and can develop really serious skin problems so try to keep the flea population to a minimum. A healthy immune system is the first line of defense in par with a clean coat. Frequent brushing helps remove dead hair, skin cells and dander making a less desirable environment for fleas. Wash bedding frequently with vinegar as vinegar kills bacteria instantly on contact. Refrain from using detergents as the fragrances are toxic and the chemicals are harmful and known to cause skin irritation and allergies.
