Meet Our English Bulldogs

The hurricane season will soon be upon us, and I don't think any of us has forgotten the horrors of Katrina and Ivan. Here in the Florida panhandle, where we raise our English bulldogs, we've recently been pummeled with heavy thunderstorms, tornadoes, and high winds. But disasters don't just come in the form of hurricanes and tornadoes; think of it this way: if it puts you at risk or in harm's way, it has the potential to put your English bulldog in harm's way.
So while you're preparing your own disaster preparedness plan, put one together for your beloved pets and companions. Like us, we know that your bulldog is part of the family. Here are some tips and ideas to get you started.
While many emergency response organizations acknowledge that sometimes you can't take your pets with you, we urge you to NOT LEAVE YOUR PETS if you have to evacuate your home. If you find you can't take your pets with you, begin now to contact boarding kennels, veterinarians, shelters, etc. to gather information that will help you make the best decision for your bulldog.
When you're thinking about buying a bulldog puppy or bringing any new pet into your home and family, always consider how you will handle an emergency and care for your beloved companions.
Planning is the first step. Most emergency shelters won't accept pets,(even bulldogs) so plan now to start checking into hotels and motels that will accept pets.
Have a first aid kit ready prepared now, just as you would your own first aid kit.
Have pet food, bottled water, any pet medications, health records, tags, food bowls, leashes, harnesses, pet carriers and any other supplies you may need for your bulldog's comfort and safety. We often begin buying extra supplies in the spring to stockpile if we need them in an emergency.
Ensure your bulldog has ID and rabies tags that are up to date and attach securely to your pet's collar. If you can, put your contact information, a designated pet buddy's contact info (someone that you designate to keep your pet or that you will contact if you need assistance for your pet), the shelter or evacuation site that you will be at, or even the hotel/motel number where you'll be staying in a time of emergency. Make sure that you give your bulldog's "pet buddy" this information too.
If you won't be evacuating, but there's still a dangerous situation, be sure to keep your English bulldog indoors. If you have other pets, they should be brought inside as well.
Have newspaper or training pads ready, as you may not be able to let your bully go outside to use the bathroom.
Have plenty of water available. Some folks recommend providing canned or moist food so that pets will need less water to drink, but use your best judgment, as changing your bulldog's diet or food can cause problems to their sensitive digestion.
We can't stress this enough - never leave your bulldog outside or chained up, whether there is an emergency or not. English bulldogs are very sensitive to stress, and in the face of an emergency or crisis, this could lead your bulldog to try and isolate or run away if he/she becomes afraid as they pick up on a storm or other crisis situation.
We know this may be hard, but if you have dogs and cats, try to keep them separated, even if you've never had a problem with them getting along before. Anxiety and close quarters could make them less tolerant of each other. English bulldogs have great temperaments, but even they can become irritable and stressed.
Stress is a huge factor for bulldogs as they can easily become so anxious that they begin to overheat, a dangerous condition for the English bulldog. Keep a tub of cool water ready in case you have to cool your bulldog down quickly and lemon juice.
We hope to be adding all kinds of new information to our website HalfMoon AKC English Bulldogs very soon, including some info where you can find pet friendly accomodations, so we hope you'll check for updates and we'll post new info here!