Dear Fellow Bulldog Lover:

If you’re reading this, chances are you’re as crazy about bulldogs as I am. Like me, you get a goofy grin on your face any time you see a bulldog on TV, in a car, walking down the street, at the vet’s office or the dog park.

We know. There are dogs, and then there are bulldogs.

When I got my first bulldogs—littermates named Emily and Stuart—I was lucky. Their breeder was a friend who also introduced me to the world of dog showing. Going to all those dog shows didn’t win me many blue ribbons because, as it turned out, Stuey and Emily weren’t the greatest specimens, measured against the breed standard.

What I did get out of going to all those shows and hanging out with the bulldog experts I met there was a great education in giving my beloved bullies the special care they needed to live the longest, healthiest, happiest lives possible.

If you’ve never owned a bulldog before, you may be asking yourself, “What’s so special about caring for bulldogs? After all, they’re just dogs. Right?”

It’s true. Bulldogs need all the things any dog needs to thrive—a loving home, good nutrition, ongoing veterinary care. All of what I knew from a lifetime of dog-ownership served me well in caring for my bulldogs.

But I’m awfully glad and grateful to all those bulldog breeders and handlers who so generously gave me the extra, more specialized knowledge I needed to be a well-informed, capable bulldog owner.

I'm writing Your First Bulldog to give you the essential information you need to care for and enjoy your bulldog. I’ve been interviewing the best, most respected bulldog experts I can find, asking for their advice and recommendations for you, a first-time bulldog owner.

Here are just a few of the questions I’m asking:

• Just what are first-time bulldog buyers getting themselves into?
• What are the biggest surprises they’re likely to face?
• What are the most common misperceptions about bulldogs?
• Where are the best places to find a good bulldog? Should people start by reading classified ads in their local newspapers? Should they search online?
• What are the advantages and disadvantages of buying or adopting from a show kennel? Backyard breeders? Pet stores? Rescue organizations?
• What’s the best way to find a good breeder? Do they look for a “brand name” kennel?
• What can people expect, in terms of contracts and agreements they might be asked to make when buying from a show kennel?
• What are people paying for bulldogs these days?
• What’s the difference between show quality and pet quality in terms of the dogs themselves and the price a buyer might expect to pay?
• What do you say to people buying bulldogs in hopes of making money as breeders?
• What’s your most important advice about bulldogs for newcomers to the breed?

As I'm finishing my interviews, I'd like to make sure I've covered all the topics my readers are most interested in knowing.

Do you have a question you’d like me to ask the bulldog experts?

Please let me know now, while the interviews are still in progress, and I’ll be glad to ask and include the responses in the book.

Can't think of a question? You can still leave your name and email address if you'd like me to let you know when the book is finished.

I really appreciate your help!

Kerry Nesbit

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