Dear Bully: One might think that bulldogs are easy to keep clean because they have a short coat. In reality it isn’t their coat that is a problem to keep clean but the logistics of handling such a dense, low-to-the-ground dog and his wrinkles.

There are two things you can invest in right away that will make it safer for your dog when it comes time to grooming, a rubber mat for your bathtub and an adjustable grooming table.

Weekly Grooming

The best way to avoid giving your dog a bath is to groom him on a regular basis. First, cover the grooming table with a towel and gently lift your dog and place him squarely in the center. Start with a curry comb, an oval rubber brush with circles of nubs on it. Work his coat in a circular motion to remove dead skin, loose hair, and dried-on slobber and dirt. You can also add a quick mist of water from a spray bottle as this helps keeps all the dirt from flying around the house.

Follow this with a nice clean bristle brush and with short flicks of the wrist, brush the coat from head to tail to remove all the loose debris of his coat. A weekly or better yet daily grooming will keep him clean enough not to need a bath unless he gets into something really stinky! Follow this with some baby wipes or a moist towel and clean between the wrinkles and dry them well. For those tough places between deep wrinkles that always seem to get a tad “cheesy” try rubbing with a thin layer of Bag Balm, Vaseline or Horseman’s Dream to keep it soft and repel the moisture.  

Bath Time

Before you plunge your bully into the bubbles, place cotton balls in his ears to keep out moisture. Don’t forget the rubber mat in the tub to prevent him from slipping. Also, use cotton balls after the bath to dry out those little pockets of skin around the tail and head that may not dry completely on their own.

For his eye tear staining, try a product to remove the stains and then coat the area with a thin layer of whatever you are using for the wrinkles. It will protect the hair from the tears which is what is causing the staining. Don’t forget to ask your vet or a canine ophthalmologist to check his tear ducts to see if they are blocked and the cause of the excessive tearing.

When you have bathed once and rinsed twice to remove all the shampoo (use a doggie shampoo not human) wrap him towels and place him on the floor for a good shake. Then you can take new towels and hand-dry him on the ground level. Afterwards your dog will have a clean sweet smelling dog and ready for some quality “couch potato” time.

Lisa’s Pick of the Litter

And the winner of the Fifth Annual AKC/Eukanuba National Championship is an Alaskan Malamute, CH Nanuke’s Snoklassic No Boundaries of Lockport, NY, owned/bred by Sandra D’Andrea (his handler), W. Corr and M. & P. Peel, commonly known as “Costello” was crowned in Tampa, Florida on January 15.

Earning a grand total of more than $80,000, the title of AKC/Eukanuba National Champion and Best Bred-By-Exhibitor in Show (a competition for breeders to exhibit the dogs they own), Costello was crowned the nation’s top dog at the conclusion of the two-day competition televised live. Best in Show judge Mrs. Robert S. (Jane) Forsyth of Pinehurst, NC, awarded the National Champion title. Best Bred-By-Exhibitor in Show was judged by her husband, Mr. Robert. S. Forsyth.

In total, 2,648 dogs in every AKC-recognized breed and variety, including competitors from foreign registries representing 20 countries, competed for prestigious titles and a total of $225,000, the largest cash prize in the dog show world.

Lisa Peterson, a long-time breeder of Norwegian Elkhounds, is the Director of Club Communications at the American Kennel Club. Contact her at ask@lisa-peterson.com or Dogma Publishing, P.O. Box 307, Newtown, CT 06470.