English Bulldog: temperament, training and care

At a glance

Temperament

• Calm, sweet and people focused
• Stubborn but not defiant
• Snores

Training tips

Reward the moment they choose to follow you: patience wins over pushing.

English Bulldogs can be independent thinkers. Find what your dog will really work for, keep sessions short and fun, and expect to repeat things more often than with an eager-to-please breed.

Start with a marker word, sit, come and leave it. For a puppy, see the puppy training guides.

Exercise and energy

A healthy adult English Bulldog typically needs around 30 to 45 minutes of activity a day. Mix walks with sniffing and short training games: mental work tires dogs as much as running does. Puppies need much shorter sessions while they grow.

See how much exercise a dog needs and our games and enrichment ideas.

Health to watch

Things the breed is known to be prone to. Ask your vet what to check for your dog.

• Breathing and heat. A short nose makes cooling down hard: walk in the cool of the day and stop at heavy panting. See: Heatstroke.
• Skin. Folds and allergies need care: keep folds clean and dry, and watch for itching. See: Allergic Reaction.
• Hips and elbows. Prone to joint problems: keep them lean and ask the vet to check the joints each year.
• Eyes. Prominent or sensitive eyes: see the vet the same day for squinting or a cloudy eye. See: Eye Injuries.