Bulldog Puppies
Here at Darjoce, we take great pride in our dogs, and our puppies are raised in a loving environment, well socialised with both people and other animals, and leave us microchipped, vaccinated, wormed, vet checked, and with their registration papers. We offer ongoing support and encourage owners to contact us if they have any questions or concerns during their dog's life. We work carefully when choosing our matings, to ensure the best health, temperaments and structure, as this is more to us than just putting two dogs together to create puppies.
We do have a waiting list, but if you keep in regular contact with us and remain patient, you will eventually get a Darjoce puppy. As hard as it can be to wait, breeding is a bit like a lottery - their are many obstacles along the way before puppies become available to those who enquire.
Firsty, the bitch has to come into season, which on average is every 6 months. Then the mating has to take place at the right time of their season, the bitch has to drop eggs, the dog's semen must be good. Then fingers crossed, after four weeks, the bitch will be confirmed as being pregnant. Then there is another 5 week wait, and during this time, unfortunately, sometimes bitches for one reason or another may absorb or abort their litters. If all goes well, at 9 weeks, puppies will be born, and of course another hurdle of hoping they are all strong enough to survive. Then there are the first two weeks which are crucial in the puppies survival, and we are up to the puppies every couple of hours to watch them feed, as mother's can, if left unattended, squash the pups. Of course, then there are the issues of sex and colour - these cannot be predicted, and as much as we would love to fulfil everyone's choice of markings (eg white with two red patches) - this is sometimes just impossible. Below, are a few pointers when looking to purchase a puppy, and we hope that this information will help you.
We look forward to your email if you are interested in a puppy from Darjoce.
British Bulldog puppies are extremely popular and not always that easy to find. There are a few pointers to remember when looking for a puppy.....
BUYER BEWARE
There are several scams claiming to have 'free' bulldog puppies - this is a scam so beware. Also, beware of imitations - a bulldog is only a British Bulldog if it is 100% Pure British Bulldog.
BUY FROM A REGISTERED BREEDER
Ensure that you buy your puppy from a registered breeder. A registered breeder is one who is part of their State's Dog Association. These associations ensure certain criteria are met and standards upheld. You will also be purchasing a puppy with papers to prove it is purebred. Some people advertise 'purebred' puppies, but there is no guarantee they are purebred, without papers.
PRICE
Bulldog puppies are not a cheap puppy to purchase. They currently range in price from on average $2500 to $4000. Paying the higher price for a puppy does not necessarily mean you will be purchasing a 'better' or 'healthier' puppy. Again, research your breeders. A Bulldog puppy is a huge investment and like any big purchase you make, you should always consider all options. Patience may be required when you find a breeder you are comfortable with, as often demand is greater than puppies.
PET vs SHOW
If you have an interest in showing and possibly breeding in the future with the help of a mentor, you should let your breeder know. The difference between a pet and a show dog can be something as minimal as markings. Many breeders sell all of their puppies at the same price and all as 'pets' as it is hard to guarantee a show dog, and many breeders have seen those they sold to pet homes, and realised they kept the wrong dog! The main difference between the two is that one will be on the LIMITED REGISTER which means that the dog cannot be bred from or shown. These dogs will have their registration papers on an orange certificate. Dogs on the MAIN REGISTER will be on a blue certificate, and can be shown and bred from, providing the breeder has not ticked any endorsements on the rear of the papers.
BREEDERS
There are many breeders in Victoria, Interstate and overseas. If you are looking to import a dog from overseas, remember that on top of the puppies cost, you will also have to pay shipping and AQIS clearance fees, and if from certain countries, they may be required to be in quarantine for a minimum of 30 days. The best resource for locating a breeder is through Dogzonline. Please do your research and ask as many questions as you feel necessary of your breeder. Another option is to visit a dog show and meet them in person, if they do show their dogs. Word of mouth is also a wonderful tool.
WAITING FOR YOUR PUPPY
So your breeder has now told you their bitch is pregnant. So what now? Well, the average gestation for dogs is 63 days or 9 weeks. Normally a breeder will confirm pregnancy at about day 30. Of course there are still no guarantees you will receive a puppy until the breeder knows how many are born and how many survive. The average mortality rate whelping dogs is 25%. Some will be stillborn, others may have cleft palettes, some may survive a couple of days then fade and die. So be patient with your breeder and understand that they may be very tired after being up all night with their puppies! Most breeders will not allow viewing of the puppies until they are several weeks old.
CHOOSING YOUR PUPPY
Generally, breeders breed litters when they are after some new stock for breeding and showing, so as a rule, the breeder will have first 'pick' as to which dog/dogs they will keep. It will then be up to each individual breeder as to how they go through the process, and your chosen breeder will be able to let you know how they operate.
SO YOU WANT TO BE A BREEDER?
Breeding dogs is an expensive hobby. Some people see the cost of puppies and think that breeding is a good way to make some easy money. What many do not realise is that to get to the litter you may go and see, thousands of dollars may have been spent to import both dogs and frozen semen to produce those cute little bundles! Most bulldog litters are born through caesarean but there are still litters whelped naturally. Here is a rough estimate of what a litter of say 4 puppies using frozen semen, could cost a breeder....
Stud fee (depending on stud dog, semen used, implant required etc ( $1000 - $5000)
Progesterone tests to show time suitable for mating $300.00
Caesar $700.00
Food for puppies from 3-8 weeks $500.00
Worming, vaccinations, vet check & microchipping for 4 puppies $400.00
Registration with VCA of puppies $100.00
Then of course there are other costs such as the initial purchase or breeding of the mother, time feeding puppies at all hours of the night (like having a newborn baby), feeding the mother top quality food whilst pregnant and whilst feeding the puppies etc. The general saying goes that you need one puppy to cover the stud fee, and one to cover the caesar and expenses. It is easy arithmetic to see that if you only have one puppy, you will lose money. So, think carefully before purchasing your puppy if your only intention is to make money as this does not always happen and is not in the best interest of the breed.
Finally, remember that breeders are extremely passionate about their dogs, their bloodlines and what their goal is in trying to improve the breed. All breeders work to a written standard which can be seen on this website. They are trying to achieve to breed dogs as close to the standard as they can. For many, they have been in it for years. Some are new to it. But one thing is sure, that once you have a Bulldog, you will always have one in your life, so make sure that your new little puppy is purchased through care and patience and most importantly, through a registered breeder.
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