BA Bull Terrier 300x257 1

Bull Terrier

Born of a time when gentlemen bred for gentlemen with a great sense of fair play, the Bull Terrier harks back to around 1835 and thought to come from the Bulldog and the White English Terrier and gained size with the Spanish Pointer.

Though shown most everywhere but the USA as the one variety, the Bull Terrier is recognised as a White or White with some head markings, or a Coloured with white but predominantly Coloured and preferably Brindle. The Whites were known as the White Cavalier, able to “defend self and master but never seek or provoke”.

Continue reading or click the button below to download the article.

Download Article

The Bull Terrier

Born of a time when gentlemen bred for gentlemen with a great sense of fair play, the Bull Terrier harks back to around 1835 and thought to come from the Bulldog and the White English Terrier and gained size with the Spanish Pointer.

Though shown most everywhere but the USA as the one variety, the Bull Terrier is recognised as a White or White with some head markings, or a Coloured with white but predominantly Coloured and preferably Brindle. The Whites were known as the White Cavalier, able to “defend self and master but never seek or provoke”.

The Bull Terrier with his characteristic egg shaped head, is an exceedingly friendly dog and well balanced. He can answer the call to arms from times when life was more rugged and dog fights were allowed but he is a good family friend and fellow for today’s times too.

A good coat doesn’t happen overnight. It is the result of weeks and indeed months of dedicated work. Repetition is the answer and I don’t ascribe to the hit and miss routine. My routine is always just that, a routine! We here at Plush Puppy, never miss the call to do what is necessary with any of the dogs, no matter what it takes or when it must happen.

Well, most don’t bath weekly as they worry about stripping natural oils and rightly so, thus we use Plush Puppy Seabreeze Oil weekly as a final rinse after bathing. Dilute 1 teaspoon in 4 Litres (1 Gal) of water and work well through the coat with a large sponge. Leave in and don’t rinse off. It gives incredible sheen and finish to the hair. Now you have the opportunity to bath this dog every week and at the same time rehydrate the coat with wonderful sheen and also keep the texture.

Seabreeze Oil is excellent for maintaining the healthy vigour to the skin and coat and is all plant sourced from Evening Primrose and Calendula Oils. It is non greasy and totally water soluble making it easy to apply and remove each time without build-up. We cannot stress enough the wonderful attributes of this product.

I insist on blow drying. This is a special part of the grooming that most don’t even think of. I use a force dryer that is medium cool to warm, never really warm or hot. Do this to get all the dead hair out, fast and thoroughly. This way you are constantly rejuvenating and rolling the coat so as not to get the “moth eaten” appearance that many coats get when doing a seasonal shed. If you are doing a weekly blow dry then you are regenerating all the time and shedding time will be minimal and certainly not patchy. You also get a more even, smoother and flatter lying coat too with weekly blowing out. That ruffling or lifting-up of some of the coats is also reduced.

During the week, hydration without greasiness is important to keep the texture looking good and we use Plush Puppy Reviva Coat. Apply a handful a day throughout the coat and leave in without rinsing off. It is never greasy and penetrates deeply into the coat to maximise hydration. By keeping the moisture content up in the hair, you are enhancing the depth and colour of the coat. A sun-bleached or dehydrated coat is not going to give you reflection of light or sheen.

On the head and face use Plush Puppy Let’s Face It. This is a hypoallergenic sulfate free low foaming shampoo designed just for faces. It’s a nil fragrance, no tear formula with the highest quality Blue Cypress Extracts, Panthenol with Pro Vitamin B and SugaNate. These special ingredients clean, sooth, add moisture, aid healing and have anti-inflammatory benefits. A small golf ball sized amounts directly to the face and eye area allows you to thoroughly clean without causing irritation. Can be used in and around ears also with the same benefits. Its low foaming design allows easy rinsing yet complete cleaning. Best used first and left on whilst using all other shampoos and rinsing off with the final shampoo rinse.

The selection of shampoo is according to what is required on that coat on that day. If shine is required use Plush Puppy All Purpose Shampoo diluted 1:5 (1 part shampoo top 5 parts water). All Purpose is ‘the’ shampoo for ultimate shine. It features natural henna stalk extracts that impart a beautiful gloss and shine to the coat.

For a pearly white sheen on a white dog or to reduce sunburnt effects on a brindle or black coat, use Plush Puppy Herbal Whitening Shampoo again diluted 1:5. This is a toning shampoo and helps reduce any unwanted red or warm tones by intensifying the true coat colour. It does not lighten or bleach but instead tones unwanted warm tones.

For itchy sensitive or scurfy skins, use Plush Puppy Sensitive Skin Shampoo. Dilute 1:3 (1 part shampoo to 3 parts water) until the scurf clears. Then dilute further to a maximum of 1:10 for maintenance. All Plush Puppy shampoos are gentle, but the Sensitive Skin shampoo is specific to reducing itch and scurf or for those that are intolerant of most shampoos.

Follow any shampooing with Plush Puppy Seabreeze Oil as your final rinse. This is your basic weekly routine.

Seabreeze Oil is excellent for maintaining the healthy vigour to the skin and coat and is all plant sourced from Evening Primrose and Calendula Oils. It is non greasy and totally water soluble making it easy to apply. Dilute 1 tablespoon in 4 Litres (1 Gal) of water and work well through the coat with a large sponge. Leave in and don’t rinse off. It gives incredible sheen and finish to the hair. We cannot stress enough the wonderful attributes of this product.

You can also use Seabreeze Oil undiluted anywhere the skin is rough, such as the elbows, hocks and chest. Work it down into the skin with your hand. This will put not only moisture back into the coat but soften the skin and allow regeneration of hair in those calloused areas.

For those requiring a harsher coat texture or wanting to add instant texture to the coat, use Plush Puppy Ruffy Tuffy Coat Spray. Apply layer upon layer. That is, spray lightly at least 30cms/12” away from the coat, allow a few seconds, and then keep re-spraying the same way until the level of harsh texture you desire is achieved. Build up the level of harshness to that which suits each particular dog. This is a great product to use the day after a wet bath routine to ensure that ‘so desired’ harshness is there.

On show day apply Plush Puppy Cover Up Cream which is a great cover for stains or discolouration. It is excellent on “red” areas, worn elbows and to the white on the muzzle. Cover Up Cream is perfect when you really need to cover stains, your whites or to intensify white areas. Apply a small amount with a barely damp sponge, and build your required coverage layer by layer. Then use powder or chalk as required whilst cream is drying. Brush off excess when dry.

For the legs apply Plush Puppy Chalkestral evenly before chalking to assist holding the white powder you apply. Either put a small amount into your hands and rub together to “warm up” and then rub into the area. Or swipe a small amount into a damp sponge and evenly rub or wipe into the area. Apply chalk or white powder with brush immediately. You need something to help grip and to protect the coat from abrasion. Chalkestral is a unique product that conditions the coat to minimise chalk dry out plus adheres chalk to coat. Best of all it is totally water soluble and can be easily washed out after Show Days.

For the brightest white tone that clings all day, use Plush Puppy Fairy Frost. This ultra-fine and bright white powder that is more effective and innovative than the usual methods of white chalking and adding powder to coats. Plus, it covers all coats without creating harshness. Fine and easy to use, our formulation means a little goes a long way. Fairy Frost Regular is naturally sourced and contains no chalk or talc. Use this product instead of chalk or mix with your usual white powder. This product is best for glamorous, perfect whites as it never gets clumpy, even when wet. This stays on the coat well and will last the day till washed off. Apply with the Plush Puppy Ultimate Powder Application Brush. Work well into the area where required for enhancing whites and cover. The absolute best for glamorous perfect whites.

Keep on hand Plush Puppy Wonder Wash for “those show day” last-minute emergencies too as this will clean up the whites, pronto. Just spray foam with the fingers and towel off. Wonder Wash is a brilliant quick self rinsing bathing alternative solution for quick and easy clean ups without the need for a complete bath. In moments when regular shampooing is not an option, Wonder Wash will clean, whiten and brighten problem areas on all coat kinds. Always keep our handy Plush Puppy Wonder Wash in your tack box. It contains optical brighteners, has a fresh apple fragrance, and violet tone.

Just because your coat is not a trimmed, clippered or fluffed up, doesn’t mean that it is any less important. It most certainly is, and texture and sheen is paramount. It must be perfect! Grab the judge’s eye with a sprinkle, and I mean just a sprinkle, of Plush Puppy Pixie Dust. This is a shimmering white powder applied to the topline either by sifting through your fingers or flicked through the top layer with the powder applied to the brush. Brush well into the coat.

This can be used on the darker coats too. Just brush well to work the white powder further down into the coat, leaving the glamorous shimmer on the top. This will really pick up the sunlight or spotlights adding a gleam to catch the eye. You could apply the Pixie Dust (a small amount) in with your loose chalk. This will give dimension rather than a matt finish that one tends to get when using chalk.

Now we are down to the last minute touches, which are always good for not only glamour but to focus your mind and nerves! Spray with coat with Plush Puppy Shine and Comb. This gives a stunning effect to the sheen of the coat. As if you need more . . . but then more is always good! Spray lightly and run your hand over the area to spread evenly.

Spray with a light squirt of Plush Puppy Odour Muncher which is a light non offensive deodorising spray. Judges do judge with eyes, hands and nose! This is a terrific product for giving that clean fresh smell to the dog which can sometimes be lost in transit!

Your little fellow with his strongly built body, powering around the ring with smooth reach and drive and exhibiting his typical jaunty air is quite the charmer. His presentation wrought by you over the preceding weeks is enough to gain the attention of all. He is keen and determined and if it is true that people grow like their dog then this dog will have an owner who is amenable to discipline and keenly determined to win!