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Bulldog

The British Bulldog, a beautifully balanced member of the dog show fraternity could easily be dismissed as a no-frills dog because of his short coat and easy going, no fuss manner. Wrong! He has a lot of presence and style and ought never to be shoved out in the ring without the formal rituals of good grooming.

A great deal has been written about the origin of the British Bulldog, much of it speculative, but most writers agree that the earliest ancestor was the Alaunt. This dog was described in a dictionary published in 1632 as being like a Mastiff and serving butchers by bringing in fierce oxen and keeping them in their stalls

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The Bulldog

The British Bulldog, a beautifully balanced member of the dog show fraternity could easily be dismissed as a no-frills dog because of his short coat and easy going, no fuss manner. Wrong! He has a lot of presence and style and ought never to be shoved out in the ring without the formal rituals of good grooming.

A great deal has been written about the origin of the British Bulldog, much of it speculative, but most writers agree that the earliest ancestor was the Alaunt. This dog was described in a dictionary published in 1632 as being like a Mastiff and serving butchers by bringing in fierce oxen and keeping them in their stalls

The British Bulldog may be a power pack type of dog, but he can display oodles of glamour given the chance. As your standard says the coat should be fine in texture, short, close and smooth and we have the products to help you achieve this!

Firstly, let’s go for the shine. When bathing, attention must be given to finding the right shampoo for your British Bulldog as this breed can suffer a scurfy powdery dandruff problem. If this is the case, use the Plush Puppy Sensitive Skin Shampoo at a ratio of 1:3 (1 part shampoo to 3 parts water) until the scurf clears. Then dilute further to a maximum of 1:10 for maintenance. For maximum, shine use the Plush Puppy All Purpose Shampoo with Henna as this is known as the “shine” shampoo. Use at a ratio of 1:5 for show grooming.

Your standard also states the coat should be lying smooth and close. No fluffy coats for this dog! So, scratch any ideas of using a conditioner as this can tend to fluffiness in a coat texture though it will assist in softening the coat. It’s recommended you keep the focus of shine in mind and use Plush Puppy Seabreeze Oil as a rinse after shampooing. This will not soften but retains the correct coat 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. 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. This also helps keep any scurf at bay and leaves the coat smelling delightful. We cannot stress enough the wonderful attributes of this product.

If you have, as is permitted, white markings on your Bulldog, then you can use either the Plush Puppy Deep Cleansing Shampoo for a white finish on those areas or Plush Puppy Herbal Whitening Shampoo for a brilliant white finish. Then follow with the Seabreeze Oil as above.

Herbal Whitening Shampoo is primarily derived from organic sources with Ginseng extracts, protein, and violet tone combined in a concentrated and rich formula. It works brilliantly in reducing yellowing or warm tones in white coats or white area of the coat without bleaching or lightening.

All coat colours are made of the full spectrum of the colours of the rainbow and first tones to fade are always the blues and purples leaving a reddish, orange overtone to the coat. This is a quick and effective way to give depth back to your blacks and reds without damaging the coat or using any artificial coat colourings. This shampoo will intensify these colours and give a sparkling clear sheen. It negates unwanted warm tones from sun fading or reddening in the coat and adds back the lost cool tones to the coat.

Plush Puppy Deep Cleansing Shampoo is specifically designed to remove product build-up and to reduce unwanted stains in dogs coats. Its rich formulation using organic sources with added Green Tea and Seaweed extracts to provide the deepest coat clean available. Not only will it spruce up dull whites, this product can be used on any colour coat for a thorough cleansing and clarifying when required.

Another clever stain reducing product is Plush Puppy Wonder Blok. It helps to maintain a white stain free coat. It is not a bleach and contains no harmful chemicals but high amounts of naturally sourced vegetable surfactants and glycerin This product is designed to remove gently unwanted warm/red tones to the coat. Best used on a damp or wet coat. Gently rub into the areas required allowing time (5-10 minutes) and rinse. For maximum effects repeat or allow a longer time for this amazing product to work. As with all products take care around eyes.

This is an undeniable head breed so a must-have is Plush Puppy Let’s Face It. This is a hypoallergenic sulfate free low foaming shampoo designed just for faces. It’s no tear formula features the highest quality Blue Cypress Extracts, Panthenol with Pro Vitamin B and SugaNate. These special ingredients clean, soothe, 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. It can also be used in and around the ears with the same benefits. Its low foaming design allows ease of rinsing, yet complete cleaning.

An amazing product that not only speeds up drying time but protects the coat is Plush Puppy FAST Blow Dry Spray. FAST dramatically reduces drying time, adds moisture and conditions while protecting the coat. It contains Australian Native Flame Tree extracts that hydrate a dry or old coat making it look perfect. It also protects the coat from damage from sun and heat. FAST is amazing on short coats for a brilliant shine. A light spray to a wet or damp coat, then brush through before drying.

Now let the grooming begin. If you thought this was the end of the contribution to show day – you have another thing coming! I believe in the principle of 100 small things to make a great dog rather than any one big thing. I have seen ordinary dogs turned into extraordinary dogs with the right approach and yet they were always good dogs. Unfortunately, no-one else got to see just how good they could be till taken in hand. Trim the whiskers. This breed looks great with a clean face. Using thinning shears, neaten under his tail and neaten the point of the tail by rounding off. Proceed to neaten also the 2 cowlicks where the 2 hair patterns meet at the back of stifle. This dog does call for good musculature and to appear powerfully developed with all that power pack of dog showing under the skin. You don’t want to leave any fluffy bits standing out away from the body to detract from the clean line he must present.

On show day apply Plush Puppy Cover Up Cream which is a great cover for stains or discolouration. Excellent on “red” area on worn elbows and to the white on the muzzle. When you really need to cover stains your whites or intensify white areas, Cover Up Cream will do the trick. Apply with a barely damp sponge using a small amount. Build up coverage as required layer by layer.

Then use powder or chalk as required whilst cream is drying. Brush off excess when dry. Add a tiny bit of Plush Puppy Chalkestral with your fingertips to the white legs to assist holding the white powder you apply. You need something to help grip and to protect the coat from abrasion. Best of all is 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. Fairy Frost will create the brightest white tone that clings all day. 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 spray in your tack box. It contains optical brighteners, has a fresh apple fragrance, and violet tone.

You can sneak in a tiny amount of Plush Puppy Pixie Dust. I do say a tiny amount and add it into the Fairy Frost Regular. This will pick up glints of light especially in the sun, but you don’t overdo it. It’s meant to be subtle.

I also like a spray of Plush Puppy Odour Muncher for a nice clean smelling dog. It literally deodorises and gives a pleasant fragrance to the dog negating most odours with ease. I also use it on the dog’s mats if I am being flamboyant and frivolous. I can be very frivolous when I am away for a cluster of shows and cannot find time nor facilities for another bathing.

A light mist of Plush Puppy Shine and Comb. With the Bulldog it’s best not to spray directly onto this coat, but preferably spray onto the brush or well above the coat approx. 30cms and let the mist fall onto the coat, this will give a final boost to the shine and lustre of the coat.

Good handling, good presentation and a great dog – what else can beat that?