Meet Stella, our new Victorian Bulldog puppy, we brought home six weeks ago. We forgot how much work a new puppy is! But she is a lot of fun and makes us laugh. We get more exercise chasing her.
Aside from that, we seem to track all of her bowel and urination movements. House training is not for the faint of heart, nor would I recommend it to anyone older. We decided not to wait until Spring to find her as our home hadn’t sold yet and figured we would be here for the winter.
Things You May Need To Bring New Puppy Home
We didn’t think we’d need much more than a dog bed, puppy dog food, and toys. Before we knew it we went out to purchase:
- Puppy pads for accidents in the house and they do happen.
- More toys for biting to keep in several rooms throughout the house.
- Training treats – these work great to get her to sit.
- Dog crate. My husband never wanted one but learned that helped her to cope inside a big house. She loves napping in it.
- A new pet vacuum for rugs when she doesn’t make it outside. The cost of it would pay for one professional cleaning.
- Bigger dog door, we had a smaller one for our last dog but this Victorian bulldog puppy was growing fast.
- A car seat carrier for the backseat to keep her safe and not climbing on the driver.
- Light for her collar when she goes out at night so you can see her better.
- A webcam to watch her when you go away.
Our Victorian Bulldog Puppy’s Behavior
Stella was a little different than our last dog Hunter, a Poxer: A poxer is a combination of a boxer and a pug. Hunter weighed between 26 and 30 lbs.
Stella is 5 months old and is 35 lbs. already. She is not a dog I can carry around though my husband does in the morning to get her outside.
She sleeps great through the night usually on our heads as we can hear her loud snoring. However, she doesn’t like getting up in the morning to leave the bedroom.
For the first few weeks, she rarely barked but now she does if you walk away into another room or someone comes to visit. She also takes long 3-hour naps in the afternoon most days. It reminds me of when our grown kids were babies.
Vet Visits Are An Hour Away
Again we are in our rural home an hour away from vet services. We had to take our Victorian Bulldog there twice for shots. Thankfully she travels very well. She’s been on several short trips with us for a few hours.
If we sell our home in Maine and move to Pennsylvania it will be a 9-hour drive each way. We are thankful she travels well. We did have to invest in a backseat car carrier for our truck and jeep. The days of her sitting between us are limited as she grows bigger.
Life With Victorian Bulldog Dog Breed
They are very lovable dogs and love to cuddle on you. She often sleeps by my feet when I sit. That is where Stella is right now snoring away as I write this.
When we first got the Victorian bulldog we stopped by my stepdaughter’s house as she has a 10-month-old infant. The baby was used to her dog so she and Stella got along very well. The Victorian bulldog puppy seems to enjoy any children she has been around as she met my 10-year-old granddaughter.
We only feed her twice daily and she woofs down her food pretty fast. I’ve read about special puppy dishes to help puppies eat slower. This may be another item to purchase for this Victorian bulldog.
She is getting better on her leash but this Victorian bulldog loves to still bite it; you can see that in the picture below. Sometimes she even rolls over making it harder to get her back up and walking.
Victorian Bulldog Characteristics
The Victorian Bulldog stands out with its unique build and temperament. Unlike the other bulldog breeds, this breed boasts a stockier frame with a powerful yet athletic body. The breed can grow to 60-70 lbs.
They are designed to help keep health issues at bay. Health issues are common in many bulldog breeds. Victorian Bulldogs have fewer breathing problems, thanks to a wider nostril and less pronounced snout.
They’re also known for their gentle and loyal nature, making them great family pets. This breed balances a tough look with an easygoing attitude, offering charm and strength in one package.
With a Victorian Bulldog, you’re getting a pet that brings a mix of robustness and sweetness to the table. (Except when they fart, it can smell strong!)
Watching Out For Wildlife With Victorian Bulldog Puppy
One thing about our rural area is a lot of wildlife roaming around our home. There are little squirrels and birds to deer and moose, who could pose a threat to our Victorian bulldog puppy. We are putting up an electric type of fence as she has begun to wander a little more around the yard and almost into the street which is a main road and traffic can whizz by at 70 mph.
That’s why we need to have her trained on the leash sooner than later. She often goes to smell where the deer have walked and pooped. We have a deck where she can hang out, and do her business.
Conclusion: Life With Our Victorian Bulldog
Mostly it is a joy having a dog in the house again. But other times you think, “What did we do?” We had more freedom to come and go and not worry about when the dog needed to eat or go out.
But before you know it, you get used to that again and plan your day more with the puppy in mind. We felt life was too short to wait and we were not getting any younger to be chasing a puppy around.
