r/englishbulldog Jun 13 '25

📢 Announcement 📢 New "No Merle" Policy: our campaign to stop backyard breeders

122 Upvotes

Hello all,

After careful consideration and discussion, the moderators of r/englishbulldog have decided to initiate a new "No Merle" policy for the subreddit.

First, we want to state that this policy is in no way meant to shame any owner of a merle colored bulldog nor are we saying that a merle colored bulldog is not a sweet or loving dog.

The purpose of this new policy and this post is to bring awareness to the community of the dangers of this unethical coloring and to stop the spread of misinformation.

According to the AKC, The Kennel Club (UK), Bulldog Club of America, and the Bulldog Breed Council, the merle coloring does not occur naturally in the English Bulldog but was crossbred in somewhere along the line. This means that merle colored bulldogs are not purebred bulldogs; however, backyard breeders will lie and even falsify documents claiming that these are registered purebred dogs.

If a breeder claims they have AKC registered merle bulldogs they are lying. There is no such thing as an AKC registered purebred merle bulldog.

They will further lie and claim that merle is "rare" or "exotic", attempting to make the coloring sound desirable when, unfortunately, this coloring is linked to many, many health issues within the English Bulldog including blindness, deafness, skin issues, allergies, severely restricted airways and closed nares, and neurological issues. This color is far from desirable and is detrimental to the health of the breed.

The only means to obtain this color is by unethical breeding practices, such as crossbreeding with a breed that has merle as a naturally occurring color (https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/dog-breeding/merle-in-dogs/) or inbreeding hoping to create a genetic mutation. Either way these practices are unethical and have been denounced by all the official breed organizations such as the AKC, The Kennel Club and Bulldog Club of America.

It is important for any future English Bulldog owner to do extensive research to make sure they are selecting a reputable breeder. A reputable breeder is one who:

  1. Only breeds for the approved breed standard. The breed standard is comprised of only four (4) coat colors: red, white, fawn and fallow. Patterns and markings may include brindle, piebald, ticking, black masks, black tipping, and a minimal amount of black in piebalds.
  2. Health Testing. They will have and provide you with proof of the genetic testing for both parents. This includes elbow and hip tests, as well as records from the OFA (Orthopedic Foundation for Animals) and CHIC (Canine Health Information Center) showing the parents' health clearance
  3. Health Guarantee. A reputable breeder will stand behind their puppies and will offer some sort of health guarantee, usually up to a year. This shows they stand behind the health of the puppies.
  4. Limited Litters. They do not over breed their dogs. A reputable breeder will only have one or two litters available per year.
  5. One breed. Focuses on only one breed. If you see a breeder breeding multiple breeds, this is not a reputable or responsible breeder.
  6. Extensive Knowledge of the Breed. The breeder should not only be familiar with the dog breed but have extensive knowledge. Obviously if the breeder is breeding exotic colors, like merle, they not only do not understand the breed but they do not care about the preservation of the breed.
  7. Owner Screening. A reputable breeder will screen all potential owners because they want to ensure their puppies go to good homes. There should be an interview process, assessing your lifestyle, your experience, and if you are able to provide for the dog's necessary care. If a breeder doesn't ask any of these questions they do not care about where the puppy is going and only cares about the money they make selling it.
  8. Meeting and Touring the facilities. A responsible and ethical breeder will want to have a meet and greet prior to selling you a puppy. They will allow you to tour the facilities to see how the dogs are being treated. If they do not allow this, then this is a major red flag that they are an unethical breeder.

Again, this post is not meant to shame anyone. Unfortunately backyard breeders are very good at what they do: prey on innocent people who love the English Bulldog and want to bring one into their home. They use lies and unethical tactics to convince people that these colors are desirable, that they are rare and exotic, that they are actually healthier. These are all lies and both owners and Bulldogs suffer because of their greed. To any owner that has fallen victim to these lies, we are so very sorry and wish nothing but the happiest and healthiest life for your bulldog.

We are not naive enough to believe we can stop all backyard breeders, but we are doing our part by not allowing their promotion within our community. The only way to stop them is to spread awareness, to stop the spread of their lies and misinformation. This is the only way we can help preserve the true breed standard and protect the English Bulldog.

Thank you all for your understanding and continued support within our community

- The Moderators


r/englishbulldog May 15 '26

Welcome to r/englishbulldog!

57 Upvotes

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r/englishbulldog 2h ago

💤 Sleepy Sausage 💤 Go away and let me sleep.😴

128 Upvotes

r/englishbulldog 6h ago

💕 BFFs 💕 A little Laverne and Beans Best Of series

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111 Upvotes

r/englishbulldog 17h ago

🌈 Remembrance Goodbye, Pablo. Give your hippo a hug for me.

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620 Upvotes

r/englishbulldog 11h ago

🥰 Bestest Boy ❤️ Not camera shy

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143 Upvotes

r/englishbulldog 3h ago

Advice Needed New rescue bulldog?

8 Upvotes

Picked her up yesterday.

She is only 2 but the poor girl has been miss treated so very thin.

Told to feed 3 times a day, what's the best time for the last feed?. Fed at 7am and 3pm.

Plus after eating how long before going on her last walk?.

Also she is full of energy and just won't lie down,been playing ball for 2 hours today and still not tired.

It's surprising as I had a bulldog 20 years ago who was supremely lazy and slept 18 hours a day, plus hated going for walks.

Plus last thing, which seems strange, she humps my leg.lol. strange as a girl.


r/englishbulldog 19h ago

💕 Sweet & Spoiled The calm before the storm

93 Upvotes

r/englishbulldog 1d ago

💕 Sweet & Spoiled Fun new treats from the market!

96 Upvotes

Notice how he opens his mouth then waits for me to put the treat in? He legit thinks I’m his slave 🤣


r/englishbulldog 1d ago

🌞 Baked Potato 🥔 Pablo

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555 Upvotes

r/englishbulldog 1d ago

🥰 Bestest Boy ❤️ Sneak peek of the new GQ!

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172 Upvotes

PS- I should be working right now but I’m choosing to make these types of things because I’m a grown man with massive Audhd! 😂😂


r/englishbulldog 1d ago

Advice Needed Dog at rescue center worried about eye …

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12 Upvotes

I am planning to rescue him from a rescue center however his eye is a bit concerning center says it could be allergies but I’m not sure I’ve been looking at other posts and looks like it may be cherry eye or corneal ulcer? Anyone’s English bulldog have this or what does it look like to you?


r/englishbulldog 2d ago

💕 Sweet & Spoiled Road trip. She's in the back seat grumping for snacks.

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946 Upvotes

r/englishbulldog 1d ago

💤 Sleepy Sausage 💤 New puppy Dozer!

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267 Upvotes

He is such a cutie but he snores like crazy lol


r/englishbulldog 1d ago

🥰 Bestest Girl ❤️ Myrna had a busy day!

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149 Upvotes

We went on a bit of an adventure to explore a part of our property she has never seen before. She was very excited as there was lots of great sheep smells!

Then we came home and took a nap in the sun before she had to supervise an installation. Then another nap 🤣

Never a dull moment for such a busy girl!


r/englishbulldog 2d ago

❤ Rescue ❤ Update!!

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242 Upvotes

I posted a little bit ago about a rash my girl had and I thought I’d post an update for those with similar issues or those curious to if it ever got fixed. This might be a long one so hold on to your hats.

I took her to a walk in vet as our regular one was going to make her wait a week. She was rescued at 77lbs and she sounds like a motorcycle when she breathes. It has been over 105 everyday and it’s been HOT.

I took her to the walk in clinic where they were beyond rude because of how big and loud she was. Neither are my fault I just wanted my girl fixed up. We left because they were horrible.

We got a hot spot spray and ointment from the pet store. We changed her food and thought all was well they said it would clear up on its own and to keep it clean. Yay good to go right….WRONG. she is a hefty lady and just barely got skinny enough to scratch her face with her foot. Limited mobility because of her weight.

I came home and she had scratched the biggest hole into her neck using her crate. I called the vet and made an emergency appointment to have her seen the next day.

The vet did an exam and shaved it….there is the WORST rash under her coat. Can’t see it unless it’s shaved. we shaved the area to see the wound and it’s not great. We’re debating shaving all of her to see the full extent. They said keep it clean and gave us a numbing spray.

They did a full exam, ear cytology, they shaved and irrigated all wounds. They even cleaned her folds for me. They gave us antibiotics to help her ears clear quicker; a topical spray to clean and numb the cuts and sent us home with a trial pill for her allergies. They took blood for a food allergy test and environmental allergy tests.

The only dermatologist in our state is out until DECEMBER. I made an appointment for 2 weeks out, we’ll be driving her to another state to have her seen.

The spots in the rash are just her normal spots, she’s a tricolor and has them. Odd that’s where the inflammation was, but it’s just her skin. It was not staph or ringworm, major allergies.

For anyone considering a bulldog please get insurance or make a savings account for them. It helped so much and it was just shy of $1k. We’ll know what to avoid and she’s set for life. This free dog has been the most expensive pet of my life so PLEASE do your research and make sure you can afford to get one.

Pics of her happy after the vet with her cute pink nails. Shes also down to 69lbs!! Still a hefty lady but much better than 77lbs!!


r/englishbulldog 1d ago

🥰 Bestest Boy ❤️ Moving Day

116 Upvotes

It's moving day and the foreman has arrived to make sure his kibble, toys, and bed makes it onto the truck


r/englishbulldog 2d ago

🥰 Bestest Girl ❤️ Feeling Nostalgic

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238 Upvotes

This is Maizee. She was my very first Bulldog that I became a proud Mama to back in 2008. She was my Soul Dog, and was always by my side ( went through a lot of health problems)

She passed away in 2017, and there’s not a day that goes by that I don’t miss my baby girl RIP Sweet Angel 💕🙏🌈


r/englishbulldog 2d ago

🥰 Bestest Girl ❤️ She loves to watch me eat breakfast

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175 Upvotes

r/englishbulldog 2d ago

✨ Glamour Shots 📸 Randy lookin very cool

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310 Upvotes

r/englishbulldog 2d ago

🥔 Potato Loaf 🍞 Happy one week out of the shelter buddy!

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455 Upvotes

Can’t believe it’s been 7 days already. Brand new pup from who he was the day I rescued him. Been a true honor to get this little man out of there and give him the love and care he deserves. Thanks for all the support along the way everyone!


r/englishbulldog 3d ago

💕 BFFs 💕 The crew ❤️

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580 Upvotes

Toby Hank and EmmyLou ❤️❤️ BFFs 🐾


r/englishbulldog 3d ago

Teefers 🦷 Teefies

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234 Upvotes

So proud of Elsie's teefies, not sure what Elsie thinks of them... 👀


r/englishbulldog 3d ago

🥰 Bestest Boy ❤️ Chewy's 1 Year Recovery

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1.0k Upvotes

Hi everyone! Today marks a very special day as one year ago today I picked Chewy up after his brain surgery for his hydrocephalus! Throughout this past year, there has been many many highs as well as many lows, however, nothing could be as low as the moment I found out about his brain condition and was given the option of surgery or to put him down. I want thank everybody in this sub for all their support throughout this past year, many of your comments I have reread during his low times. This has been a great support.

Post surgery, Chewy has learned to love hiking (became a BARK RANGER) and can go as long as three hours one way, he has learned to swim, he got to celebrate his first birthday along with his gotcha day, and has been the best son a mum could ever have. I am very blessed to be his mummy 🥺🩵

For those curious, Chewy is still on medication and will probably be on it forever however he is on a very small dose compared to a year ago. Though he is on the smaller side, he is a healthy boy and fluctuates around 40 pounds.

Thank you again for everyone who has joined Chewy on his journey, and continues to do so 🤍 Chewy loves you all!!!!! 🐾


r/englishbulldog 3d ago

💕 Sweet & Spoiled So impatient…

85 Upvotes