Blue Merle English Bulldog - Everything You Need To Know

Blue Merle English Bulldog Breed Overview

Blue Merle English Dogs are merle Bulldogs with grey speckles on their coats. Even though the speckles are grey, they are called blue merle dogs, and the marking can sometimes either be patches of tan or black. Merle is just the change in color of the coat, eyes, and nose because of genetic mutation. The mutation is purely physical and doesn’t change the temperament of the blue merle English Bulldogs. They are genetically identical to the English Bulldogs except for pigmentation.

Blue Merle English Bulldog Pros and Cons

Pros	Cons
Low Maintenance	Poor Health
Family Dog	Wrinkle cleaning
Suited for Apartment Living	Complications in Breeding

Blue Merle English Bulldog Basic Information

Name: Blue Merle English Bulldog
Height: 11 to 16 inches
Weight: 40 to 50 pounds
Color: White, Grey
Coat: Short, Smooth, Creamy, Speckled
Hypoallergenic: No
Energy: Medium
Activities: Mascots of sports teams, universities, military
Group: Non-Sporting Group
Litter Size: 4 to 6 Puppies
Life Span: 8 – 10 Years

Blue Merle English Bulldog Comparison

Blue Merle English Bulldog Personality

Blue Merle English Bulldogs are not mixed breeds, and gene tests can verify their parentage. They love to relax next to their family. The easygoing, devoted blue merle English Bulldogs are eager to please their owners. They are a good choice for new pet owners and require less maintenance. Their head is massive and square with a short muzzle. They have a low-slung body with broad shoulders, chests, and strong limbs. They are indoor dogs and shouldn’t be sheltered outside.

Friendliness Overview

Affection Level	High
Family-Friendly	High
Kid-Friendly	Medium to High
Pet-Friendly	Low to Medium
Strangers-Friendly	High

Adaptability Overview

Good for New Pet Owners	High
Good for Apartment Living	High
Sensitivity Level	Medium to High
Tolerates being alone	Medium
Cold Tolerance	Low
Heat Tolerance	Low

Blue Merle English Bulldog Temperament

The temperament of Blue Merle English Bulldogs is almost the same as the classic Bulldogs, as they inherit the same genes. However, their temperament can get affected due to various reasons like genes, socialization, training. They are chewers, and some dogs can chew even in their adulthood. They are good watchdogs.

The blue merle English Bulldogs are affectionate, calm, kind, courageous, and conduct themselves with dignity. They love people and seek attention and love. Blue merle English Bulldogs can get along well with children, but they can’t play for a long time. They prefer relaxing and sleeping with their heads on their owner’s lap to chasing or retrieving. Blue Merle English Bulldogs can appear intimidating, but they don’t tend to bark a lot.

Blue Merle English Bulldog Training

Early training and socialization are vital to ensure the proper behavior of blue merle English Bulldogs. When your puppy is young, you should train them the ‘leave it’ command. Normalize taking food from them while they eat since puppyhood so that they won’t grow up to be more aggressive and protective over their food. It is highly recommended to enroll blue merle English Bulldogs in puppy training classes to prevent undesired behaviors. They might learn slowly, but once they have learned a command or trick, they will remember it for a long time.

Trainability Overview

Easy to Train	Medium
Intelligence	Low to Medium
Prey Drive	Low to Medium
Tendency to Chew, Nip & Play-bite	High
Tendency to Bark or Howl	High
Wanderlust Ability	Low
Attention/Social Needs	Medium

Blue Merle English Bulldog Exercise Needs

Blue Merle English Bulldogs can do well with moderate exercise like walking. They also love to swim in shallow water, but they shouldn’t be allowed in deep water. Pools with water more than elbow depth and stairs can be dangerous for them.

Exercise Needs Overview

Energy Level	Low to Medium
Exercise Needs	Medium
Playfulness	Medium to High
Intensity	Medium

Blue Merle English Bulldog Grooming

Blue Merle English Bulldogs need minimal grooming, including brushing their coat twice or thrice a week. During the shedding season, brush every day and use a rubber curry brush. The skin in the face will be wrinkled, which can trap moisture or food particles leading to infection. Wiping their face with peroxide and moisturizing will avoid potential skin conditions. Other grooming includes teeth brushing, cleaning their ears, and nail trimming.

Grooming Overview

Amount of Shedding	Medium
Tendency to Drool	High
Tendency to Snore	High
Easy to Groom	High

Blue Merle English Bulldog Health

The rare gene mutation makes Blue Merle English Bulldog susceptible to many more health conditions, including the ones that can affect classic Bulldogs. As a result, they have poor health, which is one of the reasons to avoid breeding Merle English Bulldogs.

Health Overview

Basic Health	Low
Weight Gain Possibilities	High
Size	Medium

Microphthalmia: It is a defect in fetal formation resulting in small eyes and blindness which can’t be cured.

Anophthalmia: Anophthalmia is a birth defect where the puppy is born with one eye or without eyes.

Proptosis: In proptosis, the eyeballs will be displaced from the eye socket resulting in the eyelids trapped behind the eye, which can be cured through surgery.

Deafness: Deafness is the lack of hearing ability which is more common in pigmented dogs. As it can also be hereditary, breeders should avoid breeding dogs with hearing disabilities.

Brachycephalic Syndrome: This condition is prevalent in dogs with short muzzles. Their nostrils will be narrowed, and the airways will be blocked, ranging from difficulty in breathing to noisy or total obstruction in breathing.

Entropion: The condition in which the eyelids are inward and rub against the eye causing eye irritation is entropion. The affected dog might need surgery to correct the eyelash.

Glaucoma: Glaucoma is an eye condition that can affect both dogs and people and requires medical attention. Symptoms such as pain, squinting, watery eyes, and redness can indicate glaucoma which can lead to blindness. Regular health tests can help in identifying and curing glaucoma at an early stage.

Cherry Eye: The gland under the eyelid will protrude, looking like a cherry. This condition might need surgery to remove the infected gland.

Dry Eye: Dry eye is a painful condition caused due to the insufficient production of tears by the tear glands. The affected eye might appear dry or have a blue haze. Treatments include medication or teardrops.

Hip Dysplasia: This is a genetically inherited condition caused by a defect in the joints of the hip bones. Injuries can also lead to hip dysplasia, and this condition can be painful. There are treatments to cure this, but the dog might get arthritis or lameness if the condition worsens.

Patellar Luxation: The slipping of the knee cap from its position in the legs is patellar luxation. Some visible symptoms include the dog kicking to set the knee cap back on its position while running or walking. Patellar Luxation can be cured if the symptoms are mild or only one leg was affected.

Juvenile Renal Dysplasia: Juvenile Renal Dysplasia is a defect in the functioning of the kidney, transmitted genetically. There are no tests to detect this condition but can be identified through symptoms such as vomiting, excessive thirst, frequent urination, weight loss, and lethargy.

Hyperadrenocorticism: Hyperadrenocorticism, also called Cushing’s disease, results from the excessive production of steroid hormones due to the malfunction of adrenal glands. Excessive thirst, frequent urination, lethargy, increase in appetite are some of the symptoms of Cushing’s disease, which can be cured with Consistent treatment and periodic veterinary checkups.

Portosystemic Liver Shunt: Portosystemic liver shunt is a condition in which the liver does not get blood supply to purify it. As the name suggests, blood flow to the liver will be shunted. This condition can be cured through surgery.

Flatulence: Blue Merle English Bulldogs breathe through their mouths, thus having high levels of flatulence. They are prone to obesity, and so food intake has to be monitored.

Dental Disease: It affects 80% of pets by the age of two. It causes tartar build-up on the teeth, infection of the gums and roots, and in extreme cases, loss of teeth, and damage to the kidneys.

Parasites: Blue Merle English Bulldogs can be infested with worms, bugs, fleas, and ticks that can get into their systems through unclean water, contaminated soil, or bitten by an infected mosquito. It can also be transmitted to humans. Symptoms include discomfort, pain, and even death.

Blue Merle English Bulldog Diet and Nutrition

High-quality dog food or homemade food can be fed to Blue Merle English Bulldog. Feed your puppies small quantities of food thrice a day and once they are six months old, start feeding them twice a day.

They need special care and a nutritious diet depending on their health. It is recommended to consult a vet before formulating a diet plan. Check the calorie intake and treats as they are prone to obesity.

Blue Merle English Bulldog Living Condition

The short muzzle cannot cool down hot air efficiently, so it will be difficult for Blue Merle English Bulldogs to breathe in the heat and humid areas. They cannot tolerate extremely cold weather. It is advised to avoid exposing them to extreme weather conditions and keep them indoors. They don’t need a backyard or big spacious area and so they can adapt well to apartment living.

Things To Remember Before Breeding

Breeding a Bulldog should be carefully done after genetically testing the dogs. The merle genes are recessive and can be hidden in two classic bulldogs for generations and then passed on to a puppy. Therefore, testing the dog’s genetics is vital before breeding. Never breed Bulldogs with positive merle genes or two merle bulldogs. Because of the health issues the litter can be prone to, the better option is to spay or neuter Merle dogs.