Hairy Inquiry

bulldawgamy writes, “Hey Blue! I think you are soooo cute. Anyways, I was wondering if you shed alot? I remember a year or two ago when some students were petting you in the dawg pound and you shed like crazy---hairs everywhere :) Did your new diet fix this problem?”

First of all Amy, if it’s been a “year or two ago” since you’ve seen me or petted me yourself, then that’s a year or two too long!

Second, sorry I am just now responding to your question. I had a couple of ball games to attend recently. I started writing my response while my dad was watching the Rolex 24 at Daytona (go Vision Racing!) and didn’t get finished until President Bush’s State of the Union address. Again, my apologies for the delay.

It’s true. I shed. A lot. I can’t really help it. It’s just a characteristic of the English Bulldog breed.

Consider those little hairs I leave behind a souvenir…something to remember me by.

If you think the shedding is bad, just be glad I didn’t slime you as well. Sometimes I’ve been known to get worked up or excited, which means I start breathing heavier, and salivating more. And when that happens sometimes things tend to get slimed.


Check out my dad’s pant legs sometimes. Between the hair and the slime, I wreak havoc on those wool suits! Think "Turner and Hooch."

Speaking of my dad, I’m not the only one in the family who sheds. My dad sheds too, but unfortunately for him, his hair doesn’t grow back like mine. Hair today, gone tomorrow.

Shedding is natural for dogs. The hair loss allows the new coat to come in. All dogs shed; some more then others. Actually, the English Bulldog's shedding is listed as "average."

My shedding is constant, but the degree of hair loss comes and goes. I don’t really know if it can be controlled, but I bathe weekly, eat food high in Omega-3 fatty acids, and if my parents remember, I will get brushed.

I don’t know how much those things help, but I don’t think they can hurt.

My dad always says he wishes that he invented the lint roller. I don’t know if that’s because he thinks that would have made him wealthier or if it’s because he thinks he could get them for free if he invented them. Maybe both.


Speaking of business opportunities, if scientists could figure out the hair growth hormone (the new HGH) in me, maybe we could bottle it and people like my dad wouldn’t have to sweat that receding hairline anymore. We could put the Hair Club for Men president right out of business. Still a “client,” buddy?

I digress, back to my fur coat. People often ask if I ever get my hair cut/groomed. The answer is no. English Bulldogs are short-haired by nature. There’s no need for a trim for me. So I’ve got that going for me. Which is nice.