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GENETIC MYTHS  When you are searching for that "perfect" Baby Bully, Genetics can be both a Confusing and Intimidating Topic. This page is intended to Clarify some commonly held misconceptions about Genetics as well as to offer some simple explanations to help inform you about a few basic concepts of Genetics that are important in Breeding and Owning Pure Bred Bulldogs. 1.) GENETIC TRAITS~ If Your Bulldog Has The Gene, Then He Will Eventually Get The "Disease" Associated With The Trait. This is probably one of the most commonly held and terribly wrong notions that people have about Genetics. Just because a Bulldog carries a specific Gene, does NOT mean that the trait will ever be expressed or that the Bulldog will ever get the "Disease". Of Course, "Carriers" are best identified and eliminated when possible from Breeding Stock, but such Ideal Circumstances may not be available and it is critical to recognize that Genetic Traits do not "BRAND" a Bulldog as having a Defect, Just as it is critical to recognize that ALL BREEDS of Dogs carry defective genes. The key is selection: Which defects are tolerable? IE: Are they only Cosmetic such as a Crooked Tail or a Cherry Eye or will they cause Health Risks such as Heart Disease or Hip Dysplasia? A Breeder with any Quality would Never Breed a Bulldog with Known Health Problems including Heart Disease, Hip Dysplasia and other Internal Abnormalities that could become a potential health risk to the puppies. 2.) You can Buy a Bulldog that is "PERFECT" with NO UNDESIRABLE TRAITS. Every dog alive, Bulldog or Any other Breed of Dog, carries some undesirable traits. Every Breed individual is likely to carry from 3 to 5 unwanted traits. There is no such thing as a "PERFECT" Bulldog. 3.) GENETIC Means CONGENITAL. People Still Confuse Congenital & Genetic. Genetic means "Acquired genetically from the parent(s)" and can be Any Trait Desirable or Not~ from a nice large nose wrinkle, to the tail curling to the Left or even a trait such as cherry eye. Just because a Bulldog Posseses a specific genetic trait - does not mean that the outcome or problem associated with that trait will ever occur ~ rather desirable or not. Congenital means "Present at Birth" and refers to Serious Health Defects, with such examples as a True Umbilical Hernia or a Heart Defect. 4.) A $2500.00 Bulldog is a Better Quality Dog than a $1900.00 Bulldog because he has a "Champion" Pedigree. WRONG~ I PROMISE YOU that a Puppy having a Champion Bloodline DOES NOT Mean that it is a Better Quality Puppy than a Non-Champion Bloodline Puppy. It only means that the Breeder Chooses to Show his Dogs and is in return, able to sell his puppies for ALOT more $$ than if he Chose NOT to Show his Dogs! This is simply because Alot of people view a Champion Bloodline as a Better Quality, but this is So Far From The Truth. Even those very Breeders produce Puppies that are not "Nice Enough" to show in the Ring. Any Breeder worth his salt and who picks his Breeder Bulldogs Carefully, Can And Will Produce Show Potential Puppies!
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