Tom and I are very focused on health and temperament of the Bull Terrier breed.  As members of the Bull Terrier Club of Dallas, we feel compelled to breed as healthy a Bull Terrier as we can.  This is made possible by health testing the sire and dam before breeding.  Preliminary tests are performed at 1- 2 years of age.  They are repeated each year. Most of our females have their first litter at age 3-4 years.  By this time, most have finished their championships and are mature enough to care for a litter.  Males may be used as early as one year of age.

We urge that caution should be taken when breeding an animal this young, as some health issues don’t show up until after the age of 2 years.  It is important to know the health history behind a young dog.

TESTING

The health tests performed include echocardiogram for heart function, UPC (Urine Protein Creatinine) ratio for kidney function, palpation for patella (kneecap) luxation and BAER tested normal for hearing.

I am a member of the Bull Terrier Club of America ethics committee and we recently incorporated these tests into the recommended testing for BTCA member breeders.  All breeders, no matter what club they belong to, should be testing all breeding animals to help insure healthy puppies.

Although rigorous testing improves the quality of the breed, breeding is not an exact science.  Many genetic diseases are recessive in nature, meaning they may have non-affected carriers and skip generations.  Two normal parents may produce an affected animal when bred to one another.  The more generations of "clear" tested animals behind the parents, the better.

TEMPERMENT

Temperament is also very important.  Dogs should be able to live together without friction.  When picking a breeder it is best to visit them in person to see how their dogs interact with one another. If you can't do this before you get your puppy, perhaps you can spend extra time with the breeder when picking up your puppy. If you are in doubt ... don't buy that puppy!

BTCA rescue, as well as many regional affiliates, have been overwhelmed with owner-surrendered Bull Terriers in recent years. Most of these dogs come from backyard breeders or puppy mills, basically inexperienced breeders who are not committed to the betterment of the breed as a personal mission.

PUPPY ISSUES

Problem dogs typically don't come from well socialized parents.  Problem dogs produce problem puppies.  Furthermore, many breeders don't educate the buyer on the proper way to raise a puppy.  When the puppy goes through puberty and becomes a "wild raging maniac" the owner has no clue on how to train the dog.  Unfortunately, most puppy owners do not, or will not, seek professional training and they end up surrendering the dog.  Some of these dogs may have such haphazard breeding that they are "wired" wrong and have VERY unpredictable temperaments, and may bite.  Dog's with this type of temperament are not typical and should be put down to protect the Bull Terrier breed and the general public.  We cannot place a dog with temperament problems.  It is not representative of the Bull Terrier breed.

  
Click here to learn more about the Glentom Bull Terriers.