When you get your puppy, you should also receive from (he breeder: either the puppy's Registration Certificate or its Application for Registration (blue slip); a copy of its pedigree; a record of its immunizations (exactly what shots and when given) and wormings; assurance that the puppy has been examined by a veterinarian and the name and telephone number of the veterinarian. If you do not receive one of these items you should get a written, dated and signed statement from the breeder stating when you will receive that item or why you will not.

You may also receive: a sales contract (if the puppy is sold on a Limited Registration you should received a sales contract which includes the terms, if any, under which the breeder will lift that restriction); a health certificate from the puppy's veterinarian; written care instructions; a supply of the food the puppy eats. You may even he given the puppy's favorite toy.

When you arrive home with your puppy, remember - your puppy is a baby Bulldog. Like all babies, he needs lots of love and cuddling, lots of rest and sleep, lots of love and cuddling, lots of good, nourishing food and more love and cuddling.

Moving to a new home, leaving his dam and litter mates and the only humans he has ever really known is a very traumatic experience for the puppy, so try to make the move as easy as possible for him. For the first couple of weeks, try to change his life as little as possible.

Follow the breeders feeding routine. The same times, the same amount, the same brand of food, the same supplements. Feed him in the same place at each meal. Be sure he has a special area all his own for his bed. Give him lots and lots of cuddling and petting. Do not let him play so long and hard that he becomes exhausted.

Sometime during the first week, you should take him to your veterinarian for a check up and get to know you visit. Take along the record of his immunizations and wormings and a stool sample.

Once the puppy is settled securely into his new home, you can hegin 10 introduce him to your way of doing things.

If you want to change the brand of puppy kibble he is eating, the change should be slow and gradual. Substitute a small amount of the old food with the new brand and slowly increase the ratio of new to old until the old brand is completely replaced with the new.

Equipment for your new baby

A rocking chair or a really comfortable big chair you can sit in and cuddle your new Bulldog puppy.

A food dish with straight sides and flat bottom. The best material is stainless steel - avoid plastic.

A water dish, stainless steel is best.

A collar and a lead. A light weight, small link "choke" collar is best. It should be long enough to slip ovr tlie pup's head with room to spare but should not have more than a six inch "tail" when around his neck. His first lead should be a light weight one, you'll need a strong leather lead as he grows.

Nail clippers or grinder.

There are several things which will make life easier and more enjoyable for you and your Bulldog.

First in importance is a wire crate. This comes very close to being a necessity. It is much easier to house train a puppy if he sleeps in a crate. If you travel at all with your dog, he is safer and happier riding in a crate and if you are staying overnight he has a place of his own to sleep in. It is just as important for your dog to be in a crate in the car as it is for you to wear your seat belt. If you do not have a crate, or one won't fit in your car, get him a dog safety car harness. Bulldogs do better in wire crates than the Veri-Kennel type because the air circulation through the wire crates is so much better. Dogs like to have a special "my place" so If you don't have a crate, try one, you and your Bulldog will like it.

A grooming table makes brushing, toe nail cutting, whisker clipping, medication, etc. etc. much easier. Start the pup out young and he'll soon learn to stand still with his neck in the noose and your life will be much easier.

A puppy pen. Even though you have a fenced yard, you may want to confine the puppy to or out of a particular area. Puppy pens are easily portable and very handy for keeping a puppy confined to a small area. They are especially useful for a winter puppy. You can put his bed in his crate, put the crate in a puppy pen, and put his papers in a corner of the pen.

If you plan to exhibit your Bulldog you will need a pair of whisker scissors. These are small, sharp, blunt end scissors which you can purchase from a pet store, a dog show vendor or a dog supply catalogue.

A good brush. You can use almost any brush on a Bulldog but the best ones have flexible rubber bristles. You want one small enough to fit your hand comfortably.

If you travel with your Bulldog you'll need a large insulated water jug so that you'll have "home" water available for him. A small water pan that hooks to the side of his crate is handy.