Prior to finalizing adoption, you will need to review this digital manual. It outlines introductions of the dog to your home, as well as nutrition and health information.
This manual is in progress of being moved from hard copy to virtual. Please bear with us as we update it :)
About us
Hoosier Bulldog Rescue History
Hoosier Bulldog Rescue (HBR) was found in 2017 and is made up of a small group of volunteers dedicated to helping English and French Bulldogs in the Indianapolis area. Our goal is to accept as many bulldogs into our rescue as we can, however, we can only accept as many dogs as we have foster homes. We accept bulldogs from animal shelters, puppy mill/breeder situations, and directly from families who are no longer able to provide care for their bulldog.
Our Mission
Contact
NOTE: When you adopt one of our dogs, you’re family. We want to hear from you and see our dogs flourish with you. Adopters are required to provide annual updates on their adoptive dog. We will never complain about more updates though :)
Hoosier Bulldog Rescue (HBR) was found in 2017 and is made up of a small group of volunteers dedicated to helping English and French Bulldogs in the Indianapolis area. Our goal is to accept as many bulldogs into our rescue as we can, however, we can only accept as many dogs as we have foster homes. We accept bulldogs from animal shelters, puppy mill/breeder situations, and directly from families who are no longer able to provide care for their bulldog.
Our Mission
- To accept English or French bulldogs directly from owners, breeders, and/or shelters.
- To rehabilitate bulldogs through medical and behavioral intervention.
- To educate the community, public, and potential adopters on the special needs of the bulldog breed.
- To educate and provide the community resources on responsible pet ownership.
- To assist individuals/families in keeping their bulldog. Rescue is not only about re-homing dogs; it’s also about keeping dogs with their families when possible.
Contact
- If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to us at any time via phone, text, or email. Email for all board members: HoosierBulldogRescue@gmail.com
NOTE: When you adopt one of our dogs, you’re family. We want to hear from you and see our dogs flourish with you. Adopters are required to provide annual updates on their adoptive dog. We will never complain about more updates though :)
- Email: HoosierBulldogRescue@gmail.com
- Facebook page www.facebook.com/hoosierbulldogrescue
- Facebook Alumni Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/HBRalumni/
bringing in a new dog
We will be there for the initial introduction of our adopted dogs, and we will give you tips on continuing the introduction process. Please keep in mind it can take a newly adopted dog up to a few months to feel comfortable in their new home and let their guard down. Be patient!
Acclimating the bulldog into your household
Introducing to your existing pets
Initial Meeting:
Continued Introductions:
Food: Initially feed the dogs in completely separate areas. We recommend always feeding dogs separately.
Children: Never introduce or let children be around the dog with food present. More information is included later on in this manual re: child/dog interactions.
- Provide a calm, quiet environment for your new dog. Do not immediately give the dog free reign of the home.
- Initially crate or baby gate the dog when not supervised.
- You can crate the bulldog in a quiet area to decompress (Nylabones and Benebones are generally acceptable to leave in a crate unless otherwise noted. Never give a rawhide or “no-hide”. Do not leave a bulldog unsupervised with a bullystick; they are a choking hazard.)
- We recommend using Adaptil room spray and diffusers to help (these are synthetic pheromones that mimic calming pheromones of dogs).
- Do NOT have a party for friends and family to come over and “meet the dog”. Introducing the dog to new people should be done slowly in a low key setting. Let your dog settle in to your routine and bond to you before introducing to your friends and extended family.
- Keep a consistent schedule so the new dog learns the structure of your home
- Do not attempt to bathe the dog within the first two weeks (unless of course there are extenuating circumstances). All dogs will come to you freshly bathed so that you can focus on building trust and bonding. They will still need their wrinkles and tail pockets maintained, but start slowly and provide lots of praise and rewards (food is a great tool!)
Introducing to your existing pets
Initial Meeting:
- (Weather permitting), have someone take the new dog outside down the street on leash (a neutral area). Put your dog on leash and walk to where new dog is with their handler. Both of you continue on a short stroll walking both dogs together.
- Do not put the attention on the dogs. Keep the people on the inside and the dogs on the outside, so they are not directly next to each other.
- Walk for a few minutes and then head back home. Allow your dog to go into a crate in a quiet area to decompress.
Continued Introductions:
- As you introduce your new dog to your pet(s), set them up for success! Make the introductions short and sweet. Gradually increase their time together. Most dogs do better with getting used to the other dog’s scent in the home before interacting face to face. Swap blankets between the dogs so they smell each other.
- Initially keep a leash on the new dog in the home (not while crated, and always while in your supervision), so that you can gain control if necessary. You don’t have to hold the leash, and please be aware of the tension you put on the leash (a tight leash will cause anxiety). The leash may drag on the floor as your new dog explores. It’s there for you to redirect if needed.
- Over time, interactions can be of longer and longer durations. NEVER leave your new dog out with free roam of the home with another animal unsupervised.
Food: Initially feed the dogs in completely separate areas. We recommend always feeding dogs separately.
Children: Never introduce or let children be around the dog with food present. More information is included later on in this manual re: child/dog interactions.
Diet / Nutrition
The food you feed your dog is important because, as the saying goes, “You are what you eat,” and this applies to dogs as well as humans. Diet is EXTREMELY important to our dogs’ health and well-being. If you have any questions regarding quality of food and why we may not approve a particular brand, please feel free to reach out to us and we would be happy to go over nutrition in greater detail.
Dogs who are fed the same kibble their whole lives do show nutritional deficits over time. Very few dogs cannot handle rotation of foods. The more fresh food you can feed the better!! If you’re feeding kibble, add lots of fresh toppers (continue reading for more info!).
Dr Judy Morgan has a couple videos on her FB page in which she reads through ingredients to help you understand what the label means. Did you know if the label reads “With Chicken” it only needs to include 3-25% actual chicken? THREE PERCENT is all that’s legally required. Check out this video:
Dogs who are fed the same kibble their whole lives do show nutritional deficits over time. Very few dogs cannot handle rotation of foods. The more fresh food you can feed the better!! If you’re feeding kibble, add lots of fresh toppers (continue reading for more info!).
Dr Judy Morgan has a couple videos on her FB page in which she reads through ingredients to help you understand what the label means. Did you know if the label reads “With Chicken” it only needs to include 3-25% actual chicken? THREE PERCENT is all that’s legally required. Check out this video:
Some Facebook pages/groups to join:
Top Food Recommendations:
The only kibble we recommend is Farmina.
There are some formulas of Fromm and Nature's Logic that are OK. But you must read the ingredient label and chose one that is not high in legumes (peas, lentils, chickpeas, etc).
But we still recommending adding as much real food as possible to the diet.
Never feed grocery store kibble: (Rachel Ray, Purina, Ol Roy, Iams, Eukanuba, Kibbles n Bits, Nature’s Recipe, Blue Buffalo, etc).
Never feed veterinary diets (Purina, Hills Science Diet, Royal Canin) – please seek out a true HOLISTIC vet certified in food therapy if your vet is recommending using one of these foods. If you do not have a holistic vet nearby, phone consults available with doctors such as Judy Morgan and Karen Becker. (Never hesitate to ask for more information if needed). Health-specific recipes can be found in Dr Morgan’s book Yin & Yang. We highly recommend purchasing both of these books, which can be found on her website or smile.amazon.com – shameless plug, choose HBR as your amazon charity of choice). We have used her recipes to control a number of urinary conditions including crystals and stones, as well as liver disease and kidney disease.
- Dr Harvey’s Paradigm and/or Raw Vibrance base mix (add your own protein. we use My Pet Carnivore)
- Kure Pet Food
- Pet Solutions (coming soon..)
- Answer’s Pet Food (raw)
- Dr Judy Morgan PupLoaf
- All Provide (raw or cooked)
- Primal raw
- Stella & Chewy raw
- Open Farm gently cooked
- Tucker's Raw
- OC Raw
- Steve’s Real Food (raw)
- Small Batch
The only kibble we recommend is Farmina.
There are some formulas of Fromm and Nature's Logic that are OK. But you must read the ingredient label and chose one that is not high in legumes (peas, lentils, chickpeas, etc).
But we still recommending adding as much real food as possible to the diet.
Never feed grocery store kibble: (Rachel Ray, Purina, Ol Roy, Iams, Eukanuba, Kibbles n Bits, Nature’s Recipe, Blue Buffalo, etc).
Never feed veterinary diets (Purina, Hills Science Diet, Royal Canin) – please seek out a true HOLISTIC vet certified in food therapy if your vet is recommending using one of these foods. If you do not have a holistic vet nearby, phone consults available with doctors such as Judy Morgan and Karen Becker. (Never hesitate to ask for more information if needed). Health-specific recipes can be found in Dr Morgan’s book Yin & Yang. We highly recommend purchasing both of these books, which can be found on her website or smile.amazon.com – shameless plug, choose HBR as your amazon charity of choice). We have used her recipes to control a number of urinary conditions including crystals and stones, as well as liver disease and kidney disease.
What can I add to my dog's bowl?
- Eggs
- Eggs are a COMPLETE food source! Eggs contain all the nutrients necessary to grow a new chicken; and this is why eggs are also one of the most complete sources of amino acids, the building blocks of protein. So feeding them to your dog is a great way to boost his protein intake. We add a whole egg to the bowl daily. (If you have farm fresh eggs, you can feed the shell too! But not the shell of store bought eggs.)
- Pumpkin.
- Pumpkin helps regulate bowel function, which relieves both diarrhea and constipation. Pumpkin is also an excellent source of potassium. I like adding FIRM UP to all of our dogs meals, it’s made of dehydrated pumpkin and apple pectin. I’ve found this helps support digestion and anal gland health even better than canned or fresh pumpkin. It can be found at many pet food stores, as well as Carolina Pet Pantry, Chewy and Smile.Amazon.com (shameless plug- choose HBR as your charity of choice when shopping Amazon!)
- Kefir
- Kefir is a fermented milk that contains beneficial probiotics that support the immune system. One of the best ways to add healthy bacteria to your pet's diet is through raw dairy. Answers is a great option for kefir and raw goats milk. Their website has a store locator to find stores near you. Store-bought kefir in our grocery stores is not pasturized and lacking much of the good nutrition we want to give our pets.
- Mushrooms
- Most mushrooms are not toxic. All mushrooms that are safe for people are safe for pets. Non-toxic, beneficial varieties include shiitake, reishi, maitake, lion's mane, king trumpet, turkey tail and himematsutake mushrooms. But because some wild mushrooms are toxic, do NOT let your dogs eat mushrooms from your yard or out in nature
- Mushrooms can help regulate bowel function, but even better, they also contain potent anti-cancer properties and immune system enhancers. You can either lightly cook the mushrooms in a very small amount of olive or coconut oil before adding them to your dog's meal, or try out a mushroom broth recipe. There are also lots of options for powdered mushroom supplements. We love Super Snouts.
- Broccoli
- Broccoli supports detoxification processes in your dog's body; contains healthy fiber to aid digestion; is rich in beneficial nutrients like potassium, calcium, protein and vitamin C; has anti-inflammatory properties; supports eye health; helps repair skin damage; and supports heart health. Due to their shorter digestive track, dogs have more difficulty digesting raw vegetables. Lightly steam and puree broccoli to add on top of your pets meals. I like to make a mix of broccoli, kale, and parsley as a topper.
- Kale
- Kale is a dark green cruciferous vegetable loaded with vitamins (especially vitamins K, A and C), iron and antioxidants. It helps with liver detoxification and also has anti-inflammatory properties. Add 1-3 tablespoons of minced or chopped kale to your dog's food daily (depending on body weight) as a great source of fiber, nutrients and whole food antioxidants
- Sardines
- Fish are a rich source of omega-3 fatty acids, which are essential to your dog's well-being. If you supplement your pet's diet with fish, I suggest you use sardines packed in water. Or whole frozen sardines from a company such as My Pet Carnivore.
- Sweet potatoes
- Sweet potatoes are rich in beta-carotene and antioxidants, and are also high in vitamins A and C. Sweet potatoes with purple flesh have potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties that may lower the risk from heavy metals and oxygen radicals. Some cooked mashed sweet potato makes a great topper to food
- Fermented vegetables.
- Fermented foods are potent detoxifiers and contain very high levels of probiotics and vitamins. Beneficial g bacteria provided by probiotics break down and eliminate heavy metals and other toxins from the body, and perform a number of other important functions.
- Adding 1 to 3 teaspoons of fermented veggies to your pet's food each day (depending on body weight) is a great way to offer food-based probiotics and natural nutrients. Find out more about this powerhouse addition to your dog's diet.
- Chia
- Chia is a seed derived from the desert plant Salvia hispanica that grows abundantly in southern Mexico. It is a source of plant-based omega-3 fatty acids and also antioxidants. And unlike flax seeds, chia seeds don't need to be ground. Chia seeds also provide fiber, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, manganese, copper, iron, molybdenum, niacin and zinc. We mix chia seeds with water and store in the refrigerator. Chia seeds can absorb multiple time sits own weight in water, so we recommend feeding in a gel form (seeds soaked in water before feeding) as to ensure your pup doesn't become dehydrated!
Flea & Tick
We beg you to research the dangers of oral flea/tick medications. We have personally seen dogs develop severe neurological issues and aggression following their use. The FDA is starting to finally alert pet owners of the neurological risks associated with the use of isoxazoline drugs. It's a start. But it's not enough. We truly feel these dangerous drugs should be off the market.
Flea / Tick Preventative Options (we recommend layering multiple approaches)
You can read more about Dr Morgan's advice on fleas/ticks on her website.
- Topical Sprays:
- AnimalEO (they have 3 different blends, we rotate each, but my favorite is Away… either dilute with fractionated coconut oil and rub on, or mix with distilled water and spray on). Further information can be found on their website.
- Wondercide
- Richard’s Organics
- Tags:
- EasyDefense Tag (takes 2 weeks to begin working, lasts 8 months)
- Supplements
- Earth Animal Flea Tick Powder sprinkled on food
- Lawn Treatment:
- Vets Best Lawn Spray
- Wondercide
- Beneficial Nemotodes
- Low Carb Diet
- Yes, raw fed dogs are less likely to be host to fleas and ticks !
You can read more about Dr Morgan's advice on fleas/ticks on her website.
Emergency Vets
MedVet
VCA Advanced Care Fishers
Noah's
Airport Emergency
* We no longer recommend IndyVet based on multiple experiences there.
VCA Advanced Care Fishers
Noah's
Airport Emergency
* We no longer recommend IndyVet based on multiple experiences there.
Hygiene care
Coming soon....