Cute or Cruel? Mini Bulldogs Spark Controversy Among Animal Lovers
Designer dog breeds—deliberately bred mixed-breed dogs like Doodles and Micro Bullies—have become one of the most controversial topics in the dog world. Some people love them, and some dislike them so much that they think their existence is unethical. Designer dog breeding is unregulated and lacks the standardization of purebred dog breeding. Most designer dogs are bred by backyard breeders and puppy mills and are sold using deceptive advertising tactics.
Many unsuspecting purchasers of designer dogs are led to believe they are buying a “special” but purebred dog and are given unsubstantiated guarantees of temperament, size, and health. Other buyers of designer dogs know that they are purchasing a mutt, but they consider the specific hybrid a selling point. Backyard breeders and puppy mills often neglect to provide their dogs with proper veterinary care, and choose breeding pairs not by genetic, temperament, or breed compatibility, but by looks alone.
Veterinarian Dr. Lindsay Butzer recently saw a new patient who told her they had a mini Bulldog. The puppy is extremely cute and quite small, and his birth certificate does indeed say that he is a “mini Bulldog” but commenters immediately raised suspicions. Amid positive comments like “So cute!” and “It’s awesome how you love all dogs!” the video also has comments questioning the legitimacy of the birth certificate.
@dr_lindsaybutzer RARE Miniature Bulldog Puppy! 🥹 • #miniaturebulldog #minibulldog #minibulldogpuppy #minibulldogsoftiktok #bulldog #bulldogsoftiktok #bulldogpuppy #puppy #puppies #puppylove #puppiesonly #cutestpuppy #toocute #veterinarian #vetgirl #dogs #dogsoftiktok ♬ sail away (instrumental) – lovelytheband
“No such thing!” one comment reads, to which Dr. Butzer replied, “That’s what I was thinking!” Another commenter goes more in-depth, saying “I’ve heard of people calling a Bulldog/Pug mix a Mini Bulldog. Adorable puppy, but likely a mix breed.”
What Are Mini English Bulldogs?
There is no such thing as a mini English Bulldog. The English Bulldog—often referred to simply as a Bulldog—is a medium to large breed that stands 14–15 inches tall and weighs 40–50 pounds. While you could theoretically use selective breeding to create a smaller version of a purebred dog, this process takes years and many generations of breeding to achieve a desirable, stable result.
Designer dogs like mini Bulldogs are usually a mix of at least two parent breeds. Miniature Bulldogs—also called toy Bulldogs—are often a mix of English Bulldog and Pug parentage. A similar method is used to create the “mini American Bulldog”: mixing a purebred American Bulldog with a smaller breed. This is an unofficial, unregulated mixed breed, and this method of breeding for looks/size only can lead to serious health issues for the resulting puppies.
So, next time you see mini Bulldog puppies for sale, remember that they are likely from a puppy mill and probably not purebred.
Ethical Consequences of Breeding Mini Bulldogs
If you’ve been on the hunt for a mini English Bulldog for sale, you may want to think twice. While purebred English Bulldogs are generally healthy dogs with moderate energy levels, mini English Bulldogs may be plagued with genetic and congenital health conditions. Many designer dog breeders/puppy mills do not perform appropriate health and genetic testing on their breeding pairs and produce puppies that experience painful and life-limiting issues.
Mini Bulldog Health Issues
English Bulldogs are already prone to joint problems like hip dysplasia, but a mini Bulldog full grown is at an even higher risk for skeletal abnormalities. By mixing a heavy-set dog with a small dog breed, you run the risk of producing puppies whose joints and limbs are smaller, or less capable of carrying their bodyweight. In other words, a small-sized Bulldog can be so disproportionate that their legs simply can’t function properly.
Similarly, mini Bulldogs are prone to breathing/respiratory issues. Bulldogs are brachycephalic, meaning they have short, squished snouts which already cause some breathing problems. Mixing the Bulldog with a smaller short-snouted breed like the Pug can create an even more squished face, and increase the dog’s risk of serious respiratory distress. Some brachycephalic dogs require surgery to open their airways since even short walks can be dangerous when you can’t breathe properly.
Mini Bulldog Temperament
When you mix two breeds, you can’t guarantee which personality traits the puppies will take from each parent breed. Often, combining breeds creates completely unpredictable results, and the puppies may only inherit the most frustrating or difficult traits of their parent breeds.
Purebred English Bulldogs are known for their stately, calm, and courageous personalities. Eager-to-please but often stubborn, lovers of the English Bulldog are charmed by the independent nature of these dogs. Pugs are easy-to-train but often strong-willed, and when combined with an English Bulldog could create the ultimate stubborn canine. Pugs are also higher energy than English Bulldogs, which can entirely beat out the easy-going nature of the Bulldog.
Essentially, there are no guarantees when it comes to the personality of mini English Bulldog puppies—just as you can’t predict the temperament of mini Poodle mixes, exotic Bully breeds, or any other designer dog. Unsuspecting owners may be led to believe that the breeders have done their due diligence in choosing compatible breeding pairs, but considering what we know about backyard breeding operations and puppy mills, this is very unlikely.
How Designer Dog Breeding Impacts Shelters
As designer dog breeds gain popularity, shelter dogs suffer and shelter populations increase. People choosing to spend hundreds or thousands on intentionally bred mutts leaves mixed-breed shelter dogs in the lurch, even though shelters are seeing an increase in designer dog surrenders.
“A 2023 Shelter Animals Count survey [found] that over 60% of 314 polled organizations reported receiving doodles and other intentionally mixed breeds. ‘We have almost as many purebred or so-called designer hybrids as we do ‘regular’ mixed breeds come into our shelter each month,’ said one respondent. ‘If you look, you can find almost anything in a shelter,’” says the Humane Society of the United States. “Almost 60% of animal organizations in the Shelter Animals Count survey said they’ve received surrenders or surrender requests from people who paid a lot of money for their dogs but can no longer afford them. And more than half of the survey respondents said they’re getting “leftover” puppies from breeders who can’t sell them.”
How can you help? Rather than searching for a mini Bulldog for sale, visit your local shelter. Visit the countless mixed-breed dogs searching for homes, and consider the ethics of how you acquire a dog. Remember that a dog is a big commitment, and whether spending thousands on a designer dog is worth it, or if you could have just as deep of a connection with a shelter dog.
