A dog from careful breeding comes at a price: budget between 2,000 and 4,000 euros for a responsibly bred Old English Bulldog puppy. Walk away from the purchase immediately if you notice any of these warning signs:
- Missing proof: The seller dodges questions about BOAS, HD/ED or genetic tests, only points to the standard vaccination record or claims the dogs have been "checked over by the vet".
- Special colors advertised at a premium: Puppy mills deliberately market dilute colors as "rare" or "exclusive" without explaining the risk of Color Dilution Alopecia or presenting the relevant results.
- Audible breathing noises in the parents: If the mother snores heavily or wheezes even at rest, or has extremely narrowed nostrils, dogs are being bred there with no regard for brachycephalic syndrome.
- No insight into how the puppies are raised: You aren't allowed to see the mother, the puppies seem isolated, or they're to be handed over straight away without you meeting them first.
On HonestDog, every breeder goes through a sign-up process before their profile goes live: an identity check with ID and selfie, proof of club membership or a §11 permit (the breeding license under Germany's Animal Welfare Act) where applicable, a knowledge test on breeding and animal welfare, and agreement to the HonestDog breeding standards – including no breeding with extreme-breeding traits and no breeding dogs under 18 months. Without a verified §11 permit, a breeder can list at most two breeding females there, and you can flag anything odd on a breeder profile directly via "Report content". When you visit, ask to see the parents' original results. You'll find current litters among the Old English Bulldog puppies on HonestDog.
