Plenty of skin to grow into

British bulldog Enzo is settling into life on alpaca stud and hobby farm Koonapaca Alpacas in Koonoomoo. Still a puppy, owners Kerry and Lou Vitullo say he’s growing before their eyes.

Is he your first British bulldog?

Kerry: Yes. In the past we’ve had rotties (rottweilers), but Lou had an accident with a bull in January, broke his back, and we wanted something smaller.

Kerry: We only got him a couple of months ago. He’s 18 weeks old.

Lou: He’ll go up along the channel and watch them.

Kerry: He is shocking, he’ll sit there and they’ll come up and do their squeaky toy warning noise at him. Drives them nuts.

Lou: You’ll go ‘what’s in the paddock? Oh, it’s only Enzo sitting there looking at them’.

Kerry: I’ve got a friend in Shepparton that breeds them and I’d asked her for one ages ago, but she said she wouldn’t sell us one because we both worked and the breed needs the company. Once we knew Lou was going to be staying home I messaged her, but she had an 18-month waiting list. Instead we found a lady in Kyabram.

It was funny when we went over there (Kyabram) she had eight pups and two were already taken.

She said they’d been bought online and the buyers had never seen the puppies. In the end we were the only ones who went over to see the puppy we were buying. Is he quite different to the rottweilers?

Kerry: He’s different because he grows so quick. The first week we got him he doubled in size, it was unbelievable.

Lou: He’ll probably double from this.

Breeds like bulldogs often have Kerry: He’ll probably have to have an operation when he’s older for the breathing. We’ll see how he goes.

Is he an inside dog?

Lou: He comes in occasionally. Generally he is pretty good when he’s inside.

Kerry: He comes in for a couple of minutes, then he is out again.

Is he much help on the farm?

Kerry: No, he’s a sloth. He goes in the buggy, he’d go on the forklift and in the truck, but then he’s exhausted. He’ll come back and have a sleep.

Very true to his breed type then?

Kerry: He is certainly low energy. You can’t rush him. I said to Lou he won’t be rounding the cows up. Any unusual traits?

Kerry: Not really. He is learning to shake hands, he’s got his own frisbee and he’s got his last puppy school on Wednesday night.

Lou: Him and the cockatoo have a bit of a play together. They’ll get a stick and pull each other through the bars of the aviary. Words and pictures:

Happy boy . . . Puppy Enzo is growing before his owners’ eyes. breathing disorders because of their flat faces and short noses. Do you worry about the breathing?

Loyal mate . . . British bulldog Enzo and his owner Lou Vitullo from Koonoomoo.

Loving . . . Enzo’s not much of a farm dog, but he likes watching the alpacas on the Koonoomoo stud.