The Art of French(ie) Cooking

/7 Comments/in , /by
A photo of my world famous (ha!) Fussy Frenchie Meaty Muffins

 

The French Bulldog Village is doing a fund raising cookbook, and they need your help!

Do you know a cookie or treat recipe that has all the dogs in your neighborhood begging for more? Have you cooked up the ultimate ring bait or training snack? We’d love to share it with the world! We’re also looking for awesome photos of amazing Frenchies, to be published in our cookbook!

Full details are after the cut, and info on cookbook ordering will be coming soon!

 

Read more →

Does Organic Really Matter in Raw Pet Food?

/5 Comments/in , /by

I have been immersed in the world of organic pet food lately, and I’ve discovered some interesting things.

For the people who really, truly care about this issue, almost nothing is more important to them when it comes to their pet food ingredients. They want 100% Organic certified ingredients, and nothing else will do.

Other people feel it depends a great deal on price – if they can get organic raw dog or cat food, for a price that’s in line with what they pay for their non organic raw pet food, they’ll pick the organic brand.

A final group either don’t really care one way or the other, or feel that organic is more about hype than it is about real benefits, at least when it comes to their pet’s raw diet.

How about you? I’d appreciate your feedback. How much does that “Organic Certified” label mean to you, when you’re shopping for raw dog or cat food for your pets?

Read more →

PJ’s Pet Stores to Stop Supporting Puppy Mills

/8 Comments/in , /by
Dinglehopper was sold by Hunte Corporation to a former PJ’s Pet Store location

 

I have written before (ok, several times) about my complete and utter loathing for PJ’s Pet Stores, the notorious Canada wide chain of pet super stores, who for years have been the bane of our existence for Canadians opposed to the sale of puppies (and kittens) in pet stores.

PJ’s Pet Stores were a particularly egregious example of the “upscale” puppy peddling pet store, with shiny display cases full of stupefyingly over priced puppies (I have the bill of sale for a Boxer/Boston cross who was purchased from PJ’s for the stunning sum of $3200, and helped place a French Bulldog who sold through the former PJ’s store in the upscale Yorkdale Shopping Center for $4800).

 

Read more →

French Bulldog History – The Toy Bulldog, Pt 2

/1 Comment/in , /by
Miniature and Toy Bulldogs, 1904. From ‘The New Book of the Dog’. Full sized here.

 Part One | Part Two

Since the early history of the French Bulldog is indelibly intwined with that of the Miniature or Toy Bulldog, I thought it would be interesting to reproduce one of the best histories ever published on this extinct breed.

In 1907, Robert Leighton published “The New Book of the Dog“, one of the most exhaustively comprehensive examinations of modern British dog breeds. In it, he devotes several chapters to the history of the “Bull Breeds”, including the Bulldog, the Toy Bulldog, and the French Bulldog.

This is the chapter on Toy Bulldog history, taken from that book, and written by Lady Kathleen Pilkington.

Read more →

French Bulldog History – The Toy Bulldog, Pt 1

/1 Comment/in , /by
Toy Bulldogs, 1904, taken from “The New Book of the Dog” 

 

The foundation of the French Bulldog as a breed is perhaps one of the better documented canine breed histories. Instead of being shrouded in mystery, or allegorical stories, ours is a fairly pragmatic tale – some Bulldogs were born small, and some people liked them that way. Some Bulldogs were born with ‘tulip ears’, and some people liked them that way.

At the intersection of these two states of being arose the French Bulldog, which was both small and tulip eared, while the former gave rise to the Toy Bulldog. As a separate breed, Toy Bulldogs faded away around the 1930s, while the French Bulldog continued to thrive, albeit in a small way, for many decades.

In 1907, Robert Leighton published “The New Book of the Dog“, one of the most exhaustively comprehensive examinations of modern British dog breeds. In it, he devotes several chapters to the history of the “Bull Breeds”, including the Bulldog, the Toy Bulldog, and the French Bulldog.

This is the chapter on Toy Bulldog history, taken from that book, and written by Lady Kathleen Pilkington (more to come on this stellar Lady later).

Read more →