No New Years Rant – Just Best Wishes

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I’ve been quietly fuming about the HSUS for the past few days, and sat down at the keyboard ready to write a long, vitriol laden rant about the huge degree of their suckage – and then the email arrived from Thor’s new mommy and daddy.

It’s hard to maintain the desire to rant, when you’re admiring photos of a sweater clad Frenchie who appears to be composed of 90% ears.

So, no rant, no rave, no anger — Just the hope that 2009 is a fabulous year for all of us.

To all my fabulous Frenchie family members, who have opened their homes and heart to one of our puppies – thank you. If I didn’t have all of you, I wouldn’t have these beautiful dogs to share my life with. I appreciate each and every one of you, I appreciate each and every photo and note you send, and most of all, I appreciate knowing that you are homes I can trust and believe in, and that as much as I loved those pups when they were tiny, you love them even more now.

To the French Bulldog breeders from far and wide who share their knowledge, who make me laugh, who cry with me when things go wrong and congratulate me when things go right – my thanks, and big BIS ribbons for all you (unless I’m competing against you, in which case, it’s every man or woman for herself, biotches! haha!).

To all the bloggers who read what I write, and who provide me with hours of entertaining, educational, thought provoking, rant inducing writing – thanks for keeping at it, even when the comments are thin and you wonder “wtf am I doing this for?”.

To my family, friends and everyone else — hugs and love and home made shortbread cookies for everyone! And maybe tequila.

To my dogs, jeez would you guys TRY to stop farting in 2009? I’m looking at you, Journey. Tessa, you’re old and cranky just like me, and I hope you have 20 more years to spend at the foot of my bed, snorting, farting and drooling on the 300 thread count sheets.

To Sean, thanks for all the times you’ve fed the dogs without ever complaining (ok, or not complaining very often). Thanks for poop scooping, pee wiping, pen cleaning and puppy snuggling. You’re the man.

Happy New Years, everyone, and may you all have puppies on your lap to snuggle! Speaking of puppies, here’s Thor and his new mommy and daddy.

Hey there, Butters!

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I checked in with Butters (re christened Bella, a fact which I studiously ignore. Co owner Paula can feel free to call her Bella, but she’s still Butters to me!) yesterday, where I found her to be growing into a lovely – and bratty – little girl. She and Delilah share a remarkably similar temperament. Both prefer to be pretty much left the hell alone, until they’re worn out and looking for a soft lap to crash on. Until then, don’t bother trying to pet them, as they have places to go and things to chew.

Sharing a house with a menagerie of Bullmastiffs and Abyssinian cats (and one really sweet pet Bulldog) has enhanced Butters’ already well rounded sense of confidence. She now knows for a fact that, no matter how big the other dog is, she’s still the boss of them.

Here’s a video clip of Butters being a goof and chasing a ball, and a small flash gallery of photos.

Pet Vs. Show and Rumble Bundles Up

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Canadian French Bulldog Puppy

Hey, look who’s got a Flickr account – it’s Rumble, and he’s looking pretty good, don’t you think?

I love this photo most of all, because he looks like such a prototypical Canadian French Bulldog – all he needs is a toque and a cup of Timmies (and if you don’t know what a ‘Timmies‘ is, you’re obviously not a Canadian!).

Go to Jennifer’s gallery and check him out!

Unfortunately, I’m going to miss the Saturday show in Brantford. Sean’s car is in the shop, so he’s using mine attend a training class for work. Sucks to be me, although Elliott doesn’t seem to mind. We’ll be there on Sunday, though, so again – if you want to try to come and see us, just drop me a line.

In the meantime, here’s a short list of Pet Versus Show Terms, along with a some handy terms to help you understand Dog Show terminology.

Pet dogs versus Show dogs:

* Pet dogs shed ……………… Show dogs blow coat.

* Pet dogs are in heat ……… Show dogs come into season.

* Pet dogs trot ………………. Show dogs gait or move.

* Pet dogs stand …………… Show dogs stack.

* Pet dogs get a bath ……… Show dogs are groomed.

* Pet dogs beg for treats …. Show dogs bait.

* Pet dogs poop …………… Show dogs exercise.

* Pet dogs bark at other dogs ….. Show dogs spar.

* Pet dogs wear leashes……Show dogs wear leads

Dog Show Definitions:

1. Great stud dog …………… Mounts anything that can fog a mirror.

2. Excels in movement …….If he gets loose, runs like hell.

3. Personality Plus ………… Wakes up if you put liver up his nose.

4. Good bite ……………… Missed the judge, got the steward.

5. Large boned ……………. Looks like a Clydesdale.

6. Good obedience prospect …. ugly as hell

7. Quiet and good natured ….. In his kennel.

8. Excels in type and style ….. However, moves like a spider on speed.

9. Won in stiff competition ….. Beat four puppies and a 9 year old novice dog.

10. Multiple group winner ….. At two puppy matches.

11. Pointed …………….. His head is shaped like a carrot.

12. Noted Judge …………He put up our dog.

13. Respected Judge ……He put up our dog twice.

14. Esteemed Judge …… He puts up all our dogs.

15. Specialty Judge ……. Puts up anything that looks like his own breeding.

McLovin Gets None & Welcome to Jellieville

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Poor Elliott. All is not well in the world of McLovin’, for one of Elliott’s harem of wimmin folk is in season, and yet we are standing between him and the sweet, sweet loving he craves.

We have explained to Elliott that motherhood, alas, is not on Journey’s agenda of ‘to do’ activities.

Eat a lot? Check.

Snore loudly? Check.

Paw repeatedly at your leg until you pet her? Double check.

Motherhood? Sorry, no check.

Elliott refuses to listen to reason, and instead is pining, pining, pining for his true love. He paws at doors. He whines from other rooms. He patrols the fence line, shrieking of his undying devotion to the entire, uncaring world. All to no avail – Journey had a short 24 hours where she showed a slight spark of interest in his wooing, but that time has now passed, and any attempts at inappropriate behaviour on Elliott’s part are met with a whirling, snarling, deeply unhappy reception from Journey.

Let’s just hope he gets back on his food soon, or he’ll be so far off his game this weekend that there’s little point of showing him. Life as resident stud dog has its hardships, as Elliott would be the first to tell you.

Meanwhile, over on the west coast Jellie Bean McCute continues her reign as cutest little doggie diva San Diego has ever seen.

As her besotted new Mommy Dara herself says “I have never been so in love in my life”.

Yes, that’s always the first step on the path to a lifetime of total and utter French Bulldog enslavement – entrap them with the cuteness.

Ms. Jellie Bean has her very own Flickr page, which you’ll find here, and just to add to the unbearable adorability of it all, she also has her own Cafe Press Store!

Go on over and check it out – a percent of all profits go to French Bulldog rescue!

Here at home, Heart has been assiduously wooing Sean into becoming one of her minions. She already knew she had me under her thumb, so it was time to move on to Daddy. In these photos, she’d just woken up from napping in the curve of his neck, and was making unbearably adorable blinky faces at us. Honestly, is there anything more irresistible than a sleepy Frenchie puppy?

All the photos are over on Flickr.

ps: If anything happens to me over the next few months, you’ll know who to blame.

Is your cat plotting to kill you?

Hat tip to Fuzzy Logic for the warning.

Polka Dot Matriarch, Penelope Swells & Zucchini Banana Bread

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La Grand Dame of ear polka dots, Ms. Lola Banana, presents her deliciously butterscotch colored ear spots for your viewing pleasure —

Rumor has it that, just like a Pug, she smells faintly of scented kleenex, in addition to having soft, downy, double coated fur.

I was planning on sharing a nice post about some lovely UK dogs, but their owner never got back to me with permission to publish their photos. C’est la vie. If you’re showing Frenchies in the UK, send me a note and some photos, and I’ll write a blog post in which I blather on about how cuuuuuute your dogs are.

Seriously, I’d love to know how things are over there — Frenchies in North America are getting more and more group placings, and more Best in Shows than I’d have believed possible just ten years ago. Has the same happened in the UK?

Penelope is swelling up like a zeppelin. She can’t seem to lie on her tummy anymore – she has to lie on her side, or flat on her back, with all four legs waving in the air. She looks like a beached manatee.

Tula is carrying her weight low, but Penelope is carrying hers wide – she’s swelling out on the sides. Some days, it looks like she’s going to explode. As you can tell from her expression, she’s un thrilled about impending motherhood.

That crust on her nose is because I let her lick the spoon after I made a batch of zucchini banana bread. Yes, yes, bad me for spoiling her, but it was just a spoon, and she seemed to deserve a treat. She’d said what she’d really prefer is a surrogate mommy Rottweiler. Since that isn’t happening, I’m going to feel free to let her have the occasional treat.

The zucchini banana bread is pretty good, by the way — but I skipped the cranberries, and added chocolate chips in half the batch. Health food – yum!

Here’s the recipe, just in case you are also swamped with zucchini, and are running out of things to do with it.

Banana-Zucchini Bread
Submitted by: heather duncan
Rated: 4 out of 5 by 28 members		 Prep Time: 15 Minutes
Cook Time: 50 Minutes		 Ready In: 1 Hour 5 Minutes
Yields: 20 servings
“This moist and delicious breakfast bread is a blend of two all-time favorites. The flavors of banana and zucchini intensify when the bread is cooled. Serve this walnut and cranberry studded bread with sweet cream butter or your favorite jam.”
INGREDIENTS:
3 eggs
3/4 cup vegetable oil
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup white sugar
1 cup grated zucchini
2 bananas, mashed
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Grease and flour two 8×4 inch bread loaf pans.
2. In a large bowl, beat eggs until light yellow and frothy. Add oil, brown sugar, white sugar, grated zucchini, bananas, and vanilla; blend together until well combined. Stir in the flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix in the cranberries and nuts. Divide the batter evenly between the two prepared loaf pans.
3. Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 50 minutes. Allow to cool in the loaf pans on a wire rack before removing and serving.