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Solo is Feeling Better… and a new video

Well, Solo is feeling a bit better. Thanks to the advice I received from some list members, I spoke to my veterinarian, and we switched him over to Zithromax on Friday. It seems to have really worked – his check up Saturday morning confirmed his lungs are MUCH less congested, and much ‘drier’ sounding, although he does now have rhinitis (a nasal infection, similar to a cold).

Luckily, he’s still managed to gain a bit of weight throughout all of this, likely because I’ve been getting up every two hours to feed him, then staggering back to nap until the alarm goes off again. I think as of today I might try stretching that out to every four hours or so, since if I don’t get some REAL sleep soon I’m going to go utterly crazy.

This is the first time since Thursday or so I’ve been on the computer, so now I get to wade through nine hundred piles of email…

Bunny’s pups go home next week – Harley to New York City, and Izzy to Texas. I shot some new video this morning, and there’s a scene in there where Tessa is defending Mr. Monkey, everyone’s favorite stuffed animal, from the puppies. They wait until she’s asleep, then stage a “Mission Impossible” style theft of him that involves sloooowly climbing over the bottom shelf of the bookcase.

I’m going to miss the mayhem they cause, although I’m pretty sure Tessa is already packing their suitcases and pushing them towards the door.

You can see the video here –
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=23935blK1l8

Or it’s embedded after the cut.

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Thursday Thirteen – 13 Best Reasons to Own a French Bulldog

I’ve taken a certain amount of grief for a list I created for frenchbulldogz.org, called ‘Top Ten Reasons to NOT Own a French Bulldog‘. The list wasn’t created to be cruel, or for pointless reasons – it was created to help stop people from buying a Frenchie without understanding what they were getting themselves into.

That said, there are also a ton of really good reasons to consider a French Bulldog as a pet, so here are my thirteen personal favorites.

  1. Low exercise needs = perfect pet for lazy people. OK, maybe that’s not a great reason to pick out a dog, but it’s realistic – if you’re not a jogger, you’re better off not getting a breed that requires hours and hours per day of intensive exercise. Frenchies will adjust their exercise needs to your preferences, although all Frenchies require at least two good walks per day.
  2. Minimal barking. I’ve had a handful of really barky Frenchies in my life, but the most barking Frenchie on the planet pales in comparison to the average Jack Russel.
  3. Soft ears make wonderful relaxation tools. Forget those destress squoosh balls – after a hard day, what you really need is to pet some Frenchie ears. They’re like warm, soft velvet.
  4. Freckle bellies. There’s just something about a freckle belly that just demands rasberry kisses.
  5. Big, brown, sensitive eyes. Yeah, I know – all dogs have them, but Frenchies know how to work those eyes. They have eerie hypno powers, and can enslave a mere human with a single glance.
  6. Wiggle butts. The short stump tail of a Frenchie leads them to wiggle their entire butts when their happy. Nothing says ‘happy to see you!!’ like a wiggling butt.
  7. Frog sits. I was amazed the firs time that someone from France accused me of calling French Bulldogs ‘Frog Dogs’ as a sort of ethnic slur against French culture. I’d always thought it was abundantly obvious why we call them Frog Dogs – it’s because of their distinctive, rear leg extended sit positions, which cause them to resemble nothing so much as a swimming frog. Frog sits rock.
  8. Chicken leg sits. The other great sit position in the French Bulldog repertoire, the chicken drumstick sit is where your Frenchie sits with just their lower leg popped out behind them. It makes them look like they have fat little chicken drumsticks stuffed underneath them.
  9. Snorking noises. Yes, I know – some of those noises aren’t cute, they’re the result of impaired breathing. That said, I have some of the best breathing Frenchies I know of, and they still manage to make the most adorable snorking, snuffling noises. We call it ‘pig latin’.
  10. Frenchies make great listeners. No matter what I have to say, there’s always a Frenchie willing to sit and listen intently to me. Chances are, what they’re listening for are the words “Want a cookie?”, but I’ll take any audience I can get.
  11. Three ring circus in every dog. French Bulldogs have been called ‘the Clown in the Cloak of a Philosopher’, and it’s a remarkably apt description. Those serious miens hide the soul of some seriously weird and wonderful dogs.
  12. Big dogs in small bodies. Frenchies are the perfect dog for people like me, who usually prefer large breeds. I don’t want a shivery, shaky, nervous toy under foot – they’re too breakable for my taste. Frenchies are rough and tumble dogs – true bull and terrier breeds. They’re also one of the few small breeds even the most macho of men isn’t ashamed of walking.
  13. Absolute adoration. It’s true that some Frenchies are utter sluts, willing to fling themselves at anyone who offers them a cookie. Every so often, however, you’ll encounter a Frenchie who adores you with such complete and total adoration that it’s both a privilege and a gift. Once you’ve experienced this kind of devotion, no other dog breed could possibly do.

Happy New Year's, From the Boring Dog Lady

Sean and I spent New Year’s Eve at home, where we ate chips, a shrimp ring, and got wild by drinking a half bottle of wine. Woohoo! We’re officially boring dog people. Next up – I start whipping out photos of my dogs to show to strangers in the supermarket. Oh wait, I already do that.

Izzy, Dex and SeanWe spent most of the evening indulging in what he and I call “Puppy Freak Out Time”. That’s where we let loose Bunny’s seven week old hellions, and watch them tear around the family room, terrorizing any other dog foolish enough to get in their way.

Penelope and Delilah think it’s like having the circus come to town, only in this circus the clowns climb out of the center ring and bite you in the leg.

The older dogs pretty much just try to stay out of the way of the mayhem, but Tessa and Sailor set up some ground rules almost immediately – “I am older than you, and I will bite you if you piss me off”.

The puppies respect this rule almost all of the time, although last night Dex and Izzy spent ten minutes playing ‘barkbarkbarkBARK‘ with Sailor, in an attempt to get her to drop her nylabone. Since Sailor invented that game, she didn’t fall for it.

I took the time to shoot a ton of new video and photos, all of which can be found after the cut, including a compilation video of Mz. Izzy being super duper cute.

If you don’t want to watch them here, check them out on YouTube –

New Year’s Puppy Party
Dexter and Izzy Versus Sailor
New Year’s Day Puppy Freak Out
Growing Up Izzy

The Flickr photos are here –
http://flickr.com/photos/frenchbulldogs/sets/72157603604359049/

Sleepy SoloAnd check out this cute shot of a very sleepy Solo, just after his feeding. He’s doing really well, knock on wood.

Like I said, I’m not talking about him much, because I am a superstitious nut job.

Don’t forget – videos embedded after the cut.
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Solo at Ten Days Old

At ten days, Mae’s solo puppy boy (who, for now, has pretty much just been christened ‘Solo’) seems to be doing wonderfully. He eats like a piglet, wiggles non stop, and is generally a content little guy.

I don’t like writing too much about him, since I’m afraid I’ll jinx him…

He weighs 15.4 ounces, and is as cute as a little plush stuffed animal.

Mae has an allergy on her nose, from the wool blanket I had in her crate for a few days. Every time I take away the puppy to bottle feed him – I’m still bottle feeding him four times a day – poor Mae tears about the whelping box and her crate, trying to find him. Now I feed him in her room, while she sits on the bed next to us, looking worried. She settles down eventually, and I bottle feed him with one hand, while I rub her tummy with the other. She’s been such a good girl.

Photos here, taken minutes ago:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/frenchbulldogs/sets/72157603576147708/

This one is my favorite:

Mae's Boy

Carol

Thursday Thirteen – 13 Things My Dogs Have Eaten

This week, my Thursday Thirteen list is a ‘top ten plus 3’ of things that the dogs in my life have eaten. Needless to say, mundane items like food and cookies aren’t included.

1.

Eaten: The solid oak, two hundred year old step off my farmhouse door.
Eater: Murfee, my (English) Mastiff

Notes: The courtyard outside the back door of my farmhouse was cobblestoned brick, which grew nicely warmed by the sun. Murfee would lie there for hours, surveying the yard, barking at passing clouds and foolish cyclists, and contentedly chewing on the door step. Six inches of solid oak had survived two hundred years of history, but 200 pounds of Mastiff proved to be too much for it.

2.

Eaten: my bank deposit
Eater: Jake, Doberman

Notes: Jakey, like all Dobies, was an agile jumper. I thought I’d secured the living room pretty well, but he jumped up onto my partner’s desk, and tore into the canvas sack with my store’s bank deposit. Three hundred plus dollars in cash, assorted credit card slips and a few checks all ended up in Jake’s stomach. Some of the cash was recoverable. Don’t ask.

3.

Eaten: an almost brand new Ferragamo pump in black satin
Eater: Tessa, Hammer and siblings

Notes: I’m not a shoe fanatic, or least not overly so, and I’d normally never pay more than $150 for a pair of shoes (unless they were really good riding boots). The black satin pumps were a gift, and I do admit I liked them enough to ignore my misgivings about wearing shoes that cost more than my entire outfit combined. Unfortunately, I left them inside their rather lovely box on a chair in the living room, which would have been fine if Tessa and the rest of her ten week old siblings hadn’t knocked over the baby gate and gotten into the room. Much crying and wailing on this one, but not quite as much as there was for…

4.

Eaten: Custom ordered, embroidered ‘French Bulldogs Rule’ pillow
Eater: Tessa, Hammer and Siblings

Notes: Destroyed in the same foray that nabbed them the shoes. They had a busy afternoon.

5.

Eaten: Christmas tree ornaments made out of flour and water paste, assorted candy canes
Eaters: no proof, but I assume that Tara (Tessa’s mom), Daisy the Bulldog and Murfee the Mastiff all helped in equal measure

Notes: they were polite and careful thieves, and only ate the ornaments and candy canes that were on the back of the tree.

6.

Eaten: Drop n’ Flop Pet Bed, giant sized
Eater: Murfee, mastiff

Notes: Drop n’ Flops are great pet beds. They’re water proof, they conform to the shape of your pet, they’re outdoor safe and the dogs love them. Unfortunately, they’re stuffed with the same stuff modern day bean bag chairs are stuffed with – teeny, tiny styrofoam beads, like itsy bitsy versions of the ones used for shipping goods. Picture a sack big enough to comfortably cradle a 200+ pound mastiff, stuffed full of those tiny little beads. Now picture it torn open, with the beads blowing everywhere. On a windy day. We found beads for months, everyplace. We found them blocks away…

7.

Eaten: wooden handles on brand new, leather La-Z-Boy recliner and sofa
Eater: not sure, but clues point to Delilah, Bunny and possibly Tula

Notes: Sean has wanted leather La-Z-Boy furniture forever. We never considered, however, the ramifications of such temptingly shaped chunks of wood, at such a perfect height. They’re now coated with about three bottles worth of bitter apple, thus rendering the action of simultaneously reclining the furniture and eating a sandwich a very bad idea.

8.

Eaten: Every single wooden coffee table I have ever owned
Eater: Every single puppy I have ever had, and a few
very bad adults

Notes: At my house, pups graduate to the family room by about six weeks. They split their time between the play pen, and being on the floor with the other dogs. Of course we try to never, ever let them loose without supervision, but accidents happen, and they tend to happen to my coffee tables. I swear to God, the next one I buy will be wrought iron. Or just a big chunk of rock, whatever.

9.

Eaten: the corners on every plastic dog crate we have
Eater: mostly Tessa

Notes: Tessa is a really good dog. Once she’d reached maturity, Tessa never had an accident in the house, and she never chewed on shoes or furniture – except for plastic dog crates. Plastic crates are Tessa’s crack cocaine. She craves them like some dogs crave Tennis balls. Thanks to Tessa, every plastic crate I own looks moth eaten.

10.

Eaten: drywall
Eater: Skye the Mastiff

Notes: Skye was a really good girl, unlike her predecessor, who never met a piece of wood she wouldn’t happily destroy. Skye loved her kongs and her nylabones, and left the rest of the house alone, until the day she decided that the wall behind ‘her’ futon needed a window. Since she didn’t have opposable thumbs, she simply chewed a hole in the drywall. The outer brick wall, however, defeated her.

11.

Eaten: wainscoting and baseboards
Eater: Murfee

Notes: Like Skye, Murfee preferred to eat what she could most easily reach – in this case, the wainscoting and baseboards behind her dog bed in the family room. It was an outdated look anyways…

12.

Eaten: an entire frozen turkey
Eater: Lizard, honorary dog

Notes: Lizard was a big, ugly, one eyed, one eared, muzzle scarred, broken tailed dump cat who lived with me as a child (notice that I don’t say I ‘owned’ Lizard. This is not for peta-ish reasons of political correctness, but rather because no one could ever conceive of owning an entity like Lizard). Lizard jumped into a flat bed we’d unloaded at the local dump, and came home with us, after which no mouse within ten miles would dare to come near our house, and the resident dogs quaked in fear of catching Lizard’s attention. He once road all the way to end of our driveway, perched claws deep in the back of my brother’s screeching, frantic Doberman. One day, I watched Lizard drag an entire frozen chicken across the room, after he’d stolen it off of the counter top. He growled and hissed the entire length of the room, refusing to let go of the bird, no matter that it outweighed him by a good three pounds. Lizard seemed to consider it a challenge. He managed to get the turkey out of the porch door, and that was the last we saw of him for a few days. I can neither confirm nor deny that I held the door open for him so he could get the chicken outside.

13.

Eaten: Barbie dolls (but just the heads, for the most part)
Eater: Murfee, Mastiff

Notes: I’ll just re-print the story I wrote for Murfee’s memorial page, since it sums the entire incident up:

murfee1.jpgThroughout most of her life, Murfee radiated a calm sense of dignity. She could be playful when it suited her, but for the most part she truly fit the description “Grandeur and Good Nature”. What few people knew was that, underneath that sophisticated demeanor, there lay the heart of a wonderfully weird dog.

For one thing, she had a Barbie fetish. I have lost count of the number of decapitated Barbie corpses we found floating around the house.The mystery of where the heads went was solved one day in our back yard, and remains one of our fondest memories of the dog my ex-husband still calls “the Natural Disaster”.

We saw Murf galloping wildly around the back yard, whipping her head from side to side. Every so often, she’d stop and roll around on the grass, gazing dolefully at her rear end. When she got closer, we saw she had something attached to her butt – we thought it was a burr, or a clump of thistle grass. As she raced past us, we saw that it was a half digested Barbie head, dangling from her rear by just the hair and swaying eerily in the breeze. Spooky, to say the least. As she ran around the yard, Barbie head trailing behind her, my husband and I debated whether or not we should try to catch her and detach the grisly remnant of her snack. We were both laughing too hard to actually do anything about it.

We hope there are Barbie heads in heaven, too. Preferably hairless.