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Thursday Thirteen – 13 Movies with French Bulldogs in Them

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I missed Thursday Thirteen last week, because of the power outages and the need to write a long-ass update on the puppies. This week, I cheated and lifted part of my movie list from French Bulldog Z. Here’s a list of 13 movies that have French Bulldogs in them. Please note that I’ve chosen movie titles based on no particular criteria, and their inclusion should not be taken to indicate that I think they’re worth watching (other than for the scenes with the Frenchies in them).

 

1. At First Sight
The basic premise – blind boy meets girl, blind boy regains site and possibly loses girl.. but who cares about all of that? There’s only one good reason for getting this video, and we’re NOT going to tell you what it is. OK, we’ll give you a hint – it involved (gasp of shock!) a French Bulldog. No, don’t beg – we’re not giving the rest of it away. After all, if the rest of us had to sit through this yawner to get to the good stuff, so do you…

2. Wigstock – The Movie
We might be stretching it by including this title, but we did promise to include even those movies giving us just a ‘glimpse of’ Frenchies, right? Besides, this is a great movie, featuring footage of the 10th Annual Wigstock in New York. Plenty of fun, and some really, really big hair. Invite over some friends, pop this in the DVD player, and offer fabu prizes to the first person to spot the Frenchie. It’s more fun if you make all your friends wear wigs, though (or better still, full drag)

3. Babe – Pig in the City
I really, really liked the first Babe movie. Pigs, dogs, sheep — what’s not to like? But this one? – I just could NOT stomach that scene with the Bull Terrier. I came really close to walking out of the cinema. Mind you, that’s just one scene, and the rest of the movie is as cute as a button. Look for the French Bulldog in front of the Parisian Cafe…

4. Grease
Great musical with some memorable song and dance numbers, but most notable to Frenchie fans for the bizarrely Frenchie filled carnival scenes near the end of the movie. The prop department must have bought up literally every ugly, chalkware French Bulldog carnival prize in North America to stock these scenes. A chilling of example of when good collectibles go bad.

5. Titanic
The brief glimpse of a brindle Frenchie being loaded onto the ship, and later walked on the steerage class deck, was inspired by the historical French Bulldog which was on board the Titanic. Director James Cameron thankfully cut the scene where the dog struggles in the water after the ship’s sinking, but it’s apparently included in the DVD edition. I’ll pass on that, thank you

6. Monkey Bone
Deservedly fast-forgotten flick features a mix of claymation, animation and live action, and takes place in the mind of a comatose animator. Whatever. It sucked, and went pretty well straight to video. There are a few shots of Whoopi Goldberg as death, clutching a French Bulldog as some sort of minion, a la Dr. Evil from the Austin Powers movies, I suppose.

7. Armageddon
Watch for the cream Frenchie in the opening few minutes of this popular (if somewhat over done) outer space action adventure video.His shenanigan’s on the set of “The Rock” (another movie his owner actor Brendan Kelly starred in) made director Michael Bay decide to put him in this film. You can see ‘Frankie’ in his own flick below, on the Short Six collection.

8. ‘Franky Goes to Hollywood’
From the BillyBob database: ‘Imagine you are Brendan Kelly, working actor. You’ve starred in the TV series OZ, and films like MALCOLM X, THE ROCK, CON AIR, CLOCKERS, etc. So one day, Michael Bay calls you at home with a hot work offer in his latest flick . . . for your dog! “What a laugh I had,” Kelly recalled, “but as long as someone in the family’s working, who cares?”

Adopted by Kelly when he was visiting Paris, Franky got to chew on Godzilla, and Brendan made this 12-minute black and white flick with some of the cast. Watch it if, for no other reason, than to howl with laughter when Franky attacks some balloons and watches the costs get taken out of his per diem. Steve Buscemi seems mighty obsessed about Franky’s per diem.’

The only way that I’ve been able to find to actually see this short – which won best short documentary at the Brooklyn Film Festival – is on the collection “Short Six”. It’s worth it, even if the rest of the shorts are on the theme of ‘insanity’..

9. The Shaggy Dog
Amazon sez: Tim Allen barks, growls, and slobbers his way through the latest remake of the classic Disney suburban fable The Shaggy Dog. A mystical long-lived dog is kidnapped from Tibet by a nefarious corporation; when it escapes, it bites aspiring District Attorney Dave Douglas (Allen, The Santa Clause, Toy Story), who finds himself regressing into a dog in the courtroom. There’s more to the plot–something to do with creating a youth serum from the dog’s blood–but let’s face it, that’s not what anyone’s going to see the movie for..

That’s right – because what they’re really interested in is the fact that one of Tim’s neighbours has a Frenchie. This one is fun for you, and the kids. Or so I’m told. Plus, it has Robert Downey and Jane Curtain in it.

10. Garden State
I don’t usually get worked up about movies, but in this case I’m making an exception. Unless you’re a complete and utter philistine, you will immediately run out and rent and/or purchase this movie. Why? Here’s why:

A) it has a kick ass cast & plot
B) it has, for one brief and shining moment, a scene which showcases a nice little cream male Frenchie doing one of the disgusting things that nice little un neutered cream male Frenchies do.

11. Bringing Down the House
City slicker lawyer meets street wise ex con, as played by Queen Latifah. And yet again – ho hum, although not to the same extent as Second Hand Lions. After all, there’s no creepy 6th Sense kid in this one to freak you out. Best of all, you get lots more shots of the pied cutie from Second Hand Lions, this time as a spoiled Frenchie appropriately named Shakespeare, and looking quite dapper in his ruffed Elizabethan collar. Actually, this movie is pretty funny, with Eugene Levy as one of the highlights. And look – the Frenchie made it onto the DVD box!

12. Secondhand Lions
Here’s what amazon.com says about it: “If you can get past its thick layer of syrup and molasses, Secondhand Lions reveals itself as a thoroughly decent family film that anyone can enjoy. It gets a little sappy sometimes, but there’s something to be said for a movie in which Michael Caine and Robert Duvall play eccentric old brothers who take the easy approach to fishing: instead of a peaceful rod and reel, they use 12-gauge shotguns”. But who cares about all of that? There are tons of shots of an incredibly cute pied Frenchie hamming it up for the camera, and that alone makes it worth watching. It’s even worth putting up with an increasingly weird looking Haley Joel Osment. *shudder*

13. Just Married
Poor Brittany Murphy. It’s bad enough that she has to spend most of her time being the voice of Luanne on King of the Hill, but when she finally gets the chance to do a big screen feature film, what happens? Well, first of all, she gets dumped by her super hottie boyfriend and co-star, Ashton Kutcher, and then she gets upstaged by an adorable little French Bulldog.

OK, maybe we’re stretching things a little – after all, the Frenchie is only in one scene. But who cares? Other than gazing at Ashton and the Frenchie, there aren’t many other good reasons for watching this forgettable flick… It’s back to cartoon voice overs for Brittany, I’m afraid.

 

 

Bonus Fact: The same French Bulldog appeared in See Spot Run, Bringing Down the House, Second Hand Lions, The Shaggy Dog and Just Married, not to mention numerous print ads and commercials. Linus is one of the animal actors from Birds and Animals Unlimited.

linus.jpg

 

 

 


Thursday Thirteen – 13 Best Reasons to Own a French Bulldog

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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.

Thursday Thirteen – 13 Most Useful Books on Dog Breeding

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Thirteen Things Most Useful Books for Dog Breeders

I should note here that I don’t think that any book can ever replace the best source of information and advice on dog breeding, and that’s a mentor. A mentor is an older dog breeder who ‘takes you under their wing’ and offers hands on advice, help, suggestions (and usually really good gossip).

That said, I’ve also gotten a lot of useful, practical advice from the following books, including a crash introductory course on canine genetics.

A caveat: books with asterisks beside them are pretty much French Bulldog specific only.

1. Born To Win: Breed to Succeed
Patricia Craige’s book is a really great crash course on how to go beyond just ‘dog breeding’ and start breeding to win.

2. Genetics of the Dog
Malcom Willis’ book is considered to be the classic ‘layman’s’ guide to canine genetics. Invaluable for understanding – or at least trying to understand – coat color genetics, in particular.

3. Canine Reproduction: The Breeder’s Guide
Patricia Holst’s book is a wellspring of practical, no nonsense advice and tips. I refer to this book at least once per litter.

4. Successful Dog Breeding: The Complete Handbook of Canine Midwifery
Offering more than just practical advice, Chris Walkowicz emphasizes the ethics and responsibility that goes along with breeding.

5. The Whelping and Rearing of Puppies: A Complete and Practical Guide
A great book that covers all of the ‘what ifs’ and best and worst case scenarios. Spiral binding makes it a breeze to use in the somewhat hectic conditions of the whelping room. And no, I’m not saying that just because Muriel is my editor at ‘Just Frenchies‘.

6. Puppy Intensive Care: A Breeder’s Guide to Care of Newborn Puppies
This is just about the most useful book for a novice breeder. It comes along with shopping lists, and a companion CD showing video illustrations on such topics as tube feeding and a live delivery.

7. Breeding Better Dogs
Long time breeder and judge Carmen Battaglia shows you how to apply canine genetics to your specific breeding program.

8. Another Piece of the Puzzle: Puppy Development
This useful little paperback helps breeders to develop the absolute best puppies possible, utilizing puppy’s varying developmental phases to enhance temperament and behaviors. Really useful and simple to follow.

9. The Joy of Breeding Your Own Show Dog
This book, like “Successful Dog Breeding“, shows you how to plan out a breeding with the ultimate goal of producing a show winning litter. Helping you to see beyond just what’s down on paper, to what’s actually within your dog’s genes.

10. Dog Owner’s Home Veterinary Handbook
Every dog breeder needs a good, basic, simple to understand veterinary handbook, and this one does an exceptional job at being easy to read and follow.

11. The Healing Touch for Dogs: The Proven Massage Program for Dogs
This might seem like an odd choice for a list on dog breeding, but I’ve found that using massage on pregnant moms, moms in whelp and on puppies enhances their health and wellbeing. New, nervous moms can be calmed into accepting their pups more readily if you use massage while introducing them – especially useful if mom is shaking off the effects of anesthesia from a c-section.

* 12. The French Bulldog by Steve Eltinge
Yes, we know this book require deep pockets, but this is the classic book on French Bulldogs, and contains some fantastic photos of dogs you’ll find behind the pedigrees of most of the top show dogs in North America. Put it on your wishlist.

* 13. The French Bulldog (Kennel Club Classic)
Pockets not quite deep enough for the Eltinge book? Muriel Lee’s new book is a fantastic, more up to date alternative. Covering health, history and much more on the Frenchie, it’s an essential addition to the library of any aspiring French Bulldog breeder.

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!
The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!

Thursday Thirteen – 13 Dog Breeds I'd like to own

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So, I’ve decided to become a Thursday Thirteen-er. This is a simple little meme that encourages you to devote your Thursday blog entry to a list of thirteen things – any thirteen, really. Thirteen things about yourself, thirteen things about your dog, thirteen things you hate/love/envy/desire. Whatever it is, post thirteen of them. I tag everyone with it – just make sure to visit the official Thursday Thirteen Blog to snag the code.

Thirteen Dog Breeds I’d Like to Own

As I’ve mentioned before, I basically got my start in dogs with (English) Mastiffs. My Grandmother bred them, and some of my earliest memories are of lying in a pile of Mastiffs in front of the fireplace, reading a book, and listening to the sound of a thousand pounds of snoring dogs surrounding me. Mastiffs will always be my first love (but shhhh! Don’t tell the Frenchies).

My mother also bred American Cockers for a while, but I don’t really remember much about them, since she passed away when I was just four, and my stepmother was, most emphatically, not a dog person. Owning my own dog would have to wait until I was grown up and living on my own.

Over the years, I’ve owned a few breeds of dogs other than Mastiffs and Frenchies, but there are still lots of breeds out there I’d someday like to own – even though, for some of them, I know I never will.

  1. Akbash Dog. These are some of the most lovely flock guardian dogs I’ve ever seen. I am still toying around with the idea of getting either goats, or Alpacas, in addition to the Frenchies, and if I do a good flock dog will be essential. Akbash are the breed I’d choose. They’re beautiful, strong and independent – everything you could ask for in a flock dog.

  2. Presa De CanarioPresa De Canario. Also known as the Perro De Presa or the Dogo Canario. These are a large, muscular, intimidating looking Mastino breed. Hyper alert, with well articulated muscles. I just think they’re wonderful looking, and they’ve kept their working instincts intact. They might not be everyone’s idea of adorable, but I just want to hug them.

  3. Tibetan Mastiffs. These gorgeous, big, thick coated dogs are considered by some to be the progenitor of all the modern mastiff breeds. Bred in Tibet to be Monastery guardians, they are fearless, strong and blessedly free of many of the genetic ailments plaguing some of the other large breeds. Unfortunately, their rarity has led to some ridiculous high prices, including one that recently sold for over $100,000.

  4. Tibetan Spaniels. The companion dog to the Tibetan Mastiff, the Tibbie is considered to be the progenitor of many of the small, long coated companion breeds we know today, including Shih Tzu, Maltese and perhaps even the Yorkie. Tibbies are the best kept secret of the companion breeds – merry, good natured, uncannily clean, smart and outgoing. They require minimal grooming, have snowshoe feet, and are the perfect, healthier alternative to the more commonly seen toys. My godmother bred them, and I think they’re the most bonny of the small breeds. I fully plan to own one or two in the next few years.

  5. Neapolitan Mastiff. Another wonderful mastino, but oh! The drooling!

  6. Argentine Dogo. A gorgeous dog, with a wonderful head, but I fully acknowledge this is more dog than I can handle.

  7. Fila Brasileiro. Like the Argentine Dogo, only more so. If I ever wanted a truly tough, intimidating dog for hunting or home protection, this would be my choice. So definately not the dog for novice owners.

  8. African Boerboel Mastiff. Another gorgeous Mastino that I’d love to own, but never will.

  9. Bullmastiff. I love the look of the Bullmastiff, but if I had to choose, I’d pick the more laid back Mastiff instead. That said, I think Bullmastiffs are one of the best of the so-called ‘giant’ breeds.

  10. Peruvian Inca Orchid Dog. I want one out of sheer perversity – how can you not love a purple splotched, hairless dog that squints in the sun and has satellite dish ears?

  11. Leonberger. Germany’s ‘lion dog’. Like (english) Mastiffs, Leos require a ton of early socialization. The long coat and high price tag pushes them down my ‘likely to own’ list, but I do think they’re wonderful dogs.

  12. Cane Corsos. I’ve owned a Cane Corso once, and will never own one again – not because they’re terrible dogs, but just because they are too much dog. They are possibly the smartest, most alert, and most protective dog I have ever owned, and no dog I’ve owned has learned commands more quickly than my Corso. If I lived alone, I’d want a Corso by my side to make me feel secure. As a person who has other dogs and frequent visitors of all ages, a Corso becomes a risky proposition.

  13. (English) Bulldog. A confession – I probably like English Bulldogs more than I like Frenchies. Personality wise, what’s not to love about Bulldogs? They’re mellow, sweet natured dogs who have never met a stranger. They’re loyal and loving, and perpetually happy. That said, I doubt I’ll ever own one again, as this is one of the most health issue plagued breeds I know of. I’m not sure I’m prepared to deal with the basket full of potential health issues that come along with Bulldog ownership.

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!
The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!