Tag Archives: French Bulldog

Play with your dog! He’s a perpetual toddler

Leave a reply

When was the last time you played a game? It wasn’t today? Are you sure you have a dog? You really should play with your dog.

Dogs are pretty much perpetual kids. Think of all the things toddlers like to do and compare them to dogs. Just about the same, aren’t they? They’re self-absorbed, exploring the world around them, interested in all kinds of things they shouldn’t be, into all kinds of stuff they shouldn’t get into, put everything in their mouths, don’t listen until we insist, and are so adorable you just want to squeeze them.

When adults interact with toddlers, our voices go up in pitch, we get more lilt in our voices, and we’re ready to play all kinds of silly games and talk utter nonsense – just because it’s fun.

Dignity isn’t much fun

When was the last time you got silly with your dog?

You should! Every evening when we get home from the shop, we have “Chaos & Mayhem Time.” We don’t invite over the demons from Disney’s Hercules, we have our own set of four that live with us. It’s loud and crazy, and sometimes a little bit painful as the dogs jump over us, on us, and forget that they’re supposed to be grabbing the toy, not our hands.

And it’s fun. After a full day of adulting, our dogs are ready to help us let go. You can’t help but laugh as you look into their little faces “yelling” at you. And yes, your dog really is smiling as she waits for you to throw the toy.

Teddy playing tug

Teddy’s particular about toys – he likes the ones that crunch instead of squeak.

Our dogs are responsibilities. No doubt of it. They’re also our companions and can be tremendous sources of comfort and joy. They’re also our playmates, reminding us it’s okay to just have some fun, let go of what we’re “supposed” to do and just play for a while. The housework will still be there. All of the “stuff” that makes life complicated will still be there. For the next five minutes, we’re just going to play.

Loosen up!

Some of my students in Novice class (the first level of obedience competition) seem to have forgotten. Just last night the class seemed puzzled when I asked why they’re training their dogs. I had to remind them that we do it for fun. There’s no other reason to be involved in Obedience competition. You can’t earn a living at it, it’s expensive to enter trials and go to class, and it takes a chunk of time. Like any hobby – we do it for fun. The fact that we get to do it with our best friend makes it even better.

One of my students has to be reminded to talk to her dog, reward her dog, loosen up and have some fun. Play with your dog.

Are you so busy doing stuff you “have to” do that you’ve forgotten to have some fun? When you look at your dog, do you think “oh, crap – he/she wants something again” or do you smile and think “I get to play with my dog now!”

It doesn’t have to take long and you don’t have to train anything. Just start rubbing your dog. Toss a toy, or wiggle it on the floor to play tug. Or get down on all fours and start laughing, just to see what your dog will do.

You need to play, too!

Have we got a Spring allergy tip for you

Leave a reply

Anything that makes life easier/smoother/less stressful is a good thing. A tiny thing that’s making a difference is a simple package of baby wipes near the back door.
Our house is weirdly and awkwardly arranged to the first thing you see when you walk in is the stove. (Unless the basement door is open – then it’s the stairs, or stars, if you take a tumble!) Which has made the stove a staging area for all the things you need as you come in or go out. Keys, poop bags, treats, etc.
Not the most convenient arrangement when you want to cook, but in a small space, you learn to make do.
Anyway, there’s been one recent addition to the flotsam that’s actually making a difference in a good way.
Baby wipes. Specifically hypo-allergenic baby wipes.

French Bulldog Torque and baby wipes

Just a quick swipe with a wipe when Torque comes inside minimizes contact allergy exposure.

Since about the middle of January, Torque’s been having some issues with allergies. At first it was just a bit of paw-licking. Then his paws were a bit raw and swollen, then he started losing some hair under his eyes, along with some redness. In other words, the little man was a mess.
At first we thought it had to be a food allergy that was just coming to the fore, since Hope took him away on vacation in early February and his whole environment changed.
So we put him on an elimination diet. And it made no difference whatsoever. The allergen had to be something environmental. With an extraordinarily warm, wet winter, some sort of mold is probably the culprit.
Torque is a two-year-old French Bulldog. And a very happy, athletic, active two year old. If he’s awake, he’s on the move and we don’t have a lot of time to “fuss” with him. Especially with Booker The Boston bouncing around, egging him on to play.
As soon as Torque steps in the house, we hit the baby wipes package and swipe his face and paws. It helps if we have a treat in our hands (There’s a treat jar on the stove, too, of course.) and ask him to “sit!” as soon as he hits the indoors. We don’t have time, or inclination, to mess with more than that.
The new system seems to be helping. He’s not gnawing at his paws so much and his face looks less irritated.
We have noticed one immediate improvement – the floors are lacking a few paw prints! Especially coming in from the wet weather, we’ve started swiping all the dogs’ paws with baby wipes. It only takes a moment and it’s already making a difference.

 

If your dog is miserable with contact allergies you may want to consider stronger measures – which may include using Pawz dog boots whenever your dog goes outside. They’re particularly effective for dogs with grass allergies.

Dog tip – Get all corny with your dog

Leave a reply

Dogs are absolutely wonderful – but they’re not convenient.

Don’t misunderstand – we think they’re worth every bit of the fuss.

If you leave your dog home, the amount of time you can spend away is limited.

If you take them along, it requires a bit of planning. We like to have a “go bag” – all the “stuff” we’re likely to need for an outing.

Aside from the obvious; collar: leash, poop bags, water bowl, water, treats; there are a few things we’ve found really handy to have around. A first aid kit for dogs stays in the car all the time. It has bandages, vet wrap, saline, Benadryl, tweezers, antibiotic wash, etc. It’s also a good idea to have a towel or two, and, especially if you have fuzzy dogs, some corn starch.

I (Hope) have been on vacation with Teddy and Torque for the last week. Right before I left, Torque’s paw was a bit red and swollen between his toes. It really wasn’t that big a deal, and there was no time to get to the veterinarian before we left, so I headed out.

After four days, the swelling and reddening was worse and included his other front paw. Even more distressing, it also seemed to be affecting the wrinkles under his eyes. Anyone with flat-faced dogs has dealt with “fold dermatitis” at some time. Since I’m careful about keeping my Frenchies clean, it was a bit of a surprise, but not awful.

I was at a loss. When his foot was first showing redness, I tried soaking it with Epsom salts. And it helped with the itching, but not for long, and it certainly didn’t help it go away. I knew that the opposite treatment was called for – trying to keep him dry, instead of soaking.

Apparently I had a brain freeze. I’ve known the usefulness of corn starch for dogs for years; ever since our friend Emily with her extremely-fuzzy Keeshonden explained how she kept a shaker of it in her car, along with a good brush, to take care of her Kees when things got a bit messy doing their business. It happens, and an easy solution is great to have.

Since my dogs aren’t fuzzy, that particular use is interesting, but not part of our kit. Until I went asking the pharmacist at the local drug store what he recommended for drying.

He was very nice, but explained that there’s really not a people equivalent. Talcum powder would be about the only choice. And then he mentioned corn starch! And the light bulb went on! Of course it was the perfect answer to keep Torque dry and comfortable until we can see his regular vet back home.

One stop at the grocery store, and Torque is clean, dry and happy instead of itchy, crusty, and unable to get comfortable.

Of course I will still be taking him to the vet when we get home. We need to find the cause of the problem and treat it. But as a temporary fix, simple, corn starch does the trick.

Dogs will be dogs

Leave a reply

Tuesday night is obedience club night. It’s just what we always do on Tuesdays – we go to class and train our dogs. The classes vary and the dogs have changed over the years – but it’s always fun to see our dog-training friends, old and new, and spend an hour or two concentrating on nothing but playing with your dog. All outside concerns are left outside the training hall – for that precious little bit of time, it’s just you and your dog.

I (Hope) have Torque in the club’s Rally Obedience class. He’s doing terrific – even the exercises that were difficult for him (dog lies down, handler walks around dog) are coming together. We had a good night. Torque even managed to “chill” in his portable crate while I taught the Novice Obedience class after our Rally class was over.

And then we got home and Torque chased, caught, and killed an immature rabbit in the

It was much more pleasant to clean up the murdered stuffie toy.

It was much more pleasant to clean up the murdered stuffie toy.

backyard. I know he’s a dog. I know it’s what dogs do. I’m not angry with him. I’m not even particularly disturbed by what he did. But I’m also not proud of that accomplishment. It kind of put a damper on the whole evening when I had to spend a chunk of it cleaning up the remains.

And, in truth, I blame the bunny. Of all the yards in the neighborhood – couldn’t it tell that dogs live in ours? The dog scent has to be in every corner of our yard. I guess there’s a reason rabbits breed like, well, rabbits. They’re too stupid to live long lives.