Le French Bulldog – 2009 Show Reel

Le French Bulldog – Work

Le French Bulldog – Avigdor

Look for the Frenchie bobble head in the finished reel of Avigdor. The small clip below shows live action footage used to create the art and the animation process. In fact, many of the work reels highlight some stage of the production process.

It’s always amazing to see what this breed inspires!

The best heatstroke advice is, “Prevention is better than treatment!” This sounds very simplistic, but many people don’t realize, once a dog has experienced real heatstroke they are physically altered for the rest of their life. Heatstroke damages the part of the brain which controls temperature, putting the dog at greater risk for experiencing it again because they can no longer regulate their body temperatures correctly.

Before a dog reaches heatstroke, they will exhibit signs of heat exhaustion. Learn the signs and this will be your best chance to keep your dog from ever going into full heatstroke.

Here is a great run down on how to prevent and treat heatstroke by Linda Kalmar, DVM. (This article can be found at the FBDCA site. It’s copied below for you in its entirety.) At the bottom of the article are links to past Good Bloggie! entries on this topic.

HEATSTROKE
by Linda Kalmar, DVM

Heatstroke occurs when the bodyʼs normal compensatory mechanisms are overcome. Dogs are inefficient at cooling because they donʼt sweat — they can only cool themselves by panting. Certain conditions such as brachycephalic faces and laryngeal paralysis can predispose dogs to heatstroke. The dogʼs normal responses to increased temperature are panting and dilated blood capillaries at the skinʼs surface. That increase of blood flow close to the skinʼs surface permits more heat to escape from the blood into the air. Interestingly when the dog has a fever of 105° or 106° F, the physiologic processes arenʼt as affected because in a fever the hypothalamus in the brain re-sets the bodyʼs “normal” temp to a higher set point. This is also why mammals shiver when they have a fever — the body is working hard to maintain the new higher “normal” temp. Heatstroke is different because the normal body temperature hasnʼt been re-set.

How can heatstroke happen to dogs that belong to smart owners like us?

• Dogs left in car
• Crated dog left near heat vent
• Local weather changes
• Travel related weather changes
• Unexpected shutoff of A/C at home or in motor home
• Dark coated dogs in the sun absorb more heat than light coated dogs

Early signs of heat exhaustion:

• Heavy panting
• Bright red gums/tongue (and ears in Frenchies with pink ear linings). The gum should show rapid capillary refill; that is when you draw your fingernail along it the gum should whiten, but then quickly turn red again.
• Increased salivation early (often thick, ropy saliva), then no salivation
• Weakness
• Confusion / lack of attention
• Possibly vomiting / diarrhea

Severe heatstroke signs:

• Rapid heartbeat / pulse (practice finding this on your dog under normal conditions and make a note of its normal heartrate)
• Vomiting blood (indicates dog is going into toxic shock)
• Bloody diarrhea “ “ “ “ “ “ “
• Severe ataxia (staggering)
• Coma
• Gums may turn greyish, blueish, lavender.

So I see a dog in distress; what should I do?

• Move dog to shade/cooler place immediately
• Take temperature rectally. You should know your dogʼs normal temperature as it can vary from about 100° to 102.5°, with an average of 101.5° F
• Mist dog heavily with tepid water to cool (BUT NOT COLD) water and turn a fan on it. If no electric fan is available, fan it yourself. The aim is to move air over the dogʼs body so as to cause the water to evaporate and “pull” heat with it (evaporative cooling).
• DO NOT PLUNGE DOG INTO ICE OR ICE WATER!!!!!!!!! The capillaries at the surface of the skin, which are desperately trying to transfer heat from blood to environment, will constrict in response to the cold, thus slowing heat loss and possibly even raising the dogʼs core temperature. Even tepid water is much cooler than the dogʼs body temp. The most important need is to get the air circulating. How much cooler do you feel when it is hot and humid but there is a light breeze, versus hot and humid and no breeze? Do NOT lay wet towels on the dog. These warm up rapidly and can actually trap the heat. Air movement past the dogʼs damp skin is the key!
• Donʼt use large amounts of alcohol for cooling as it can be absorbed through the skin and reach toxic levels.

Continue to monitor the dogʼs rectal temperature and stop cooling efforts when it gets down to 103° F. At that point you can dry the dog off and move the fans back a bit, as you donʼt want its temp to drop too far too fast. If the dog is alert it is ok to offer a little cool (NOT ICY) water. Continue taking the rectal temp for awhile to make sure the temp continues to fall. Should it start to rise again, re-mist and fan some more.

If the dog was in actual heatstroke — not just the early stages of heat exhaustion — it is vital to get him/her to a veterinary clinic where he/she can be monitored around the clock for two or three days. Thatʼs because when the body temp goes above 106° F, the cells actually “cook” — normal body processes quit, cellular proteins denature (fall apart), and a cascade of changes occurs which can lead to liver and/or kidney failure cerebral edema (swelling of the brain), and DIC (disseminated intravascular coagulation). DIC refers to a clotting process that has spiraled out of control. Microscopic blood clots form in all the capillaries throughout the body incredibly quickly — so fast that the bodyʼs clotting factors are all used up. This then leads to internal hemorrhaging and death. Most dogs who survive heatstroke require round the clock monitoring by a vet for a few days to make sure liver and kidney function return to normal.

If you are able to get a dog in heatstroke to the vet quickly enough, treatment will mostly be supportive: close monitoring, IV fluids, measurement of fluid intake/output, temperature monitoring, steroids.

Dogs who have suffered from severe heatstroke are at increased risk of episodes for the rest of their lives due to damage to the thermoregulatory center in the brain. So remember;

PREVENTION IS BETTER THAN TREATMENT!

Read past Good Bloggie! posts on this topic:

• Cooling Ideas
• Lukewarm car still equals dead dog

We recently learned of a portable air conditioning system. Can’t endorse it, since we haven’t used it, but posting a link for your consideration. If you’ve used one, let us know what you think. ClimateRight Portable Air Conditioner and Heater

Stay safe and stay cool!

This is one of my favorite puppies of all our litters because he was so sweet – and sleepy. He’d just cuddle and snuggle and snooze – most anywhere – until he was seven weeks old. Then one day he woke up, sniffed the kibble and decided there was more to life than napping and needed to make up for lost time and began zipping and zapping around the place. It was amazing. Made your head spin. Never had another puppy like him since, so far…

He’s actually Cocoa’s littermate brother, so don’t write expecting him to be available. He was spoken for a long time ago by a great family. He must’ve liked ‘em because his holiday cards don’t include, “Save me!” written in invisible ink or drool. Word is, he’s come full circle and gone back to his snoozy ways as a senior.

So kick back, relax, and enjoy a cuppa pup this Friday. And if you curl up and take a nap in the corner, we won’t tell on you.

How we got the assignment

A few weeks ago, MrChewy.com approached us about trying out their online store in exchange for a gift certificate and a blog writeup of our shopping experience. After some investigation of the company (to make sure they were legit!) we were pleased to see only were they legit, several other pet bloggers had been offered this same opportunity and had lots of good things to say about MrChewy.com.

Further investigation showed MrChewy.com is even receiving praise from The Wall Street Journal: A Dog’s New Best Friend: The Delivery Man.

We are a bit abashed to say we’ve not heard of Nulo, an Austin, Texas, based brand of pet food and they are making Mr. Chewy their exclusive online retailer. This pairs with Whole Foods, as the only other retailer and only in-person store, where you can purchase this brand. Humm… another food to check out; the Crew will be pleased.

Now, onto our experience and review!

Ordering Experience

Normally, we buy most of our kibble and pet foods from local retailers. One reason is to support local businesses, and two; they make great outings to dog-friendly establishments for lucky members of the Crew. However, we do occasionally buy food online, so this was worth certainly worth checking out. Plus, the site is easy to navigate and very fast, making for a pleasant shopping experience.

MrChewy.com promotes their prices are “cheaper than the store.” Now that’s something we can always sink our teeth into! A spot check of our favorite brands showed, while the prices were good, they weren’t actually cheaper. Then noticed the banner at the top of the site offering 15% off. With 15% off, the prices did drop below local prices. However, the 15% only applies if you sign up for automatic shipment and only on the first shipment. The shipment schedule can be altered once it is in place, so you aren’t locked into a rigid schedule. Another big perk to shopping with Mr. Chewy: free shipping for all US orders if the amount is over $49. If your order doesn’t make it over $49, there is a small $4.95 flat rate shipping fee.

While browsing through the foods, we were extremely impressed with the selection of premium, high-quality, grain-free kibble. Their inventory seems to increase everyday, as a kibble we like wasn’t available upon our first visit, but became available on the next one. If you don’t see your food, check back, or better yet, shoot them an e-mail to find out if they will be carrying it soon. Mr. Chewy currently carries over 70+ brands of pet food, and other items, such as flea treatments and pet health care products.

We made our selection and completed the purchase on the site. During checkout, we noticed they do not accept PayPal, but do accept major credit cards. The site offers a smooth ordering processing with immediate notification of order placement. The next day another e-mail arrived, announcing that our order had been shipped along with the tracking number. From order placement to delivery, a total of four days. Not bad for a heavy package and free shipping!

Since signing up with Mr. Chewy, we also receive newsy e-mails explaining common pet aliments and the perfect, in-stock product for the issue. You can unsubscribe, but we’ve found these e-mails very informative and are staying on the mailing list.

Rocksie plays box inspector.

Rocksie and Cocoa eyeing the Mr. Chewy box. Cocoa already has the right idea.

Delivery

Cocoa, Rocksie, and Ghost were conveniently on hand to help with opening the package. The heavy box got a good once over, then eyes got brighter once the box opened.

One of the items ordered were Sojos Good Dog Treats. We’ve bought these in the past and really like their intense, fruity smell and tiny size. Just perfect for bedtime treats or treats any time. We’d bought some from a local store a few months ago, but even though they were within their expiration date they had gone stale/rancid. The local store gladly took them back, but we’d rather had a good, fresh box. Thought we’d give them another try through Mr. Chewy.

The Mr. Chewy-delivered boxes did not disappoint! The Sojos treats were aromatic and fresh. (They smelled so good I almost ate one myself!) The other great thing? They are a couple of bucks cheaper per box at Mr. Chewy than what we can get locally; and that’s without a coupon or discount.

Ghost and Cocoa help with trash removal.

When Ghost offered to “take out the trash,” we didn’t know he meant Tony Soprano style!

Charitable Giving

One of the driving forces behind Mr. Chewy is a mission to donate to animal causes. As of now, they donate to three rescue and shelter charities: North Shore Animal League, Best Friends Animal Society, and Bideawee. Every time you purchase from Mr. Chewy, a percentage is donated to the charity of your choice. (Read directly from the Mr. Chewy site here.)

Current Mr. Chewy customers are given a referral number to share with friends, which gets the friend (that’s you!) 10% off their first order and also donates $10 to a charity. We were given a code and are happy to share it with you. (We do not receive any kickback from this referral, so order away!)

Referral code
FREN8314
10% off first order, plus $10 to choice of three charities.

There is a line asking for suggestions of more charities to add, and of course we’d love to see French Bulldog charities on the list (as would the Bullmastiff people like to see their breed charities, or the Whippet people theirs) but with the realization Mr. Chewy would be interested in charities with general scope and appeal, we offer up the following suggestions.

To round out their charities, perhaps organizations dedicated to the health of all breeds, mixes, and pets, such as the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals or the American College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists (who are offering free eye exams to service dogs in May. Register your Service or Therapy dog this month!) Which leads us into Service and Therapy animal charities. An organization whose purpose is to train and supply service animals would be very worthy of adding to the mix. We are partial to Texas Hearing and Service Dogs, but there is a huge listing of charities and organizations at this resource-rich website: TherapyDogOrganizations.net. If you’ve been thinking about making your animal a therapy animal, this site is a must-visit as it comprehensively lists national, international, state, and regional organizations.

Mandie and Ghost show anticipation (and a sit!) for their Mr. Chewy delivered Sojos Good Dog treat.

The Wrap Up

We think Mr. Chewy is on the right track with their easy process of ordering premium pet foods at good prices. They seem to realize that in order to attract customers they need to offer more than low prices and we are impressed with their fresh, quality products and the added bonus of free shipping. While we will continue to patronize our local shops, we now have an alternative source for our favorite kibbles and treats and will check with Mr. Chewy to see if their price is better and to see what new brands they have added to their selection.

If your are a busy, busy person who could benefit from front door delivery of their pet food, or if you can’t get premium brands locally and want good prices and free shipping, or if you want to purchase food from a company making a concerted effort to contribute to animals in need, Mr. Chewy is for you!

“Hey what!?” I asked.

“When are you going to put that thingy up?” she asked, punctuating her remark with a play bow, an ear flash, and a butt wiggle for emphasis.

Enjoying the spectacle, I giggled,  “Gee, could you narrow that down a bit?”

“You know. That flat thingy from the street box. You said came out nice.” (Rocksie pronounces nice like wroof!, but I’m a good translator.)

Trying to imagine what a flat thingy from a street box might be, “You mean a photo?”

“Yeah! That’s it!” Rocksie agreed. “Those flat thingies from those places where I lead you around on a string, show myself off, and flirt with people. Give ‘em some of the famous 360° butt wiggle.” Rocksie finds this hysterical and starts racing around in circles, barking madly, amusing herself and me.

“Oh! A show photo! That’s right. You did take a nice photo at that show. Nice win, too: Best of Breed, Bred-by.”

“Yeah, yeah! Got those strips of ribbon and didn’t I get something green and fluffy?

“You did. An embroidered towel.”

“How come I don’t get to play with those ribbon things? Would make good cat toys,” her eyes lighting up and body on full alert at the thought of a game of Cat Toy. Her eyes glaze over as she chants, “Oooo… CAT TOY, CAT TOY!!! Let’s play Cat Toy!” She starts swinging her head towards the door of the designated Cat Toy room. (For those wondering what the heck Cat Toy is, click here.)

“You’ve had two big rounds of Cat Toy today already. You’ve had quite enough,” I said rubbing my worn out arm.

Rocksie pouts, “Hurmph! No such thing as enough Cat Toy.” She pauses, glares, then asks, “So when are you going to put up the photo thingy?”

“Now, I guess, since you are reminding me so politely.”

Rocksie brightened a bit and and smiled, letting out a big, snorty, “Achhhh.”

I scanned, resized, and uploaded the image. “There! Now you are up and everyone can see how nice you looked that day.” I picked her up to show her the computer screen.

“I do look nice! Nice enough to have earned another round of Cat Toy!” she said with a sideways glance full of mischief.

“Oh why not!?,” giving in to the irresistible force that is Rocksie. “You did earn an extra round or two of Cat Toy that day.”

Before I’d even finished my sentence she barreled to the room with her favorite toy, leaping wildly at the door. I shook my head and followed her. “What a crazy breed French Bulldogs are,” I thought to myself. “Leave it to this breed to include one snorty girl, totally obsessed with feline toys!”

For your viewing pleasure, here is the thingy Rocksie was referring to; her win photo taken at the January 2012 Heart of Texas French Bulldog Club Specialty. Rocksie won Best of Breed, Bred-by under the astute eye of bulldog judge, Link Newcomb. She would like to thank him very much for the additional rounds of Cat Toy this award win brought her.

…AVMA recognizes some animals might require a waiver from rabies vaccination because the vaccination poses an unacceptably high risk to the health of the individual animal…

This is great news for animals whose health may be compromised by the rabies vaccination, however, the AVMA warns this should not be an arbitrarily issued wavier.

If the animal is involved in a potential rabies incident, the animal is to be consider unvaccinated and appropriate regulations and procedures are to be followed. For a never vaccinated animal, this will most likely result in immediate euthanasia. Animals overdue for a vaccine will require evaluation, revaccination, possible long-term quarantine, and possible euthanasia.

AVMA recommends the wavier be renewed yearly, upon examination by a licensed vet and upon the condition of the animal.

If you opt for this wavier, be very sure you are able to keep your pet or animal from any rabies exposure, especially in the case of a never vaccinated animal. According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), wild animals accounted for 92% of 6,153 reported cases in 2010, domestic animals accounted for the other 8%.

For full policy wording and to download a wavier form from the AVMA, please click: AVMA policy: Annual Rabies Vaccination Waiver. Check with your vet and your state health department whether this policy may be enacted in your state. This is not an automatic wavier and must be enacted in accordance with local regulatory guidelines and state laws.

For more on rabies and your pet, please visit the following links:

• AVMA — Rabies
• Rabies Challenge Fund
• Rabies Challenge Fund – Facebook page
• Aardvarks2Zebras.org — Tag: Rabies
• Aimee’s Rabies Exemption Law

In a short time, SMRS has gone from startup to taking care of some of the hardest of hard luck cases. Just take a look at Hope and Faith, two Frenchie girls left abandoned in an Houston apartment with no food or water. Both girls are being treated and rehabilitated for their future, loving home. Hope and Faith.

Not all dogs in their care are this bad. Many are in much better shape, just needing a place to stop off while in transit to a new home. SMRS rescues and places all types of short-nosed breeds and mixes, but specializes in French Bulldogs. If you live in Texas, Oklahoma, or Louisiana and are thinking of getting a French Bulldog, Pug, Boston Terrier, or English Bulldog, stop by their website and see who’s available and who will be available soon. One of those cute mugs may steal your heart.

Short Mugs Rescue Squad Animals Available for Adoption and Sponsorship

If you aren’t searching for a dog at the moment, visit the SMRS Auction and see what goodies you can nab for yourself or your own pooch. There is dog stuff, fun stuff, serious stuff, artwork, and even some high fashion! (Gucci anyone?) Auction continues until 8PM CST March 25, 2012.

Link: Short Mugs Rescue Squad Facebook Auction
Click on photos to enlarge and bid. More auction directions here.

Bulldog Bats (Library of Bats) by Emily Raabe, Powerkids Press – Rosen Publishing

Apparently, there are two types of Bulldog Bats: the bat species, which gets their name from their floppy, bulldog-like jowls, and the wooden ones for playing baseball!

Learn more about the Bulldog Bat by watching a Discovery Channel video of one out for a nightly fishing trip. Life: Bulldog Bats Fish at Night

Scientists are learning bats recognize individuals among themselves. Guess it’s good to know bats are social and can ask each other, “Hey, how’s it hanging?” The Language of Bats — ScienceDaily.com

If baseball is more your thing, check out the hand-turned wooden bats found at Bulldog Bats in Connecticut.

Why yes, this is an odd blog post, but the tag line does say most things Frenchies.

We’ve found a spoonful or two of homemade kibble topper perks up our crew’s appetite. This is our easiest recipe, needing only two ingredients, ten minutes, and it’s scaleable. That is, what you purchase for the basic ingredients easily changes the protein source, how organic it is, the fat content, and how much the dish will cost.

10-Minute Homemade Kibble Topper

• 1 lb. ground meat (Beef, bison, chicken, turkey, or lamb. Regular, lean, or super-lean. Choose standard, grass-fed, or free-range.)
• 1 bag of frozen veggies (Peas & carrots or green beans)

Place ground meat in microwavable dish and break apart with a spoon.

Cover and microwave for 2 minutes. Remove. Stir and break up chunks. Microwave again for 1 more minute.

Stir in frozen veggies. Microwave for another 2 minutes. Stir and microwave for another 2 minutes.

Let mixture cool for a 3–5 minutes and it’s ready to serve.

Now you have nearly two pounds of homemade topper; about the equivalent of three cans of premium canned food. We store ours in the refrigerator in a sealed container, scoop out what we need per meal, reheat for a few seconds in the microwave. Viola! Warm, yummy kibble topping and happy, dish-cleaning dogs.

You can see how easily this recipe adjusts in quality, price, and flavor. Buy ground meat on sale or spend the extra cash for hormone-free meat and organic veggies. Dog allergic to beef? Try ground chicken. Worried about fat content? Drain the meat before adding the veggies. (Too much fat can cause annoying digestive issues, chubby pets, or worst of all, pancreatitis.) No worries about salt, because you aren’t adding any. Check the ingredient list of the frozen vegetables though; sometimes they do contain salt.

Chopping up fresh veggies will add time, but if you feel it’s worth the extra effort, go for it! In addition to peas, carrots, and green beans, owners who feed raw suggest broccoli, spinach, and celery. Just remember to skip onions. Here is an excellent article of foods to stay away from at Fetchdog.com: Delicious for us, Dangerous to Dogs; Foods to Keep Away From Your Dog

One note, do your dog a big favor; even if the ground meat is a bargain, avoid those containing pink slime. (Ground meat with pink slime is considered human grade, but we wouldn’t want to feed ammonium hydroxide to our dogs.) ABC News has a list of stores which do not sell ground meat with pink slime: Pink-Slime-Free Beef. We are very happy to see our local grocery store chain, H-E-B, sells ground beef sans this additive.

If you are feeding kibble, this recipe is a nice way have the convenience of kibble, but with a little sump’n extra made by you on top. Let us know what your kitchen floor critics think of your cooking.

(If you don’t know how over-vaccination can damage your pet’s health, please click here.)

Cross-posted with permission from the Rabies Challenge Fund.