Good Bloggie!

It’s hot, no doubt about it. We’ve had 100°+ temps in Central Texas for about two weeks, making this the second hottest June for the record books. Time for a reminder on how to cool down a hot dog!

Check out this article by Nate Baxter, DVM, titled Avoiding Heat Related Injuries in Dogs. The only caveats we have are: using ice water and traveling with Frenchies in the bed of a truck. You should never immerse a dog in ice water or use super-cooled water to cool them down. This can send the dog into shock. (If you have water that’s been standing in the sun and it’s lukewarm, a couple of ice cubes might be in order, but don’t make that water frigid.) As far as letting a Frenchie ride in the bed of a truck, not many Frenchie people we know would do this, and doubt this vet has a short-nosed breed, but don’t toss a Frenchie in the bed of truck. At least not without a 2-ton AC, a gel pad, a bucket of water, their own DVD player…

Even when we go for a short walk, we carry a small bottle of water and a water dish with us. Dog looks hot? Stop. Give a drink. — Dog looks like it’s getting really hot? Stop. Give a drink. Wet down the dog’s ears, armpits, and tummy. — Dog not cooling down fast enough? Wet down dog, pick dog up, and get the added weight-training benefit of carrying a panting, smiling, happy Frenchie back to the car while people grin at you and your silly dog.

Back at the car, you look down at your Frenchie with his big, goofy grin and the mischievous, hypnotic twinkle his eye. The thought momentarily crosses your mind “Did I just get duped into hauling your keister four blocks back to the car in the heat?” You shake the thought out of your head. “Naw. Not my little angel!” Besides, you don’t have time to think about that now. You need to finish to counting backwards from 5, 4, 3, 2, 1…and it’s suddenly imperative to stop by the upscale pet store for some frozen dog treats. Stay cool. Gotta run!

Anyone who has a Frenchie often gets hit with two main statements when you are out-and-about with your short-legged friend: “What’s THAT?” (this happens less these days) and “I want one!” (much more common now).

If you have been putting off bringing home a snorty friend, this may just be your summer to do it. Thanks to the downturn in the economy (are we allowed to say recession yet?), rescues are overflowing with Frenchies, and not just any Frenchies, but young, under the age of one Frenchies.

Many times, people have their mind made up they want a fresh, brand-new puppy, which we can respect and understand. The puppyhood period is a lot of fun. It’s also a lot of work: potty training, basic training, new furniture becomes distressed furniture. Ah, the joys of puppyhood! What if you could get a nearly new Frenchie already “broken in” with limited mileage? Many people we know are just as, if not more so, crazy in love with Frenchies they brought home as an older dog or puppy. They just have fewer stains on their carpets, intact shoes, and more nights of full rest.

So if a French Bulldog is on your “Gotta Have” list, and you have the right kind of home and the right stuff for a Frenchie (or can make that happen) check out the rescues below and see who they have needing a home. Just remember, it’s not like going to Walgreens and picking up some milk and toothpaste. You do have to fill out an application and talk to some very nice people. They want to match their foster Frenchies with the best, correct, and permanent home. No one wants a Boomerang Frenchie. (except maybe some Agility people.) Don’t rule out those older Frenchies either. They may be card-carrying ARFP members (Actually Really Fun Pooches).

Aww, go on! Take a look. You know you want to. Do a little window (or Vista) shopping. Fill out that application. You’ll never worry again about spending a Friday or Saturday night alone…or going to the fridge or the bathroom by yourself… You’ll never again need protection from the doorbell, the vacuum, the broom…the dreaded empty paper towel roll. You know, you better get moving. Sounds like you really DO need a Frenchie in your life!

Rescues specializing in French Bulldogs

Click on each graphic to visit one of the major French Bulldog rescue groups.

Here’s a smaller, Texas-exclusive one. They mainly deal with English Bullies, but welcome Frenchie rescues as well.

If you live in Chicagoland, you have a rescue group just for you!

This one specializes in rehoming retiree’s and older pups whose show career never took off.

And this site covers all breeds. Just do a search for French Bulldog.

Trying to get your dog cross-country in a plane comes with many complications. Some airlines don’t accept dogs as passengers, some will only let them ride in the cargo hold area. For French Bulldogs, and other short-snouted breeds, add to that a (wise) temperature restriction for any cargo flights. They vary per airline, but once the ambient temperatures rise, no flights out or in until the weather cools off. (And personally, we can’t get too excited about flying a Frenchie in the cargo hold, no matter the temperature.)

Next month, there will be a new airline service who ONLY cater to pet passengers (or “pawsengers” as they call them.) The new company is PetAirways. They promise all pets fly in-cabin and never in cargo, accompanied by a Pet Attendant. They also offer an online tracking service so you can see exactly where your pet is during his/her journey. To see which airports they fly to/from click here.

Also coming online for pet passengers is Southwest Airlines. Their first date to accept pets begins this week: June 17, 2009. Click here to see their pet policy.

If anyone uses PetAirways or Southwest to fly a pet, let us know how it goes. We’d be curious what you think of them.

Happy and Safe Travels to you and your pet!

The other day we got a recorded message saying “Your neighbor Mr. X has lost their dog. Please call such-and-such number or go to this website.” Because we get many annoying recorded calls (Jennifer – We DO NOT NEED an extended car warranty!) just chalked it up to a new scam. Later, did go investigate (it’s a lost dog, right?) and discovered this is a real service, and guess what? That missing dog was found!

If you’ve lost a dog or pet, this might be worth checking out. They take your info, create a recorded message, then blast the message across your neighborhood via automated calling. They are National Do Not Call exempt, but if you don’t want these sorts of calls you can opt-out via a website entry form.

It is a paid service, which claims an 85% success rate within 48 hours. They are BBB accredited with an A- rating. The BBB site states they have been in business since 2007 and BBB members since 2008. If you’ve lost a pet, certainly a service worth considering.

The name of the service is: Find Toto and you can visit their site by clicking on the logo below.

Testing out a new camera and a new WordPress Plug-in. So far, they both have the Cocoa seal of approval!

(click on photos for larger image.)