Tag: dog blog

Twas’ the Week before Whelping…

Sabrina A.W.
That is one sucky momma

We are one week out from Luna’s C-section (“you keep cooking those puppies up good in there Luna Loo!”) and it is definelty crunch time and we are all feeling it. Poor Luna is busting. I feel for her. She is bigger than she ever was during her last 2 litters and has been suffering from morning sickness from the start. I have been handfeeding her since the first trimester. Since she is isn’t feeling well, she is very picky with her food. We have tried everything. I usually go down a list of different food options until there is something that she will agree to eat. This morning (well late morning by the time she ate) I cooked her up some ground turkey and white rice. Thank goodness she gobbled that up.

New security camera set up!
The puppy area is Daisy approved

And although Luna is an amazing mom and bounces back super fast (she will be ready for bikini season before you know it!) I feel good about this being her last litter. She has done an amazing job and will continue to have an important part in our hearts, our home and our breeding program as well by offering socialization to future puppies from our other moms!

Roasting eggshells in the oven to grind them into a calcium supplement for nursing mom

Nesting is in full swing … for me that is. I can’t help but get excited and anxious as I try to get everything ready for the upcoming litter. I do this by getting the puppy area ready but also by researching and bettering myself any chance I get. There is always room for improvement and I have added a few more “tools” to my toolbox that I feel real good about.

This week is about making mum feel good and hopefully getting in some good sleep before the big day because you know that it will be hard to come by next week!

What I Look for in a Puppy Applicant

Sabrina A.W.
I love this little family!

There is a lot of information out there regarding how to find a reputable breeder but I think it is just as important, if not more, for the breeder to select the right buyer. They have the responsibility to make sure that the puppy goes to the right home and that it is a good fit for both the puppy and the buyer. I wanted to share with you some of the questions I ask on my puppy application and what I am looking for in a prospective puppy home.

Biggie and Rocky right before going to their forever homes

I always say that it takes a special person to take care of a bulldog. They have special needs that have to be taken care of daily. Not everyone is up for that. It wouldn’t take much neglect to really see its effects on the dog. Therefore, I really want to know that a person knows what they are getting into. I know that bulldogs are cute, funny and super-trendy right now but is that the only reason you want one? I want to know the “why”. How long have you wanted a bulldog? How long have you thought of this and how much research have you really done? Are you wanting a puppy because of Covid-19 and you are currently working from home? What happens when you return to work? Will the dog suddenly be left on its own for lengthy stretches at a time? Through these questions and a little intuition, I try and decipher if the potential buyer will make a good bulldog owner.

As I already mentioned, grooming and daily care is a big responsibility for an English or French bulldog owner. Bulldogs require more care and are one of the more expensive breeds to own. They require high quality, grain-free diets. They need wrinkle creams, butt wipes, cooling matts, and coats just to name a few things. They also tend to suffer more from skin issues and allergies. People need to know what they are getting into beforehand. The last thing any breeder wants is to see the puppy being rehomed due to a bad pairing.

I was talking to my 9 year old son the other day about this very topic. He asked me why I had people fill out applications. I explained that the first reason is that it filters out people just by asking them to apply. People that are serious about adopting a puppy will not hesitate to fill one out. Secondly, we want to make sure that our puppies are going to good homes and are going to live their best lives possible. Asking the right questions helps us make a good match. There are people that are open to sharing their personal stories with me. I find these are the people that make the best homes for bulldogs.

These are just a few questions that I like to ask. I hope that by asking the right questions and trusting my intuition, that I make the right choices. These puppies are my babies and my responsibility. An active, loving family that truly appreciates the puppy is all I want for my babies. There is nothing better than receiving a picture of a past puppy with their forever family and knowing that I helped make that family complete.