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Happy Birthday Dear Puppies!

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Black Masked Fawn French Bulldog puppy

Tula’s boys turned a week old yesterday, and we celebrated by shooting another video, which I’ll have uploaded for you tomorrow. Everyone is doing just peachy – Striker, our little pied foster baby (who is actually four days older, but now has the same honorary birthday as the boys, just to make my life simpler) is finally looking fat and sassy. He’s almost caught up with Tula’s two hulking big bruisers, and that’s saying something.

Here’s a question for you – do you find puppies at this age as unspeakably adorable as I do, or do you believe (as some nameless people do – ::cough::Fran::cough::) that they look more like little gerbils?

My veterinarian, who is a wonderful woman and a great doctor, took a final look at the fawn boy before we left the clinic the other day, and blurted out “They sort of look like rats at this age, don’t they?”. While I clutched my chest in mock horror, her groomer shrieked from the back room “Are you nuts? Don’t tell a breeder her puppy looks like a RAT!”. She apologized, and I pretended to forgive her (untrue, I’ll hold that grudge forever!), but I was simply stunned to learn that not everyone is as enamoured of puppies at this age as I am.

So, what’s your secret opinion? Lemme know on the poll, and below the cut you’ll find (quelle shock) yet more puppy photos.

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Puppy Photos, Day Four

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Striker, tiny pied French Bulldog boy

Striker, tiny pied French Bulldog boy

All the boys are doing well – Striker, the tiny pied boy, is gaining as much weight per day as the two beefy boys, and the fawn boy (nicknamed Sidney) is also doing well. Turns out his ‘gaping umbilical’ was really more of a ‘nicely healing umbilical’. Mea culpa when it comes to being overly protective.

Tula just wants us to stop fussing with her kids, and leave her to get on with motherhood. Happy to oblige, Tula.

Luke at the IKC Dog Show

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Luke is showing in the French Bulldog six to nine month puppy class

Luke is showing in the French Bulldog six to nine month puppy class

Our friend Hope took some photos of the lovely Mr. Luke (aka Bullmarket NewHope at SpiritDragon, aka Tula’s baby boy from her last litter) showing at the International Kennel Club dog show in Chicago this past weekend.

Luke, who is showing from the six to nine month old puppy class, took Reserve Winners Dog, which is a pretty big achievement for his very first time in the show ring. Way to go, Luke, and way to go to Luke’s co owner, Andrea Morden Moore. Andrea has been training him diligently, and it looks like its paid off.

I’m not sure of the name of Luke’s handler, but she looks like she did a great job.

With any luck, Luke’s sister Leah, who makes her debut in Canada at the Purina National Dog show, won’t let her brother leave her in the dust. Practice those stacks, Kristina! 🙂

(ps: thanks to everyone who emailed or called to ask about the babies – all three now seem to be doing just fine!)

Photos below, or on Flickr.

When does the ‘fun’ part begin?

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Tula's Black masked fawn French Bulldog puppy

Tula's Black masked fawn French Bulldog puppy needs some veterinary care.

I have to take Tula’s little fawn boy to the vet after work today – seems that his umbilical isn’t healing. More accurately, instead of being a little pin point on his belly, it’s big gaping hole. I have seen this once before in a puppy, and it was easily treated – the vet put in a couple of dissolving stitches, and it was fine. Let’s hope that’s all it needs to fix him, as well.

Paula’s little guy is still not doing well. He has foamy diarrhea, and I just can’t seem to get weight on him. He was up 19 grams this morning, and now he’s back down to yesterday’s weight. We’ve got him nursing every two hours, so I’m not sure what else to try. I’m rarely stumped by a puppy, but he’s stumping me. He nurses til his tummy is full, he isn’t dehydrated, and other than the diarrhea, I don’t know why he’s not gaining.

I tried to give him some probiotic powder (fortiflora) for the diarrhea, putting a few granules on his tongue, but he vomited up all his milk, so I won’t be trying THAT again. Paula is going to bring him some flagyl, and if that doesn’t help by tomorrow, he’s off to the vet as well.

I’ve been running on two to three hours sleep a night, up every two to three to make sure the puppies are on nursing, and to give the tiny guy some extra attention.

While I’m at work today, Sean is home running in and out checking pups, putting the pen back together (Tula is a digger, and has been burying the pups under the blankets), checking for full tummies and clean bottoms, and doing piles of laundry. This afternoon I’ll drive home, meet Sean at the door, take the Fawn boy in to the vet and get back home again just in time to start my night shift on puppy watch. Thank God Sean has four days off of work between shifts, or I’d have to take the entire week off of work.

I keep getting emails from people telling me that they’re going to breed their French Bulldog once, “just for fun” – but could someone tell me when the ‘fun’ part of dog breeding is supposed to kick in?

Photos from yesterday below, or on Flickr.