Forever Homes

This is going to be a long post.  <--- That's all you get in a way of a disclaimer. I'll make it worth it.

My husband and I got into bulldogs looking for one thing. A pet. Our plans for Hudson were modest. We didn't ask much of him. We hoped he was healthy and friendly. We wanted him to be well behaved. We wanted him to like us. We wanted to spend as much time with him as we could and give him a happy life.

So we did our part. We tried to learn a lot about bulldogs. We religiously watched the Dog Whisperer. We talked to people about their dogs. I spent hours researching dog foods (and still got it wrong). We got vet references from others. We looked at breeders, pet shops, and kennels from all over. Our area is notorious for puppy mills, so this was time consuming. (Side note: No clue at first that puppy mills were bad. Snoopy of Peanuts fame was from "a puppy mill." If not in the comics, it was in a TV special. And I love Snoopy!) We were so ready for our puppy.

We brought Hudson home and were filled with joy. (Duh, you can read that part in prior posts!!) Oddly, though, almost everywhere we went with him as a puppy, even right out in the yard, people would ask if we were going to breed him. To this day, I still don't really understand why. Because he was adorable? His puppy pictures have been declared fake by some because he was so dang cute. I still don't know, but we knew the answer.

"Oh, no, that's too much work!"

At least we knew. We were intelligent. We didn't have a eight weeks and 6 day pregnant female going into labor with puppies with no prenatal care and having them all die with the first one stuck in the birth canal. I educated people before I owned a bulldog about the cost and why it was so "high." I knew the basics. I knew artificial insemination and C section. I didn't know about progesterone testing, multiple ultrasounds, hand feeding, tube feeding, pre and post food weights, among other numerous things I've learned in the past (almost) year and a half as an owner and aspiring breeder.

There were no plans for a show dog. I thought showing was stupid. Open mouth. Insert foot. Like many people, I didn't know what dog shows were for. I seriously thought it was for people that took their dogs way too seriously and wanted to prove theirs was the best one. I didn't know about breed standards and how that affects a dog's progeny. Early dog shows were exactly that - a "contest" for the best breeding stock. We just don't use those words anymore because we personify our dogs, myself included.

I guess it became more obvious when I took Hudson to the vet for an ear infection. The doctor that day kept saying "he has great conformation" over and over. I didn't really understand it at the time, and I wonder if she'd still say the same thing. The judges don't... All the docs, vet techs, and other staff told us Hudson was adorable. I figured that was partly because he was and partly because its their job to fawn over their clients.

Our first thought was, we'll stud. My husband liked that idea. No messy c sections, no losing your dog on the table. He could just make a "donation" and be done. Later we'd be entitled to a puppy or at least a few hundred dollars. Awesome.

Obviously, nothing's that easy. We took the steps, getting him ready to show, getting him in the best health, learning more and more about breeding. I guess just one day I realized I wanted to do this. I wanted to take on the challenge. I wanted to make baby bully pups of my own. I wanted to educate new owners. I wanted to be part of bettering the breed.

In the interim, my husband decided that he really wanted to foster. I told him no a lot, just because I wasn't sure I could handle it. But eventually we decided to go for it and got hooked up with a rescue. We're only on our second dog. We're no experts. But I'm glad we did it. It translates over into my breeding too.

I'm thinking about it as I prepare to take Elvis to his new home. There's a lot to do.

I get the contracts ready. The rescue has one we print and have the adopting family sign.
I call the vet and request records. I'll have to go and pick them up. That way they can go right along to his new vet.
I make sure they have a new vet to go to. I try to ask around when they don't live in our area, since we have many foster families. Some vets will nickle and dime bulldog owners. I have no tolerance for this. Vets don't need to find things wrong with bulldogs. It happens on its own. I can walk out of the vet with a bill over a hundred bucks and our doc under charged for the visit and made a medicated wash for us. That's just how it goes.
I talk to the new family about supplies. We don't supply very much as all the foster families pay for everything aside from vet care themselves. So if we purchase a crate, we keep it. If the crate comes with them, then it's going with them, like with Elvis. If there's a towel/blanket we can give, we will. Collars, leashes, bowls usually stay. Toys go. I make sure they know what they'll need. Poop bags, treats, and anything I think they might not think of, especially first timers.
I give my food talk. Most rescue adopters will keep the dog on the same food. Good. That's what they need. We feed Wellness core in our house, which is a grain-free, high protein food. It's so good for bullies. Both of our fosters, as well as our pup, have transformed on this food, especially when coming off a vet-prescribed food. (Sorry!)
I stress over and over that we're always available. Always. Call or email me anytime, I insist. And if/when they do, I answer as quickly as possible. We want to be a resource. We're not done with this dog when it's sent out. Yes, please send us pictures!

As it turns out, these are some of the things you do as a breeder. You screen your "applicants," you educate, and you stick around. Good breeders are always available and are committed to that dog for life. If things don't work out, bring me the dog, no matter what age! Life happens. I would never want someone to lose their job and their home and have to worry about their beloved pet. I made it. I love it too!

Bulldogs are my love. They're so much fun. Hudson makes my life better every day. Elvis cracks me up on a regular basis. I can't imagine my home without one. It would be too quiet. It would smell too good.

As I said in a previous post, in ten years I hope to have a house full of dogs and be a successful breeder, which is not measured in money, but in beautiful confirmation pups with good health and a fantastic temperament and relationships with other breeders and owners who say good things about me. A couple champions wouldn't be bad either...just saying...