Dog Badge

February 24th, 2011 by admin

Its rare that you would find a family that’s not eager to take a vacation. Everybody packs up, looking forward to having a great time after a stressful year, but. Is the whole family really going? Many American households today said in a survey that they look as their dogs s members of the family, so when a “family” vacation is coming, most of them would like to take their dog along with them. The problem is, having a dog along can become a nuisance as well, and this is known to be true as well with the French bulldog.

So, many families would just resort to leaving their pets behind with their extended family or friends or just hire a pet sitter. But what if you really want to take your French bulldog with you? What re your options? What should you do to enable you to bring your French bulldog with you and still fully enjoy your family vacation? Here are some tips and reminders which you can take note of, to help you get that “true” family vacation that you have always wanted.

Tip 1 – Check out the places where dogs are normally allowed in most of the places of interest. You should also look for a place where you will be able to comfortably stay which allows pet dogs inside. You can ask your travel agent or scour the internet for recommendations on the places of interest which answers your vacation needs for pet-friendly places. Make sure that these places have all the facilities that can help your French bulldog enjoy itself and at the same time have health care services as well.

There are now many travel agents and websites that offer vacation packages that allows for a pet to be brought along. Choose along with your family so that everyone will know what is ahead for them. This way, you are not just choosing a place for your dog, but for the whole family.

Tip 2 – If your French bulldog is not yet familiar in riding a car, then prior to the trip you should start familiarizing it. Take it for short drives. At the start, just let him stay in the car for awhile with the engine idling, this will allow him to familiarize with the sound and the shaking. Then slowly let the car move, don’t jerk the car and go slow at first. Then take him for short rides stopping at least every mile or so, gradually add more miles before stopping.

Tip 3 – Have your dog get a thorough checkup by his vet before leaving on your dream vacation. This will eliminate the risks of him having any health concern while on vacation which can ruin the trip. Take any medication with you that your vet may recommend. Remember to get the ok signal from your vet first.

Tip 4 – Remember to pack everything that your dog may need, most importantly its collar, with all the contact details on the tag. Also remember to bring his food and anything that can make the journey comfortable for him. Also, make sure to bring cleaning materials as the dog may vomit or emit waste.

February 9th, 2011 by admin

It’s easy to be embarrassed when your dog shows unwanted behavior, and this commonly happens when there are other people or dog around. Imagine this, your in the park, your talking your dog for a stroll, your dog suddenly jerks on the leash, then runs off chasing other dogs, or worse, other people and maybe even taking a bite or two. This could get worse if you don’t train your dog to be able to socialize, knowing the right time to be aggressive and to be be passive. Luckily, to French bulldog owners, this is an easier task.

Easier as compared to other dogs but definitely not a walk in the park. French bulldogs are still dogs so it still my take a while to train them, but, because French bulldogs are innately sociable as compared to other breeds, you may surprisingly find that it doesn’t really take a lot of time and effort. To help you do so, here are some tips that may be able to aid you in achieving this goal.

Start your socialization training at home. This means that your dog should be able to absorb the training step by step, doing so in a place where he or she is comfortable, like your home. If the pup is new at home, don’t crowd him just yet. Approach him one by one until he gets to know all the family members. Do this slowly, don’t just jump at the dog or he may take this as an act of aggression. When friends come along for a visit, do the same procedure, just remember not to rush and close in on its space. Eventually, once you deem that your dog is ready to meet nw people, he or she can now socialize with other dogs. Let your friends or family members bring their dogs to your home.

Allow your dog to visit different sites and places. This will allow him to be relaxed at other sites besides your home. Take your French bulldog out for a walk making sure that you have a good grip on its leash. Take him first to a less crowded area, eventually exposing him to populous places once he is ready for it. . Remember not to shock your dog by taking him to busy streets as this may traumatize the dog and would eventually make him give up going out and socializing, a nice quiet park will do the trick. As a reminder though, make sure that your French bulldog pup has had its vaccinations, French bulldogs are prone to allergies and other health concerns that he or she may pickup in other areas or other dogs.

Always bring rewards such as different dog treats to reinforce a good behavior. If he starts barking or acting aggressively, remind him that it is not good and do so with a stern and firm voice, don’t hit your dog though. Eventually, your dog will get into the routine as it is a creature of habit and see that socializing is easy. A word of caution though, French bulldogs are susceptible to heat, so don’t overexpose it to the sun.