About Our Dogs...
Chihuahuas & French Bulldogs
Lifestyle...
Our dogs live in our home with us where they have plenty of room to explore and can be kept warm/cool and comfortable. Chihuahuas are not outside dogs and French Bulldogs have to be careful in extreme temperatures as well. Especially the heat, as they are brachycephalic (broad headed with a short muzzle) and have a harder time cooling themselves than some other breeds. There are just far too many predators for the Chi, which is also too sensitive to extreme conditions, for this to ever be a good idea. While they have an enclosed outside play area that they enjoy romping and tussling in, they all come inside at night.
We also have an extension on our home that spans two floors to allow them freedom when we aren't home or when it isn't a good time for them to run through the house at will. These areas have their own separate climate controls to help keep them warm enough and cool enough as necessary. The top floor of the extension is dedicated to the cattery and the lower level is dedicated to the doggies. They spend the majority of their time underfoot though, we feel this is important for socialization and an overall well adjusted pet.
Most of our dogs are crated at night in an effort to keep them feeling safe and secure, while others prefer to sleep with the human of their choice. Outside, we recently expanded their fenced in area, giving them even more room to run amok and just be dogs! They can lounge in the shade or find a sunny spot to nap in as they so often do. Fresh water is always accessible, they even have their own pool to enjoy when they aren't sharing ours! *Please note that we use and recommend life jackets with dogs. Especially Frenchies since so many cannot swim well and sink like stones due to their solid and heavy build.
Our Vet(s) are supportive and on board to help us to achieve and maintain the health of our animals. Our babies are kept up to date on all necessary and age appropriate shots/vaccinations. We strongly believe in TITER TESTING as many antibodies remain from puppy shots and they may not be necessary to give again. We also wean naturally and research has proven that early vaccinations can actually take away from the natural immunity pups receive from Mom. For this and other reasons, we elect not to vaccinate our pups at the early ages some others feel comfortable with. With that being said, no babies will leave our care without at least their first, in the series of three, puppy shot.
PLEASE discuss this with your Vet before making any decisions on vaccinations for your puppy or dog. We have been using the same Vet for over 15 years now, and have a great relationship with the staff at our "new" Vet since the move. We would be more than happy to make a recommendation for you and or to help you find a Vet in your area!
Nutrition...
We feed and recommend the following foods:
*French Bulldogs - DIAMOND NATURALS ALL LIFE STAGES CHICKEN AND RICE formula. Made in America with balanced ingredients, no fillers, and seemingly tasty to the dogs. Frenchies have been known to have sensitive stomachs and skin, but all of the Frenchies we have owned did well on this diet.
*Should a grain free diet be deemed best for your dog, we suggest trying one of the formulas of Taste Of The Wild. Although our breeding bitches (Chihuahuas) did not cycle well when fed Taste of the Wild grain free, we were happy with it's overall performance, and would recommend TOTW to anyone needing a high quality grain free dog food. It just was not ideal for us, not with our Chihuahuas at least.**
*French Bulldogs - DIAMOND NATURALS SMALL BREED PUPPY depending on the Frenchies size as we do often produce smaller sized Frenchies that do better with the smaller kibble.
*Chihuahuas and Bulldogs - NUTRO WHOLESOME ESSENTIALS SMALL BREED PUPPY CHICKEN AND RICE formula. This food is a bit more expensive than the suggestion below, but it has been a great base diet for our dogs and we have been really happy with it. We prefer it second to Fromm, which is not easily accessible for most and is even more expensive, because it has a very similar formula packed with protein sources, fruits, veggies, digestible grains, and both Pre and Probitotics for added immunity and health.
*Chihuahuas - DIAMOND NATURALS SMALL BREED PUPPY CHICKEN AND RICE formula. This food is similar to the one above. It is also easily accessible, made in America, and the least expensive of the three without compromising the quality and ingredients we prefer.
Canned Food for both Chihuahuas and French Bulldogs - PURINA BEYOND Chicken, pasture- raised lamb and spinach formula. There are several formulas and we have tried most if not all of them, but this formula is always our go to. We appreciate that it offers TWO sources of protein with Chicken being the first ingredient in a short list of five ingredients: chicken, chicken broth, liver, lamb, and spinach. The other ingredients are vitamins and minerals including pre/ probiotics for healthy digestion.
Our Chis have an easier time with and seem to enjoy the ground formulas, which this one is, better than the chunks and the puppies take to it more easily but there are chunks in gravy formulas available as well. We also like that there are no fillers like corn wheat, or soy, no poultry bi-product meal, and no artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives.
We occasionally coconut oil for health and coats. We also add eggs and or small diced bits of veggies such as soft cooked or canned peas, carrots, squash, pumpkin, sweet potato, green beans, or broccoli as well as lentils and beans to their food for variety also. Nothing but the best for our babies!
Balanced nutrition is especially important for small breeds such as Chihuahuas because they eat a smaller amount yet need each bite to be nutrition packed; and with the French Bulldogs because they can be prone to being overweight due to their build.
Consider This...
On the fence about Chis, or have you decided against owning a Chihuahua because of their undeserved reputation?
Please read on......................
Everyone has heard the comments that Chis are notorious ankle biters and incessant barkers, but this simply isn't true. Any dog can drive you nuts with undesirable behaviors if not trained properly. Personalities vary with Chis as they do with anything/anyone.
Although Chis are tiny, they are still dogs and like all others, they need and benefit from gentle and consistent corrections, simple commands, and positive reinforcements. (Never hit your Chi... they are small and can be injured fairly easily. They are also very smart and will remember, which may lead to broken trust and an affected relationship between you and your dog as well as your dog and others)
This "saucy" little doggie is packed with personality, and when a Chi has something to say... he will be heard! For example, when the doorbell rings, he will alert you but the "quiet" or "enough" command can go a long way if used early and often. So, be consistent and don't start anything you don't plan on continuing.
More often than not, Chis are the perfect pet for most households whether you have limited space or acres of land.
French Bulldogs are very pricey endeavor for most families (ours included) and there are many reasons for this. Just to name a few...
Most Frenchies are delivered by cesarean section and they often need lots of support with rearing to help the pups thrive...
Most breeders invest quite a bit to bring you healthy/ quality Dams and Sires in an effort to provide quality pups...
In short, you often get what you pay for and poorly bred dogs are much more prone to issues that will cost you a lot more in the long run. We want to help you protect your investment, so we happily offer not only a contract, but a health guarantee as well.
We believe that Frenchies are worth every penny. We accept payment plans to help with the cost of these beautiful additions to your family.
Frenchies have short faces and muzzles and tend to take in extra air as the gulp food down, so YES... they do burp at times and they do pass gas even more often. They also snore and snort- so on occasion they may embarrass you in front of your company with these manners BUT they are so much fun, so smart, and entertaining that this is easily forgiven. A special bowl for slow feeding can help limit the amount of air taken in and help to lessen these attributes.
We find that crate training seems to work well with housebreaking the Frenchie. Crates are great tools, but should NOT be used to punish or leave the dog in for long periods. Especially when young and unable to hold their bladders and bowels for long periods. This is counterproductive and will only prolong the process, confuse the puppy, and make everyone involved frustrated and unhappy. Puppies have accidents and this is to be expected as they learn. Consistency is key and patience is paramount!
Search/Google crate training for more detailed information on this tool and we are happy to advise you should you have any questions.
