On Keeping Cool

Summer time is just around the corner for us here in Southern California and that means finding ways to keep cool when the weather gets too hot. We are very fortunate enough to have the essential air conditioning for those unbearably hot days, but we don't like to over use it. So we've come up with some techniques to keep Teddy cool on those hot days.

The first thing to go is the afternoon walk, probably the most exciting change to the routine. We not only limit the afternoon exposure but also try to do morning walks or park trips earlier in the morning before the sun comes out. When we are out we bring lots of water to help cool Teddybux down.

In the house we put ice cubes in Teddybux's water bowl (something we now do year round anyway) and give him icecubes to play with as a special treat. (Some people suggest freezing chicken broth to give the cubes a little flavor but we haven't done that due to fear of allergies. Teddybux's grandmother gave him a Dog chew toy Freeze 'n chew which is shaped like a popcicle that you soak and then freeze for a nice summer treat. We have to watch him with that one though because once the pop thaws it's susceptible to Bulldog destruction. At night we have water bottles that we have filled with water and frozen and then put in socks to put in Teddybux's crate. That way if he needs some cooling off he can lean against them.

After trips to the park in the summer we usually like to throw him in the bathtub and hose him down with cool (not freezing cold) water. That helps get off all the mud and dirt he has collected and is also cool him down really quick.

For the most part we haven't had any problems keeping Teddy cool and happy during the summer time. He enjoys spending his time laying around the apartment on the cool hardwood floors and letting the AC or a fan do all the work for him. He doesn't miss those afternoon walks one bit!

Photobooth

I did a post earlier this year on how much we love Teddybux's Molly mutt bed covers. Here is proof that Teddybux loves them too. He doesn't even need the bed inside to seize the moment to stretch out and play!

On Food Health

Keeping Teddybux happy and healthy is no easy task especially when it comes to his eating habits.

We have Teddybux on a pretty strict diet of duck and potatoes because of his allergies and while we try to feed him twice a day we found that he prefers to eat in his own time at his own pace. So we stick to the dry food. Natural Balance has worked best for him and he goes crazy for the Happy Hips duck jerky. Unfortunately even with the limited diet Teddybux's was having trouble keeping his food down. The vet felt that it was just a case of indigestion and suggested we get Teddybux a raised bowl to eat his food in. As you can see in the picture it doesn't keep the food off the floor, but don't worry he will eat up those little bits as dessert.

While the raised bowl has helped with the gas it wasn't enough to keep him from gobbling up his water too quickly. The solution was to replace a full bowl of water with just a little bit and some ice cubes. It forces Teddybux to slow down when drinking and makes him a happier healthier pup!

I think the hardest thing about having a bulldog, or any dog i'm sure, is that no two are the same which is why our Veterinarian Dr. Britto at the Brentwood Pet clinic is amazing. We can call her any time with questions and bring Teddy in whenever he has an unexplained bump or behavior without breaking the bank and she is happy to help out. So all in all the best advice I can give a new bulldog parent is go out and find yourself a bulldog expert to help with all the little things that will come up!