On Birthdays!

Today Teddybux turned 3.  Now that he is no longer a puppy much of his daily routine is rather predictable.  He no longer eats the furniture, runs away from strange objects, or refuses to eat after scary moments.

At 3 he has discovered that he loves belly rubs and morning scratches. He lets people pet him if they aren't too eager and will even stop playing fetch every once in a while for a little bit of cuddle time.

Since things have gotten pretty routine in the world of bulldogs I've decided to officially take a break from this blog. But the good news is I'm working on a new project. This one will have a wider focus. Weddings, Travel, Cooking & crafts.  But don't worry Teddybux will be sure to make an appearance.
So stay tuned for all new adventures at Irventures.com. Coming soon!

On Happy Holidays

As the holidays approach we are looking forward to another Christmas with Teddybux.  This year Teddybux will be spending christmas with one family while we will be spending it with another.

There's always lots to remember when discussing holidays with pets. Sometimes pets and decorations don't go well as I am always reminded when visiting my parents and their very playful cat. The christmas tree ends up being a bald tree surrounded by a sea of ornaments. It's always important to be careful of loose hooks or any ornament or decoration that could cause a choking hazard for your pet.

If you are traveling for the holidays it is important that you have a safe place for your pet. When we can't bring Teddybux along, we are fortunate enough to have family that loves his visits. So we pack up his crate and all the essentials and send him on vacation knowing that he will have as good a time as we will. When family is not an option be sure to plan ahead when planning for your pet. Pet sitters may book up fast or be planning a vacation for themselves and when boarding your pet it's important to be sure your favorite spot has the room and that your pet is up to date on all his shots. It is much easier to enjoy the holidays when you know your pet is happy and safe.

With Teddybux we have some additional concerns and limitations when worrying about the holidays.  When we bring Teddybux up to spend time with the family he is surrounded by other dogs with fewer limitations on their diets. In order to help alleviate the allergic reactions, I like to bring homemade dog treats that are Teddybux safe as gifts for all the dogs.  This way all the dogs have delicious treats that they can share without worry. It may take a little bit of extra time to prepare but everyone in the family deserves something a little extra special for the holidays!

I hope you all have a wonderful holiday season!

On Injured Puppies...

Around here we are always thankful for a healthy puppy but this Thanksgiving Teddybux decided he had been trouble free for too long and split his nail.

Once the nail was split there wasn't much we could do. We were able to trim the hanging part of the nail off without causing too much pain but the quick was exposed and painful to touch. Teddy took to limping around and only wanting to play in quick bursts. During one of the bursts he slid on the  brand new carpet and caused the nail to start bleeding again. So in order to protect the carpets and keep Teddybux from hurting himself even more we pulled out the bandages and wrapped his paw. Teddybux hated having the gauze on but it provided just enough protection to give the nail time to heal.

I have to admit that while Teddybux was recuperating I enjoyed having a cuddly puppy for a change. We spent a good chunk of our Thanksgiving break curled up on the couch together. Don't worry these days he is back to his old self playing never ending games of fetch and napping as far away from us as possible. It was nice while it lasted but overall I'm always thankful when my puppy is happy and healthy.

What are you thankful for?

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Baby it's cold outside!

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I finished my first knitting project today and of course had to let Teddybux try it on.  He makes a pretty good etsy model! Don't you think?  It also helps that I was eating a cookie at the time and he was hoping I would share!

On Bulldog Calendars

I am happy to announce that Teddybux makes a cameo in the 2012 Ador-a-Bulldogs calendar. He isn't one of the featured Bulldogs but his picture made the back page. Thanks for all the votes everyone!!! Maybe next year we can make Teddybux Mr july!


Happy Posing Everbody!!!

On Dog Bed Repair

As anyone who has a dog knows, they don't come cheap.  Crates, beds, toys, food it all adds up fast. When Teddybux's bed ripped in the wash there was no way I was just going to throw it away and buy a new one. Out came the needle and thread!! 

Since we use the Mollymutt covers over his bed we didn't have to worry so much about looks for the repairs. I just wanted something that would keep the stuffing in and help keep it from being ripped further. I pulled out some pieces of old fabric I had lying around and sewed it on top of the holes. 

It's not the going to win me any sewing awards but it will keep the bed in circulation for longer and that makes our wallets very happy.  Teddybux was also happy to get his favorite bed back.  Once i finished sewing it up and put the Mollymutt cover back on he hoped on top and was ready to play. It took some coaxing with treats to get him off the bed long enough to transfer it to his crate.  

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On Partying with Teddy

Planning a party isn't always easy when you have a dog to worry about, especially when that dog is a timid, allergy ridden bulldog like Teddybux!  But we take extra precautions pre-party to make sure both our guests and our puppy are happy and entertained.

Firstly, we make sure Teddybux is relaxed and well fed before the party. This requires making sure that we finish all the last minute party prep well before party start time so that we aren't running around making him nervous all day. We use his favorite food filled toy to make sure he gets lots to eat and take him on a long walk shortly before the guests start to arrive. This keeps his energy calm when guests arrive and the full stomach means he won't be on the hunt for falling food.  We also leave out a couple of his favorite treats for guests so that they can reward Teddybux for tricks well done.

Secondly, we prepare the guests.  This is now a pretty easy thing because most of our party guests have met Teddy before and know the drill.  But for any new guests we introduce them to Teddybux and let them know that the only food he is to eat are his dog treats and that he can be very shy so for petting and play time the should let him come to them.  We don't have to worry about Teddybux running outside when guests arrive but if you have a more ambitious dog it would be helpful to put a sign on the door so guests know to be careful not to let the dog out. 

Once the party starts it is important for us to keep an eye on Teddybux.  As the night goes on I watch for any signs of uneasiness or stress. Usually about halfway through the party I take him outside for a bathroom break and a chance to relax which is always much appreciated. We also make sure his water bowl has clean water that is easily accessible and set up a place for him to retreat to if the party becomes too overwhelming.  It is important to keep an eye on the floors, while guests in general do their best to keep crumbs and things from falling to the floor it happens every now and then so I am sure to casually pick it up so that Teddybux isn't tempted. This goes for spilled drinks as well.  Not only does it prevent future stomach aches it makes the next days clean up a little easier.

Teddybux does surprisingly well at parties. He quickly becomes the party entertainment as he walks around playing fetch and giving high fives.  He is more social then he normally is one on one and partygoers get pretty excited when he stops to let them pet him. The only time he seems to stress out is when he can't seem to find one of us in a crowd, so I try to make sure i'm easy to find when he needs some reassurance.

For the most part parties at the house are fun for all and we are glad that Teddybux seems to enjoy it as much as we do. The final step on the plan of course is to make sure Teddybux can just lay around all day the next day in order to recover from being the life of the party!

On Teddy Votes!

Hey everyone

Vote for Teddybux to be in the Ador-A-Bulldog 2012 Calender. Registration is free and you can vote for up to 3 adorable bulldogs a day. Just Click on the link below:

Vote For Teddybux

While there you can pre-order a Bulldog Calender for yourself & for friends and the proceeds will go to the Southern California Bulldog Rescue group who help lots of Bulldogs in need.

Happy Voting!

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On Bath Time

Teddybux is not a fan of Bath time. Whenever he senses that Bath time is upon us he tries to run and hide in his crate. Despite hating baths he behaves very well in the bathtub once plopped inside. We have a hose attachment on the shower so that we can quickly hose him down, plop cotton balls in his ears, and pour on the EarthBath dog shampoo and scrub him down. The best part of bath day is getting to cuddle with a tired puppy who is soft and fluffy and smells good for a change. Here's some pictures of Teddy at bath time:

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Don't be fooled! He is not as tough as he looks!

On keeping cool but active!

Although Teddybux is not the most active pup he does enjoy taking trips to the park and spending afternoons hanging out in the sun. Unfortunately, as the weather gets warmer it gets harder and harder for him to spend so much time outdoors. This fourth of July we didn't want him to miss out on all the outdoor fun so we packed him up and took him along to our friend's barbecue.

To help him stay cool, I soaked a bandana and  put it in the freezer the night before. (leaving the ends dry so that I could easily tie them into knots.) When we got to the party we simply put it around his neck as a cute and comfortable way to stay cool. It worked great! He had lots of fun hanging out and as his bandana started to dry out I simply ran it under the cold water and reapplied. Of course we also followed our usual rules for outside play: plenty of water, lots of shade, and no playing fetch in the afternoon sun.

At sunset we got in a little bit of fetch before the fireworks started, which always makes his day. We weren't sure how he would handle the fireworks based on all the Doggy horror stories we heard so as the sky started to light up we put his leash on to be sure he stayed close.  To our surprise the puppy who is afraid of everything was not afraid of the fireworks. This is one Party puppy!

Now when Teddybux is ready to take a break from the central ac (i know, what a lucky pup) we have all the tools we need to take him along.

Hope everyone is keeping cool!

On birthdays!

Teddybux is two! We took him to the vet last week and he walked out with a clean bill of health (after pooping on the nurses who tried to weigh him of course) Because he is a measly 42lbs people are constantly stopping us to tell us how big he is going to be when he is full grown. We just smile and nod and love the little wrinkled face bundle that we have. Here are some pictures from the Birthday boy photo shoot.

After all that hard work, Teddybux deserved a treat!

On Overcoming Separation Anxiety

When we first got Teddybux he was a little ball of nerves. Now nearly 15 lbs heavier and over a year later it sometimes seems that pup can't wait for us to leave him at home. We have lots of time and people to thank for this of course.

First of all Bill Stavers a dog trainer here in Los angeles  who gave us tips on how to help Teddy get over his early and very extreme anxieties. Without his tips i'm not sure how we would have gotten by. Secondly, we have our family to thank. They have been so helpful by letting Teddybux come and visit their house when we need to go away for anywhere from a night to an entire week. They make his time away from us one that he can actually enjoy.

Most recently we must thank our dog walking team from Los Angeles dog company. Their team has really done wonders for Teddybux's self esteem. Because of them he is less afraid of people and less stressed out when we leave him alone. We think the routine helps alot as well. He knows that most mornings we will wake him up walk him for 20 minutes and then head off to work. On his favorite days he'll be picked up and taken to one of the local dog park on the others he will spend some time in the afternoon playing with his favorite toy. In between, although we can not be exactly sure, we think he just sleeps. Since this is listed among one of his top 3 favorite things to do, I would say overall he is a pretty happy pup.

So now as we near Teddybux's second birthday we are happy to say that his puppy days are behind us and maybe someday soon we will be able to replace our trusty old couch with one that the arm hasn't been half chewed off.

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A pup's best friend!