Hank the Tank!!
The apple of our eye, the love of our life.
No but seriously, we freaking love our dog. We don’t have kids yet so he gets allll the love.
I grew up with English Bulldogs, Mike grew up with Labs. I wanted a Frenchie, we got a Frenchie 😉 I really wanted to rescue but they are so popular and in such high demand that it was nearly impossible. We found a breeder that was in Texas (we were still living in California at the time) Mike’s parents were sweet enough to go to the breeder’s house and meet Mr. Hank in person for us. They face-timed us while they were there and all we saw was a blur of what they described to be a puppy with ‘character’. HA! He was running around like a mad man while his siblings cuddled up for more pets. Mike’s mom assured us he was ‘the one’. Boy am I glad we listened! Hank is now 1 1/2 years old and just as feisty as ever.

If you’re considering getting a French Bulldog, I’ve compiled a short list of advice/tips.
(I’ll do a full blog post in the future)
Just be prepared for all the love, cuddles and laughs that are in store for you!

Diet:
I am not a morning person – this must have rubbed off on Hank because he’ll sleep in until 10am if I do 😀 He has a bed *he has at least 4 beds* but he sleeps with me. Partly because he tends to get cold in the middle of the night and will come scratch at the bed for cuddles or for me to cover him with a blanket and partly because he’s the best snuggler out there. Back to his diet…
Breakfast – he’s not on a strict time schedule (because his mom isn’t) so Breakfast is whenever I give it to him. He used to eat Pulsar which is a great Canadian brand but he never seemed too interested in it. I’ve switched him over Wellness Core – Small Breed  which is gets very excited for. *TIP: you may already know this but I didn’t…When a food is labeled “small breed” that just determines the size of the kibble. If your pooch’s weight is not listed on the recommended serving size table just do the math to figure out how much more food you should be giving them*
Dinner for him is whenever I eat – anywhere between 6 and 8. Treats are everywhere in between 😉

Sensitive little guys:
Bulldogs may look tough but they actually have a very weak immune system. They suffer from conditions anywhere from allergies to Spina Bifida.

Two words : Pet Insurance.

We chose to go with Trupanion. I’m sure there are many great companies out there; we chose Trupanion solely because they require you to meet your deductible per condition rather than annually. We knew that by getting a Frenchie, he would most likely acquire conditions that stuck with him (like his allergies) his entire life instead of random incidents that sent him to the vet throughout the year. You also get to choose your monthly payment!

Travel:
Hank is the best travel buddy! We got him on a Thursday and drove with him from Texas to Florida on Sunday. He got used to traveling real fast. Here he is sleeping at my feet during that trip 🙂

 A month later he and I flew from Florida to California. Here he is during that trip – not as relaxed..he hated that carrier. Luckily, I was able to get him licensed as an Emotional Support Animal so the carrier is no longer required! Now he sleeps at my feet, in my lap or, if the flight attendants really like him, he’ll sleep in the empty seat next to me.

All in all, he’s just the best dog. Follows me everywhere I go, including the bathroom, snores louder than Mike, spazes out on the daily and loves every person and every dog…maybe a little too much at times but he means well 😉

 

Oh, and I know you’re all dying to know…YES! Hank has an instagram 😉

Hank the Tank

Bulldog (n):  A canine that can’t hear their name called 10 times but can hear a packet of biscuits being opened whilst asleep…3 rooms away…during a thunderstorm.