Just a few general questions

[Nicole G]

After last week's debacle with "are they getting along", now we have a new one! Sorry as this may be a long post.

Kali and Ella are suddenly having a ball with each other, so my mind's more at ease than it was last week! They really do play rough which gets nerve-wracking at times but I'm getting used to it. I worry about eyes and ears but they just gently bite each other and roll around and run. They're adorable. If anyone has any tips on how to keep them calm with each other just for when they do get too rough (even though they're still playing - sometimes it gets too crazy and they both need a time-out) please feel free to share!

So now that Kali's been here for a while, I'm starting to see some things that concern me. Her breeder fed them Victor - I don't know much about it - but it doesn't seem to agree with her very much, and given the food trouble we've been through with Ella I just don't want Kali to go through the same thing. My lack of trust in dog foods also doesn't help, but my experiences with it have never been very good. I would love to feed them both raw (is Kali too young? What age do you usually start?) as that's what Ella is slowly transitioning to, so I'm going to look into that. We have an all-natural farm around the corner that raises no-pesticide no-antibiotic livestock, and I don't mind getting my hands dirty so I'm thinking of trying to work something out with them as we go there a lot for holidays for us humans. Can Kali start trying veggies and fruits yet also?

My one other issue is her vax records. Just because we try to keep them as natural as possible, Ella only gets the necessary shots such as rabies and any others that are required around here. Kali is 11 wks. and has had the Coronavirus and core 4 (distemper, parvo, lepto and one other one) shots already. What order should she have the last bunch in? It was different with Ell - I didn't know as much as I do now and she was going to a sectioned off area in the yard to do her business, whereas Kali isn't allowed outside whatsoever. I was surprised when her breeder told me that she can't even go out on our deck (no animals go near there) until she's fully up to date on shots.

Other than that, I will post some pictures of them together soon! I can't believe they are such partners in crime already.:no:

 

[Mavis]

Kali and Ella are suddenly having a ball with each other, so my mind's more at ease than it was last week! I can't believe they are such partners in crime already.:no:

Be careful what you pray for!

Sorry, I am not much help with your questions but look forward to reading what others will post. Someday we hope to have a second frenchie and I will be looking for you to calm me down.

 

[Nicole G]

Be careful what you pray for!

Sorry, I am not much help with your questions but look forward to reading what others will post. Someday we hope to have a second frenchie and I will be looking for you to calm me down.

Right?! I feel like I'm going to be ganged up on for treats! And that's awesome - you should get another one if you get the chance. This breed...I've always heard they're like potato chips and you can't have just one. We'll all be here to calm you down! :hug2:

 

[Jakeyjake]

I love having two! I feel like they keep each other company when we are gone and it helps my guilt of leaving them, because as everyone knows, Frenchies like their humans!
If the play escalates and gets too aggressive or vocal, just distract and redirect or put Kali in a xpen or crate for a break.
We don't feed raw so I cannot be of help there.
Regarding immunizations, we gave the initial recommended core vaccines to Jake and Stella and now titer test. We are required by law to give the rabies too, so we cannot titer test for that. We did not give the lepto vaccine and do not board or take them to dog parks/day care so we do not give them bortadella either.

 

[Honeys Owners]

I would just get the rabies shot given once at 4-6 months, and then a year later start giving the 3 year rabies shot. I would give the DHPP shot at age 14-16 weeks and then at 12-16 months, and then just give after that by testing titres every couple of years. since you are trying to minimize shots. The only other shot I might give would be the bordatella if you board the dog at all.

 

[Nicole G]

I love having two! I feel like they keep each other company when we are gone and it helps my guilt of leaving them, because as everyone knows, Frenchies like their humans!
If the play escalates and gets too aggressive or vocal, just distract and redirect or put Kali in a xpen or crate for a break.
We don't feed raw so I cannot be of help there.
Regarding immunizations, we gave the initial recommended core vaccines to Jake and Stella and now titer test. We are required by law to give the rabies too, so we cannot titer test for that. We did not give the lepto vaccine and do not board or take them to dog parks/day care so we do not give them bortadella either.

Having two is very interesting! The way they play is unlike anything I've ever seen before. Aside from Kali and I not being as close as I would like yet, she's working out terrific.

I agree completely with doing titers when you can. Ella always reacts badly to shots so I've tried to minimize the amount she gets. She had the main puppy group, but much to my vet's dismay I would not let him do Lepto or Bordatella and I plan on doing the same with Kali. We don't board or do dog parks either - all the dogs anywhere near mine are family and friends' dogs that I know their health history.

 

[Nicole G]

I would just get the rabies shot given once at 4-6 months, and then a year later start giving the 3 year rabies shot. I would give the DHPP shot at age 14-16 weeks and then at 12-16 months, and then just give after that by testing titres every couple of years. since you are trying to minimize shots. The only other shot I might give would be the bordatella if you board the dog at all.

I'm with you on that! Unfortunately both breeders' gave the two of them multiple vaccines before I got them, so Kali already had ones I would have waited to give her such as DHPP. She is going to get the rabies at 4 mos. just so we can take her outside. I wish I'd had this information when I got Ella a year ago though! She had a few bad reactions to shots and since her breeder was in Florida, she had to travel across the country so they gave her a whole bunch. I've really just tried to keep them as healthy as possible and as natural as possible since they are so sensitive.

 

[2bullymama]

As for shots... I follow my vets lead on this, we only give what we HAVE to based on where we live and the surroundings. Been lucky to say no adverse reactions with any of our pups to date.

As for food... raw, they are never to young to start on it. If Ella is already on it just start feeding Kali the same, just smaller portion.

As for play, I have always used a single word with my guys... either 'off' or 'easy' and they settle or re-group. Which reminds me.... I owe you some videos.

 

[Nicole G]

[MENTION=2]2bullymama[/MENTION] That's similar to what we do. That's awesome that you've never had any reactions - I was so scared the night Ella had a bad reaction to the rabies vax.

If Kali can have eat raw and have some veggie pieces that would also make training a lot easier! I use carrots to train with Ellie and I'd love to work with both of them.

I wish my two would listen to "off"! I tried "gentle" and shaking a can of coins when they get too rowdy. It works somewhat.:no: But if you don't mind posting a few of the videos I would definitely love to see them!

 

[davidh]

When they start playing too rough I just tell the HEY!! and they lighten up, if they don't, then it's time for a time out and a nap. Pups are like young children, when they get tired, they can get crazy, so it's nap time. Pups need plenty of sleep anyway. We just go with our vet on vacs., but do the minimum. I do not like giving the rabies shot, because I have heard too many horror stories. We have only had one pup have a reaction to the shots, and the vet had to give an other shot to help with this. I don't feed raw, so know nothing about it, but sounds like others have you covered.

 

[2bullymama]

@2bullymama That's similar to what we do. That's awesome that you've never had any reactions - I was so scared the night Ella had a bad reaction to the rabies vax.

If Kali can have eat raw and have some veggie pieces that would also make training a lot easier! I use carrots to train with Ellie and I'd love to work with both of them.

I wish my two would listen to "off"! I tried "gentle" and shaking a can of coins when they get too rowdy. It works somewhat.:no: But if you don't mind posting a few of the videos I would definitely love to see them!

Here is my Youtube channel that has some good examples, but the others are on m home computer and will try to post those tonight or over the weekend. I know I have one or two where I am correcting them during the video.

https://www.youtube.com/user/0904caw/videos?shelf_id=1&sort=dd&view=0

 

[Cbrugs]

You can start her on raw now. Jax is on raw but I didn't start him until a little over a year ago (he is 3 1/2). I will be (fingers crossed) getting an English Bulldog puppy in the near future and plan on starting raw right away.

Thankfully Jax has never had a reaction to any of his shots. Next time he is due, I will do a titer test. Where we live, you have to do the rabies vaccine and because he goes to daycare, he has to get the Bortadella every 6 months. When we get the puppy, I plan on doing the first set of core vaccines and then titer testing after that.