rescue dogs | Bulldog Diary

You know, people are quick to applaud mom for her work with dogs, but little do they know it’s actually we, the pack, who do most of the working! Sure, she might be holding the leash, and dad might be keeping an eye on things, but without us, they’d be in deep trouble from time to time. We are the ones who show them how it’s done, who teach them what to do, who tell them when it’s time. And so finally, someone showed us some appreciation. Inger, the owner of Pelle (former foster dog Nicki), adopted another dog, Kalle, from mom. He arrived from Spain 2 weeks ago, and when Inger met up at the airport to get him, she brought a BIG present – for US!!! Mom & dad got a cute little plant and a nice little card (mom’s crazy about cards, she saves them and treasures them like gold), but us dogs were the ones who REALLY hit the jackpot! Inside this big, heavy package lay a ton of treats! There was something in it for everyone, and although I’m not much for sharing, Inger’s unexpected display of generosity and kindness brought out the same in myself, and boy, did we share! It was better than Christmas, and our folks are hoping the effects will last as long, so they won’t have to try to top it.

Ah, how nice it is to be acknowledged and appreciated for the things that you do to help others…

Ahhrghh, open it up already!

For me? I mean, for us…? Oh, how very sweet of you!

I know, can you believe it! A year already! And I still enjoy it even!

So, how to sum it up? Well, I must say this little bulldog has quite the eventful life!

First of all, I’ve watched 3 of my little brothers grow up (Lego, Yoshi and Alfie), and the fourth one (Scooby) grow in confidence. 3 puppies in 2 years was tough, I’m not gonna lie.

Yoshi has always been a good boy, although a bit excentric. He does his own thing but he’s never caused a headache. Legolas, however, was a constant migraine attack! At his worst, we were all suicidal. But, look how he turned out! He’s now the greatest bro ever, even though he still gets on my nerves sometimes. To be fair, everybody kinda does at one point or another… Now, Alfie, he’s a different story all on his own! I’d say he’s been roughly the same pain in the butt as Lego, but in a totally different way. While Lego was a piece of work cuz he was so weak and insecure, Alfie’s been a troublemaker cuz he’s the total opposite! He’s confident and curious, and while that might not seem like a problem, pair it with dominance, independence and incredible strength, and you have teenage Rambo in a molossoid body! Oh, and add a natural affinity to guard and protect, and you have…that’s right: Alfie.

I remember one time when Lego was about 17 months old. It was Christmas and my folks were out somewhere. When they got home he had shredded the Christmas goat, made of straw, and spread it out on the e-n-t-i-r-e couch, which was tweed, so you can only imagine the clean-up work… Oh, and he’d also shredded a book mom got as a present and was still happily reading… Hahaha, I could’ve laughed myself to death. But I didn’t. At that point it would’ve literally ment my death.

Who knew this little cutie would be such a pain?

Alfie was never the destroyer-type, he’s more like an American football player. I stopped counting all of mom’s bruises, black-eyes and swollen lips a long time ago. Not to mention the torn palms, hurt knees, sore hips and back aches! You wouldn’t believe the dirty looks dad’s getting!

You’d think my folks would wanna lay off dogs for a while, but nope, not these two! Instead they brought home Scooby and Daysee from Spain, two strays they just happened to come across on their vacation. And what do you know, they’re two hunting dogs! A sniffer and a spy, at that, so we’ve now got a pair of hunters looking for prey in two different ways, which means more work, more commitment. I bet you get tired just by reading this! But don’t get too exhausted yet, cuz there’s more!

Oh, yes. Then we have the foster dogs! Laika and Pelle came from Spain to stay with us until mom found them a family of their own, and although Gigi, the third one, didn’t stay with us, momma had to find a home for her, too. And now, in the very beginning of the year of 2012, more dogs are a’comin’! Next week 3 more dogs will be fostered by us, all of them from Spain. 2 more will be situated somewhere else but mom is handling their adoptions.

Zuska & Guido.

Myriam & Michey.

Zoe.

It’s been quite the dog year…but we love it. I read somewhere (you didn’t know dogs can read?) that animal workers are indeed always out of money, but always rich on the things that matter the most, such as love, friendship, loyalty and companionship, to name a few. I like that saying, I think it’s correct. I think that you can only get so far with money, but all those other things can take you farther than anything else. What dogs offer to humans is priceless. If you let us we’ll even save you from your own destructiveness, something all you humans have within you to some extent. What you give us we return a thousandfold.

Furthermore, my personal change is in some ways pretty significant, in other ways not at all. I’d say I look the same, with the exception of a few gray’s here and there, and I’m still the same dog at heart. But unfortunately bulldogs are not made to live forever and my health conditions have made themselves felt this year. I still vomit on a regular basis but we try to control it as much as possible. I take medication for my arthritis but it’s obvious that I’m not as agile as before. You know, some elderly dog stuff. But to think I’m only 5! I plan on living twice that long! And you know me, I’m like a bad stain on a white shirt. Yeah… You’ll be seeing more of me for years and years to come. Super.