OKAY- I feel like you guys already know who Ruby is… but I also feel I haven’t told her story or given her a proper intro on the blog.
Little Miss Ruby Tuesday. Oh man, what was life like without her? A whole lot more boring… that’s for sure.
Rewind to about 9 months ago, Zack & I have discussed bringing another dog into our home, but nothing ever too serious. One night we were sitting at home, just a normal night, & Zack got a text from his friend… a frenchie breeder, & went kinda like this:
“Hey man, so we just had an amazing litter of frenchies & one of them just got back from the vet with kinda bad news- she has a knee problem called luxated patellas & we adore her so we really want to find her a good home w/ loving parents who can give her the medical attention she may or may not need. Would you & Erica be interested??”.
Zack read this out loud, & within the hour we were in the car on the way to go get her. Not only are we loving parents who can give her the attention she may or may not need, but I am a PRO in luxated patellas cause I’ve been dealing with it since day one with Bitzy (so far, we’ve successfully avoided surgery!).
Basically, it was a match made in heaven. She came home w/ us that night & the rest is history. It took a hot minute getting Bitzy used to all of Ruby’s energy, & although they have their scuffles over food & toys (bitzy is VERY possessive), they are definitely sisters & it’s fun to watch them kinda pack together.
I think it’s also helped renew Bitzy’s energy in her older years (my 12 year old queen!).
OKAY, so now that you know how Ruby entered our lives, here are a few things I have learned since having a frenchie… because it’s VERY different than having a 6lb yorkie who is smart as a whip & basically potty trained herself … LOL (yorkie owners, ya feel??)
1. First step: training. They are stubborn, but not stupid. You have to put in the work, but once they get it, they get it. Potty training was tough & we did need to bring in help, but Ruby learned to sit, shake, & lay down in a matter of three days. Persistence is key with frenchies.
2. They do well in small spaces, but also need exercise. They don’t need a huge yard or house cause they are small & love to just be cozied up, but you HAVE to get there energy out daily. Ruby goes to the dog park for at least 15 minutes everyday. Not only is good for her to get in a workout (we have to keep her weight down cause of her knees), but she LOVES to make friends.
3. French bulldogs are highly emotional & sensitive– or is that just ours? Her personality is SO fun, but she also gets legit hurt feelings. If she gets in big trouble and gets yelled at, she will hide in a corner & more often than not…. throw up. Actually, throwing up is kinda of her reaction to anything that upsets her. Lots of throw up, but it’s okay… cause we love her & all her vomit.
4. GAS. Holy gas…. we have finally got the gas issue semi-under control, but man oh man, for a while there we were getting hotboxed with the gnarliest stink bombs you’ve ever smelt. It’s all about finding the perfect food for your frenchie- we just recently discovered that salmon & any heavy protein (like lamb) gives her horrific gas. Turkey does best for our girl. Also- stock up on candles.
5. They LOVE to snuggle… & in the same regard, need a lot of love, like all of the time. It is so sweet & so great because she cuddles better than any human, but also can be tough cause we have a really hard time leaving her for more than 3 hours. FRENCHIE OWNERS- if you have any tips on leaving them, let us know! It’s probably the hardest thing we’ve had to deal with thus far.
6. Once you go frenchie, you never go back. It’s been less than a year & I already know I could never imagine a life without the constant joy & laughs little Ruby Tuesday brings us. She is EVERYTHING.
I think that sums it up! Do any of you guys have a frenchie? Want one? Any tips? Would love to chat!!!
Also, after doing this shoot, I learned that frenchies love to ham it up for the camera. She is honestly a better blogger than me!!!
x. E
