Rain rain rain... please stop the madness

Yesterday we had a huge rain storm. The Tornado alarms were going off on the ibone, and the local school has the lightening detector at full tilt. We were scared with the winds and rain. The tv fickered a few times.

Mommy and I decided to take a short nap, she's been kind of sick lately. So her on the love seat in the Charlie Sheen room and me on my chair in my room sound asleep, when all of a sudden... I started barking like there was an intruder. I'm sure Mommy grabbed Pete and came to me. There I stood on my chair with water circling me. She swooped me up and off to the Charlie Sheen room I went.

The water came through the door with the elevation being jostled from next door and we were flooding. My brand new carpet was soaked and ruined. The wood floor beneath it was a mess and my new couch (big people size) and new chair were soaked. Thankfully none of my pictures were hung yet, because they would have been ruined too.

Mommy called Daddy to come back to the house so we could get the water out, and then the cleanup began. It took several hours it seemed and finally it was all dried. I do not like the water sucking machine so I went to Dad's room and watched tv for a while.

Tomorrow the contractor is coming over, we are heart sick at the losses we suffered but are sincerely thankful we were ok. The winds were bad and scared us, but staying safe was more important.

Thanks to our friends who have reached out.

xoox

Gunner MacGyver Capt Underpants

I've got friends in low places...

Mom turned on the XM and Garth was humming out my favorite song. As the music played I kept my paw on Mommy's knee. Every once in a while I would bump her knee with my nose. She knows it's about time for her to sing (oh lordy help us) the chorus. Don't tell her, but I really love it.

In addition to that, she has strategically placed pictures of my friends eye level for ME. So in essence, I have friends in lo-ooo-ow places. You know, knee high to a bulldog.

The painter dude that smiles at Mommy a lot suggested we make a wall of friends in my Man Cave, so she is busy sending pictures to Costco the photo-guru so I can have all my twitter buddies on my special wall.

In the mean time, I am hitting the button on the juke box A-18 Garth Brooks I've Got Friends in Low Places...

Almost two years... We are so very lucky~

On March 17, 2012 my Mommy picked me up from my breeder grandmother. It was a bittersweet day. My sister/litter mate and I took the long drive to my Aunt's house. Mommy cried when I left, she was very sad and didn't know what to do. Remember Mommy couldn't have me for a while when she bought me. The first night I was scared and I wanted my Mommy. Within 3 weeks Mommy threatened the landlord guy at our temp house, and home I came. During the next two years I have had the time of my life.

My many friends on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Tampa Meetups and so on have made it a total blast. Of course, I learned the bulldog ropes from my besties Rocco and Deuce. These two guys have been so important to me.  My very first bulldog friend was Falco, Henry Ford's brother. Shortly after that I met the StudClub dudes and life has never been the same.

My two years have been filled with love and hope. My bff's sister survived her tumor surgery, everyone dug deep and collected money for her surgeries. Never would I have imagined how much people love our bulldogs and give monetarily. We also had a few parties along the way.

I am hopeful this next year will be as great as the last two! My BFF's both will  have human babies so their time is limited, but let's hope we have many good times ahead.

Thanks Rocco and Deuce you two make it all right!!

xooxx

Gunner McGyver Davis O'Flannery

Bulldog Meetup Enterprise Dog Park March 2nd 2014

We all headed on a bright sunny Florida morning to gather with a few bulldogs. This was not an "official meet up" only a few that wanted to get together in the Northern part of Pinellas County. Well we couldn't have been more excited as the bulldogs arrived.

We had Sexay Marley our friend from Twitter and the meet ups, we had new friends, and a few lost friends. What a great time had by all.

Meet ups are very important to our bulldogs. They socialize and get to see other push face dogs. Generally we take over an area and the other breeds just stay away. I would like to think they are giving us our privacy, but I am pretty sure they are in awe of our beauty and cannot compete with such royalty.

English Bulldogs are special breeds. Generally they will not be long distance runners or walkers for that matter. Their capacity is short and lets face it, they are much cuter laying around then actually doing physical labor.

Mommy was able to get one of her favorite bulldogs to come out and he brought his brother and cousin with him. I wasn't even too jealous, it's not like Theo, who she would trade me for in a minute I am sure. But Brutus and I are pretty much the same, full of energy and know we are the stars of the show...Well...Cletus is sort of the star he taught me how to stand on tables yesterday and I decided to try it out. BIG. HUGE. FAIL. I went to the crate without a treat. Not sure I want to do that again. Here are some pictures you might enjoy.  *** We are planning a BIG treat for April *** We are having a well known Bulldog Expert attend our meetup to answer questions you might have. Just a little ask and answer with the Expert. Stay tuned...

Puppy socialization

There has been rumors floating that I might get a puppy playmate. Mom is still really worried because I am not a sharing kind of bulldog. You go near my Mom and I get a bit upset. However, a puppy may come here soon rather than later. With a new puppy means socialization. That means the new puppy will get to go to all the cool places I went to with exceptions of Pet Stores and Dog Parks until he/she has her last puppy shots.

So I asked my Mom how do you socialize if you don't do the social things we do. She announces we will be having small friends over and things. Wait the puppy gets parties and I don't?

What is so important about socialization... For one, jumping and humping. That is sort of a big no-no in the Gunner house. Also, being friendly and not afraid of people. Letting the smaller pint size kids touch me or the new kid on the block will make us more lovable.

When a puppy is young that is when you get to teach and expose them to the things they might encounter as older dogs. Taking the food bowl away, taking the favorite toy away, keeping a tight hand on the dominance. With a possibility of having two strong males in the house, Mom will need to be pack leader and that is really important to learn.

Recently I had company and I tried to share my favorite of ALL time bone with her. I pushed it through the fence to her. I think she was afraid of My Mommy because she wouldn't take it, but I was a good boy for trying.

Another HUGE tip if you ever even think about showing your dog, START very young. Put your hands all over them, in their mouths, on their Lincoln and Douglas' when they drop, grab their paws A LOT  and clip their nails very early.

Bathing and nail maintenance is very important and starting it young is key. Short nails are not only more attractive, they also help prevent foot spread and feet issues. The nails if to long can mess up a dog's gait and they tend to have issues. Think of that old lady that wears scuffy slippers and her feet are super wide, yup you get the ugly truth picture.

Just remember the puppy coming in is very new and scared, keep them comfortable and expose them at your comfort level.

Bulldog skin issues...

In Florida it seems everything is blooming. The Oaks are in full nuisance and the rest of the blooms are poking their heads out. This often causes allergies. You know dogs get allergies right?

When the allergy season comes, it mostly makes my nose run and I itch from time to time. However, my sister from another mister loses her hair and she is wheezy.

Here is a tip I learned from a visiting Veterinarian. If you are prone to pollen and things, wash your dog in Dawn dish washing soap and double rinse. This eliminates some of the pollen on the hair that you pick up from outside.

Not Listerine this time, but the Dawn seems to really work. I know they use that with the birds that are covered in oil, but to try in on a dog... Well we did and it works.

Always check with your Vet, these are just my suggestions on what works on me.

Happy Sunday!

Knowing your dog's short falls - Gunner's Mom posting

Today was a meetup in Tampa and we did not attend. Not because it was going to rain, not because it was not in our backyard, not because we didn't know anyone going, and certainly not because we didn't like who was going. We didn't go because to my dismay, Gunner went there a week or so ago for a photo shoot. Let's just say it was a failure and leave it at that. Oh you want details huh? Well, to digress a bit, when I bought Gunner I was told don't worry bulldogs don't like water. They can't swim and don't want to be near the water. That was a huge FAT lie because when I took him to his first Dog meetup at Davis Island Beach Park, he dove right in and sunk.

To move up to speed that was almost 2 years ago, so I figured some old dogs can be taught tricks... Not this one. Not only did he try to be Mark Spitz and do a little diving, he proceeded to take the photographer into the water as well. I had a life jacket for Gunner but not the photographer nor his camera. The shoot was horrible, Gunner was terrible, the photographer is scarred for life and he may not ever take another picture again.

So to the 8 people that wanted to know "whats the story" why didn't we go, plain and simple Gunner is a butthead that likes to scare the bat crap out of his Mom and not give it a second thought. Besides he had a Daddy and Me day and kept his land loving feet on the ground. I am quite sure he missed his friends at the meetup, and I am sure Alfred was the star of the show. Next week we are on solid ground and if the ones that are mad we didn't come decide not to come to the next one, so be it... I don't live my life by the Twitter revolt or gossipers...I do this for Gunner, not anyone else...