Frenchie Tink

Hey owners of frenchies and people that know then in person. Of course frenchies are some of the cutest dogs in the world. But do you ever just look at them and realize that they are little bulldogs? I mean.. When  I look at Tink and Chubs I think to myself, you guys are little versions of the toughest dogs in the world. They’re mini boss dogs. Little mobsters, junkyard gangsters. Just look at their faces. From the wide jaws to their facial wrinkles. Their build, the stockiness, and like it or not they look like little gremlins or monsters.

BUT, they’re little and soo cute.

They’re like mini pinchers are to the dobermans; but to the Bullies (English Bulldogs, Pit Bulls and Mastiffs). Just look at the previous post of Chubs. Even though he is cute as heck, doesn’t he look like a little bully?

I know, not really, cuz he’s so little..

Gotta love the Frenchie.

For many of us, our dogs are part of our family, and as such, are often the subject of our photographs. It’s not as easy photographing dogs, and we’re often disappointed with the results.

No matter whether you use a digital SLR or a compact camera, there are steps you can take to make sure you get the best possible photos of your furry friend.

1. Spend some time training your dog. It’s much easier to get a good photo if your dog will sit, stand, drop and stay when he’s told. You can use a squeaky toy to get a lovely alert expression on his face, but it doesn’t work at all if he hasn’t been taught to stay. Also, if he’s had some training, you’ll feel much more confident if you want him photographed without a collar and leash.  But, remember to keep it fun.  They should see that camera come out and think it is a game!
2. Have your dog groomed to perfection. If you’re going to spend the time taking photos of him, make sure he’s clean, his hair is trimmed and he looks his very best. Bring along a washcloth or some wipes to wash his muzzle just in case he drools a little.
3. Choose a nice location for the photos. A park or a patch of forest are both good options. The beach or river is another favorite place, but make sure your dog doesn’t go for a swim before you’re finished photographing him. Check the background and make sure there’s no objects in the way; you don’t want the appearance of trees growing out of your dog’s head.
4. Make sure you know how to use your camera. If the background is very bright, your dog will appear very dark in the photos. In this case, you can force your flash to work, and light up your dog too. You’ll get a much better photograph. Read your camera manual, and practice. Most cameras these days have some sort of zoom capacity.  Using a zoom length of at least 80mm will allow you to stay a reasonable distance from your dog, and avoid curious nose prints on your lens.
5. Get some help. It’s very difficult to stand away from your dog and take a photo, as well as tell him to stay, encourage an alert expression, and change the direction of his gaze. You’ll have much more fun in your photography session if there’s someone taking care of him while you’re at the other end of the camera.
6. Take lots of photos and be patient.  The real advantage of digital photography is that there’s no film being used, and it doesn’t cost anything to take hundreds of photos. Having said that, it’s still a good idea to wait and think before taking a shot. Take a couple of seconds to make sure the wind isn’t blowing fur across your dog’s face, he’s looking in the right direction, and the background is attractive.  When everything is just right, snap LOTS of photos.  You will have lots of good photos, and with a bit of luck a couple of great ones!
7. If possible, photograph your dog in the shade. This avoids dark shadows and harsh highlights, which can be difficult for your camera’s automatic exposure system to work with. It will also avoid photos where your dog is squinting. You’ll find the best light for photography is early in the morning or late in the afternoon.
8. Squat or lie down so you’re at your dog’s level, rather than photograph him from above. Fill the frame with the part you want to photograph, whether it’s just his head or the whole body. Another good angle is to get down low and photograph upwards against the sky or some trees. It turns out great, but again, you may need to force your flash to fire to avoid your dog turning out dark in your photos.
9. Keep an eye on his head position. Although dogs don’t mind their noses appearing big in photos, you will get a more attractive portrait if he’s looking forty-five degrees to the side. Try it and you’ll agree, it’s much nicer than a photo that’s taken when he’s staring straight at the camera.
10. Don’t leave your photos in your camera: have your good ones printed, or even enlarged for your wall.  If you want to be more creative, try some of the great digital scrap booking software that’s available. Add backgrounds, text and decorations, and create a real work of art.

It does take practice to improve your photography, but if you follow these ten steps, you’ll have photos of your dog that will take pride of place on your wall.

Article by Dog Fence DIY - Experts in Electric Dog Fencing and Do-it-Yourself Fence Building.

Here are some pictures of our french bulldog Chubbas wearing his new San Diego Chargers jersey. He absolutely loves it. He doesn’t mind representing the Super Chargers one bit. On walks, he struts the streets of San Diego with a huge smile, like “yeah, you bet I’m Chargers fan”.

Every gameday, he’s just as ready to wear it as the Chargers are ready to win.

LET’S GO SAN DIEGO CHARGERS!!!!

Cool Stuff for Cool Dogs - at JakesDogHouse.com

Just the other day, we decided to get our carpets cleaned. As mentioned in a post before, our carpets have gotten really dirty. 85% of the dirt is from the Frenchies. After spending days looking for a carpet cleaning company here in San Diego, we finally picked one; Tony’s Best Way. We read enough reviews to know that they will provide a decent service and we checked out their site and it was amazing. They’re the only cleaning company in San Diego with a unique, patented carpet cleaning approach called “Health+ Clean Method”; dry foam extraction. They also claimed to be pet friendly, which as you know is important to us dog lovers. Tony’s Best Way has been carpet cleaning San Diego since 1971. So why not give them a shot.

Here are some pictures of our place transcending from a dirty pit to a healthy, allergen-free, fresh and clean home.

That was the process, but look..

Long story short; they did an awesome job cleaning our carpets and we couldn’t be happier :) THANKS TONY!

Here’s their info if you’re looking for a carpet cleaner in San Diego, California. WE RECOMMEND THEM!

Tony’s Best Way Carpet Cleaning

www.tonysbestway.com

(858) - 459-3201 or (619) - 325-0800

Two weekends ago we attended Downtowndoglover.com’s running of the bulldog event. It was a charity event (for the FACE FOUNDATION) in which all breeds of bulldogs and their owners participated in a 6 block course through downtown San Diego ending at the DowntownDogLover.com Launch PAW-ty. I wish we would have blogged about this event sooner so that all of you would have had the opportunity to join in on the festivities because it was an absolute blast. Imagine about 100 bulldogs running the streets of downtown (ok not exactly running) but it was a sight to be seen.

Here is a link to Animal Planet’s footage of the run. Tink is dashing across the lawn in the beginning of the video.

Chubs and Tink had so much fun meeting other frenchies and bully breeds. Chubs especially liked frolicking in the multiple kiddie pools they had set up throughout the course. And guess what, we even made the local news..

In the video you can see James and I walking Tink and chubs around the 18 second mark and Chubs in the kiddie pool around the 30 second mark. Combined this is our 3 seconds of fame :)

Hey guys, we’ve just wanted to give you guys an update on Tink & Chubs. They’re doing great and we’re sorry we haven’t posted any pictures of them lately, but here’s the scoop… Just before we got Chubs, I rented a self steam cleaner from Vons and shampooed our carpets. I’m no professional carpet cleaner, however I must admit I did a fabulous job. Our home was clean and welcoming for our little Chubba Wubbas.

Well, long story short, within months our carpets went from cream/beige to grayish/silver. Through Chuba Wubbas potty training stages, Tinks reverse potty training since Chubs arrival and our phase of letting them potty in a corner on our balcony (which only lead them to track dirt and urine into the house) our carpets became some of the dirtiest carpets around. Even our friends would comment; “dang, what happen to y’all’s carpet?!” We had a hundred excuses, but not one was good enough.

Here are a couple pictures showing how clean our carpet used to be;

Here’s some pictures we’ve taken of chubs growing up that we were too embarrassed to share because of the dirty carpet in the background.

We’re not dirty folks. We just went through a phase of pet potty training ignorance, a phase of laziness and just plain ‘ole raising little frenchies in our one bedroom condo in Pacific Beach.

We’ll start blogging again though, because there is still so much to share.

Thanks for Reading!

James

Just wanted to say “HI”

If ever in Texas and need a place to board your dog, consider Bo’s Bunkhouse. Bo’s Bunkhouse is by far one of the most interesting dog boarding facilities in the United States.

Here are several reasons why Bo’s Bunkhouse is #1 for Frisco Dog Boarding:

• It was started by a owner that love dogs more than most hotels love people.
• Bo is a rescued dog this boarding facility is dedicated to.
• They provide luxury lodging and accommodations for all dogs.
• They have a great reputation for providing premier pet care.
• They offer more than just lodging… They really take care of your dog.
• They provide healthy dog food choices.
• Twice-daily room service so your dog has a sanitized living corridor
• Unlimited water so dog never goes thirsty
• Plenty of potty breaks and outdoor exercising

These are just to name a few…
But so we don’t appear bias, here are several reasons why you may not want to send your dog to Bo’s Bunkhouse :)

• Your dog will be spoiled rotten
• Your dog may not want to leave the resort
• Your dog may fall in love with his or her temporary home and forget about you
• The hotel workers may provide your dog with more hugs and kisses than you

We love Bo’s Bunkhouse and it’s owner. There’s no question in our minds that whenever in Frisco, we have to give Tink and Chubs an opportunity of a lifetime.

If you are Frisco residents looking for dog lodging, there’s no need to look any further. These guys will take good care of your dog(s). Bo’s Bunkhouse is the premier Pet Resort in North Texas.

Happy Mother’s Day Moms

Yesterday, we took Tink & Chubs to Kate Session’s Park after Lisa got off work. It was their first time in a few weeks. They were soooo excited. Right when we got there, Tink ran straight to the closest dog to she if she could start something. As I caught up with her, I realized that the dog was thinking about messing with was another cute frenchie…

Here is Sydney,

Sydney is a 3 years old black-masked red french bulldog. She was so small. Tink weighs 21 lbs and Sydney was obviously smaller. She was the sweetest little dog. All she wanted to do was fetch her rubber ball or chillax next to her owner Marie, or even Lisa and I. She loves the back rub and gets to close to get a  good picture of her. Everytime you ask her to look at the camera, she’ll come running up to you and thinks you just want to love her. I don’t blame here. She’s an incredibly cute dog with a very sweet (unlike Tink) personality.

 All photos taken with my iPhone :)