I'm so sorry about your boy too....your heart really isn't completely alive until you have a bulldog. Neither of these are Norman, or his personality, its strange....maybe just because he was the first....but he was seriously "human"....lol Tootsie was kind of Norman's pet, altho she loves us and humans too, but it was like she was his pet, he hated the intrusion at first, then she was sick after being allergic to the stitches they used internally when she was spayed, and had to be separated from him, and he freaked out looking all over for her, dragging her bed around....we got her for him when we'd have to fly to Texas and couldn't take him because of the heat, etc our best friend and dog trainer would stay with him and house sit and take him with her, but he just wanted to play with us, and we weren't there 24/7, so we got her, however he was always the top dog, he just had his own pet....lol She was so depressed when he was gone, we couldn't get her off her bed, and she'd lay on top of where we buried him....it was awful. We got Teddy because we were afraid we'd loose Tootsie to grief, and they love each other, and want to sleep snuggled up, and he can't stand her out of his sight, she can do without him a bit more, he's very protective of his space with me and won't allow her to sit by me very often...we've hired Dr. Gail Clark that has written several books and lives here, and her assistants to dog and house sit, and they are much better, but on occasion, "get into it"
and its scary. We've spared no expense or love on them, even tho, on some level I think Tootsie was Norman's pet, and Teddy is company for Tootsie, but neither of them actually started out as just our pet...that probably makes no sense, but as I've been here all day thinking, I wonder if they don't stress each other out, even tho they at this moment are sleeping on top of one another behind me on the sofa as I type. We do not favor one or the other, and love them dearly, and both were raised and doted on and treated just as Norman. I know they are all different just like our own children are, these 2 just have such a different dynamic that I have thought all day about it....rambling again....Just trying to think of any and everything that could trigger this besides the food and meds. I know some of the meds, albeit maybe needed at the time, have added the insult to injury here and there, and even as an owner that faced down cancer, as a pharm. rep, and pharmacy owner, we try to not take anything unless absolutely needed...we have compounded so many alternative things when we can to lower side effects, for 2 and 4 legged creatures, and try to go with organic and natural and alternative when we can, drugs have their place when you need them tho, but I'm a big believer now in prevention so you don't need them. We have 40+ horses too....so I worry alot...!!!! If you think bulldogs are trouble, we can put a horse in a padded stall to keep them from getting a boo-boo, and they'll eat the padding and colic....its amazing. I swear I've told my grown kids that showed horses and have been major dog lovers and are, that the horses and dogs went to the doctor more than they ever did! Anyway, thanks for all the help, and if you've ever brought another bulldog into a situation like this, and had troubles, even with them not breeding dogs, I'd love to hear that too, maybe should have another post tho. I'm seriously not projecting Norman on them, and I'm sure its evident we will never get over him, but we totally give them all the same advantages and considerations and amount of fretting...It'd be nice to know if anyone else has ever had issues like this and if it caused more stress on the bulldogs, you already know its stressed us out...lol Thanks tons, its nice to be in a group!!!!!
great minds..that's all!
