The Bully Pack

Finally!!!  A picture of our madhouse!  You know what I think that pack is missing...a small flyball wanna-be height dog!!  Yup....I'm all over that!  (shhh, Bill doesn't know it or admit that he knows it yet.)  LOL

And, of course, Henry...who is "technically" my daughter's.  HAHA...glad I get to have the fun with him.  Love him!

Happy New Year Everyone!!

Otto says...

"MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL!"

Santa delivers...

A four paw Christmas gift!  ...hang on, will get to that!

I have to say I love to be a bully matchmaker!!!  I feel blessed to have been part of some wonderful bulldog matchmaking.  :0)   Now the puppies, they are easy...who can resist a pudgy wrinkly bully baby.  I have had the fortune to have placed puppies in some wonderful homes.  A huge thank you to my families for sharing their homes with a Marby bulldog puppy.  Hugs to you all!

What's most rewarding is finding homes for the older bulldogs that need their forever homes.  Maybe they aren't the most perfect bulldog by show ring standards, have special needs, or circumstances have just caused a change in life.  A few that come to mind...Bee, Holly, Griffin, Doc.  Hmmm, maybe I have a rescue heart (never really thought of it that.)

So here I share, another successful matchmaking!  A most wonderful four paw Christmas gift.  Here you go peeps, meet Bella!

Isn't she beautiful!  Bella had an owner that cared about her a lot but he knew she deserved a home where she could receive the pampered life and care that every bully dreams of!!  So the search began...

A month or two ago I began some email exchanges with a wonderful lady, SyAnn.  I could tell SyAnn was going to be a wonderful bulldog momma.  She had really researched the breed and was very interested in opening her home and heart to an older bulldog.  SyAnn and I quickly became email penpals (farmville neighbors too..haha!) and after exploring some adoption opportunities, the perfect match came along with Bella. Oh lucky girl Bella!!!!!  I'm not sure who received the Christmas gift, Bella or SyAnn, but Santa delivered a few days early and now Bella is enjoying life with her new family and four paw sister Mandy.

Happy beginnings Miss Bella!  Enjoy your new home!!  I enjoyed being Santa's matchmaking elf!!

If you know someone who would be willing to share their home with an older/young adult bulldog, please let me know.  Sometimes these opportunities come along and nothing is more rewarding then connecting bullies with their forever families!!!

More?!

Uma says, "YIPPEE, more snow!!!!!"

My Bully Family

Hi all,

It's me Uma and I just have to share a photo of me and MY DADDY!  Aren't we just cute together!  I'm working on making my dad proud by learning to "sit" and "stay" just like him.  He's pretty good at the obedience and tricks, and I'm hoping to follow in his footsteps...in the training ring and show ring!  :0)  We invited Momma Maisy to join us so I could have a complete family photo but Momma is not as patient as Dad and I.  We'll try a new family photo later...maybe something more creative.  hahaha....Momma Mary has an idea!

12-11-10

(OMG...case in point....I posted this a WHOLE flippin' DAY early!!!  I am not good with dates!  But posting anyway so I'll get two days of birthday wishes in for Jen!!!)  So consider this as a post on 12-11-10, TOMORROW!!!

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I will confess.  Numbers are not my greatest friends.  I can't remember dates, phone numbers, addresses or much of anything that involves a number.  They just don't stick...ever!

But today, as I was wishing a special friend a Happy Birthday, I was quite impressed by today's date! 

12-11-10!  

This sequence of numbers usually would be lost upon me...I mean, really who cares, it's just a set of numbers with no special meaning.  But today is the birthday of my friend JEN.  And, Jen loves her numbers!!!

So Jen, have PAW-fect birthday (tomorrow)!  Enjoy!

"The world would be so lonely, in sunny hours or gray. 

Without the gift of friendship, to help us every day."

- anonymous

Naughty or Nice?

OMG...it's me Otto!  I'z so excited!!!  You see yesterday, Momma Mary, showed me the cutest picture!!  I thought to myself, "Dang, that bully iz almost as cute as me."  I know what your thinking....NO WAY!  How can you get cuter than me.  See here's the secret...keep it in the family!!  Hope you enjoy some double cute, wonderfully handsome pictures of some of the most adorable bullies around.  Really!?  You doubt...it's a fact...our momma's tell us we are the cutest all the time!  Always believe your mother!!  Momma Heidi and Momma Mary would never lie!

My nephew Ozzie.
Photo and permission to repost by his Momma Heidi.

And me, Uncle Otto.

I knew it....you're a believer now!!  (psst, I think he takes after my genes.)  

Happy Holidays.  

Love, Otto

The Stockings are hung....

and Apple is waiting for Santa!!  We miss her so much, but all is MERRY and BRIGHT in her world!

Snow Day!

Yippee!!!!  Us four paws woke up to a whole bunch of snow....inches of it!!!  Momma Mary was groaning about it and Daddy Bill wasn't thrilled with all the shoveling.  But me, I was so very happy!

I was like a little kid entertaining himself.  I'd run and run, jump through the snow, dash through the trees...over and over again.  You see, the bullies aren't allowed in my "big" yard.  I don't know why, something about how they run the fence too hard.  I think Momma Mary is afraid their bully bodies might pull a muscle or two or three.  Not me tho, I'm made for running and jumping.

Today...part of the fun was teasing Maisy because she couldn't run through the snow like me.  She did her usually trash talking but I just laughed right back.

Na-na-na-boo-boo, you can't catch me.  ~Herny

The New Look

Our little Uma is growing up....she's experiencing her first big girl heat cycle.  Oh joy for us!  Her #1 favorite thing is to come on my bed with me while I enjoy my first morning's coffee.  I spread out an extra soft blanket for her and she plops herself down on it.  She is such an interesting combination of her Daddy Otto and Momma Maisy.  A few are...she whines like her daddy and suckles on her blankie like her momma.

She was not a happy girl yesterday when she was forbidden from the bed, but my friend Jen saved the day!!!  She made Uma the cutest pair of panties!  Check out her Blue Line Design site...she is so creative!!

This morning we donned the panties and continued our morning ritual, much to Uma's delight!

I tried to get a few photos last night, but Uma only wanted to rub my legs to try and get the panties off.  This morning was better and she'll be used to them in no time.

Here's our big girl Uma in her big girl panties!  (oh and a new cool collar from Jen too, although I don't have a picture of that yet).

This and That

First, I must say...."Ohhhh, Mondays are so hard!"  After a long weekend at the flyball tournaments, I would love a day to play catch up at home.  No such luck.  Darn!

But a few brags to share.  :0)

Henry ran another PB this weekend in flyball.  A 4.21!!!!!!   AND, I walked (with two shoes and no crutches or boot) all weekend!  Nice!!!

Marby's A Bit of Heaven "Gracie" passed her CGC and TDI!!!  (Canine Good Citizen and Therapy Dog International).  Good job Gracie and Kris!  Thanks for your commitment to her....and now Apple!   :0)  I couldn't be happier that Apple has gone to live with her sister Gracie.  That's going to be one hopping bulldog household. lol!!  A shout out to Apple too for receiving her paperwork clearance for her CHIC/OFA patellas and cardiac. Official certification number pending receipt in the mail.

Here's a snapshop of the sisters at play!

And, can't forget about big boy Otto. Such a goofball! It's not a brag but who can resist a bully in a three baskets!

A congrats to Randy's win with Bailey at the Minneapolis Kennel Club show this weekend and BIG "woo hoo" to Nancy and Bogart on their showring debut!  ...keep 'em coming!!

And to my friend Jen on her election to the St. Paul Minneapolis Bulldog Club's board election.  She's going to be a wonderful voice for the bulldog breed.  Way to go Jen!

It was a full weekend of four paw fun!!!

Uma is Here!

We are all so excited!!  Uma will be here for awhile!  We will enjoy every minute!

Here she is at 8 1/2 months, enjoying the afternoon sunshine and a romp in the yard.  I did too!

Let the adventures of Uma begin...

Friday Fun Night

This is an event I'll be attending as a representative for our St. Paul Minneapolis Bulldog Club and sounds like it's sure to be a good time for any bulldog lover (or beer lover for that matter.)  I happen to fall into both categories so I am looking forward to it!!  See you there?!

More details and information can be found on the link below:

http://myemail.constantcontact.com/Celebrate-Your-Inner-BULLDOG----Opening-Reception-this-Friday-.html?soid=1102315562911&aid=BXGgy1qFxvY

Simple Delights

Hi all,

Ya know, these humans sometimes they don't know a good thing when they see it. They scurry around picking up all sorts of cool things.  For example, dog toys...why not leave them on the couch all the time?  Empty card board boxes...hey, a boy likes a good soggy chew sometimes?  And the real kicker...why put away my favorite chewed laundry basket!

I'm telling ya, they ruin the best fun.  It's been weeks now since they took away my favorite laundry basket.  So I've had to resort to climbing into basket of clean clothes. WTH, then those same humans kick me out of those.

FINALLY, someone figures it out.  I LOVE MY BASKETS!!!  So yesterday my momma emptied a basket of folded clean clothes and saw me eyeing it longingly.  And, ya know what she did?  She put it on the floor in my favorite spot...took out a wonderful comfy pillow placed it inside and said, "It's all yours."

I iz one happy bulldog!!

Geez, let a boy sleep will ya!

Four paw up!  ~Otto

Terrible Two's? Naw, Not At All!

Happy Birthday Henry!  A Halloween baby and TWO YEARS OLD today!  

You were so cute and so little!  :0)

Passion and Life Collide

Peeps since you are reading this blog...you all know I love my four paw pals.  Every one of them!  They have definitely become my hobby and passion (and I suppose some could say may "sickness.")

Kind of like the show "Hoarders" it's somewhat of a craziness that somehow a house just keeps collecting dogs. Funny how that works. :0)

Being a breeder and a dog enthusiast in performance venues, I am always evaluating the joys of dog sports, breeding, conformation and just loving my pets.  But how does one do that?  I do live in the city and have ordinances to follow.  I never want to build a kennel to house my dogs!  That's just now me...okay for some and I completely understand it, but not me.  So again, how does one continue to follow a passion with such limitations.  LOL, and not even the limitations placed on me by the city but my family FOR SURE places some limits on what is acceptable and what is just plain craziness. Hahaha...good thing there are checks and balances.

So here comes the collision....when is it appropriate to rehome a dog where they can get the utmost attention and the full fruits of life, even when I love them to death and it makes me cry every time I think of it?  Hmmm, those are the tough choices.  So it's with a happy heart and a very heavy heart that I am sometimes faced with this dilemma to consider.   Dang, this can just make me blubber away.  (insert break in writing to have a good cry.)  This breeding stuff is not easy!  But first and foremost, each and every four paw friend needs the best home possible!!

And with all that said...I just must move on to some lighter ramblings.  Maybe, more like bullies in the halloween parade!  :))  Hope you enjoy some of my favs from the St. Paul Minneapolis Bulldog Club's Halloween Parade.  You can see more on it's FACEBOOK page...be sure to check it out.

WOW, Where to Begin?

Hey Everyone,

It's me Henry!!!  I have so much to tell...where do I start?

Last Thursday mom packed me in the car, along with border/jack, Rally and labrador retriever, Luke.  We drove nearly 10 hours to Indianapolis for the flyball nationals and to participate in the World Record for largest flyball tournament.  And, YES, on Saturday we can claim the fame of Guinness World Recorder holder.

Here's my canine friends, Vapor and Orbit, proudly sharing the award for you

Momma Mary couldn't run me in the races so she put me in the hands of human handler, Neil...lookie another red head!  Here we are having a little discussion regarding running strategy.  :0)

But the best part....drum roll please................................   My doggie team, Fizz Team, won a trophy, Wooooo Hoooo!!!!!!!  We are first place CHAMPIONS in Multi-Breed Division 1!!!!!!!!!!!!!  It's kind of like a dream for a newbie like me. Woof, woof, it was the best!!

There's so many pictures to share--about 1,200 of them.  No, no don't worry I post them all, but I will show you a video clip of one of team runs. Not the finals heat, but one earlier when we ran with our other Animal Inn Team Dottie.  Sorry to crank your neck for the viewing but mom needs to learn to video horizontally.

Our flyball racing video

I am pawsitively PROUD!   ~Henry

Indy Bound!

Soooooooooooo excited!  Tomorrow we leave for the CanAm Flyball Nationals.  Woot Woot!  Ten hour drive to Indianapolis and then three days of flyball racing and the goal of making a new Guinness World Record for largest flyball tournament!

Here's a few sites for you.  First, follow along with all the action or just check out what flyball is all about by following an online LIVE webstream of the National tournament, Fri-Sat-Sun.  http://www.livestream.com

I'm also working on a new website for our flyball team.  It's a work in progress, and I still need photos of the team dogs, but check it out.  http://animalinnflyball.org/

And, a momma brag here, Henry ran his personal best time at last weekend flyball tournament....4.32!  Way to go Henry!

Hope it's a pawsitively wonderful day for all!

Fall Fire

Days are moving slower lately as I am hampered by the ability to get from Point A to Point B.  Thankfully my ankle is looking good and actually feels good.  If only my back felt better.

From the inside, where I'm confined, it looks like its a beautiful fall--despite the buckets of water that some Minnesota communities got. Here in our neighborhood the trees are turning, the temperature is fall perfect, and yesterday we even cranked up the living room fireplace. Oh, Otto was so happy.  He is so odd...never seen a dog like a good hot fire like he does.

Enjoy Otto!  :0)