Chris and I are finally dog parents!! We have had Ellie for just over a month now and we have learned so much from being dog parents. We don’t have human kids, but it sort of feels like we do, honestly haha.
I’ve been in the UK for just over a year now and was really missing my American Bulldog, Reese, so much. She lives with my mom in the US, so it has been so hard not seeing her. I’ve also had a dog around my entire life, so part of me felt empty inside. We decided to get a French Bulldog puppy- we love their personalities and the perfect size for the type of home we live in.
We found a French Bulldog ad online and got to see the puppies. We fell in love with Ellie straight away, but had to wait two weeks to bring her home. I remember our first evening with her, it seemed rather daunting haha. This tiny little dog in our home- depending on us for everything she could ever need haha. In the past, our parents had always done the training and feeding- now we were in charge of that. What if she was a little terror that never learned haha
The First Few Nights With Our Puppy
During our first night, Ellie slept downstairs in her crate with a pad. We live in a semi-detached (duplex) home, so we have neighbors all around, so we slept in the living room to keep her quiet that first night. She woke up at 5 am and howled. Chris and I were so exhausted haha. The next night we tried to sneak away after putting her in the crate, but she started to howl, so we gave in and slept downstairs haha. The nights following, she slept in her crate and maybe howled for a couple of minutes. She is now three months old and sleeps in a playpen and sleeps straight away. We have a pet camera, I really recommend one! If we wake up in the night, we can casually see if she’s awake or howling– it does hurt to see them cry, but good to see if they’re adjusting with being away from you. You can also talk to them from the camera/hear them! We got ours on Amazon- we didn’t realize how how affordable they can be!
Socializing
We are now able to take her for walks!! Ellie LOVES people and dogs. She will stop whenever she sees someone on the path, even if they aren’t interested. She gets really sad when joggers don’t stop for her haha. Kids, oh my gosh, she LOVES kids and kids really love her too. She gets them giggling until it’s full on belly laughing. I have never had a dog that just wants to meet everyone. Giant dogs approach her at the park and she gladly plays with them haha. It is great to have such a chill dog. It is so important to start them young with socializing- it can do wonders for you and your dog. Our local vet sends out letters for a montly puppy socialization evening. We will take Ellie at some point for sure!
Pet Insurance in the UK
I’m from the US and hadn’t heard of getting pet insurance until I moved to England. I’ve learned that it can be really costly- especially if you have more expensive breed! You can pay monthly or a year at once. The vet said if Ellie were to break a leg- we could be spending thousands. Needless to say, we are reading up on our options haha.
They Have So Much Love to Give
We want them to grow up so fast, so they stop biting and are potty trained, but they will get there in the end. Some days it might seem like you are taking two steps forward and fifteen steps back haha. Just be patient. Each dog is different and they’re trying their hardest. They love you and look forward to seeing you each day. Enjoy your time with your new buddy.