*Warning: This article is not professional advice on dogs or the French Bulldog breed. This is also not a promotion to adopt a pet for families. This is based on our family experience.
When looking at expanding your life/family dynamics, there is so much to think about and decide. Any decision that affects daily life should be taken seriously and slowly. Well, that is how it works for me in my family. 😉
As many of our long time readers may remember our amazing cat Lily and how we lost her six years ago to cancer. For the longest time we never felt like it was the right time for us to bring in a furry family member. We honestly thought we couldn’t do it again as her loss was so devastating for us.
There is a saying, “Time heals almost everything. Give time time.” We felt this was the right time for our family to grow by four paws.
A Year In The Making
A year ago, my husband and I started having the conversation about adding a furry family member again. We knew this decision came with a lot of responsibility and felt maybe we should look at getting a cat again. Our search began at local shelters to see if we can adopt one. However, our search came back empty and we felt that it wasn’t meant to be. Then, my husband brought up the option of getting a dog.
For years we always talked about getting a dog; however, the timing never worked. We talked about it A LOT, we weighed all the pros and cons and we decided to look further into what breed would work with our family.
We were fortunate to be introduced to the French Bulldog breed by a friend of ours and we have always loved their look! So we looked into it a bit further.
The French Bulldog Breed
Now just like children, French Bulldogs are NOT all the same. But this is what we loved learning about this breed:
- Known as a “silent breed.” Meaning they are not constant barkers.
- They are affectionate, silly and love attention. A breed that loves people!
- French Bulldogs enjoy walks and have moderate amount of energy. Meaning most don’t need long walks.
- They love cleanliness and order.
- French Bulldogs love to cuddle and spending time with their family.
- Known as a family pet and have a “sixth sense” when it comes to protecting children.
- A breed that can not stay in the heat for very long and they sink in water.
- A very sociable breed with a happy nature. They require a lot of attention and love to be with humans a good portion of the day.
The above points were just highlights from our research on this specific breed and we felt this was a perfect fit for our family dynamics.
Introducing Tyson “Apex”
As we researched the breed that would be a good fit for our family, we also researched the best breeder to adopt from. Once we found the perfect one and after we were accepted, it was time to get ready to bring puppy home!
I have to admit that I was extremely nervous as I never had a dog before but my husband had dog experience so I knew we were in good hands. We purchased all the necessities needed for our puppy such as a crate, bed, toys, bowls, puppy pads, poop bags, leash, harness and of course food.
We had a calendar countdown as we counted down the days until we could bring Tyson home. It honestly felt like forever! But the day finally arrived and we just couldn’t wait to hold him. Now to say that we fell in love at first sight would be an understatement. We fell hard into “Puppy Love Heaven.”
An instant connection and bond started develop right from that very first day!
First “Newborn” Months
Fast forward to today and we have had Tyson in our lives for about two months now. The best way to describe these past two months as a mom is “newborn” stage. It took A LOT of settling in for all of us and I mean all of us.
I felt like a brand new mom all over again. So many questions, feelings and sleepless nights. When someone tells you that a puppy is a lot of work, they truly mean that it is A LOT of work. This is why I describe it as the newborn stage. It was extremely hard at the very beginning and there were many days were I would just cry from being overwhelmed. But that is the reality of adding a new family member.
It truly takes time to adjust and settle in together. I learned that we needed to be patient with each other and be forgiving of ourselves. For example, potty accidents can happen and it is a learning curve for us all. But with time, patience and a whole lot of love, we managed to get the potty training done. We are constantly learning each and every day.
Best Family Decision
The unconditional love, bond and affection that Tyson gives us all is absolutely precious in every single way. He has quickly learned the way we are and he amplifies our traits in the most French Bulldog way. Tyson is just as energetic and silly as our daughter Nikki. He has a serious and calm side just like my husband. Then he shows me his affection and loyalty side just like me. We couldn’t have asked for a better furbaby.
There was a time when I wrote that we were “One and Done: Our Family is Complete.” Little did I know that it required four paws to truly complete it. As we continue on our puppy journey there will be many more adventures and a whole lot more learning to do.
Another set of pawprints have imprinted our hearts as love only grows. Tyson has shown us the beauty of love through the eyes of a puppy and we are so honoured to be part of his pack/family. – Momma Braga
We will share more of our journey as we continue and if you would like to follow Tyson’s journey on Instagram, make sure to give him a follow. 😉
Until next time…Happy Parenting!
-Momma Braga
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