Thurs 16th Feb: A fashion item or a life?

I have to say something about this because every day I receive requests for French bulldog puppies as if we are breeding them in the back somewhere, or have some arrangement with a pet shop that can supply on demand.  No, we don't have French bulldog puppies, and why is this breed suddenly so desirable?  http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/02/14/dont-listen-celebrities-french-bulldog-craze-producing-seriously/ It's not only in Hong Kong as it seems the world has suddenly gone crazy, as if a dog was a fashion accessory or a Tamagotchi (remember those toys, the pretend pets that needed to be fed or they would "die"?).

I see these Frenchie puppies everywhere and I wonder how many will still be with their owners (buyers) when they come to the end of their lives?  For the past couple of years it's been shiba inus and prior to that corgis that everyone wanted, and now it's French bulldogs.  There was even a craze for Tibetan mastiffs a few years ago as an indication of just how stupid people can be. This is a life we're talking about, not a dress or a pair of must-have shoes or the latest smartphone.  French bulldogs are not only bred with health problems, but they are no the easiest of dogs when it comes to behaviour either.  Many of them are dog-aggressive, and with clueless owners who have no idea how to properly train even a well behaved dog.  I know we will be seeing many being abandoned over the coming months and years, and by then there will be another breed that is the latest fad.  Just stop and think before you rush out to get a puppy and ask yourself what you are really buying, a family member or something to parade on the street while it's fashionable? http://www.telegraph.co.uk/.../french-bulldog-popularity.../  The breeders are laughing all the way to the bank because of gullible buyers who slavishly follow fashion trends regardless.

A papillon? No way. 

So many puppy buyers are absolutely clueless and make no effort to learn about the animal they are bringing into their lives.  If you buy a car you have to learn how to drive it and get a license, so why not make the effort to learn about a living, feeling creature?   We had a ten month-old puppy surrendered today, a "papillon" so the now ex-owner said.  What a joke.  This (sweet) dog is no more a papillon than I am, but some pet shop or breeder sold it as such.   The dog has been kept in a cage for all of its life so far, and it's a miracle that it hasn't gone crazy.

Going back to last year's trendy breed, the shiba inu that came us us with her two surviving pups and went straight to foster should be back on Friday and getting ready to start her new life.  I will need to get the license and vaccinations updated, and of course desexing is a priority too (the pups have a home to go to so we're not looking for adopters for them).

Mother and one baby