A day in the life

[hoegaandit]

I thought I would document a Saturday in the life of Big Boy (just like those competitions you see where people have to make a film, or take snapshots of eg a city, in a 24 hour span). Some of the pics aren't that great, but they should give a flavour of a weekend day

On Friday evening the Big Boy (he is 90lbs) gets his collar taken off. So then he knows on Saturday morning that it is his duty to wake a reluctant Dad by jumping on him in bed.

[hoegaandit]

Saturday mornings we first go to the  local Farmer's Market, which is on the way to the beach. Actually we don't take Big Boy into the market, although dogs seem to be allowed and I show a picture of a little dog there who was most interested in sniffing Dad's arm which obviously had Big Boy's smell on it. I'd be worried about Big Boy leaving his mark on some of the produce (and also some of the ethnic communities who mainly use the markets being s bit scared of a bulldog - which is also one of the insignias of a local gang). Sometimes either Mom or Dad will take the Big Boy for a separate walk while the other shops, though this time he just waited in the car (not alone of course).

[hoegaandit]

Then it's off to our local beach, which is a highpoint of the Big Boy's day. He always starts whining excitedly and can't wait when we park the car next to the path on the way to the beach. Here he is running along the path on the way to the beach, then in or near the sea. Surprisingly for such a nice day there were not a whole lot of other dogs or people on the beach, perhaps because it was still around 9.30am-ish. Still the Big Boy met about five other dogs and here is one of them.

[hoegaandit]

Here are some more pictures at the beach. One advantage of sea water is that it acts like epsom salts and helps with a cyst he has developed between one of his front toes. The Big Boy is a bit of a creature of habit and half way along the beach walk he nearly invariably decides to walk up along the pathway above the beach. Unfortunately, not being the brightest crayon the box he also drinks sea water when he goes into the sea. Here is another picture where he is at least drinking from a brackish stream on the beach.

[hoegaandit]

So on the way back from the beach we stop off at a stream for the Big Boy to have a drink and also wash off the salt. (By the way he tends to be reluctant to get back into the car, and we go through a little ritual of scratching his neck before helping him up into the car).

[hoegaandit]

When we get home the Big Boy also has his little ritual running around excitedly before he settled down. I also usually get some toilet paper and express his anal glands then as with his high protein diet he tends to suffer from soft stools. For breakfast he incidentally had some cooked pigs livers. We sat on the deck for a bit but because we have a native bush covered cliff in the back yard which blocks off the sun in autumn/fall as it is here now, went to the front yard. Here is the Big Boy enjoying the sun. He did blot his copybook by jumping up and rushing to the road when a skateboarder went past - Dad got cross at the Big Boy for this misdemeanour, but he is a big boy who does not get much fazed by a scolding.

[hoegaandit]

The Big Boy watches Dad closely on weekend days as he does not want to miss out on any car rides going. (He does not mind if he goes for a walk or not, but just likes to go along for the ride). Mid afternoon as we needed to go into town, we drove the other side of town to a new dog walk. It was quite hard to find the entrance but worth it as there were quite a lot of dogs there (about fifteen, although I didn't take photos of them) and nice views.

[hoegaandit]

A couple of more pics from the walk. At the end of it, very unusually, the Big Boy sat down, then flopped down on the grass. He was tired out (he is now getting close to five).

[hoegaandit]

We had to wait in town for about half an hour and the Big Boy wanted to lie down but was too big for the front seat, but didn't want to vacate that for the back seat! When we got home he was still tired and had a sleep. After that he had tea (we feed raw) and I hand fed it to him this time.

[hoegaandit]

Well that was our Saturday - good night all!

[Gracie & Bea's Mom]

Wow!  I am tired reading about all he does! What a great family he has. He is very well loved. Thanks for sharing his day with us. Much better than the reality stuff that's on tv all of the time now.

[ksdstny]

Ur boy is so handsome! The pics r awesome, scenery is magnificant! Fyi...unless u have an aversion to raw bones...some pork neckbones will harden his stool up nicely!

[hoegaandit]

Thanks.

ksdstny - you're quite right about some bones helping with stools - chicken necks worked nicely for that; however the Big Boy is not too keen on them. I do give raw chicken on occasion but not often as some experts on our local bulldog forum told horror stories of deaths from bones perforating dogs insides, and I do note that even uncooked chicken bones are partly sharp. So don't give bones often.

I've read about pumpkin helping with loose stools. The issue is not too bad, but maybe I'll try that (and try and disguise the taste if he isn't keen - he chomps down pills if hidden in cheese!)

[winwinsmom]

Great pictures. And thanks for the story.  It was great.
One question:  what is big boy's name?  or is that it? 
He is really a handsome boy.   

[ksdstny]

Ive found that the pork nrck bones r pretty safe....we ve had no issues...steeler..my big boy eats them like candy..miss harlow takes her time...eats the bit of meat n leaves the bones for her bro! Ive never given raw ckn bones they scare me!