Like to other best things in life, I came to French bulldogs in fact by accident.
Our schnauzer Brutus lost his struggle for life in March 2005, after being attacked by an unsupervised fila brasileiro. I gave Brutus to my parents, living in České Budějovice, in 1992. They both were retired that year, had just no dog and I was sure they couldn’t be happy without the best friend.
Would dachshunds Alan I and Alan II, who accompanied our family since the early 70’s, be only house associates, Brutus already became a full-fledged family member. When he had left and my mother and father immediately started to decay, it became clear only a new puppy could heal this wound. The only question was the choice of breed. My parents got older of thirteen years with Brutus and so neither hound, nor working or giant breeds were in consideration. On the other hand, they would hardly co-exist with a “chichi-mat” dog. To complete the change, I didn’t want another male but a female. When browsing through an imaginary dog-atlas with my esteemed friend and Dogue de Bordeaux breeder Radka, a suggestion was put on the table: French bulldog. I was appalled: such gargoyle?
So Aischa appeared by us. Aischa was not my choice; I was a choice of her. I needed a puppy as soon as possible. I had no idea about French bulldog breeders, much less about any criteria to be applied by a puppy choice. The first kennel I found on internet was the Suverén Kennel but they just had no puppies. I got a tip for a lady, Mrs. Vávrová. From her eight puppies, she offered me two females. One of them immediately started to discover the garden, Aischa started to discover me. Done.
I have somewhere a snap showing how long my parents pulled they faces when getting Aischa. They surely didn’t want any other dog after Brutus! But you know. They attended more than ten dog shows together with Aischa and me already during the first show season. It was Aischa, thanks to whom my father climbed up Říp after 70 years again. I planned journeys to shows like family trips. It’s only a pity, that even well-bred dogs cannot enter most of historical buildings and monuments, while low-bred people can, without any restriction.
When Aischa, approved for breeding, had got in heat in autumn 2006, I lost my marbles and got hooked on breeding. I browsed tens of breeders’ websites and studied loads of pedigrees. I tried to remember males we met in shows. Utilo, a lusty, short male imported from France, swept the board after all. I probably took his owner by surprise and she agreed with mating. I didn’t know she releases Utilo only very rare for stud in the Czech Republic. She didn’t get chance to change her mind. So both our litter A and Anima Canis Kennel came to the light together.
There were three brindle puppies and one fawn female in litter A. This female was – as common by newborn fawns –dark fawn, except of a shining blonde topknot on her skull. It was clear just from the beginning we keep her at home. She got a name Adela – after my friend, a graphic designer and now designer of this web as well. I took her to Prague, where I live since 1980. A younger brindle sister Betty Boop joined her within less than one year to prevent sadness and depression.
Both “girls” live with me in Prague – Letná now, in June 2009, when I write this article. We live just between Stromovka Park and Letná Park. “Girls” accompany me to my office and so you can meet us even more often in Baba or above Šárka Valley. We often visit mother Aischa in České Budějovice and some of sibs as well. We all three often fall asleep together on a sofa when watching TV. Both Adela and Betty already attended plenty of shows with me. Adela became the Czech Champion, Czech Grand Champion and Club Champion; Betty is the Czech and Austrian Junior Champion. I hope Adela will give birth to her first litter this year, while Betty most probably not until the next one.
Our future should already appear (if I’ll be not too lazy) on this website. Will it be a long, slow Largo, gracious Allegro or will this Bully Symphony remain unfinished?
| Anima Canis - registrace FCI | |
| Anima Canis - FCI Registration |