Happily situated in middle age at 8 years old, Tom relishes taking life nice, easy, and without much fanfare. In fact, chances are, when he comes to your house, he’ll claim his spot on the couch and that’s where he’ll spend 99 percent of his time. In other words, Tom’s favorite thing in the whole world to do is sleep and relax.
Tom came to SNORT because his owners could not afford the medication to treat his dry eye syndrome, which is common in bulldogs. Applying his eye ointment has been a challenge in the past, because he may growl and show teeth. His foster home has been using clicker training to develop a positive association with having his eyes touched and he will need someone confident to work with him to continue developing this association.
This totally chill and independent boy is ironically quite regimented. He has his routine and remains quite dedicated to it. He likes to sleep late in the morning so his foster Mom often has to wake him up for breakfast. She says he is most active after dinner time, and by active she says, “I mean he gets off the couch to see what we’re up to.” This boy knows what leisure is all about.
A home without children under 5 would suit Tom just fine and one with an older canine companion that likes to lounge about like him would work well. He’s not much for playing, so young pups, as much as we love them, would probably try to arouse him from his restful bliss and annoy him. Tom would do well in just about any environment and with most families, except those with young children.
Cuddling isn’t Tom’s thing, but he does love to be petted and will paw for more when you stop. He is not food aggressive and takes treats nicely. He is smart and would probably enjoy learning a trick or two. He is slow to go on walks, but he seems to enjoy them. Potty time is quick and easy – he goes out, does his thing, and is back in in a jiffy.
Says his foster Mom: “We love having Tom as a foster! He has showed us that not every short nose dog is a Velcro doggy. He likes his own space and does his own thing on his own terms. It has been wonderful to see his ‘make over’ … he looks younger than the day we got him.”