The Heart Gets What It Wants
When Josephine first interacted with Truffle in one of the pet kennels, her heart was drawn to him. Very active and happy, she knew he was the brindle Frenchie boy she wanted.
“When he was younger, there was a period where he wouldn’t sleep if he wasn’t on my lap.” The hoomom reminsiced and we can see why she has since revolved around Truffle’s happiness every second that she is free from her own duties.
Coffee dates, swimming, playdates with Truffle’s siblings and friends, and socializing events are just some of the exciting activities Josephine brings Truffle on, fulfilling both their desires for an active lifestyle.
A Language Only They Know
Josephine and Truffle communicate via buttons, the ones we have all seen on the Internet before!
Insistent on playing with his hoomom all the time, Truffle will press “Mommy”, “Play”, and “Now” to get her to play with him whenever she is on her phone.
Or if Josephine gives him a toy to play by himself, he will hammer the “Mommy” button ten times, demanding her immediate attention.
The same thing also happens every morning when Truffle delivers his very own special wake-up call. Pressing “Mommy” followed by “Outside” is his way of getting her out of bed to entertain him. Certainly one smart boy!
The Road To Happiness
Josephine is a firm believer that a well-behaved and trained dog is a happy doggo, which is why she does mental and physical training on Truffle. More than these, she also includes training during his mealtimes.
She fondly shares that one of Truffle’s favorite things to do is to guilt-trip her during her mealtime. He will sit right next to her and drool as he watches his hoomom eat!
We are not sure how Josephine can endure Truffle’s cuteness.
Another important factor in her doggo’s happiness is having his needs and wants understood.
While Josephine is well aware of this, there is also the notorious fact that Frenchies can be a stubborn breed, and Truffle is no exception. Thus, to resolve this, she always observes his body language to learn about his telltale signs.
Through her continuous efforts, she is able to tell when Truffle is uncomfortable, nervous, bored, or tired. Not only can she tell how he is feeling, but Josephine can also point out what Truffle wants to do, such as when he wants to drink water during walks, potty time, or go home, from this non-verbal way of communication.
Fascinatingly, this amazing bond between the two of them is not a one-way thing, as Truffle also reads his hoomom’s body language. He knows that Josephine dislikes him for being stubborn and understands her cue. “Just two words are needed from me — ‘UH OH!’… Eventually, he gives in.” Josephine shared with us.
By taking the time and effort to understand what Truffle wants and needs, Josephine manages his stubborn personality well by making him a happy puppy who occasionally gets his way.
The Fear that All Moms Share
According to Josephine, this is her take on pet insurance: “Although it might not cover everything, it’s certainly better than having no coverage at all.”
One experience she recounted was when 5-month-old Truffle swallowed a 10cm beef tendon during a chewing session. Josephine had just looked away for less than ten seconds when the incident happened. Fortunately, he did not have any breathing or choking issues and underwent induced vomiting to remove the tendon, but the incident still severely scared the hoomom.
On top of that, knowing that French Bulldogs are prone to having a lot of health problems and known for being a “walking vet bill” breed, Josephine naturally fears when Truffle gets sick or uncomfortable. Such cases prompt her to secure pet insurance.
She explains that it is the same reason people get insurance. Ultimately, it is to protect themselves from exorbitantly high bills by transferring the risk to the insurance company. Paying a smaller monthly premium ensures that they are covered for big, unpredictable bills.
After conducting extensive research and evaluation, she has settled down on Aon Happy Tails which provides the highest value.
Do note that while Aon is known for its comprehensive coverages, pre-existing conditions are not covered and such exclusion is typical with health insurance. Click here for more information.
*Bonus Content*
If Truffle Could Speak Hooman for 7 Days, What Would You Say to Him, or Do With Him?
Sometimes, Truffle gets his body clock confused, which happened a lot during his adolescence period. During times like this, he would press buttons at 430 am and whine non-stop.
Or, there would be days when he wants to embark on some nighttime adventures, cueing me with his “Play” and “Outside” buttons at 11 pm.
So, I would definitely use this chance to teach him how to read the clock!