Is this normal?Strange French-behavior...

[Bait's Mom]

OK,this is my 1st frenchie, so maybe some of you can offer some insight??? I have had dogs all my life, but never seen some of this, please tell me if any of you see the same:

1 - "Reverse Sneeze" - at least that's what the vet called it - this is a gasping-choking sound in the middle of the night, she looks scared and like she can't get air, but it ends and she goes back to sleep? SCARY!

2 - Imaginary friends - she lies on her side at night with her little legs sticking straight out and sort of twitches every 5 secs or so and makes a little yelp, like she's playing w/another dog?

3 - Squirrel Obsession - this is a serious obsession, when she sees one, her whole body shakes and she breathes reall slow and deep like a little samurai - so cute, but sad for her she'll never catch one

4 - Hybernation - she insists on burrowing herself deep under the covers for the night - my husband and I worry she can't breathe, so we usually pull her fat little head out for air - can a dog suffocate this way?

5 - Sighs, moans and groans like a person

Anyone have any that I missed?

[franp]

OK,this is my 1st frenchie, so maybe some of you can offer some insight??? I have had dogs all my life, but never seen some of this, please tell me if any of you see the same:

1 - "Reverse Sneeze" - at least that's what the vet called it - this is a gasping-choking sound in the middle of the night, she looks scared and like she can't get air, but it ends and she goes back to sleep? SCARY!

2 - Imaginary friends - she lies on her side at night with her little legs sticking straight out and sort of twitches every 5 secs or so and makes a little yelp, like she's playing w/another dog?

3 - Squirrel Obsession - this is a serious obsession, when she sees one, her whole body shakes and she breathes reall slow and deep like a little samurai - so cute, but sad for her she'll never catch one

4 - Hybernation - she insists on burrowing herself deep under the covers for the night - my husband and I worry she can't breathe, so we usually pull her fat little head out for air - can a dog suffocate this way?

5 - Sighs, moans and groans like a person

Anyone have any that I missed?
Reverse sneezing is the SCARIEST thing that is not going to hurt our dogs. The first time it happened to Dari, I went into TOTAL panic mode.If it lasts more than 5 seconds ,put your fingers over her nares. But really just stand next to her and be calm. It looks a lot worse than it is.

Most every Frenchie I know sleeps way down deep under the covers. Dari did this the night of the NY blackout. It was like a sauna, but she insisited on going under the sheet. Go figure.

Noises;there is a whole vocabulary.Including sighs groans,yodels,screams, the devil dirge.

Now, as for squirrels... Dari is OBSESSED. We do not go to Central Park anymore because of these creatures..She forgets that people exist. The very world stops . She actually thinks I will let her go after one.

I made the mistake of taking her to see the "GATES".. She remembered from the summer that there were squirrels.. People wanted to pet her;NO. She strained at her leash; screamed when she saw one. Refused water..

These dogs are linked by telepathy.

[Deanna67]

Abby does the same thing. Laying on her back and playing with a pretend dog. It is so funny. SHe all of a sudden starts going crazy wacking at nothing.
ALso abby likes to sleep burrowed under the covers and I worry she will get to hot.

[paulabeans]

It is SO funny to read that about Bait...Molly does those things too! The reverse sneezing - a definite yes...scared us to death when we first saw/heard it. Now when it happens, we just softly rub her throat and try to calm her down and it stops.

The moaning and groaning...OMG!!! When we first got Molly and she did this, we thought she was in pain! But now I get a kick out of it. When she changes positions in her bed at night, she always groans, and I have to smile!

And when she comes up into our bed, she always goes under the comforter and burrows in to where we wonder whether she can breathe under there.

Its amazing to hear how the breed has such similar traits!

By the way, Bait is so beautiful. What a little cutiepie. Enjoy her!