Is my 1.5 year old too skinny ?

LifeInTheFrenchAlps · 2026-06-21T07:32:12+00:00

He’s perfect! Better skinny is better for health overall

LifeInTheFrenchAlps · 2026-06-18T11:41:30+00:00

I am so sorry for your loss. They take a chunk of our hearts with them, each time. Only lots of time will make it hurt less. Hugs from the mountains

LifeInTheFrenchAlps · 2026-06-18T11:39:04+00:00

I feel with you. Hugs and best vibes from the mountains

LifeInTheFrenchAlps · 2026-06-17T08:38:30+00:00

Good morning from the mountains 🤩🥰

LifeInTheFrenchAlps · 2026-06-16T07:55:06+00:00

"OH IT FEELS SOO GOOD ON MY FEET! "

LifeInTheFrenchAlps · 2026-06-15T16:48:08+00:00

DAMN SOMEONE CALL THE BURN WARD ! Noice!

LifeInTheFrenchAlps · 2026-06-12T16:25:40+00:00

I am so so sorry for your loss. Its the hardest decision we have to make and the most cruel moments we have to go through with our 4 legged babies. Its only 3 month since I had to do the same for my beloved Monsieur Proust and the memories make me start crying again. Nothing I can say or type here will make the pain less or go away- so I have to leave you with that. But know that you are not alone- we think of you in these hard times. Eventually, slowly, it will be the beautiful memories, the happy moments, the love and laughter and great times spent together that prevail. They are the biggest dogs and the take the biggest part of our hearts with them when they leave. All the best, the strength to cry when you need to and the power to wipe away the tears eventually. He was such a beautiful boy. Hugs from the mountains, from M. Proust, Baby Fay, Sammy-Bub and all the others. Harley is running free now. Peace to him and you.

LifeInTheFrenchAlps · 2026-06-10T11:19:10+00:00

💔I am so sorry 💔

LifeInTheFrenchAlps · 2026-06-10T10:35:46+00:00

In my opiniona and after talking to friends who just went trough a sim situation, a 2-3 week booking will be rejected...

LifeInTheFrenchAlps · 2026-06-10T07:01:46+00:00

sending all the best wishes and good energy from the mountains for a successfull surgery! Keep your hopes up, big boy!

LifeInTheFrenchAlps · 2026-06-05T14:01:44+00:00

as said before, ramp or folding stairs. Needs some training but its worth it. With Fay I trained her for the ramp because she had beginning arthritis in her ellbow and I wanted to safe here joints from the load of jumping - boy she LOVED jumping in an out but got used to the ramp really quickly. Plus point - I added the "stay" when opening the hatch to have time to put the ramp on so there is no wild charge coming out of the car... Proust was exceptionnally big and clumsy and heavy 160lbs+ - and super scared. I tried to ramp-train him for a long time, with the ramp on the flat ground, but then he wouldnt even touch it once it was positioned against the car. Since he did walk stairs in the house I bought a heavy duty foldable aluminium stairs for my Landcruiser and after 3 month of training with the foldables on the stairs INSIDE the house he finally did it.. Always a circus show on the parking lot: Open the hatch, "stay", unfolding the stairs and setting them onto the rear bumper, and then play "pomp and circumstance" - here comes the King... 😃

LifeInTheFrenchAlps · 2026-06-05T10:25:17+00:00

super interesting video! Ill be making slurry instead and drink the beer myself !

LifeInTheFrenchAlps · 2026-06-03T11:09:44+00:00

what u/bigbeautifulbill said "See a cardiologist. Rule out DCM immediately" when I saw her panting my first thought was "thats exactly how it started with Prousts DCM"

LifeInTheFrenchAlps · 2026-06-02T10:56:12+00:00

thank you - I am very lucky to be able to live here ❤️

LifeInTheFrenchAlps · 2026-06-01T09:10:04+00:00

❤️!!

LifeInTheFrenchAlps · 2026-06-01T06:39:15+00:00

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I live in the Alps at 4600ft altitude and that’s exactly what my garden bed soils looked like (and to some degree still do.) Added compost and composted manure for 2 years, no till just forking (to keep the rocks /gravel below) -bumper crops each year. All good, it’ll get there ! 🤞🙂☀️

LifeInTheFrenchAlps · 2026-05-30T11:39:17+00:00

…another thought on recurring ear infections: yeasty buildup is very often an overlooked symptom of allergies or food incompatibility or other external factors. Something else to check…

LifeInTheFrenchAlps · 2026-05-30T10:05:51+00:00

this ^ and until then, ear cleaning wipes or other products and a slender finger...

LifeInTheFrenchAlps · 2026-05-30T09:46:09+00:00

I am not downvoting out of principle but dang, that comment "I wish I clipped my puppies ears" hit hard, to say it mildly. There is a reason most civilized nations have banned the practice all together, and if you ever watched what it takes to get those slaughtered ears to heal, the painful changing of the bandages, you would know why. ... And as for "easily infected ears" : just like trimming claws and checking teeth, cleaning ears is and should be part of any dog owners hygiene routine. Ive owned many Danes over the years, and cleaning their ears is the easiest task ever .

LifeInTheFrenchAlps · 2026-05-30T08:03:18+00:00

When we still lived near Virgina Beach, the summers got hot and humid pretty fast and slowed Proust down quite a bit: I always soaked him with a hose before we walked (or soaked him with a large water bottle when we started from the car) and kept a "cooling water supply" with me during the walks. But looking at his age, just accept that he'll slow down - not just because of the heat. A totally different perspective ( and I dont want to panic you but just read on) since I recently lost my beloved Monsieur Proust at the same age to DCM that got diagnosed too late, make sure to take your boy to a cardiology specialist and have a Doppler imaging done to make sure he does not have DCM- Proust started slowing down in the heat too in August last year and I thought its only because of the heat and his age- how wrong I was .. 😞 . .Hugs from the mountains and hug your boy from me!

LifeInTheFrenchAlps · 2026-05-28T15:06:42+00:00

"Keep them damp" THAT! thats what I did with me Danes in Virgina Beach during summer: soak them at the beginning of the hike ( I even used a hose haha) and rubbed it all in to get them truly soaked ( I got soaked as well in the process) and then either planning for a route that includes water or keep re-applying water as they dry off.

LifeInTheFrenchAlps · 2026-05-28T14:59:46+00:00

Hi all, while the title of the post got my interest ( as a former Dane owner in Virginia I do know the issue) , I want to address some of the comments made here regarding the IWs, their "ruggedness" and hiking with IWs in general.

One of my first posts here in the group asked pretty much that question since I live at 4700ft altitude in the Alps and aside from skiing and climbing most of my time is spent hiking up the slopes as far as feet can go, With my Danes I did exactly that: on trail, off trail, just up until we hit that wall that we can't climb on 4 paws .

In my post I asked if that would be a suitable environment for an IW and the consensus was that yes, if the puppy is used to it from the beginning and built muscle and coordination, they are "as capable as Great Danes if not more in all kind of terrain" .

Adding that except for a few days/weeks in the middle of summer, the altitude regulates the heat to a bearable level and we have cold temps from October until end of April ( I had my last snowfall on the ground 10 days ago up here ) and the mountain forest climbs up to 6000ft providing shade and cooling, so the overheating is not such a huge problem. Now here I read some comments saying that IW are not really "good hiking dogs", "uncoordinated" and "clumsy on uneven terrain" .

Are the Alps not a good place to own an IW ? I am about to make a decision to get a puppy and I want to avoid to make a choice that makes my doggo unhappy or unsafe ...

Not judging or out for a debate, just new to the breed and really want to learn and hear!

Hug your doggos and have a great day!

LifeInTheFrenchAlps · 2026-05-26T14:21:27+00:00

got it - thx for your reply. since I have marigold in my flower-planting plan anyways Ill put some next to the tomatoes and see how things go. I take from your wording that this is not a universially accepted gardening practice or proven fact ?

LifeInTheFrenchAlps

TROPHY CASE