A few words of praise for the French bulldog, our brand ambassador, by his master David.

Once upon a time there was MAURICE, once upon a time there was a cute dog, a French bulldog and a unique brand ambassador…

A DOG, BULLDOG AND BRAND AMBASSADOR MAURICE

The mascot of the MAURICE brand could be none other than our adorable French bulldog Iggy. Far be it from us to indulge in the kind of fad we’ve seen in major home decoration stores, where cushions, mugs and statuettes feature the silhouette of this muscular little body topped by that adorable flattened face with its bulging eyes, which seems to have sprung straight from the imagination of a cartoon creator and become a veritable marketing product.

No, this little hound – whom we have the pleasure of discovering in numerous shots as a splendid canine model with a “Joker” smile – has been sharing the life of MAURICE‘s founder for ten years now. Admirably patient and obedient during photo shoots, even when we sense that he’s beginning to lose patience – his eyes then glaze over – he’s an invaluable source of inspiration for the brand. Its name refers to the singer Iggy Pop.

THE FRENCH BULLDOG ON A WALK

It has to be said that this little creature, with its hanging lips and deep wrinkles, is incredibly endearing. Descended from the more imposing English Bulldog, which was originally a fighting dog that would take on bears or bulls, no less (hence the bull in bulldog), the French bulldog appeared in France at the end of the 19th century after cross-breeding with other breeds such as the terrier, which eliminated any form of aggression. 

Indeed, it’s hard to imagine him showing any inclination to fight, when you see Iggy out for a walk, for example. He has never barked or shown his fangs to another dog, never responding to provocation. His only thought is to sniff the other dog’s private parts, which for him just means: “How are you doing?

Then he’s off again, quietly dragging his nose near a tree or a post, to pick up messages left by other dogs and respond with a few well-placed drops of urine. Iggy’s walk always quickly turns into a tour of his ‘social networks’, accompanied by those little piggy grunts so characteristic of the ‘bouli’ as we like to call it in France. When he tends to linger on a new ‘post’, drooling in his mouth, if you tell him to come back, it’s a bit like a parent talking to their teenage kid when she or he’s glued to his phone: you no longer exist. Even on a lead, it’s hard to get him to pick up, because not only is this dog particularly strong and solid on his little legs, he’s also pretty damn stubborn.

A TENDER CLOWN

A flaw that’s easy to forgive, given the tenderness, joy and fun he brings to your life. A little manipulative, every time you leave your home he systematically displays his little wrinkled sad clown face set with those two big black marbles that stare at you, piercing your heart, as if it were the last time he’d ever see you, managing to make you feel that totally foreign feeling to those non-human beings who pitifully abandon their dogs when they go on summer vacation: guilt.

Inevitably, when you come home, even if you’ve only been away for five minutes, a surge of joy literally runs through his frantic body, and he goes rummaging through his toy bin, so happy is he to have you back.

He’s just as effective at letting you know when it’s time to go for a walk, his head tilting to one side – like David Niven’s in “The Brain” – as soon as he recognizes a familiar word announcing a stroll. Besides, it’s not “we” who take him out: it’s “he” who takes us out, and without this short-haired little companion, we’d obviously take 5,000 fewer steps a day. What’s more, he involuntarily puts on a hilarious mask when his upper lip is half turned up over his teeth, which, admittedly, doesn’t make him look very sharp. 

His reputation as a farting, snoring dog is well deserved. When he’s in top form, his flatulence and/or snoring can be quite disruptive when you’re watching a film on the sofa. 

Despite these inconveniences of sound and smell, he remains an adorable companion, whose kindness turns him into an emotional sponge. Indeed, he soaks up the slightest annoyance in his master and lets him know it with a worried look. It’s an emotion so touching that it prompts you to soothe him immediately.

A SOCIAL DOG

Iggy has also welcomed Pilgrim and Scarlett (a nod to the movie The Horse Whispered), two feline brothers and sisters, sublime specimens from a Ragdoll/Birman sacred cross, (which can be found in the brand’s Cats and Cat Collars section), and even though he knows perfectly well how to make his owners understand that he wishes to remain their favorite pet, he has made friends with them, although sometimes, yes, he does tire them a little.

THE HEALTH OF THE FRENCH BULLDOG

Formidably playful and a great sprinter thanks to his powerful musculature and exceptional stance, don’t expect to go jogging with a French bulldog: he’s a poor long-distance runner, handicapped by that crushed muzzle that can create serious respiratory problems, known as brachycephalic syndromes.

You should also regularly clean his eyes and facial folds, and watch for the beginnings of dermatitis. When out walking, avoid spikelets as much as possible, as they can get into his paw pads, cheek, nostrils or eyes and cause very serious problems. As his eyeballs are particularly exposed, corneal ulcers are common in bulldogs, and when he begins to close his eye a little, a veterinarian should be consulted as soon as possible. 

As he’s also prone to herniated discs (Iggy has had three operations, from which he made a fantastic recovery!), we strongly advise you to avoid making him jump from a bed or sofa, and it’s best to carry him with his back horizontal. 

And yes, despite his irresistible plush head with big ears, this little canine is obviously not a toy, and needs to be cared for with great attention, commensurate with the happiness he brings to the home. And to the inspiration he has brought to the MAURICE brand, to the point of becoming not only its mascot, but also its ambassador. As you can see, he’s the brand’s inspiration, confidant, role model, energy and everyday joy of the MAURICE pack.

Discover the MAURICE dog world and find the right collar, leash, bow tie or leather poop bag for your dog without further ado. For the health and well-being of all dogs and their owners, each dog collar is made of leather or lined with 100% vegetable-tanned recycled or upcycled leather, meaning no toxic substances in contact with your dog’s coat or your hand.