FBRNetwork News

Blast from the Past! Roma's First Bath!

2009-06-27T08:35:00.000-07:00

Not to be outdone by fans of Smeagol, Roma's fans insist on gratuitous photos of the baby when she was still small. Here she is having her very first bath. Remember when she was this tiny? She's all grown up now and living happily ever after with her family.

Rubber Ducky, you're the one

You make bathtime lots of fun!

Rubber Ducky, joy of joys!

When I squeeze you, you make noise!

Rubber Ducky, you're my very best friend, it's true!

Every day when I

make my way to the tubby

There's a fellow who's

Cute and yellow and

Chubby!
(rub a dub dubby!)

Rubber ducky, you're so fine

And I'm lucky that you're mine!

Rubber Ducky, I'm awfully fond of you!

There you have it! Gratuitous Roma and as an added bonus, an earworm for your weekend pleasure. Courtesy of

The Frog Princess

Gratuitous Smeagol

2009-06-26T17:45:00.000-07:00

Because we are a benevolent despot, and everyone needs a bit of Smeagol to be happy.

Smeagol, Smeagol, wherefore art thou Smeagol? Deny thy father and refuse thy name or if thou wilt not, be but sworn our love and we'll no longer be

The Frog Princess

Eli, Eli, OH!

2009-06-25T16:03:00.000-07:00

Here is our gorgeous red-haired baby boy, Eli.

He came to us with a broken bone in his leg, and last week the pins were removed.

He should be available soon.

Eli has a taste for the bathtub.

He thinks it has a good flavor.

He is odd.

We will keep our own odd habits to ourself, wisely decides

The Frog Princess

Ask Frog Princess: How Important is an At Home Person?

2009-06-22T08:27:00.001-07:00

From April's "Ask the Frog Princess" post, a question we hear fairly frequently:

"I notice that so many of the lucky FBRN grads live with stay-at-home moms and dads. This certainly is ideal for all involved, but in promoting the rescue, I've come across so many wonderful homes where parents work either part or fulltime. How important is this work from home status for an adoptable frog that would "do just fine with a mid-day walk"?"

Handsome and patriotic Bacon prepares to celebrate Independence Day!

We are so lucky in FBRN to have many wonderful applicants for our dogs and to have a breed that is, even with the explosion of puppy mill puppies, relatively uncommon. We have the luxury of choosing the best application from among many wonderful applications for some of our dogs.

Frenchies are highly social dogs, as a rule. They are lapdogs. They thrive in the company of people. If we could, we'd place all our dogs in great homes where someone is available all day.

Newcomer Darla

But Frenchies, like people, are individuals, and some Frenchies aren't as people-centered as others. For those Frenchies, a home all day person isn't as important, and we are happy to consider families that work outside the home. But some of our dogs have been neglected, some have separation anxiety, and some are such love sponges that they can only be happy if they have a person in the room with them. Don't set yourself up for disappointment--if the bio says a stay home person is required and you can't stay home, look for another needy frog to love.

This has been a long answer to what may seem a simple question--what are my chances for adopting a Frenchie if I must work all day?

The answer is, that depends on the Frenchie you are applying for.

OK10's Bertha gets comfortable in her home!

If you are applying for a very young, healthy, popular Frenchie and you are a full-time commuting worker who is gone for most of the daylight hours, it is very possible that the Frenchie you've appled for will be adopted by someone who works from home or works part-time or who has a partner who works opposite shifts or who can otherwise provide more companionship for the dog, regardless of whether the bio says he'd be happy with a mid-day potty break.

Billy

In any event, if you believe you are the best home for a Frenchie, complete an application and tell us why you should be selected. Don't just answer the questions, answer the questions the foster parent will have when she reads your application. If you work outside the home and are gone much of the day, tell us how you plan to interact with your Frenchie when you are home. If you have the means to hire a walker at mid-day or take your Frenchie to day care sometimes, tell us so. Provide references. Make us understand what makes you the best home for the dog. Remember, our primary concern is not pleasing applicants (though that is a very nice fringe benefit). Our primary concern is finding the best possible fit for our darling frogs.

Finally, don't give up.

Sleek Zeek!

Many of our applicants have applied for several dogs and been disappointed. They apply again. Eventually, the right dog and the right family come together. Don't be discouraged.

In fact, if you've applied for more than one dog before being matched with an FBRN Frenchie, let's hear from you in the comments. It would be very nice to give people some examples of success!

The Frog Princess

Pooter Report!

2009-06-16T06:21:00.000-07:00

Pooter went through a couple of surgeries to try to make his bottom work the way it should. Neither of the surgeries worked, so FBRN has taken him in and we are considering how best to deal with a puppy who poops a little bit quite a lot of the time. Here's a detailed update on Pooter, the pooping puppy.

"Pooter is doing well, he eats like a horse and he now weighs 22 lbs! I think he is going to be a big Frenchie! I took him to a specialist last week. They said his anal sphincter muscle just doesn't close up all the way. They don't know whether it is something congenital or happened because of disease. They don't think very much can be done about it. But they could do an MRI to find out if surgery is an option. I haven't had a follow up appointment about it with my vet yet. They also said he has bilateral undescended testicles.

Because I have all tile floors, much of the time Pooter doesn't wear a diaper. Who named him Pooter? I have a lot of fun with his name LOL. Pootsie, Pootface, Got Poots? Pootsie Patootsie, Pooter Man. He is so cute! He does leave little poots on the floor and on the dog beds on the floor in the living room, but he also, when he feels the urge, does bigger poots outside. So he is really just a little guy who leaks.

He also scoots outside to pee most of the time. The diaper confuses him about the "potty business". I always put a diaper and his head cone on him every night before putting him in his crate. In the morning he is frantic to get out so he can go outside and potty with the rest of the gang.

He is the most darling puppy. He teases my other dogs until they play with him. He is never discouraged by a discouraging snarl or growl. Then, if nobody will play, he comes over to me and puts his paws on my knee and gives me such soulful looks. His little lamb face is so serious and so soft.
I just want to kiss him!

I can only have him on my lap with a towel on it or a diaper on him, but he comes many times to put his paws on my knee and give me his soulful looks and get pets and hugs. Then his ears suddenly come up, his eyes flash as he sees his nemesis (my cat, Capone) sauntering into the room. Gotta go, Mom!! And he is off to chase Capone. Capone is a really big cat (18 lbs, declawed), but he runs, then stops and hisses and complains. Pooter stops too. It's a game, right? The cats (2) are used to him now and don't worry about him, but Capone gets so annoyed.

I also have 3 little foster kittens. Pooter has been wanting to play with them so badly, but he plays too rough and they always scramble away from him and get out of reach. Finally he is learning to be more careful and play their way."

Wonderful what our foster families will do for these silly frogs. The trouble they take, the lengths they go to, the messes they live with and clean up after. We pronounce our foster families the salt of the earth, the cream of the crop, the top of the heap.

The Frog Princess

Clover's home!

2009-06-15T17:57:00.000-07:00

We got a note from tiny, wee Clover's adoptive mom along with a photo of Clover and the larger and more masculine Mr. French, who has welcomed her to his home.

Here's what the note said:

"Now I have two supervisors in the kitchen."

We can not tell if she is boasting or complaining, but the photo and message was very amusing to

The Frog Princess

Ask Frog Princess: Queenie!

2009-06-14T12:37:00.000-07:00

One of our supporters asked for an update on the Frog who would be Queenie.

Queenie has been adopted by her foster moms and is shown here at the New England Social submitting to an entirely inappropriate, dignity-bustin', spontaneous display of affection. We are very glad this wasn't blown all out of proportion by the press.

Queenie continues to rule the roost with an iron jaw in a velvet muzzle. All who come in and through the joint are made hep to the jive and if they abide by the rules, all is copasetic. Woe betide the newbie with a yen to test the hierarchical organization, however.

Queenie is a Frenchie after our own heart. She's got what it takes to keep her subjects in line and she is not afraid to tell anyone just how the cow ate the cabbage.

Colloquially yours,
The Frog Princess

Thalia (aka Pinkie!)

2009-06-13T16:05:00.000-07:00

The life of a foster mom is tough. You always love your foster, and you feel a pang when your foster goes, but every once in a while you get a foster who wraps little tendrils of herself all around your heart. That's how it is for Thalia's foster mom. Here's a note from her about Thalia. The photos are from a recent hydrotherapy appointment.

"This little lady arrived on our doorsteps on February 13, 2009. She was found in a shelter in St. Bernard Parish (outside of New Orleans). Full of heartworms and with a very obvious problem walking, she was set to be put up for adoption. Luckily, FBRN was able to scoop her up. Her name was Ophelia which seemed too tragic, so she was rechristened as Thalia in honor of the Muse of Comedy - however, after gazing on her precious face with her pink cheeks and ears, she was very quickly given the nickname Pinkie which suits her to a T.

Little Pinkie (weighing in at a very thin 18 pounds) was quickly rushed to the vet where she had x-rays taken to determine the cause of her unusual walk. It was then that we discovered an old injury to her spine. I had been told that she may have been bitten by another dog when she was a puppy. This could be possible - she could also have been hit by a car, or a million other things that are in her past now. It was determined that while an orthopedist or neurologist may be able to help, the best course of action for her was physical therapy. But first we had to tackle the heartworms.

Again, because she is so thin and her heartworm disease was pretty advanced, we decided to go with a slow-kill method which involves giving her Heartguard in small doses over several months building her up to be able to take her regular monthly dose. In order to get her ready, she was placed on multiple vitamins and supplements to strengthen her heart and her body.
We have just completed the last split-dose of Heartguard - she will take a whole dose in June. The Heartguard kills off the microfilariae (baby worms) so they can not grow into adults. She does still have adult worms but they will die off over time which will be easier on her system that a fast kill with lots of worms dying at once. So our hope is that she will be completely heartworm free within the next 6-9 months.We were told to expect coughing, lethargy, loss of appetite - not with this girl. She just kept going - she has an amazing little spirit.

We have also started her in physical therapy. Her first visit was last week - she had range of motion and muscle measurements taken, she got some massage, and finally she got to walk on the underwater treadmill. She exercised for a full 12 minutes. We are hoping that this week she will go for 14. While this will not cure her injury, our hope is that it will help her build muscle and improve her coordination. Thalia/Pinkie also receives daily massages at home on her shoulders and neck and has her back legs and joints exercised.
I believe we have seen some improvement and hope that after her initial visits we will go to a maintenance schedule (maybe once every two weeks, or once a month to maintain).

Here is the best thing about Thalia/Pinkie - she just wants to be a good girl. She wants to be close to you, wants to know where you are and what you are doing.
She is so very appreciative of any attention she receives. People ask me all the time how I can give her up - I tell them that she deserves her own special home with her own MaMa and Daddy (she shouldn't have to share with my two bad Frenchie boys). I just don't want her to be overlooked because she may still have some heartworms hanging around or because she walks funny. She is an incredible little dog and with so much love to share.

Right now, Thalia/Pinkie is keeping it real in New Orleans where she enjoys walks along the bayou, sniffing around the French Quarter and sharing an oyster po-boy with her foster dad. Pinkie also likes chewing on nylabones, watching basketball, and sleeping in the big bed. Pinkie does not like the beagles who walk down the street every evening (seriously, she hears them coming from two blocks away). Sadly, we have been told that she sounds like she has been debarked - but she does have the cutest tiny bark I have ever heard - very fierce! Beagles Beware!"

A fiesty little Cajun she is! Keep it up, chere! Keep those streets clear of those floppy eared, long tailed menaces, eggs on

The Frog Princess

Goodies on eBay!

2009-06-09T07:09:00.000-07:00

More beautiful and acquirable objets are on eBay this week! Thank you, thank you to our generous donors! Check these out:

Two prints and one ceramic jar, donated to FBRN, have been listed on eBay and below are the links to these items. All proceeds benefit the rescue frenchies at the French Bulldog Rescue Network (FBRN) so please visit the links and help a frenchie in need. Thank you.

So many of our French bulldog people have Bostons, too.

French Bulldog with Boston Terrier print:

Not sure whose deathwail is more penetratingly hair-raising--Frenchie or Siamese?

French Bulldog with Siamese cat print:

And for the pied froglover in your life:

French Bulldog (pied) pink ceramic jar

Garbo

2009-06-06T06:51:00.000-07:00

Poor Garbo! Her skin is a mess! Once we got the demodex under control and the staph infection cleared up, we discovered the poor girl suffers from allergies!

And now the doctor says poor Garbo is having some adolescent breakouts! Here's what her foster mom said about her last vet visit:

"What can I say about Lady Garbo! I took her to the vet on Saturday for a checkup regarding her skin. There has not been much improvement, yet. But Dr. P stated she does have clogged glands, i.e. Black heads. The teenage years! So Lady Garbs will have spa day twice a week. One day with the benzyl/peroxide and the other day with Malaseb.

Lady Garbs is learning the wait command. She is up to 5 seconds, but she also waits to be asked up on the couch. She is also walking better on the leash, until we get to the vet's office, then all fours are planted in the emergency brake zone.

And go figure, she will not pick up toy, but a dead bird she will bring you. We do not know how the bird died, but it was in the yard.

Lady Garbo loves to lounge around. She is such a good girl."

We cannot approve the habit of carrying around quite recently dead things. Garbo must attend finishing school to learn all about what is seemly and what is unbecoming in a Frenchie. However, we are gratified to learn that Garbo enjoys a good lounging. She has that in common with

The Frog Princess

Allie at home

2009-06-05T06:46:00.001-07:00

Allie's foster mom received a note from Allie's forever family, with some wonderful photos. Here's the note from Allie's new mom:

"I thought you might like an update and some pictures of Allie. She is doing great and we enjoy her so much. She is just the dog I wanted. She seems to get more at ease every day.

This morning F. took her for a pretty long walk and she kept up with him all the way. She has begun to play with toys a little, has a bone she likes, and loves treats.

I've enclosed a few pictures. My daughter gave her the "doggles."

Frenchies need all the basics: food, shelter, love, plus a little extra something: glamour! We approve the doggles, decrees

The Frog Princess

Painting

2009-06-04T11:50:00.000-07:00

Beautiful watercolor on eBay to benefit FBRN.
Our bid is in! boasts
The Frog Princess

Tinker's triumph!

2009-06-04T07:41:00.000-07:00

Tinker has turned around! She came to us a living mess of owies, sores and ugly behavior, but after several weeks of consistent, careful treatment, her skin is pink
and healing and even her attitude has changed. From not giving a Tinker's damn about what people wanted or thought of her, to a girl with a winning grin and happy demeanor, little Tink is twinkling, now. Let's let her foster mom tell it:

"A twice-daily antibiotic, daily medicated wipe, and twice-weekly medicated shampoo have worked their magic on Tinker's sores--they no longer bleed or ooze pus. Now that she's feeling better, this angry, unhappy snapper has turned into a loving, even-tempered doll-baby who raises her right paw to ask for attention and does happy pirouettes when she sees her leash.

Tinker is awaiting the results of a thyroid test. We're cautiously optimistic that two years of chronic skin issues can be resolved with a daily dose of synthetic hormone.

As she's blossomed in FBRN, Tinker has revealed two quirks (Frenchies don't have faults, you know):

First, she's not interested in being part of a multi-dog household, and had to be moved to a single-dog foster home. There's no 'i' in pack, but there is in Tinker,
and this old gal is happiest when the house is quiet and the love has only to be divided into two. (Not dividing the love at all would be fine with her also.) Second, Tinker is not photogenic. These pictures do not do her justice.

Tinker is a healthy girl whose only issue is her skin, yet she's already racked up close to $500 in vet bills. Summer's coming, bringing with it invoices for heartworm preventative and tick repellent--your donations help FBRN continue to keep those repulsive, dangerous parasites at bay for all our dogs."

Let's hear it for those donations that keep our fosters safe from heartworm, fleas, and worms! If you have dogs, you know how expensive those doses are, and you know
how necessary they are, especially in certain areas of the country and for allergy dogs.

We've got a number of fosters who haven't had anyone offer to sponsor them.

If it's been a little while since you checked out our foster dogs, and it's been a little while since you sent a donation, why not stop by the foster page and drop a little copper in Tinker (or someone else's) little tin cup? Foster parents love to read your messages for "their" dogs, too! It's like a wonderful "way to go!" to hear from a supporter, and see a sponsorship for your own foster.

Foster parents love to read the messages, and so do all the volunteers, including

The Frog Princess

PS Like Tinker's harness? You can get one at our shopping mall!

Major Mushy

2009-06-02T09:26:00.000-07:00

We were checking out the new faces page on the website and came across this stunning visage belonging to Major.

We understand that it is wrong to judge a book by its cover, and that it's foolish to fall in love with a frog one hasn't met. But honest to Pete, just look at him!

Here's a note from his foster mom:
"Major is still doing great.

His favorite thing is going to the dog park, where he runs like a racehorse with the other dogs, kicking up dirt as he goes. He is a daredevil and almost gave me a heart attack when he raced into the little pond to play with a Lab and actually swam a few strokes! He loves running in the water like he is at the seashore.

Next, he thought he would climb up a rocky slope and I had to climb up to "rescue" him with my fat butt and flip flops. What a sight I'm sure we were!"

We are fairly certain that all eyes were on that gorgeous beast, so have no fear of appearing silly.

Who could resist getting an eyeful of such a repository of canine beauty? Certainly not

The Frog Princess

2009-05-31T19:50:00.000-07:00

This was fun! Wordle takes all the words from a blog or bit of text and represents the most often repeated words as large words and less repeated text as smaller words.

www.wordle.net!

Here's one made from Mookie's adoption page.

If you have a favorite foster dog, you can copy his bio into the box and it will make a wordle for you! You can play with the colors, font and direction of the words.

Another great way to practice work-avoidance! cheers
The Frog Princess

Bubbles

2009-05-31T18:06:00.000-07:00

Bubbles has the most expressive face and really wonderful coloring. We lots the freckles on her ears, and they do look like bubbles rising from her brain! Not to say she is a bubble brain, of course, that would be unkind and untrue. She's a very clever, as well as a very appealing, two year-old frog!

We'll be quiet, now, and let her foster mom tell you a little about this little handful:

"Bubbles is doing well living amongst 4 other dogs; there is no longer any serious aggression issue. She sometimes gets worked up when she is in her crate and someone is getting attention. She used to show off to others that she was getting special lap time attention, now she is learning to share.

When you are as cute as this, do you really need manners? asks Bubbles LaQute.

Her allergies still cause a bacterial yeast to cause her to have red rashes and itchiness. She is being maintained with baths and prescription spray. She still has a constant runny nose from allergies. She has not been on prednisone since we got her, so at least she is coping without steroids. To have an allergy panel, one can’t be on any meds, so she has been getting along ok. We are still awaiting the results of the panel and continue to wonder what is causing all her itchiness. The test is not for food but for the environment, so we will have to start a food trial as well.

Bubbles will let you know when she's unhappy. Look at that face!

She loves people and when I have visitors she relishes in all the attention.

We are still working on her bathroom habits, she is not good at alerting, but has succeeded in going out in the rain while we stand inside to go off the porch and do what she needs to do. It is a matter of us keeping track of time, and soon she will sit by the door I am sure, as this is what our other foster, Arizona, does. Bubbles would be happiest in a home where she could be spoiled as the only child, of course."

Bubbles checking it out.

Bubbles is a recovering control freak, and she'll need a family who can impress upon her the fact that she doesn't have to be in charge because somebody else will be running the world. She'll soon be up for adoption, and if you think you fit the bill, you should check out her bio and maybe apply.

The Frog Princess

Bedburglar!

2009-05-21T07:51:00.000-07:00

Young Fergus, a deaf foster dog, loves to snuggle with his foster siblings. He is a stealth snuggler!

Here he is, burgling FBRN grad Lulu's bed:

His foster mom says, "McDonald's has the Hamburgler, we have ourselves a BedBurgler. As evidenced in the photo, there is a perfectly empty bed between Wookie and Lulu, but that is just not going to do for the required snuggle factor. Lulu really loves it, though she acts as if she doesn't notice. Lulu only shares with the special-est of dogs."

Mmmm, looks like a very cozy set-up to

The Frog Princess

Sidney Sits and Waits

2009-05-20T12:55:00.000-07:00

Sidney, apres-bain!

One of our long-term fosters is ready for adoption--truth be told, she's BEEN ready! But so far, no one has felt the urge to apply for her, poor thing.

Sidney suffered a great deal of hair loss and had to endure quite a bit of treatment for her allergies.

We are looking for a great home for Sidney with someone who will take pleasure in making sure that this babydoll is properly cared for with a special diet and medications for her allergies. If you think you would like the challenge of continuing the rehabilitation of a needy, formerly neglected frog, check out Sidney's bio.

Sidney representing FBRN at a rescue function in SoCal!

Sidney's foster mom says she was a big hit at the booth!

The Frog Princess

FBRNETWORK NEWS IS 3!

2009-05-18T07:37:00.000-07:00

Celebrate our third blogiversary with us! Maybe you'd consider sponsoring Bob or Quinn, or one of our new faces who have no sponsors, yet?

Adorable Batboy, one of our hospice dogs.

Or maybe you'd like to sponsor one of our hospice dogs (scroll to bottom of page)?

You could make a donation in memory or in honor of a friend or family member.

Take a moment to think kind thoughts about all the FBRN volunteers who foster, transport, write, organize, phone, educate, and work behind the scenes to make FBRN work so well; we need them all to make rescuing these frogdogs possible!

The Frog Princess

How Far Would You Go? Ask The Frog Princess

2009-05-18T05:58:00.000-07:00

Nugget's Gotcha Day! What a happy boy!

We got a question on last month's Ask the Frog Princess post about how far people travel to pick up their new family member:

"I know the FBRN policy is to never, ever ship a Frenchie. Have you noticed whether people tend to adopt frenchies from their area, or do a lot of people travel a long distance to pick up the Frenchie of their dreams? Of course, a French Bulldog is worth traveling around the world for, but I just wondered how many people do!"

Bonnar gets a bedtime story
Following an unscientific survey, we found that the majority of our Frenchies go to homes at least 200 miles from their foster families. 40 per cent or so of our adopters live 500 miles or more from their foster families, and a smaller number travel more than 1000 miles to pick up their Frenchies.

Most of our adopters who live in another time zone choose to fly to pick up their dog, but we also have families who make a road trip of it, driving from Missouri to North Carolina, from Boston to Oklahoma, or from Wisconsin to Virginia.

Jada didn't travel far to find her forever family--her foster home adopted her, rather than move this elderly, infirm girl again.

We were surprised to learn how many of our Frenchies' adopters are willing to travel long distances and incur airfare and lodging expenses to pick up their new family members! It says a lot about how committed our applicants are to finding a Frenchie to fit their family.

The Frog Princess

Popeye!

2009-05-15T13:55:00.000-07:00

We've got a new sailor man in FBRN! Such a cutie-pie, but is having some health issues. Here's the first note and photo we got on Popeye:

"As you can see from the picture, Popeye is a young, handsome brindle boy. He is intact at 3 yrs and other than arriving with horrible inflamed and oozing ears ( which may be the reason he is deaf) he has no known medical issues other than loss of hearing.
It is reported that the infection is under control, but there is a thickening of the ear canal.

Several weeks ago, his current owner ( Sophie) was driving in a neighborhood when she came upon a women with several dogs. She pulled over to inquire about the frenchie ( the dog literally stops traffic) and the woman told her she was trying to sell him on Craigslist. So Sophie made an impulse buy and purchased Popeye on the spot. Unfortunately, the timing is not right, she has a 4 month old baby, 2 dogs/female/male, a cat, a cockatoo, horses, works a home healthcare job and it's all too much.

Popeye is said to be a love, gets along and plays with the resident animals and snuggles with the human baby. He loves his people and his cuddles. His one flaw, he does mark, but is accustomed to wearing a belly band."

Unfortunately, the early reports of no known health issues were premature. Poor Popeye spent some time in the ER with a bout of vomiting, and was diagnosed with brachycephalic airway syndrome, diarrhea, worms, and an ear infection--prednisone and antibiotics were prescribed, and we are hoping to see some big improvements shortly!

Keep a good thought for this very sweet boy, asks

The Frog Princess

Little Lewie!

2009-05-12T14:02:00.000-07:00

Little Lewie is getting a little littler. He was neutered last week, and he'll be up on the website as an available dog next week. Here's what his foster mom says about him:

"Wednesday's neuter was a smashing success (he's already back to his normal self). Also, he has reduced his weight to 34.3 lbs. His silhouette is becoming more shapely. Whoever adopts him is going to hit the jackpot. He is a phenomenal dog! -- so well trained, 100% housebroken, doesn't jump on furniture, LOVES his crate, is the BEST
companion, loves to watch Animal Planet, loves belly rubs, he ADORES people, and the best part--he is a natural comedian! He is so funny....I love watching him interact with my cat. They touch noses and then he'll pounce with excitement and the cat scurries and he gets a sad look on his face saying "why don't you wanna play with me?" He makes everyone laugh with his facial expressions, his yodeling, his little tough guy strut, etc."

Lewie is a great little guy and he's waiting for someone who appreciates a good laugh to send in their application! Keep your eye peeled: Lewie is coming to the website's available page soon!

Great. Now the drunken, endless chorus of "Louie, Louie" is rolling around the cavernous space between the ears of

The Frog Princess

Hospice: Miss Betty BoomBoom...aka "white lightning" and sometimes called "good time Betty"

2009-05-09T08:24:00.000-07:00

Two or three years ago, FBRN recognized that we had taken in a dog that was not going to be eligible for adoption, because she had a chronic condition. Her name is Pixie, and much to our surprise, she is still going strong.

Betty cuddles up to her sister Lilly.

Pixie was the first of the fosters we called "hospice" dogs, and since her arrival, we have taken in several more. We didn't know that these dogs were going to be so sick when they were surrendered to us, but it would not have made a difference, really. We are here for French bulldogs who need us, and one of our remarkable foster families will always step forward to love and care for these dogs with grim prognoses.

Here is a note from one of our foster moms. She and her husband care for Betty, an elderly girl who was surrendered last summer by her owner. She is beginning to show signs of canine dementia, and we are looking into a drug to treat that condition called Anipryl.

"Betty came to our house 8/10/08, she is blind, deaf and 13 years old with a true go getter attitude! At first she would just stand there, and look in each direction, take a few steps forward then stand again, but in a few days she was walking all over the place. This prompted the barricade, a low fence across our whole back yard so she could not get under the cars. This lasted a few days, then she was over that no problem.

Here she is before her self given wart removal surgery! This little growth on her eyelid just popped right off when she rubbed it.

Again,we were amazed that the blind dog is "hopping the barricade". I feel that it took about 3 months for her to get really comfortable living here. She is not house trained, so we can go a week no accidents, then we can have accidents everyday. I have to say I have never done this much laundry in my life!

She loves to eat, and also like the peanut butter kong in the evening. We try to be very consistent, everyday the same routine. She has always done the circling, but in the last few days she has started really tight circles, then sit/falls down and can't
seem to get her self up, then she will just get up and go straight. She is very determined... and when she runs into something she thinks she can push it out of the way. This has led to the small sore on the top of her head. We clean it all the time with peroxide and then put a little panalog ointment on it. She likes to have her face washed and her eyes cleaned. She does not like to have a bath at all!

A peanut butter Kong before her nap is part of Betty's daily routine

She is also a little more disoriented as of late, corners have become issue and can't get herself out of them. She also doesn't stand to eat any more, she likes to lay down. I guess what I'm trying to say, is that within these last few days she has slowed down a lot. We feel she is doing what a dog of her age should be doing. We are keeping her loved, full, and comfortable. Until there are significant changes in her health, we are happy to have her as part of our family!

Resting after a tasty (but messy) peanut butter Kong

Our sponsors, donors, supporters and folks who buy products from our shopping mall make it possible for us to provide veterinary care for our hospice dogs. We are proud to be able to do this for our dogs and very grateful to the loving and compassionate foster families who volunteer to take these Frenchies.

We believe that a dog with a good quality of life, no pain, and a loving family should live out her days in comfort and peace. We hope you agree.

The Frog Princess

Hubba Bubba

2009-05-08T06:16:00.000-07:00

Many people were touchedby the story of the Good Samaritan who rescued Hubba Bubba after a *(@W motorist tried to kill him. Here's an update on his condition from Hubba Bubba's foster mom:.

"Bubba is all Frenchie.He gives frenchie kisses, he snores, snorts and grunts like a frenchie, plays like a frenchie, over heats like a frenchie, and has an amazing frenchie appetite--just with out the ears. We call him bug eyed Bubba, his eyes are big and when he sees food his eyes look like they are going to pop out of his head! He is happy, super sweet and loving. The most important thing for Bubba, is to live in a cooler climate so he can breathe easier and have less issues with his allergies. Also, Bubba is eating the Honest Kitchen food and needs to stay on it; his dry skin cleared up and his activity level has increased to the point that he now outplays my dogs that are younger than him. Only a one year old puppy can keep up with Bubba. Bubba is also on an immunity support powder which has cleared up his little allergy bumps. Bubba would love to cuddle up and sleep with his people.

Bubba’s lucky day was the when the vet tech rescued him off the street, and now to complete Bubba’s good luck he needs a wonderful family of his very own."

When we look at Bubba's face, all we can see are those pouty, keess-able lips! Mwah! to you, too, buster, from

The Frog Princess

5th Annual New England Frenchie Social Pix!

2009-05-07T07:20:00.000-07:00

We hear this year's event was wonderful! 80 people and an uncertain number of French Bulldogs attended and we raised over $2,500 dollars for our organization! Organizers maintained their high standards and an excellent time was had by all. Here are a few photos of our well-behaved and good looking attendees. You won't mind that the faces are mostly frogs, will you? We thought not.