Saturday, August 26

Stanley Steams In

Change is hard. It's inevitable, everyone knows that, but it's hard. Some of us tolerate change more readily than others. This is Stanley, a Frenchie boy who has been acting out his resistance to change by misbehaving in really unacceptable ways.

In short, the boy's been biting. He's bitten twice. But before we pass judgment on this 4 year old, there are some things we should know about him. For the first 3 years of his life he was an only dog, living the life of the Family Scion in New York. He got used to being the Prince of the City, the Cock of the Walk, the Talk of the Town.

Then last year, his unchallenged role as Big Cheese ended.
His people brought in a girl. A girl Frenchie. As if one most excellent Frenchie were somehow insufficient. Poor Stanley. Of course, as an outsider, we completely understand the impulse to acquire multiple Frenchies. The Frenchie has something in common with a certain well-known brand of potato chip. One charming, gorgeous, funny little Frenchie is simply not enough.

However peeved and insulted he may have been at first, Stanley adjusted. He eventually came to grasp that the little blot on the family escutcheon was not going to disappear, and Stanley grew to tolerate the the idea of a shared household. Actually, having a girl around wasn't so bad.

Having a girl around wasn't so bad, and Stanley and his sis were doing pretty well together. Then the family decided if two Frenchies is good, surely three would be marvellous! Three Frenchies! Frenchies are like flowers, no? When arranging flowers, one chooses odd numbers for maximum beauty and aesthetic satisfaction. Three Frenchies. A bouquet! A little male Frenchie to finish off the family. Three Frenchies is just right.



Wrong. Stanley grew grumpy. He began to act out. He was feeling displaced, perhaps, and he was not happy. Then add to Stanley's sense of displacement and disgruntlement the family's move from New York to North Carolina, and, well.


At this point in the story, last straws were observed falling onto the back of the Frenchie, Stanley. His family was unequipped to handle a biting boy and weren't sure how to deal with him, how to discipline or train him. So he came to FBRN.

In our care, he'll be undergoing some evaluation and he'll be staying with a foster family familiar with the process of rehabilitating spoiled and snippy Frenchies. We will work with Stanley until he is fit to be placed with a family.

Change is tough. We avoid it when we can. Some Frenchies really thrive on stability and consistency while others make wonderful travelers and accept new situations and new siblings without turning a hair. Frenchies are various and individual in their make-up, and that is part of the charm and much of the challenge of loving and living with one. Do check in with us as the weeks roll on and see how Stanley fares on his streetcar ride to stellar behavior at the hands of our foster family in the dear old south part of the land of
The Frog Princess

6 comments:

txchic57 said...

Wow, that's kind of a sad story. He was the first one there and now he's history?

He's a very handsome boy.

Anonymous said...

Stanley boy. I have lived with one like you. He was either displaced or hurt or both. But when he felt threatened he would act out & could be not so nice. But with love & discipline, he became the best most loved dog ever. Hopefully you will see that grumpy helps no one & that people will love you just for the beautiful boy you are. Please let your foster people show you love & discipline.

Anonymous said...

Hang in there Stanley - it'll be worth it in the end!

Anonymous said...

He is a handsome boy! Look at that face!

Anonymous said...

What a sad story! I hope he finds a castle worthy of this prince!

Anonymous said...

"...how Stanley fares on his streetcar ride to stellar behavior"

You are the master, FP--we bow before you...