Rollo

Here is Rollo, doing what he does best. What is that, you ask? Why, beautifying the world, of course!

When Rollo came to us, he was no bigger than a gerbil, or possibly a hamster. Certainly smaller than a guinea pig. His name then was Piglet, and, like another little piglet we know of named Wilbur, Piglet was a runt, and he needed special care. His foster mom, coincidentally named Charlotte, looked after him well, and he grew and grew and then he flew to Austin, TX, where he lives now with his mom and dad, his Frenchie sister Luna, and his red-haired kewpie-doll boy brother, Ivan.

He's a dog born under a lucky star, for sure, and he's as handsome as the night is long.

The Frog Princess

Ethel Has Good Taste

Psst! Did you know Christmas is coming? Did you know you can buy your Frenchie her own gorgeous FBRN t-shirt at the CafePress store? This is Ethel, an FBRN grad, about to enjoy a bit of eggnog. She's sporting her stylish FBRN t-shirt. You'll note Maizy there, taking up the right hand side of the photo. She's a little too late to obscure Ethel, but not too late to make a point: She's chilly. She's neglected. She's naked and she's jealous and she needs a t-shirt, too! We are sure if your dog knew there was a whole selection of shirts with Frenchies on them, they would demand at least one for everyday and one for dress-up.
While you are shopping, you could pick up a calendar or two and a sweatshirt for yourself. We have some great holiday designs.

Everydoggie needs a little something under the tree, don't you agree? hints
The Frog Princess

A Rose by Any Other Name: Smeagol

A little over a year ago, the NC10 came into FBRN's care. Last month, Smeagol celebrated with a little chicken liver doggy-cake and a colorful new shirt. Handsome as ever, and now with gravy-fresh breath!

O gentle Smeagolo,
If thou dost love, pronounce it faithfully!

Your Juliet,
The Frog Princess

Eloise

This beautiful girl came to us several weeks ago, when her family had to move to a place that didn't allow animals. Though she's healthy and strong, Eloise is a little backward in the social graces--she'll need a home where people will patiently work with her on learning how to react and behave around people. The first time she went to the vet's office, she had an anxiety attack and made lots of horrible sounds and caused a scene. Fortunately, the vet was experienced in treating fearful dogs, and no one lost any blood. Except Eloise, and only what was needed to test her for heartworm.
In order to desensitize her to places like the vet's, Eloise has spent time over the last little while learning about the vet's office and meeting strangers. A friend of Eloise's foster mom works in a vet's office and she volunteered to take Eloise to the office for a few days so she could hang out there and learn about what happens.
Eloise is still leery of strangers, and she likes a life that is predictable and pretty dull, really. She is a quiet girl, but she does like to play. She enjoys running around the backyard and playing with her people. She is very affectionate.
We think she'd do very well in a quiet office, and she'd be a perfect dog for a one dog only family. She'd probably do well with a male her size, but you should know that Eloise is a dominant girl, so any other dogs in the house would have to be willing to defer to her.
Deference and respect. And, from time to time, a pig ear. Is that too much to ask?

We think not, proclaims
The Frog Princess

Gretta Goes to Town

Our beautiful brindle girl, Gretta, is going to live in Austin, TX, with her new family: mom, dad and Frenchie sister, Bella. Her family reports that Gretta and Bella are a crazy pair, chasing and playing like they invented the idea of madcap romping. She has a nice big fenced yard, a wading pool for summer days and at least one person home most of the day. Judging by the grin on Gretta's face, we think she has found her happy place! Congratulations to the whole family, beams
The Frog Princess

Renault and Onjolie 4ever

Another pair of adorable Frenchies has come to FBRN to be placed in a loving home. Meet Renault and Onjolie, two little 4 year-old Russian imports with boatloads of charm. Renault is a sweetie pie who listens well, even though he had a nasty ear infection when he came to us. It's cleared up, now.

Onjolie is the more active of the two, and seeks and gets attention for herself more often than Renault. Both dogs have awful teeth, and poor Onjoli has a vaginal prolapse. Both dogs have some weakness in the back end. We'll have their teeth seen to, and they'll be spayed and tutored as the case may be. We have been fortunate to find a veterinarian willing to treat the dogs at a discount, but the fees are likely to be high, due to the extensive nature of the dogs' dental problems, and given both dogs' weakness in the back. If you can offer any donations to this couple, please visit their foster page and click on the bone.

Renault and Onjolie are being fostered in Vermont. Mmmm. Vermont in winter. Listen! We can just hear Rosemary Clooney and the gang from White Christmas singing "Snow!"

Off to rent a certain DVD,
The Frog Princess

2007 is Just around the Corner!

Lillie is so excited about the new FBRN calendars, she can hardly contain herself! She had to grab a stuffie to stifle her screams of delight!

Next year will be here sooner than you think. You need a calendar. Possibly two.

Now on sale for 20 per cent off (through Dec 3) and free shipping for orders over $50.

Why you can't beat that with a stick, says
The Frog Princess

Happy Thanksgiving!

This Thanksgiving, we'd like to reintroduce you to some of our foster Frenchies in some of their foster parents' favorite photos and let you know what they are thankful for, in the words of their foster parents.


Now, I know it is a strange picture for a favorite but it is the first picture after surgery where Valentine had the sparkle back in her eyes.
Val is thankful that she found an organization that has been patient enough to see her through her long healing process. She is looking forward to finding a place to call a home of her own, hopefully before Christmas. Thanks to all the wonderful volunteers with FBRN. :) She could not have made it through it all without them.




Hi, I'm "Clyde" a foster Frenchie and I'm thankful this holiday to have a warm bed to sleep in, plenty of good food, some other doggie friends to play with, and a lot of love and attention from my foster mom and dad.



joey is grateful for upholstery, and warm clothes, and a warm body to snuggle with and a safe place to snuggle down. we are grateful he is doing so well.


Gussy is grateful for a nice pillow to lie on and a foster family to love him.





Faith and Hope are thankful for good friends. They are also thankful that I have a lot of stuffies that they can tear up!! haha!!!!











Louis is thankful for the sunshine. He has spent so much time in a pet store. He just loves soaking in the rays.




I think this is one of Jack that hasn't been seen before. He's sitting in his new bed. I think Jack is most thankful for - honestly? - being fed regularly!! He's a super chow hound. Next on his list would be kind humans who pet him and play with him. He's a simple guy who enjoys simple pleasures. If he knew what Thanksgiving was, i.e. a big feast, he'd be all over it.
Happy Thanksgiving to all, humans and canines alike.



Brutty says he's thankful for love and lots of toys.





Rue says he's thankfull to have friends that look just like him and to be going to his forever home in time for Christmas. Bet he gets lots of presents!!!!!!!!





Ah, well if I had to guess what Higgins is thankful for I would have to say
it's for the plethora of nap times he enjoys...I love the way frenchies look
when they sleep.









Bugsy is thankful for: FBRN, Thanksgivings spent cruising around on his Harley in the Southern California sunshine, sleeping in, romps in the yard and on the leash, gentle hugs, a soft bed and toys, toys, toys (especially balls)! Bugsy is also looking forward to motoring up to his forever home come Saturday.


Our warmest wishes for a wonderful, delicious and happy Thanksgiving. We are profoundly grateful for all the foster families, volunteers and supporters of this rescue, and for the adoptive families who step forward to give our fosters loving, peaceful, safe and healthy homes.

The Frog Princess

Shoeless Joe Makes a Pitch

Poor Shoeless Joe. He's got it rough. The clock keeps ticking and ticking and yet there keeps on being no food in his dish. We aren't sure how this can have happened, but we are looking into it, you bet, Joe!
It's not like this pitiful wayfaring stranger couldn't use a coupla calories! You remember Joe, he's the dog who went walkabout for 6 months before somebody found him, malnourished, with his poor face all full of infected bite marks, and generally looking like a half-crazed junkyard dog.

The vet he was taken to was coincidentally the same vet his family used,
and the vet turned him over to the rightful owners. All was bliss and prodigal son partying until Joe felt the family's infant was low-dog and he started getting uppity with the old-timer dog. Joe had had just a little too much autonomy out in the world. He got himself a ticket to FBRN.

And now his face is all better, and his pockets have been picked, and he's had a little surgery to widen his nostrils and make his breathing easier. The neighbors down the street are no longer worried about earth-quaking snores they hear at night, and his foster family is getting some rest.


You know that expression, "It's a dog's life?" We think that's supposed to mean that times are tough, life's a hard road, you gotta just keep pickin' em up and puttin' em down.
Judging from this photo, we think the phrase should be redefined.
Junkyard dog? Naw, he's turned out to be a lot of hot air with hair on it, has ol' Joe. He dreams of nothing more than a couple of enormous meals a day, a chauffeur-driven convertible, an in-house disco, and a gaggle of beautiful Frenchie dancing girls to make his life complete.

But he'll settle for a forever family who loves him to distraction, who'll be available for a little Frenchie wrasslin', and who'll provide a big, blanketed bed stocked with warm-hearted, warm-blooded bipeds.

Dream big, Shoeless! urges
The Frog Princess

Bugsy

We've all had those days.

You know, the weather is beautiful, the company is pleasant, the day's work is done and it's time to relax. You climb into your favorite chair or flop onto your comfy sofa and prepare for a little well-earned zoning out.




And yet something is just not right. You shift around a little bit, you pick up a magazine, maybe you consider a little snack.
No. No. No. Just can't get comfortable. The magazine isn't really what you want. There aren't any Chee-tos and you don't really feel like walking to the store.

You get up off your comfy seat.

Maybe you'll know it when you see it.

You wanna play fetch? No.

Wanna chase your brother? Nah.

Patrol the perimeter, maybe mail a letter? Huh uh. Nope.

You wanna chew a stuffie?


That's IT!

Oh, that is what you want. The stuffie. Bliss.

Now to persuade your foster Mom that she needs some Chee-tos. Needs 'em now.

Needs 'em bad.

It's true. A stuffie a day keeps the boredom away, nods
The Frog Princess

Beautiful, Beautiful, Beautiful, Beautiful Boy

As John Lennon wrote more than a generation ago, "Life is what happens to you when you're busy making other plans," so we thought, as this holiday week begins, we'd offer you a moment to pause, take a moment, and look deeply into the eyes of a very beautiful soul.

This is our dear Carlin, currently Under Review while his foster family selects a forever home for him. We think these photos, taken on the way home from a vet visit, are very lovely. Carlin seems to be speaking volumes with his expression, here, and though he may be sending psychic commands to stop at the fast food joint for a plain burger and some fries, we prefer to think that Carlin is feeling gratitude for all the ways his life has gotten better since he came into our care.
His vision is nearly clear, his hearing has returned, and the surgery he underwent to remove a polyp was a success.

This loving, active, people-person dog will be enriching some lucky family's life, thanks to FBRN's generous and loyal supporters, and the tender and devoted care of his foster family.

"Before you go to sleep
Say a little prayer
Every day in every way
It's getting better and better."

Thank you for answering Carlin's prayer.

The Frog Princess

Sophie Has a Home

Sophie, our little cyclone in a dog, has found a forever home in a men-only household. Having taken an intense dislike to women, Sophie will be living with her adoptive dad and his dad in a lovely home with Frenchie brother, Clarke, an FBRN grad and one of the deli dozen; Frenchie sister Chloe; and Pug sister Daphne.
We believe that Sophie will be happy in her fenced yard and will never want for playmates in her home. Happy landings, Sophie! calls
The Frog Princess

Tillie 3/09/96-10/04/06

Many FBRN volunteers and supporters are familiar with Tillie's story. She was to be an easy first foster for a new volunteer. She a 6 year-old girl with some past health issues, but no temperament problems. After a week in foster care, our volunteer had to take Tillie to the vet where it appeared that her mast cell cancer had returned and spread throughout Tillie's body. The vet estimated that Tillie would have just a few months to live.Her foster mom asked permission to keep her and care for her for however much time Tillie had remaining. In her loving care, Tillie lived more than three years. Tillie was a funny, silly, goofy girl. She loved to climb into the tub and hope and wait and hope some more that some kind passerby would give her a bath. She loved to play in the sprinkler with her canine siblings. She oversaw the comings and goings of a few more fosters before her passing. She was a source of entertaining stories for our volunteers and she was Miss October one year on the FBRN calendar: Miss Hallowe'en, Tilloweena.

This is the note her grieving mom sent us when Tillie passed away. Those of us who have loved and lost a dog will recognize the anguish and sorrow and very great love in her words.

"Sister Weena, Queen of the Wild Tilluluhy Louly Lous is gone, God rest her soul.
She fought that cancer to the bitter end, but finally her lung mass grew too large and caused her too much pain and she was ready to go.
Her passing could not have been any more peaceful. As she rode in my arms to the vet, she was breathing heavily and her eyes were already glazed over. In fact, the only time she looked alarmed was when they took her out to put the IV in and she looked over the nurses shoulder to see if I would follow. Once she was back in the room and we had told her how much we loved her, she fixed her eyes on me and the injection was administered and she went to sleep. She looked just like she would when she would like on the couch and watch TV with me. I sat in her spot when I got home. Boy do I miss rubbing her ears already.
Over the past three years since Tillie was rescued by FBRN, I've been faced with the prospect of letting her go, but nothing could have prepared me for today. My heart is heavier than I could have ever imagined and seeing her food bowl had me doubled over in knots. Just yesterday morning was the last time I will ever get to say, "Tillulah, put your bone down before you go outside," as she would like to take and leave her Nylabones in the back yard. You see, Tillie was always so happy that she had to have a toy or a bone in her mouth while her back end would wiggle from side to side. Oh, how I miss my sweet girl.
I would attach my favorite picture of her, but I can't bear to go through the cds and choose just one. I just keep picturing that sweet honey colored dot on her forehead and those large ears...oh my, how I love her. How lucky I have been to have been loved by her. She gave me her all, up until the very end. Quite the trouper.
Thank you, FBRN, for all your support and care over the years for Tillie. I know many of you have cried and laughed at her antics; now just smile knowing she's in heaven on our side."

Hoping there are lots of sunny days and sprinklers up there for a funny little dog to splash through,
The Frog Princess

Lillie Then and Now

Lillie came to us in the midst of labor. Her owner contacted us, our volunteer met him, Lillie was signed into FBRN's custody, then was whisked to a rescue-friendly vet and underwent a C-section within 3 hours. Maybe more remarkably, a foster home willing to take in a neglected, near deaf Frenchie and her 3 lab-mix puppies was found in less time than it takes to tell the story. Lillie has raised her pups, they were placed through a local shelter's listing service while they remained in our volunteer's home, and have all been adopted.
Lillie has undergone ear surgery to remove the detritus of many infections and polyps and to relieve the pain and pressure in her ear. She needs another surgery before she will be placed. Generous FBRN sponsors and donors made Lillie's maternity care and her first surgery possible.

Meanwhile, the cigarette burn on her head and the chemical burns of unknown origin have healed, Lillie has bloomed under the tender care of her foster sibling Murphee and foster mom, and she has learned what it means to be an indoor pet, after living as an outdoor dog and having to fight for every scrap and morsel of food with the other yard dogs.
Though not yet ready for adoption, Lillie grows more confident and beautiful every day. Thank you for all you have done to make her progress possible.
Sincerely,
The Frog Princess

Kaspar Meditating in the Marigolds

When Kaspar was 15 weeks old, his family had him evaluated by a professional trainer following some incidences of misbehavior, including biting, barking and insubordination. The trainer saw something...evil in Kaspar. Said he was incorrigible. Said he needed killin'.

Crushed and incapable of euthanizing such a young dog, the family surrendered Kaspar to FBRN. Turns out Kaspar is a bit of a tough case, and after a number of applicants backed out upon reflecting on the kind of commitment and consistency Kaspar would require, his foster family asked if they could adopt him. Kaspar is a very happy dog in his new home, rarely showing evidence of the depraved and criminal character he had been accused of hiding behind that black mask.

Kaspar has grown to be a very interesting young beast. When he gets upset or overstimulated, he goes into the garden and sits in the flowers until he calms down. Here's Kaspar, practicing biofeedback in the backyard.

Would that we were all as wise as this handsome creature, wistfully wishes
The Frog Princess

Handsome Jack in the Mangroves

Our foster, Handsome Jack, continues to recover from a little setback he endured this summer. So far, he seems to be maintaining an even keel. It helps so much that his foster family includes a physician who is conscientious about keeping HJ on a strict schedule of medication. He's back on the available page, and he's ready to move to a home where he can be cuddled and coddled for the rest of his life. If you have the time, resources and commitment to give a special needs dog with lots of personality and a great big heart, why not apply for this boy?

Here is Handsome Jack, enjoying a brief rest among the roots of a mangrove tree on the Florida coastline near his foster home.

Oo, Jack! coos
The Frog Princess

Dora and Friends

We were very sad to learn that one of our volunteers, Dora's foster mom, had an emergency medical condition that required surgery and recovery.


Regardless of her own pain and interrupting her recovery, she nonetheless made the effort to place Dora in another FBRN volunteer's care.

Dora is now enjoying the company of a gang of Frenchies at a new foster home and, best news of all, has recently gone into review! We are hoping to perform a home check soon and place her before Thanksgiving.



We are hoping that Dora and her friends Pache, Kaspar and Dulcie are enjoying the sunny days of a New England fall.


Our best wishes for a full and rapid recovery to Dora's first foster mom!
The Frog Princess

Lucy Lou, Looking Good!

This was Lucy Lou just a few weeks ago. Note the way her legs are crossed and the wasting of her back end.



This is what a few weeks with a devoted foster family can do. Legs are no longer crossed, and Lucy Lou has some movement in her back right leg.




Though donations for Lucy Lou's treatments weren't the equal of the very generous outpouring of gifts we received for Anna Belle, Roxanne, and Pixie, we are happy to say that we did receive some sponsorships and well-wishes for Lucy Lou from a number of caring contributors.





Soon, Lucy Lou will be traveling to Texas from Georgia in order to receive some care from a sympathetic veterinary specialist. We are very hopeful that Lucy will see even more progress toward improved mobility. If you'd like to donate toward her continued recovery and travel expenses, either for the first time or again, please visit Lucy Lou's foster page on our website, and don't forget to leave a little message of encouragement and hope for Lucy Lou. She's working very hard to get better.

With gratitude to our kind and loyal supporters,
The Frog Princess

Dame Babycakes: Card Shark at Work

"You gotta know when to hold 'em. Know when to fold 'em. Know when to walk away, and know when to run.
Don't ever count your money while you're sittin' at the table; there'll be time enough for countin' when the dealin's done."

Hit me, Baby!
The Frog Princess, with acknowledgement to Mr. Kenny Rogers

Murphee: On the Job!

FBRN volunteers got a little scare recently when one of our grads had to spend some time at the hospital. Murphee, a foster sibling par excellence, is feeling better now.



Murphee recently made a friend in the local Animal Services department. When the officer heard about Murphee's contributions to rescue and all of Murphee's volunteer efforts as a therapy dog and hospice visitor, the officer offered to let Murphee have his picture taken wearing an official badge in an official truck to help celebrate his recovery and encourage him in his good works.



Murphee just loves to sit in the truck, as you can see by the smile on his face!
Even when he's not in the truck, he's always on the lookout for critters in need.

Murphee certainly has done his share of looking after little lost Frenchies over the past few months. He's a good boy, he is, and he's got a great big heart.

We feel safe and happy knowing that Murphee is on the job, helping to protect and serve.

Thanks for your good work, Murphee! says
The Frog Princess