Dewey Digs In

Do you know any of those admirable people who live their sweet lives in eternal optimism? They trust that good will happen to them and that all is for the best in this best of all possible worlds. They are the kinds of people who live in hope and who would never dream of despairing.


Dewey is that kind of dog.

Somewhere, sometime, Dewey learned that nice things come out of plastic boxes. And now, incredibly, he has found the boxes! He has found the pantry, my friends! It is the birthplace and locus of--I tell you--it's the genesis and golden source of tasty bites of leftover loveliness, of picnic and party savories, and of treats and morsels beyond the dreams of ordinary canine appetite. List! O, List! Dewey has located the motherlode of magic containers. He is not going to budge until his virtue and dogged (ha!) determination is rewarded.

Perhaps a box will fall and in it there will be some gravy or some juices from a barbecue or ham? Or maybe he will find some bits of frosting on the lid, or even an assortment of sandwich rinds discarded by a picky child. Friends, there is no telling what treasures await the patient and the pure of heart.

Yes, there will come a time when some one of these magic boxes must give up its bounty. How else could it be in this best of all possible worlds? Wish him luck in his watches, readers! Wish him luck, and wish him a generous and a soft-hearted foster mother, who will witness his faithfulness and reward him for it, just as if she were as generous and bountiful as the benign Fate our optimistic friends have such great faith in! Indeed, as if she were as kind, as wondrously munificent as Herself,
The Frog Princess

PS We are distressed to see that young Dewey has yet to receive a single sponsor! Is there no noble spirit in the world who will, by loving deed through PayPal, show Dewey he is worthy of regard? Fie. Fie! O! ne'er let sweet Dewey know that he has inspired no green gifts of friendly feeling. Think how grievously t'would harm his happy vision of the world.
Shh. Don't tell. When Ignorance is Bliss, tis Folly to be Wise.
FP

Ellie Sleeps In

Ellie's foster mom received these photos and note recently from Ellie's new mom in the special program of foster-to-adopt we are using for the NC-10. We are still awaiting the final dispensation of the NC-10 case, and Cora, Pancake, and Twiggy remain available. To learn more about the foster-to-adopt program for the remaining NC-10, you can click on any of the dogs' names above.

Puppy mill survivor Ellie seems to be making herself comfortable and is proving a perfect addition to her new family. Here's what her mom had to say:

"Just before Ellie arrived I bought an extra-large dog bed. Both Ellie and Griffin love this bed but they never share it. If Ellie is in it, Griff will sleep on the floor and vice versa.

The first sign I see when Griffin starts to bond with another dog is his attempt to sleep next to him/her. This hasn’t happened until today. Ellie got to the bed first and spread out. A few minutes later Griffin tip-toed in and lay down next to her. They have been napping together for about an hour now. It’s very cute and I am happy to see that Griffin is falling for Ellie, just as we have."

Ellie's former foster mom says, "Ellie has become the queen that she always wanted to be!" Little Ellie, we are pleased that you are enjoying your life as a royal. We offer you this advice: Regal is as regal does. Remember to be good to the little people, to be humble, to wear your crown lightly but with dignity, and to uphold the rigorous standards of noble and virtuous behavior and beauty set by your own
Frog Princess

Daisy, Daisy Give Me Your Answer, Do!

Meet Miss Daisy, a new foster girl currently parked in Michigan. She's an active young thing, very interested in and curious about the world around her. She was surrendered due to concerns about her behavior, and a problem with a leaky bladder, so when one of our volunteers who trains and assesses dogs offered to foster her and evaluate her temperament, we gratefully accepted the offer. We are working on finding a medication or remedy for the bladder leakage. It's a physical, organic issue and it may mean fewer applications for this pretty, sweet pup.


Turns out, our volunteer is willing to say there is not a thing wrong with young Daisy apart from one bite attempt in a vet's office, and some crabbiness regarding a harness she hated (hated!) wearing. Now that she's comfortable in her collar (no harness!)she's settling in to her foster home quite nicely. Looks like she just gets defensive in new situations. Apart from her initial fears, she's a sugar lumpkin, a lap hog and a baa-lamb. Really, she is doing so well that she'll be up and available for adoption in the next week or so. Daisy is just 14 months old, and apart from her bladder issue, she's healthy and fun-loving and a pleasure to be around. She's already developed some admirers among the visitors to her foster home, and she's been there just a week! We are looking forward to more updates on her progress and learning more about our new girl.



Daisy's got a long and happy life to look forward to. You can help set her feet on the path to that future by sponsoring her here.

Contemplating how things have changed since the olden days when a bicycle built for two could inspire a love song,
The Frog Princess

Molly Goes to Work

Molly, formerly Candie Kisses, spent some time at work one day while she was in the process of moving to her long-term foster home. 8 year-old Molly was surrendered following a divorce, when neither her mom nor her dad could find housing that would permit a pet. While Molly visited at work, her foster mom for-a-day took some photos and included captions. Here's Molly, making herself at home while at work.

I had the wonderful opportunity to entertain Candi Kisses for a few hours prior to her transport. Here is how she spent her time at my office.


Having a little snack










Do I smell more snacks?













Please can I have another?















OK. One more snack











What should I do next?












A toy looks like a good idea.












I am a bit tuckered out.















Did you say something to me?













Am I cute or what?














Where am I going?












When Molly came to us, she was a very confused little Frenchie. Not only had she lost her family as a unit, she'd lost her entire home and way of life. We are so often surprised by the resilience of older dogs who come into rescue. After just a few days of reorientation, sometimes just a few hours, they are able to gracefully adjust and come to terms with a new life. Molly is learning the ropes of her foster home and becoming a confident, trusting, happy little French bulldog. If you are a sucker for the older ladies, take a look at Molly's (aka Candie Kisses) biography on the FBRN available dogs page.

We women of some years have quite a lot of life and charm and energy, you know! Through no fault of our own, our circumstances may change and we may find ourselves in search of new homes and lives and laps to enjoy. If you have a shmooshy bed, a warm heart, and an open hand with treats in it, please consider applying for one of the dear elder ladies in FBRN's care. Remember your grandmother, mother and sister, and for their sakes, give a nice gal a second home, pleads
The Frog Princess

Miss Mouse Pays a Visit!

Two years ago this month, a Texas Frenchie with beautiful pink toenails got on a plane and made the trip to a land of water. This is what she looked like then.

Mouse moved to Seattle to live with an empty-nest couple. Before long, Miss Mouse was outfitted with her own lifejacket and was learning the lingo of the sea! Ahoy! Avast! Starboard! Her mom is retired and stays at home, while her doctor dad enjoys quiet evenings with the music of the slumbering Frenchie.
From time to time, one of our Washington state volunteers gets to see Miss Mouse, and she recently had the opportunity to host Miss Mouse for a weekend. You can see Miss Mouse is not a bit shy about moving in to the choicest spots: That's M.M. on the lap, while Piper whispers hateful fantasy "accidents" that she and Bugsy might arrange for her.
Meanwhile, Miss Mouse slept the sleep of the innocent and entitled, all comfy and cozy on the couch. It's no watercraft, mind you, and there's no lovely sound of waves or rolling in the other boats' wake, but there is a lovely pattering of raindrops and a yummy pot-bellied stove to make up for the absence of the salty spray and fishy fragrance of Seattle's bays and ports.
Miss Mouse is a lucky girl. She's a good-natured, easy-going, affectionate and well-loved Frenchie.
Miss Mouse, we salute you! May fair winds, following seas and clear skies be your bounty, love, strength of heart and joy! Come back again and see us and let us share your adventures. We can play The Rime of the Ancient Mariner: You can be the Ancient M. and the Wedding Guest will be played by
The Frog Princess

She's a Cookie Who Will Cook Ya Till You're Done!*

Here's that wacky Cookie girl. You remember Cookie, the little Oreo-eared girl surrendered by a PA breeding operation? She needed to be spayed and have a mastectomy. We just wanted to send an update letting you know how she's settling in with her foster family. The answer is: wonderfully.
Cookie joined a gathering of children for a little while, where she was honored with a lovely balloon collar. Of course, she was carefully supervised around the children and the balloons at all times. Here's part of a note her foster mom sent:
"Cookie is doing great. The grand kids were making balloon animals and made Cookie a collar (she was never left alone with the balloons). She still needs to be watched closely when she is out with my female but as long as I say her name when she starts to stare she stops right away. She is a little love and always wants to cuddle."
As Cookie continues her rehabilitation and her lessons in how to live like a pet, including gracefully accepting the homages and gifts of the little people, we'll keep you posted on her progress. We daresay Cookie will soon be conducting herself with much of the noblesse oblige and gentility of
The Frog Princess

*We couldn't help ourselves. This line from South Pacific pops into our head every time we think of Miss Cookie.

LaRue

Here is our new foster, LaRue, being subjected to one of the many baths he will be taking to soothe his pink and irritated skin.
If there is something more forlorn-looking than a wet and miserable Frenchie, we would like to see it.




And here's LaRue, apres le bain, sequestered in his exercise pen. LaRue, Rue for short, came to us after 6 years in a breeding facility and a very short time in a family home. He was so unaccustomed to freedom, having lived his life in a cage, that he couldn't adjust to life with a family. He was terrified of everything, including the children.


Rue's just begun to feel a little better. He has a crate and an exercise pen to keep him feeling secure, and he is getting little tastes of freedom to ease him into a life in the open air. He's even begun to enjoy toys after observing his foster family's dogs playing with them.




Everyday he makes some progress; he walks a little further into the house,
investigates a bit more and learns more about his surroundings.


While he is going to require some more medical care, including a dental cleaning, his foster family is limiting the stressors they subject him to, and they are taking his rehabilitation very slowly and carefully.


Frenchies were always meant to be people dogs. Rue is learning to enjoy human company and even presents himself for tummy rubs, now, just as the other Frenchies in the household do. LaRue is learning to be a real Frenchie, and we look forward to the day when his timidity is a thing of the past and Rue's fears and anxiety are replaced by the more natural and customary sense of entitlement and self-confidence, of goodwill and gregariousness that is the birthright of every Frenchie, particularly
The Frog Princess

Welcome, Sweetie!

.This is Sweetie, a Frenchie surrendered by her grieving family in hopes that she can find a home. Frenchies are subject to lots of ailments, and treating them can be expensive and prolonged, and sometimes beyond a family's means. That's how it was for Sweetie's loving family, who hated to give her up. Here are some photos of Sweetie on her first day with FBRN. She's in the very capable hands of a volunteer's daughter. They grew to be fast friends in the few days Sweetie was with the family, before she could be transferred to the long-term foster home she is in now.
Sweetie has allergies, and her skin is where the allergies show up. If you look carefully, you can see that she's a little pink in these photos. Her first days in foster care, she started taking antibiotics and antihistamine and began a hypoallergenic diet. After only a few days, she was looking better.

Sweetie is now living with her foster family in one of those states with all those vowels in the middle of the country. She has taken to her new position as princess. (That's princess with a lower-case p, my friends!) As you can plainly see in this photo, the girl is living well: comfy bed, squeaky toys, chewy toys, Mean Kitty--in fact, that looks like our Mean Kitty! Did that little princess break into our Royal Toychest!?
No? All right, no, all is well. Our things are safe. We apologize for the outburst. It comes of having little sisters, my friends. One imagines that one's best things are everlastingly imperiled by sticky fingers. These are absolutely her own toys, provided by her loving foster family. Gee. That's a toy collection fit for a Princess! Hmm. We might have to send the Royal Tax Collector around to visit with Sweetie, maybe collect a couple of...No, no. That would be wrong.

Young Sweetie is certainly being introduced to a life of royal luxury, we'd say. If you would like to volunteer to place yourself in her thrall, she should be available for adoption soon. Meanwhile, as you wait to submit your application, you could fly over to the FBRN website and sponsor Sweetie, if you like. Such a pretty girl is accustomed to receiving little tokens of esteem. At least that's how it was in the younger days of
The Frog Princess

Extra! Extra!

The headline is just to introduce you to the newest foster in FBRN's care. It's big news and he's a big boy.


At 35 pounds, Dewey is a substantial Frenchie. This handsome black-masked fawn was a stud dog for the first 3 years of his young life, and is unfamiliar with the finer points of canine etiquette outside the breeding concern where he was raised. When he joined a young couple's family, the very first thing he did was bite a family member's dog as they were being introduced. It's not uncommon for an unneutered boy with a stud history to show aggression to a strange dog, but Dewey's new family were smart enough and wise enough to know when they were in over their heads. They sought our help to rehome Dewey with a family that has experience with a headstrong dog who needs some transitioning between his roles as kennel king and sultan of the sofa.

Dewey will be neutered and he'll get some training in house manners and how to win friends and influence doggies. We are hoping that once he's had his pockets picked, this Incredible Hulk will revert to his mild-mannered alter ego. He should learn quickly how to act right. Just look at the size of his noggin! Plenty of room for a powerful intellect to operate within that granite cranium.

Dewey has a few health concerns. Though as you can see in one photo, he's got a dreadful scar on a back leg that he's had since puppyhood, that's the least of his problems, and it doesn't seem to bother him at all. He's got an ear infection, poor boy, and there's something off in his hindparts, since he sometimes seems a bit weak in his legs. We've scheduled some xrays to see what is going on. His foster mom is also aware of what might be the start of cherry eye.

The Chicago Tribune made an infamously bad call way back in '48, but we're hoping that Dewey really can overcome his history and the negative impression he made the first time out. If you'd like to cast a vote for Dewey's triumph over trouble, you can push the Sponsor button on his foster page, here, and make your opinion count!

Though we generally stay out of politics for fear of getting muddy, we hereby proclaim that Dewey has the full support and endorsement of
The Frog Princess

Bubba Checks In

One of the most photogenic Frenchies we've ever seen (and that's saying something) had his picture taken and his mom sent it to us along with a note letting us know how he is settling in. Bubba went to his forever home in Michigan this last spring.

His mom writes:
"Bubba & Katie each enjoying their toys. Doesn't he look good? We are so thrilled with him. He is such a sweet boy. He has been enjoying taking walks & loves to stop at the river to play in the sand & cool off at the beach. I need to take the camera to get pictures of him there. He is such a wild man in the sand. He runs as far as his lead will let him & then flies off in another direction."

It's the sensation of sand between the toes. We've noticed that it causes a certain flightiness in the feet and a surge of reckless, madcap energy that only a really sand-scrabbling, crackerdoggy wild rumpus can release.

Kooky as he may be on the beach, we'd like readers to take special note of Bubba's excellent manners! His sister, a lady of a certain age, has first refusal on the shmooshy bed. Good looking and cultured is a rare and marvellous thing, sighs
The Frog Princess

Remember Sherman?

Here's a photo of our Sherman, an FBRN graduate, engaged in one of his favorite activities: Chasing butterflies!




And here's Sherman chasing after a ball. Look at that form. He's very athletic.






And after he's had some exhausting outdoors activity, Sherman gets to visit with his new Dad and do some wrassling, get some belly rubs, maybe catch some baseball on the tube. Root beer! Popcorn! Carrot sticks and pretzels with mustard. It's tradition, people.



When the game is over, it's back outside to taste some of that delicious Southern California sunshine, to see if the weather will hold for a camping trip. Sherman and his family like to take their camper out and have fun.



And he winds up with a little bit of personal grooming, to keep himself looking good and feeling comfortable.




That's a long day's work, even for a fit and handsome young French Bulldog. That kind of exertion can wear a Frenchie right down to a nub. Look at Sherman. That sweet boy couldn't even make it to his cushy bed! He was so tired he just dropped in his tracks and fell sound asleep.


We are so happy to know that Sherman's new life is entertaining and fun-filled and that there is a lap for him when he wants one. We send our fond regards and best wishes to Sherman and we look forward to postcards from his travels addressed to
The Frog Princess

Ladies and Gentlemen: The Graduate!

As we begin today's festivities, we ask you please to start humming "Pomp and Circumstance." That's it, the music that's always played at graduation. "Baahmp buh buh bum bahmp bahhm, Bahhhmp buh buh bump baaaahmp..."

And now a hush.

A hush falls over the auditorium as one small brindle confidently scoots up the steps to receive his diploma. The audience is breathless: their favorite pupil has hurdled every obstacle, overcome each handicap, made mincemeat of naysayers and inspired every dog and person present in the echoing chamber to redouble their efforts, to cheerfully attempt, to strive! To win!

Yes, Vinny the Patch, previously a graduate of FBRN, has graduated from obedience school! As he takes his diploma from the instructor, he turns to raise a froggy fist in jubilation, and the audience erupts in joyful, heartfelt shrieks and yelps and howls of celebration!
From Russia to the mean streets of NYC; from homeless and abandoned, tied to a fence and forgotten, to his place as one of FBRN's favorite sons; Vinny the Patch, born with just a vestigial eye and a misshapen skull; Vinny the Patch, I say, Vinny! Vinny has graduated from obedience school!

And as if that weren't achievement enough. As if that weren't a magnificent achievement, let me say this--and it will surprise no one, I'm sure--Let me say this to you: Vinny the Patch was graduated with honors at the very top of his class.

Are we proud? Are we delighted? Are we fit to bust? Damn skippy.

Darling Vinny! You are a light in a dark and troubled world. Go forth and shed your message of joy and possibility as far and wee as ever you can. Vinny the Patch, in honor of your accomplishments and your sweetness and for the sake of your bel oeil, we proclaim and assert that henceforth, Vinny the Patch shall be yclept: Sir Vinny the Patch, Lord Grenouille de Colorado, a Knight of the Collar!

We join Sir Vinny's family and friends and Mea, his sister and another FBRN graduate, in commemorating his accomplishments. Well done, Sir Vinny the Patch, Lord Grenouille, our young friend! We wish you such happiness and success in all your future endeavors, and we look forward to heaping more praise and glory upon your head.

With fond regards and deepest respect,
The Frog Princess

Lillie's Puppies Today!

We know you've been patiently waiting to see what Lillie's puppies are looking like now. You won't recognize them. They look like tiny dogs! We asked the dogs' foster mom what was most Frenchie about them, and she said one of the puppies has a nice, broad chest like her mom's, but she thinks that when they grow up they will be about half the size of labs. From Left to Right, we have Tobi and Cookie, the girls, and Jeffrey, a boy. These dogs are being adopted with the assistance of a no-kill shelter, which is giving them space on its website and underwriting the cost of the puppies' spay and neuters, as well as their innoculations. They are being housed at our volunteer's home, however, and they will stay there until they are adopted. If you would like to be considered for one of the puppies, you can email their foster mom at frenchador@yahoo.com for more information. There are more pics of the puppies here.

Lillie is doing very well, and is in love with Murphee, the resident Frenchie. She visited the vet last week, and as she was being carried back to the car, she caught sight of Murphee waiting for her, and nearly ascended into heaven with sheer happiness! We are deeply moved by this evidence of canine affection, considering Lillie's past as a backyard girl who regularly tangled with her yardmate. "A lid for every pot" seems apt, not only for Lillie and Murphee, but for even our seemingly hopeless fosters who have, virtually every single one of them over the last 5 years, nonetheless found hope and homes through FBRN. That's why "A lid for every pot" is the favorite adage of
The Frog Princess

Piper in Pipeline-Land

We are pleased to announce that FBRN has welcomed its very first Alaskan foster! Young Piper is growing acclimated to the balmy southern breezes of Anchorage as she makes the acquaintance of her foster friends and family. Who'da thunk a Frenchie could thrive in the frigid Alaskan winters? Here's a little known fact: in 1954, the Alaskan Iditarod race was nearly won by a team of 423 Frenchies pulling for all they were worth, wearing wee little booties and caribou coats, mushed by an absinthe-raddled, former French Foreign Legionnaire, still insane with the memory of his lost love, a lady barkeep in Beaune who was crushed when a wall of burgundy bottles collapsed during a particularly violent political argument involving the reasons for Charlemagne's failure to conquer the British Isles.

Well,OK: "Almost won" is an exaggeration. They came in second-to-last, ahead of a team of 1,006 Italian greyhounds who were later disqualified. Not drugs. Dope. Dopiness, really.* Though they did win special prizes for how adorable they looked in their wee fur Dr. Zhivago hats--which was all the more surprising, given Dr. Zhivago had not yet been filmed.

But we were discussing something, what was it? Oh, yes. Piper!
Piper is a pretty young thing, mainly healthy, with what might be a touch of thyroid, and a history of some seizures. Here you see that Piper wears her lip in our favorite way: tucked under, the better to show off her lovely teefs.
Piper will be undergoing spay surgery and will then be available for adoption. She is a big baseball fan, it turns out, and spends quite a lot of every weekend sitting on the couch with a diet Dr. Pepper in one hand and a bowl of Cheetos or Jalapeno Doritos in the other. Last Sunday she went through a whole can of Pringles all by herself. Her foster dad hangs out with her because he can work the mute button on the remote for commercials. She also watched a lot of the Tour de France, of course. Here you can see her challenging one of the resident Frenchies, Lindy, to a bike race to celebrate Bastille day. Lindy declined, but offered to ride in the basket and sing "La Marseillaise" at the top of her lungs. "Zut alors!" said Piper, and she went off in search of some aristocrats to badmouth.

Unfortunately, Piper's search for decadent royals was disappointing. Though she located a few individuals who made some doubtful claims to descendancy from the Romanovs and wanted money for a clandestine boat trip across the water to the motherland (Piper declined), and she saw one guy a little the worse for drink who kept shouting, "I'm the Dauphin! The Dauphin of France!" we can see the expression of disgust on Piper's face as she returns having found no aristocrats in Alaska to abominate.
Piper should know better! Alaska is a land of freedom, of social democracy, of a free-wheeling live and let live approach to one's confreres, and simply chock-full of very interesting and unique individuals, if we recall our Northern Exposure correctly. In Alaska, one need not abominate aristocrats, for, as the tv tells us, they are very likely wearing the same red union suit and three years growth of facial hair that you yourself are sporting. Dear Piper, if you wish to pursue aristocrats and other decadent types, you must look beyond the borders of Alaska.

However, we don't think you should look too hard, lest you locate and dispense with your own loving
Frog Princess

*The Frog Princess kids. She kids! She kids because she loves. We adore the Iggies.