Tuesday, January 30

Cora's Birthday Portrait

We noted last week that puppy mill survivor and NC10 girl Cora just celebrated her second birthday. Here's a photo taken by one of the children in Cora's home, through the doggy door. We all agree that this is the most relaxed and serene expression we've ever seen on Cora's pretty face.

What a difference a loving home and devoted family and well-adjusted Frenchie siblings can make! marvels
The Frog Princess

Monday, January 29

Bobo

Bobo and Higgins started their veterinary medical trials for a new allergy treatment together this past week. We are hoping for good things for both these poor creatures. Bobo suffers so terribly from allergies that she was rehomed twice and then surrendered when the frustration and expense of trying to treat the brutal itchiness became too much for ordinary folks to bear without resorting to strong drink or other vices.
Beautiful Bobo came to us just before Thanksgiving day, and she got to spend some time visiting in a temporary foster home before moving to a longer term one. Now that her treatments have begun, she's moved once more and she is now closer to the vet's office that is participating in the study. She is being fostered in Texas.
The trial will take a number of months, and Bobo will not be available for adoption for some time. Bobo's itchiness is being controlled with a cocktail of meds at the moment.

Although fear of disappointment tempts us to stifle our hope that this medical trial will bring a miracle to Bobo and other dogs severely afflicted with allergies, as Emily Dickinson said, "hope is the thing with feathers" and it will rise despite our attempts to catch and cage it.

Bobo, we know you have many friends who send along their fervent wishes for a happy outcome, as does
The Frog Princess

Sunday, January 28

Martin in the Field of Dreams

Say hello to our foster Martin! He came to us with some health problems that we are well on the way to resolving. He'd had some surgeries which seemed to be either unsuccessful or badly performed, so he had to be seen by a specialist. He'd had a prolapsed rectum, poor boy, and the problems were exacerbated by diarrhea.

Martin is just 15 months old. He was purchased to be a stud dog. He might still have been in his first home, but combined with his health issues, Martin also developed some problems getting along with the 5 other dogs in his home. We are hoping that his neutering and a chance to feel more healthy will make him less aggressive toward other dogs, but at this point, Martin is destined to be strictly a singleton pupper in his new home. It's a shame, because Martin is the kind of Frenchie that inspires people to want two or three, he's that charismatic and good-looking!


Martin is wonderful with people and is a very affectionate, bouncy boy! His foster mom says he knows what he's got coming to him in terms of attention, and he'll boing around and around until someone picks him up--he's the Superball of Frogs.
Or possibly, he's just a wee bit loopy. No, no! We prefer to ascribe his pep and vim to mere youthful exuberance and a certain effervescent zippiness.

Here's Martin, making sure the cellar is free of cellar-dwelling spooky things. See how brave and intent he is? Why, Marines and mother lions could learn a thing or two from Martin.

Martin we see you in our field of dreamy-dreams, so handsome and so brave and loyal! We wish you well in your search for happiness and home. Indeed, no one could wish more for you than
The Frog Princess

Saturday, January 27

Joey's Post-Party Depression

Joey One Eye has made the move from Texas to Oregon. He celebrated his first New Year in the foggy, rainy, fugly Northwest in a way we cannot recommend, being ourselves a great believer in the adage: Moderation in All Things. We'll let J.O.E's mom tell the sad tale, and we hope that naughty little greedyguts all over the land will hearken to it. Hearken, we say, and LEARN!

"It was a long day for Joey One Eye yesterday. We planned a holiday “Happy Hour” for some friends and clients at 5pm. Nothing fancy, just some cheese and bread and nuts and drinks (signature cocktail – the fresh whiskey sour. Delicious.) Around 4pm I had everything laid out on the dining room table all ready to go. The cheese platter was what I thought was a safe distance from the edge of the table, chairs all removed. Kevin took Patti out back for a quick pee, and I was in the kitchen. In the time it took him to go out and dash back in (maybe a half a minute), Joey got up on his back legs, pulled down and essentially swallowed whole a hunk of triple cream brie that was close to a half pound. Oh dear. Just a smear of white around his lips and a very satisfied look on his face. We called the vet (it was A LOT of cheese) and they advised us that it would be best to get him to get rid of it quickly as there was some chance of it causing pancreatitis, and that in any event he would feel really bad for several days if we didn’t. They said to get 1 T of hydrogen peroxide in him for every 10 pounds of weight and that he should then throw it all back up within ten minutes and be fine. They underestimated Joey One Eye. He really wanted that cheese and he wasn’t going to give it up all that easily. One hour, three rounds of peroxide and several phone calls to the vet later, the guests started arriving and he was still hanging on. We were BEGGING him at this point. He eventually did cooperate, and he spent a couple hours on a dog bed in the bathroom (with frequent check ups from concerned friends and neighbors). At about 7 o’clock he felt well enough to join the party. The last guests left about 10pm. Joey slept hard.

This morning he was VERY interested in breakfast, but as soon as he finished, the fatigue crept in. He couldn’t stay awake, even to read the paper, poor little bug. A cheese hangover. The worst.

Lesson learned. No food is safe from the wandering eye of Joey. I will be more vigilant in the future!!!!"

Joey! Joey! You have wonderful taste in French cheeses, but next time, don't forget the crackers! cries
The Frog Princess

Friday, January 26

Bones Bites!

Yes, he did. Well, once, anyway--we don't mean to say it's a habitual thing. Broke the skin, but no stitches. Still. Baaaaad Bones. He was playing with a ten year-old girl and somehow his chompers wound up chomping what no good chompers should ever chomp--a person's person! We don't know what the circumstances of the nip were, or whether the dog and the child were playing nicely or not. But the very next day Bones came to us to be rehabilitated and rehomed. He's in the rarified air of the Rockies right now, being fostered near Denver.

Bones is a burly young bulldog. He's a bit beefy. He's a bulky boy. He'll be in boot camp for both his behavior and his avoir dupois. In foster care, he's shown no signs of being anything like bad to the bone; he's just a little jealous of other dogs. If you'd like to sponsor Bonesyou can do so on his foster page by clicking on the bone to the left of his story.

Doesn't everydoggy deserve a second chance? asks
The Frog Princess

Thursday, January 25

Meet Chuzzle!

When a new baby came home, Chuzzle found himself deposed as his family's Benevolent Despot. He didn't think much of that coup d'etat and made his dissatisfaction known in a variety of unwinning ways. His family decided that for everyone's sake, he should have the opportunity to reign supreme in a tiny new fiefdom somewhere else.
And so Chuzzle caught the last barge to Avalon, or somewhere nearly as magical: Virginia! He didn't know much about playing nicely with other dogs, but the peasantry was willing to give him some lessons, and he has really taken to the lovely green grass of the lawn. His previous domain was a third floor condo with only a balcony: Great for surveying one's lands, but not so hot for a good bone-shaking fit of the zoomies or a wacky, wiggly, case of crackerdog! He just had his well-doggy visit at the vet and this is his foster mom's report:
"Today Chuzzle was seen at the vet and he did very well, the only issue he has at the moment is a bit of an itchy ear, so we got some drops for that. Otherwise, he is doing well, has lost a bit of weight already, and he is down to 29.7 lbs from 31 lbs on Saturday!! He has been running around here like a madman with the rest of the resident crew, so I am sure that is helping with his overall conditioning, too."

Yes, every Prince and Princess knows there's nothing like a few weeks of playing Pauper to get one's perspective (and one's waistline!) back, confirms
The Frog Princess

Wednesday, January 24

Hank is Home!

Hank, the young Frenchie snatched from the jaws of death as he played chicken with the traffic of a busy Knoxville, TN, highway, is now safe and sound in a small town in Georgia, enjoying the company of a Frenchie brother named Louis and a delighted mom and dad. They know all about the various ailments that Frenchie flesh is heir to: elongated palates and allergies, for instance, and they will be working with Hank on his "I'm a little tug, tug, TUGBOAT!", approach to leash walking.
Hank's new dad works from home, so there'll always be someone around to entice into a game of fetch or to referee a Frenchie wrasslin' match. There aren't any kids for Hank to bowl over in an excess of enthusiasm, and no kitties for him to spread on toast and enjoy with a lite beer at teatime.


And, very importantly, there's a nice high solid FENCE to help keep a footloose young frog with an undeveloped sense of his own mortality off the roads and out of the way of traffic!

We want to hear only good news from your new folks about your behavior, Hank! Please be sweet, pleads
The Frog Princess

Tuesday, January 23

Stanley Settles In

When we first saw Stanley's foster photos, we must admit we felt a bit intimidated.
He's a fine figure of a Frenchie, sure, but he's got kind of an intense, sort of a no-nonsense, kind of sharklike look to him, wouldn't you say? The kind of face you'd see on a woman immediately before the doors open on Filene's annual bridal gown sale. Like a crocodile might look spying a nest full of baby ducks. The face of a debauched and determined rake in a roomful of dimpling debutantes.

You get the idea. The dog was a little off-putting in his expression. Probably not his fault. Maybe he was just not having a good day, photographically speaking. Nonetheless, a wonderful family spied his photo and saw beyond the menacing mug.

They saw what lay beneath: a happy, healthy, handsome Frenchie who wanted a home.

And so they bit! And now this grinning gargoyle is learning some manners. His dads work alternate shifts, so he's never alone, and though he's an only dog, his grandma has Frenchies and they are helping to teach him some manners and tricks! His foster mom wrote this on the day Stanley went to his new home: "It really was a perfect match - even Stanley seemed to know this was his man! When Matt clipped the leash on him, he almost dragged him down to the car! And Stanley dosen't usually act like that - I've never seen him so animated and happy!"

Ducklings everywhere breathe more easily today, as does
The Frog Princess

Monday, January 22

Sadie

Sadie has really come into her own since she was plucked up and out of a South Florida kill shelter last month. At first, she was too frightened to do much more than squeak when the other dogs in her foster home commenced barking at the things that go bump in the night in the neck of the woods where nocturnal visitors of a scaly kind are not uncommon. Now Sadie is singing out loud, singing out strong with all the other fearless Frenchies!

In an email last month, her foster mom had this to say about this gentle, darling girl:
" She is going to make someone a lovely pet...so sociable, loving, and soft, and beautiful brown eyes. Such a lovely little girl."
Sadie is on our available pages. If you think you could offer a weary retired breeder a comfortable place to spend her golden years, check out her biography and see if you think you'd be a good fit.

Frenchies of a certain age need love, too! reminds
The Frog Princess

Sunday, January 21

Ya Ya



Here's a note from YaYa's foster mom, detailing YaYa's first days in FBRN's care. "We made a road trip to D.C. to the Washington Animal Rescue League
(WARL) on Friday to pick up a puppy mill survivor named Snorkel, now
known as Ya Ya, which is the Greek term for Grandmother. She is a wonderful
old gal that has lived through hell and still has the capacity to love human
beings.

She was on her way to a local flea market in Georgia to be auctioned along with many other retired breeders from the same mill, when a good citizen with ShARE was able to convince the women to turn the dogs over to her. Some were in such bad shape that they had to be euthanized.

Ya Ya was one of the lucky ones, she was able to survive. The shelter had put her
age at 7, but my vet and I think she is more like 10-12. She does have a slight breathing issue that is probably a palate issue.






She had about 6 teeth removed, some just hanging by a thread. Her ears were so packed with what can only be described as black tar, that my vet could not see her ear canal. She also has a mammary tumor. Other than that, she is a Grande ole
Dame, full of love and appreciation, and still has a enough zip in her to take a few laps around the den with my 9 month old puppy. I have never seen a dog sleep so deep, as if she hasn't slept in years. She can finally curl up in a warm donut bed next to her new foster siblings and feel safe, and warm, and loved."

A dog's ability to love people, even after the worst kinds of neglect and abuse, never ceases to amaze us, sighs
The Frog Princess

PS: Ya Ya's foster mom wanted us to know that Ya Ya's mammary tumor was removed last week. Good news! The tumor was encapsulated, and all the margins are clear! Here's Ya Ya, 3 days post-surgery, looking just as fine as frog's hair!

Saturday, January 20

Sleepytime Boy



Rollo, formerly sweet baby Piglet, in a quiet moment.

Sleep tight, sweetpea! whispers
The Frog Princess

PS The Frog Princess extends her royal gratitude to Lyle for his help with this photo.

Friday, January 19

Cora Cuddles Up

Remember Cora? Yesterday she celebrated her second birthday.
She's the pied girl looking at you. She was the most emotionally damaged of the NC10 we took in in October 2005. She's still not quite...right, but she's miles and miles above where she started.

Cora gets along much better with dogs than with people. In fact, she really depends on the dogs in her home to give her comfort, security and peace of mind. She can almost always be found snuggled right up against one or the other of the dogs in her house, and sometimes she cuddles so tightly, she'll squish somebody clean out of the bed!

"There were 10 in the bed and the little one said, 'Roll over! Roll over!' And they all rolled over, and one fell out. There were 9 in the bed and the little one said..." sings
The Frog Princess

Thursday, January 18

Lucy Lou, Olympian?

Let us take a moment to remind you of the immense distance our daring Lucy Lou has travelled since she joined us a few short months ago.




Surrendered to us after a surgery to repair an injured spine, her busy family had not had the time and experience required to really focus on her recovery. As a result, though the surgery was a success, Lucy Lou's recovery was limited.
When she came to us, the front part of her body was very strong, while her back end was shriveled and atrophied. As you can see, her back legs were almost fused together, and Lucy used them as a sort of peg leg to hop from.






Lucy has been undergoing consistent rehabilitation. She gets water therapy, and it really seems to help!

















After a few months in foster care with a vet tech and with expert advice from some wonderful specialist vets, Lucy Lou is now able to use her legs independently, to bend her legs and even to jump up on the couch! She negotiates stairs, she runs with the big dogs, and she seems not to be aware of any disability.




Here she is, ready to play!



Isn't it heartwarming to see what commitment and expert care can do for a wee toad, gushes
The Frog Princess

Wednesday, January 17

Trixie Takes On!

One of our foster moms had fun with her foster girl, Trixie, a couple of weeks ago. She sent the photos and the very apt captions.

It's beauty that captures your attention; personality which captures your heart.
-Anonymous













She walks in beauty, like the night
Of cloudless climes and starry skies;
And all that's best of dark and bright
Meet in her aspect and her eyes.
--Byron





What makes you different makes you beautiful.
-Unknown




By being yourself, you put something wonderful in the world that was not there before.
- Edwin Elliot




Thou hast the sweetest face I ever looked on.
Sir, as I have a soul, she is an angel.
-William Shakespeare

Tuesday, January 16

A Boy and His Tuggie!


A few months ago, we didn't know if Tuggie, then Dottie, would ever find a home. She was hard of hearing and kind of funny looking, following two ear ablation surgeries. Plus, she was out in the boondocks of the Southwest US, and a far piece from the bulk of our applicants. She had a radiant personality and a unique beauty, but all she had to offer went unclaimed for a long, long time.



Then, one day, we got an application from a veterinary technician. She knew all about special needs dogs, she or her vet could see to Dottie's every little medical adventure, and a member of the family was going to be in the neighborhood and could transport Dottie to her new family! All was rejoicing and happiness!



And here is Tuggie with her best pal. At night, Tuggie goes into his room until he falls asleep, then climbs into bed with mom and dad. And first thing in the morning, when this guy gets up, she's zooming down stairs. He lets Tuggie and her brother Bandit out for some exercise, and watches them while they exhaust each other. Then they come inside for some less rambunctious playtime.

It's a great life for Tuggie these days. Sometimes the perfect home just takes a little while to show up. But we truly believe that there's a great home for every Frenchie.

A lid for every pot! exclaims
The Frog Princess

Monday, January 15

How Many Frogs Can One Bed Hold?

Two of these are foster frogs, and the rest are their foster siblings. What better way to stave off cold and ice than to share a little Froggy bodyheat? Sadly, there was no room for the foster mom. She slept on the couch.

Frogdog bedhogs! calls
The Frog Princess

Saturday, January 13

Summer in Winter

In the dead of winter, a foster home in South Dakota is enjoying a little Summer--a puppy mill refugee with a disputed history and a sweet and beautiful face.





Reportedly, Summer's last litter of puppies was stillborn, and she was taken to the vet for euthanizing. A vet tech asked if he could have her for his sister, and it was the sister who surrendered her to FBRN. Summer has some serious skin problems, which are being addressed right now with medicated baths, but we hope to get her to a vet and find out the cause of the sores this week.



Here is part of a note from her foster mom, detailing Summer's first night in her new home:


"Before I gave her a medicated shampoo, I snapped some pictures.
At first I couldn't figure out why the scabs were so yellow and unusual looking. Once some of them soaked off it became obvious it was straw.

Anyway, once I started massaging in the shampoo and then rinsing with warm water she was practically purring. She did very well during the whole grooming session.

I cleaned a bunch of yuck out of her ears and you can see a lot more pink now, but they are inflamed. She really pushed into me and closed her eyes while I was cleaning her ears. It must have felt good to get all of that out of there.

I trimmed her toenails too and she was just fine with it. There wasn't a thing I did that caused her to do anything but to just do it. No fighting me, nothing.

During the bath I could see how widespread the skin problem is. I'm hoping the medicated baths will help and that's it's nothing too serious. She's so playful and such a clown. She's coming out of her shell very fast.She's no taller than my little five month old pup, but she is definitely heavier. She's not a big girl, but she's solid, with a little pixie face. Just adorable. She's in heaven running around outside with Boo. Without Boo, she stands and stares at you with terror and won't go into the yard. With Boo, she'll run around, explore and even potty.

Anyway, here is little miss Summer. She is ALL sweetness."

We are so happy to be able to bring Summer into FBRN! We know there is a family with the patience and the love to bring this frightened, funny girl around to realize that she is safe and loved. If you'd like to sponsor her, you can go to her foster page and click on the bone.

Helping Summer will make you feel all warm and sunny inside! says
The Frog Princess

Thursday, January 11

Zoe

Though these photos are quite small, we hope you can see the subjects well enough to recognize a happy family!

Zoe, formerly known as Gretta, has been enjoying her new life with her new Mom and her new Dad and her new sister, Bella.




She spent her first Christmas as a member of the family. As you see, she is well-beloved. Her first months are being scrupulously documented.




Though these two obviously don't want for human affection and attention, here, Bella demonstrates that if there are no people around to sleep on, a fellow Frenchie makes a very nice pillow!

Sleep tight, little bedbugs!
The Frog Princess