Blogiversary Update: Frenchador Clover!

One of the families to respond to our call for updates as we celebrate the Blog's anniversary came from the folks who adopted one of Lillie's puppies! We are terribly excited to have news of Cookie, now Clover. Here's the note:

"Today is Clover's birthday. Clover (nee Cookie) is one of the three "Frenchador" pups born to Lillie a year ago today. If you follow this FBRN blog you will know that our dog Clover is half Frenchie and half Labrador. Her mother Lillie, a Frenchie, was surrendered by her owners to the FBRN a year ago today while she was in labor.

We adopted Clover into our family of 2 adults, 2 kids and a 5-year-old yellow Labrador named Abby. Until the summer of 2005, Abby had always had a companion; a black Lab named Lucy that passed away at the ripe old age of 15. Abby was lonely after Lucy left us, so were we. We all knew we needed another dog. After visiting many shelters and rescues, we found and adopted Clover on August 7, 2006, she was a small, happy, wriggly black puppy. Boy has she has grown! She is now 19" high at the shoulder and weighs about 32lbs. We don't think she will get much bigger, maybe she will broaden out a bit. She looks like a mini black Labrador, but has the wide chest of a Frenchie. Her ears have a life of their own, the ears are Labrador like most of the time, however, when she is hot pursuit of a rabbit, or bird those ears stand at attention like a Frenchie.

Clover is a true Labrador when it comes to eating, sleeping, swimming and retrieving balls. She would eat until she burst if we let her, she loves nothing better than a nap in the sunny spot on the deck, and stand back if she is retrieving a ball nothing stops her. Clover is a champion swimmer, she loves the water and she loves to leap, unfortunately, she also likes to combine the two as I discovered to my surprise when she came flying thru the air to join me uninvited in a hot bath one evening. We try to keep her out of the bath when we are in it but she still tries to get into the shower with the kids anytime she can.

She has the most endearing qualities of a Frenchie, she loves to snuggle and cuddle and burrow beneath the blankets. For some reason, maybe it is a Frenchie thing; she likes to sit on the head of anyone that is sleeping, human or canine. Sometimes she sabotages Abby when Abby is chasing a ball, Clover waits until the right moment and then smacks Abby with her butt just to throw her off course! Clover is up early every day. If you are not up by 7 a.m. she will put her paws up on the bed and stare at you until you are awakened by the feeling that someone or something is watching you and it is!! Its just Clover and she is hungry!! Yes, she looks just a little crazy at that time of the morning at that close range.

Clover is very intelligent and responsive to training. She earned the highest marks in her training classes!! In her free time, Clover enjoys nothing better than playing with her mother/sister/best friend Abby. They play fight and make the most bizarre half dog half human singing sounds. They are constant companions and are two goofy peas in a pod, jumping on the trampoline, chasing rabbits in the yard, retrieving tennis balls, stealing apples off of the tree and helping the kids carry their backpacks upstairs. Her dislikes include motorcycles, vacuum cleaners, the lawnmower or being squirted with the hose.


We hope that Clover's brother and sister are as happy and healthy as Clover. We are thankful that Lillie, Clover's mother, was adopted by the angel that fostered her and her three puppies. Everyday we are thankful for our little Frenchador. On that hot August day last year that we met Clover and fell in love, the planets were aligned, the gods were watching over us and everything in the world was right. We are forever thankful to everyone that assisted in Lillies rescue, treatment and recovery, if it weren't for each one of you, our Clover would not be here today. A special thank you to Murphee, you opened your heart and your paws and you welcomed Lillie and her three puppies into your home and treated them like your own, your kindness will never be forgotten. Thank you all. We cannot imagine our lives without our Frenchador, Clover.
Happy Birthday, Clover and Toby and Jeffrey, wherever you are!

The Happy Seymour Family"

We'd love to hear from more adoptive families. Send us a note and some photos at fp-fbrn@comcast.net.

Fresh, sweet, beautiful Clover! She looks fabulous and simply gleams with happiness and health in these photos. Abby looks wonderful, too, says
The Frog Princess