The Zeus is Loose!

We got a wonderful update on FBRN grad Zeus recently. Here's the note from his new mom and some pics of Zeus and sister Ridglea:



"The yellow dumbbell toy in the first two pictures is one of his favorite toys.



We have discovered that he is crazy about balls...any size. The ones too big to fit in his mouth he rolls around the room between his feet like he's playing soccer. He woofs and makes his happy bark the whole time he "plays soccer".



I got a kick out of the fourth picture. I couldn't believe it when both Ridglea and Zeus climbed up in my lap and fell asleep...



Ridglea just barely fits so Zeus was just about over my knees! I guess I won't get cold this winter.

Take a close look and you will see Ridglea's black and white hind leg sticking out from under Zeus as if it were his leg! Also in that picture it looks like Zeus has a white tail (Ridglea's again). Zeus still weighs only 22 to 23 pounds but he looks quite large in the third and fourth pictures. I think it's because he's laying on top of Ridglea so her mass seems to belong to him."




Friends, what we have here is a completely successful and gratifying Frenchie rehoming story. Zeus is clearly happy as a quahog and he's getting all the lap time--if not all the lap room--a young frog could ask for. We simply love it when a plan comes together.

Smug as can be,
The Frog Princess

Calendar Submissions Wanted!

Do you live with an FBRN graduate? Are you a foster parent, present or former? We are looking for submissions of our FBRN pups for the 2008 calendar, and this is your chance to remind the world how abfab your frogbaby is.

Send your landscape (lengthwise) photos in the highest resolution you can get them in to: fbrncalendar@gmail.com.

You must not dawdle or delay. The deadline is coming up soon, Oct. 19. Learn all about the contest here.

Aimee! Whatchu wanna do?

"I think I could stay with you for awhile, maybe longer, if I do!" --Pure Prairie League

Our beautiful and talented Aimee has been recovering from her bout with the demon spawn giardia! We have forgiven her for her ambition and we are so delighted that she is learning about playing and running and snuggling after so many years of neglect and fear.

Her foster family say they are going to miss her terribly. Something in her eyes, they say, just lights her up inside. And they will miss her snorts and snuffles and her clicky-clicky toenails.

Aimee will be going up on the available page on next week's update. If you have room in your heart and home for a sweet, sweet girl who really deserves a life of pampering and luxury and love, keep an eye out for her biography, and write an application that tells us why you, more than anyone else, are her perfect people!

"Aimee, whatchu wanna do?" Oh, heavens, that's gonna be running through our mind for days. That song and a strange yearning for keg beer and sunny, green quads and college pals, reminisces

The Frog Princess

Pippa

Here is a note we received from 10 month-old Pippa's foster mom, with information about her condition and prognosis.

"Pippa was surrendered to us after the owner did some extensive testing on her to determine the problem. The Animal Neurology and MRI Center results suggest a thoracolumbar spinal cord problem and severe malformation of her thoracic vertebrae and, due to the degree,it is not amenable to surgery.

Two ways to manage this and try to slow the continued decline is to restrict activity and steroid therapy. They also added that there is potential that despite this treatment she will continue to decline and will be unable to ambulate or urinate voluntarily. If this occurs, a cart could be considered but urinary bladder expression would be required.

OK now for the good news:

~She gets along wonderfully right now and is having a wonderful time. She is not really playful in spite of her age but thankfully due to her condtion. She does get a cute bounce when she has it in her head to play. Her back end has an odd swing, but it works for her

~I just took some wonderful pics of her chomping down on a watermelon and will have to get them sent out soon but when she had to surrender the rind (unwillingly) I gave her a little banana and LOOK OUTbecause she was NOT sharing banana. I am hoping that never goes on her can't have list. She is basically loving life!

~ Right now she is not on any meds and can have anything she wants...YEA!!

~ She is cat and gentle kid safe and does like any size dogs.

The otherside is:

~Her future adopter needs a One level house as steps will be out--even more so as she ages

~Her future adopter is looking at the medical needs of a physically adapted pup and the ups and downs that go with that.

~x-rays were sent with her so the new adopter can monitor more easily with a starting point

But for this little bit of time she is mine to hug and scritch and feed bananas!"

Pippa sounds like a real sweetie! She is a very pretty little thing, too! We are going to keep our fingers crossed that with very careful and educated care, Pippa will continue to get along just fine for a long time.

The Frog Princess

Uneasy Rests the Head That Bears the Crown

The Bard said it very well in a little spectacular he called King Lear: "How sharper than a serpent's tooth it is to have a thankless frog!"
Friends, behold a pretender to our throne. This is Aimee: puppy mill survivor, Cushing's disease sufferer, and now, wannabe Frog Princess. Yes, her history is a long, sad tale of neglect, disease, unhappiness and want. She has had a long and nasty bout with unexplained intestinal troubles which caused her foster family a great deal of concern.

Finally, however, an eagle-eyed technician spied the damnable varlet--giardia.

GIARDIA! How we shake our fists at you! For you are a loathsome and revolting animal! There is no telling why taxonomists have seen fit to name you so as to easily confuse the unwary between which is a nasty gut-dwelling parasite and which a favored chocolate treat and (San Francisco square) of the Frog Princess. We don't find it a bit funny.

Still, relieved as we are that Aimee's tummy troubles are soon to be a thing of the past, we simply cannot approve of the naked ambition, the naked ambition, we say, evident in these photographs. The winsome face, complete with wistful expression. The contrast between the absurd frog costume and the sad wisdom in her eyes. The
sweet and patient attitude in every line of her body. Certainly these point to a regnant and worthy challenger to the throne.
However, we wish to point out that while Aimee may, by virtue of a long, hard road of suffering and experience, actually be wiser and more deserving of good fortune than we ourselves who were born to the duty; that though Aimee may be a kinder, less quarrelsome and more sensible choice of Frog Princess; we say, though Aimee may appear at first and possibly fifth glance to be a superior candidate in virtually every way, we tell you we will not abdicate our throne! Furthermore, lest anyone forget, we happen to have the keys to the Tower in our hot little Frog Princess fist! Two names should give Ms. Aimee cause to hesitate: Lady Jane Grey and Mary, Queen of Scots.

Just sayin',

The Frog Princess

Benny Finds a Clue

Ladies and Gentlemen, we bring you a breaking news story from a certain patio where Benny the Frog is currently engaged in an investigation the likes of which hasn't been seen since the mystery of "How in H*** Did All These Socks Get Under the Couch Cushions, Benny?"
Here you may see Benny the Frog investigating the unthinkable. Someone has invaded the patio and disturbed the 'mater plants to such a degree that perfectly good to eat and delectable 'maters have fallen to the ground, there to grow squashy and not as good as when they are bitten from the bough.
What sort of depraved lunatic would invade a patio garden, shake the 'mater bushes until the fruits fall, and then walk away from the wee bites of the gods' own food? Great Googly Mooglies! What kinds of animals are lurking without the gated walls of our patio garden, anyway? We must devise a better security system, Benny shouts. This boldness and waste must not stand!

We join you in your fear and trembling, Benny! A beast with so little in the way of conscience or taste-buds does not bear thinking of, shudders

The Frog Princess

Flyman Simon and St. Penny

Here, in one of only 3 documented moments, is FBRN grad Simon and his sister Penny in a rare still pose. Regard you the look of imminent mischief in Simon's eye. We give it less than 10 seconds before the boy is bounding off the bench and once more taking flight over the heads of all the wee denizens of the lawn. Ants and beetles will pause in their work to marvel at the speeding shadow above. Little grass snakes
will slither off into the safety of the tall grass while spiders take a firmer hold of their webs with all eight of their feet as the shockwaves of a broken sound barrier and the whoosh! of displaced air disturb the quiet of a late summer afternoon.

And who is that in hotfooted pursuit? It's Saint Penny! Not to be outrun by such a small and youthful animal, Penny will soon overtake and then take down the Flyman Simon in a glorious launch and tackle and engage the airborne hooligan in a lengthy some-holds-barred wrasslin' match, much to the disgust of the family's kitties, who maintain a dignified gallery presence from the porch rails.

Speaking of matches, this one appears to have been made in heaven, observes

The Frog Princess

Kees Me, You Fewl!

A few weeks ago one of our website crew had a wonderful idea for a little fundraiser to help out Hercule P., a most adorable little bubble-headed boy with the worst case of mange we'd seen since poor Maurice came to us last winter.

Hair-kewl was Hair-less, and he resembled a newborn rodent more than a full grown frog. Plus, he has a bit of a neurological issue, and he tends to sort of stagger a little and his tongue perpetually hangs out, so he appears to be everlastingly under the influence of a particularly potent potable.

So given his challenges, we were quite surprised when our fundraiser began to take off. We had no idea. We had no idea that Hercule P's ridiculous face would inspire so many people to wish to kiss him and kiss him! We knew we were in love and we knew we could not resist his charms, but who could have foreseen that our wee, hairless, egg-headed, wobbly beast would collect 499 kisses from all over the entire world?

Listen. No one knows better than we do how generous our donors are.
No one knows better than we do how readily our friends step up and provide for our Frenchies in need. And yet. And yet.

And yet we were astonished at the outpouring of good wishes and kisses for this funny boy. We thank you so much for your generosity. Just incredible generosity.


We think Hercule P. just gets cuter and cuter, and, of course, his foster mom is completely smitten and lost to all sense of proportion when it comes to describing his charms. Here's her note with an update on Hercule's progress:


"I don't know how many kisses people have sent Herc... But I do know they're making him feel LOTS better. He's put on more weight (my scale isn't working so I don't know how much, but I can SEE it on him, now) and is getting better everyday.
He's learning his "sit" command, is getting a little better about house training (though he's still in diapers much of the time), and is just an all 'round healthier, happier guy. His appetite and digestion are good and his energy and stamina are great. He hasn't had any problem at all with the daily dose of Interceptor, his skin remains in good shape for a guy with such a severe case of mange, and his hair loss is totally abated. I think he's growing some hair, but that's a really slow process even in a healthy dog, so it's going to be awhile before he's sporting a good coat.
Unless something comes up, he won't go back to the vet for another 2-3 weeks, when he'll have another check up and evaluation of his progress.

I'm attaching some pictures of the new, improved M. Poirot. The first three, Herc-A, Herc-C, and Herc-Rosie, illustrate his much improved condition. He asked me to attach the last two, Herc-B and Herc-F, to be sure everyone out there in Internet Land knows "what REALLY goes on behind closed doors in those foster homes." I know there are times he would like to be rescued again--from the crazy bath lady. I think he's actually considering writing an expose! Isn't he just absolutely wonderfully pitifully precious!?"


Indeed, the boy is a perfect specimen of that phenomenon of aesthetics which causes us to find beauty in imperfection and charm in the spectacle of complete unself-consciousness in the face of disability.

499 kisses? Just the beginning. This boy is bound to collect kisses and hugs and smiles and fans where ever he goes, for his whole life! believes

The Frog Princess

Dewey Dreams

This is the handsome and intelligent French bulldog formerly known as Dewey, now living as Bubba with a Frenchie friend and a number of talented and discerning humans who chose him among all our fosters to take into the bosom of their family and love.






He has had a deathgrip on the Frog Princess's heart since the first time ever she saw his face. She thought the sun rose in his eyes and the moon and the stars were the gifts he gave to the dark and the empty skies.




As football season begins and baseball season draws to a close, we learn Bubba has a dream. Bubba wants to be a hockey player. He has the uniform and the britches with the padded tushie, and now all he needs are the skates and some really cold weather to hit the pond and he can be out there slapping that puck with his boys.

We just know he could help bring home a Stanley cup, cheers
The Frog Princess

Bagel-potamus!

Here's a note from Bagel's new mom, with a photo of Bagel and his Frenchie soeur:
"Mr Bagel is doing wonderfully. He and his Frenchie sister are an inseparable pair. We have discovered that they love water and like to play hippopotamus, always with life vests on of course. We couldn't be happier and can't imagine our lives before Mr. B.

Thank you for all your efforts and hours of volunteer work. It is an amazing gift to give, the love of a Frenchie."

Shucks, ma'am; we only deliver the Frenchie, it's the Frenchie who gives the love, drawls
The Frog Princess

Whew! Some Nap!

Oh, my goodness, are we ever disoriented! Last thing we remember is spinning some wool and sticking our royal digit on the sharp spindle of the wheel. Just woke up.

The yard is a mess. Blackberries simply taking over the joint.

So, what's new? Buncha stuff you should know about. If you are on the East coast of the US, here's a shindig you might want to attend. Especially if you are the rowdy, political, outspoken kind of Frenchie or dog enthusiast we know so many of you are! If you are going to be near Harrisburg on the evening of Fri. Sept. 14th, maybe you can meet up with some of FBRN's volunteers on the steps of the capitol building for a candlelight demonstration. If you can't make it Friday, there's a happening on Saturday, too. It's beautiful there in Pennsylvania Dutch country, but unspeakable things are happening on some of those lovely farms. Check out Puppy Mill Awareness Day. If it weren't so far from the our Kingdom, we'd be there. Do it for Smeagol.And for all the Smeagols who never got out.

And what else has been happening while we enjoyed a siesta? Let's see.
We took in a new boy, named Yogi, who appears to be a fine and feisty fellow.
When unexpectedly introduced to several felines while on a merry pop-in to a neighbor, he expressed no interest in separating the kitties from their livers. Then, on the same visit, he met and charmed a 16 month-old baby, which is not as easy as you might think. To top things off, he accepted a bath and grooming with all the elan and intestinal fortitude one would expect from a good boy. He's a little skinny, but we are fixing that right up.


Here he is, wearing out the Airedale and the other Frenchie in his foster home. Someone is going to be getting a little slice of Frenchie heaven with this sweetie pied.

Until next time, we reckon we'll just stumble off and pour ourselves a cup of ambition, yawns
The Frog Princess

Jersey Jack Back Home in Jersey

After a period of recovery on the lovely Long Island of New York, our once nearly hairless and itchy Jersey Jack has returned to the land of his origins: New Jersey. We got a lovely note from his new mom and some wonderful photos of the handsome Jersey Devil himself and each one features his lovely Jersey Devilette, Nadia. They are joined at the hip and could not get along more swimmingly.

Here's the note from Jack's mom:

"On Aug. 18th, Jersey Jack successfully traveled all the way down the NJ Turnpike & is now calling South Jersey home. Jack is doing very well with his new family.

He has adapted to living with his very excited Frenchie sister, Nadia. They clicked and started playing together right from the start. During play time, Nadia really likes to run. Jack has quickly figured out he doesn't have to chase her completely around the house. All he has to do is go half way and wait for her run the rest of the lap & catch up to him.

This way she runs double the laps and tires out faster, all the while he conserves his energy for the more important things...like neighborhood watch!

Top item on the pair's list is neighborhood watch. Nadia graciously made room for Jack on her perch in the front window. The two keep guard and protect the house from intruders of the squirrel and rabbit variety. They do a very thorough job. Jack is teaching Nadia the art of howling, something Nadia never attempted until now. They are almost musical together, almost!!!!

Having a little sister has come in handy for Jack. Nadia has shown him how to master the dog door. Jack was a quick study, one week later he confidently flies through the dog door. So far he has a good record. Just had the one mishap that ended with a Jack shaped hole in the screen!

All in all, Jack is settling in very nicely. He has made himself right at home, and found a special place in our hearts."

What did you expect? He's a Frenchie! points out
The Frog Princess

Cuckoo for Coco!

Remember Coco, our one-eyed Frenchie who was surrendered because she couldn't get along with another female Frenchie in the home? Look at her now!







These are photos of Coco hanging out, being good outside and not losing her mind at people on the other side of the fence. But she's also having a swell time and showing no aggression or hostility--or even any interest--in the dogs who live at her foster home. Maxx is the Siberian, above.






And this cutie-pie is Deuce. We are thinking that Coco might be ok with a very laid-back male dog, her size or larger. We'd still prefer to place her as an only dog, but she is proving herself to be less ornery than we thought she would be, at first.

And as we all know, ornery is as ornery does, reminds
The Frog Princess