Walkabout

Young Cypress, our baby boy with an open soft-spot or fontanelle on his head recently had surgery to have a growth shaved off the inside of his throat. Thank heavens it wasn't cancerous! His foster mom sent this note about Cypress's preferred mode of transportation. He's sharing his wheels with FBRN grad, Pache.

"Here is a picture of Pache and Cypress in their stroller getting ready to go for a walk. They both love it. A wonderful friend made it possible for me to purchase the stroller for my 2 boys with back problems. Now they can travel in comfort and see the surroundings . I usually take one or two dogs along on leashes....so everyone gets to go."

It's a hard life, but somebody's got to live it! sighs
The Frog Princess

Tobias Says:

Don't sleep through your chance to give a nameless puppy a fabulous, unforgettable moniker!
Have you sent in your bid for our "Name the Puppies" auction? Honor a good friend, insult an enemy, exercise your imagination! You know, none of us will live long enough to own all the dogs we've got great names for--why not bid on a puppy and send it into the world with a wonderful name? Your childhood pal, your Grandpa's dog, a favorite tv or comic book character--it's up to you! We once dreamed of naming 3 dogs "Shirley" "Goodness" and "Mercy."

We ourselves are particular to fictional dogs as namesakes. We once named a Scotty after a naughty Aberdeen terrier in P.G. Wodehouse's novel Code of the Woosters: Bartholomew. He was a wonderful, happy boy, and he never bit a policeman or knocked one off a bicycle in his whole life.

Bill Sykes' poor bulldog from Oliver Twist was called Bullseye. We'd love to immortalize that character by naming a Frenchie after him, noble and tragic beast that he was.

We just finished enjoying an old murder mystery novel, Love Lies Bleeding by Edmund Crispin. There's a terrific canine character called Mr. Merrythought in it. We may have to bid to give one of those boys that name. Hate it? Better bid high enough to stop us!

We have 7 adorable puppies of every sex and personality type, and all you have to do is come up with a great name! Check out the details HERE!

FBRN is hurting for donations! Here's a fun way to help, suggests
The Frog Princess

PS Please do note! You are bidding only for the privilege of NAMING the puppy. The puppy will be placed as all FBRN pups are placed, after applications are reviewed and a vet check and a home visit performed. Your bid is NOT for the puppy--just for the naming of the puppy.

Yogi At the Beach

Roma isn't the only lucky Frenchie to spend time at the beach this summer. Check out the former Yogi, now Louis, who came to us very thin and having been crated up to 20 hours a day, body surfing with his brother, Hudson, at Hilton Head!

Here's a photo of Louis with his dad and Hudson, relaxing at home.

Looks like Louis is learning to play drums in his spare time.

Ba DUM dum!

Can we get a rim shot for
The Frog Princess?

Roma on Vacation

Roma's fully recovered from her surgery, and she's well enough now to go on vacation at the beach!
She's a beautiful girl and she's going to grow up to be a beloved pet, thanks to our donors and sponsors and to the round the clock care provided by her foster mom and dad.

Does anyone know if Roma's shade of hair coloring is available at a salon anywhere? wonders
The Frog Princess

Sigmund Frog Beats Cancer!

Long time supporters of FBRN remember Sigmund Frog, a dog found starving and footsore and brought back to health by FBRN funds and foster parents. Last spring, Sigmund, who works as a canine counselor at an elementary school, had cancer. Over the summer he got chemotherapy, funded in part by the children at his school.
Last spring, one of the stations in Austin, TX, did a story on the fundraiser. Tonight, they aired the follow-up.

http://www.kxan.com/global/story.asp?s=8897904

Happy tears for FBRN volunteers and
The Frog Princess

Hair of the Dog

This photo came to us with a question: "Do you think it is a Frenchie?" We thought she was a Frenchie, or close enough to make no difference, and we sent a brand-new volunteer haring off to snatch her up from the shelter she was in. The shelter people had picked her up off the streets and taken her picture and posted it on a website, and one of our eagle eyed volunteers saw it. There are lots of ways to volunteer for FBRN. (Some of them don't even involve leaving the house!) Could this poor floppy eared, nekkid, pitiful thing really be a French bulldog pup? We'd have to wait and see what time and good health revealed.

These photos were taken last week. Calvina received many generous sponsorships when she first appeared on the foster page. Rightly so--the poor girl was bald and itching like the fury of seven scorned and bitter women. Here is a youtube video of Calvina shortly after she was picked up from the shelter. And here's another one. She's just as adorable as she can be, hairless or not!
When the Frog Princess was a tiny froglet, there was a fascinating soap product in the shape of a teddy bear. The more one used the soap, the more fuzzy the soap became. It was called "Fuzzy Wuzzy" soap. We are reminded of that as we look at the progress Calvina is making.
These photos show Calvina, known to her family as Callie, in a state of recovery. If you look very closely, you can see the peach fuzz growing back along her spine and neck. Here is what her foster mom said in her last update:
"She is doing great! She has been spayed, is over her kennel cough AND has hair! She still stinks a little bit but that is getting better day by day. I can't believe how fast her hair started growing in!
She is stubborn when it comes to potty training, but even with all the rain today, she has only had 1 accident.
She's a very sweet dog, she loves other dogs, loves to play, loves kids and LOVES to eat!"
Calvina has completed her course of treatment for Demodex and had a clean scrape for mites, so she's on the available page! If you are in the market for a loving, sweet pup, Calvina might be the girl for you.
Say, did you notice the ears are up?
We hope that Calvina's many sponsors are as thrilled as we are to see her beauty being revealed the longer she is loved and cared for and cuddled with.
If you haven't sponsored one of our dogs recently, please consider visiting our foster page and sending along a donation. Right now we have a number of dogs with expensive and complex medical issues, especially Slava, who has been in the hospital for two days and must remain there for another week. We'll post more about her shortly, but we could really use an influx of sponsorship donations!

With gratitude for past help, and hope that your generosity will continue,
The Frog Princess

Lu is Home!

For those readers of the blog who have followed the dramatic story of the Lady that's known as Lu, here's an update for you: She's living a lovely life with a couple who know all about spoiled and temperamental dogs--in fact, temperamental doggies are their favorite kind! They went out of their way to apply for a girl with some personality quirks, and now Lu is living just a stone's throw from her foster home, in a lovely part of Nashville.

We wish Lu and her family the best, and we hope they will keep in touch!
The Frog Princess

Wagons, Ho!

Several weeks ago, FBRN transported four Frenchies across many miles of arid wasteland (foster home-wise) from the far East coast where all our foster homes were full to the tippytop to the land of milk and honey where foster homes are thick on the ground and stood ready to absorb some of the runover from our cup. Families in western Pennsylvania, Illinois and Missouri stepped in to offer sanctuary to our weary
travelers.

Here are some photos from the road of Suzi (pretty fawn) and Rex (handsome pied). From New Jersey to Kansas, 20 volunteers made the transport happen, and dogs were picked up and dropped off all along the way. It was a masterpiece of planning and we couldn't have done it without help from volunteers at Kentuckiana Pug Rescue (thanks!), who jumped in to help in an area where FBRN has no volunteers. We hope to return the favor someday!

It takes all kinds of volunteers to make FBRN go. If you'd like to help with transporting some frogs, send an email to our volunteer coordinator Kathi at frenchiehelper at aol dot com. You might make a froggy friend!

The Frog Princess

Brook: Ready or Not! Here I Come!

From wheelchair to freewheeling, we could not be more delighted with Brook's recovery!
Here's a note from Brook's foster mom, who has made the miracle possible:

"Brook is on her way to the available page!

Brook continues to improve. She was back to the neurologist on Tuesday for her monthy checking in. Another centimeter growth around each thigh and nearly that much again around her abdomen. Since beginning her physical therapy exercises two months ago, she has gained 3 cm. around her thighs and about the same around the middle. She is just
shy of 24 lbs.



Here is the huge news which I did not expect: Not only does the doctor see improvement in her gait, but she said that there is improved proprioception in her legs. And both of them. Wow!
As per her restrictions: no uncontrolled activity. That is to say no stairs and launching onto & off of furniture, etc. All of these things she is quite able to do, but until we're further away from her surgery date we do not want any risk of setback. So, the cookie monster can do some playing with the other dogs and some running (which she loves!) and whatnot. Long as she doesn't elevate to 'out of control'.

Our doggity crew are quite gentle such that all can do some nice playing w/o pounding on each other. It is Brook Brook that needs most monitoring! She completely chews on & bulldozes the resident frenchie (FBRN grad, Reggie) and she provokes & gooses, bounces & nibbles at the boxers. She is a rascal and a delight. It's all fun & games for
Brookie. I'm attaching some pictures so you can see how strong she
is.

The improvement is remarkable, I'd say.

In addition, with her regularly schedules walks we have been without any accident indoors and diaper free for some time now.

All good news in the world of Brook!"

Imagine making this kind of difference in the life of a dog. Our volunteers are simply remarkable, marvels

The Frog Princess

May I see your license and French Bulldog, please?

Amber's foster mom sent a funny/scary story the other day we thought you'd like to read. Oh, the hazards of volunteering!

"The other day I left my local grocery store, drove across the intersection and as I am passing the Walgreen's I see a police car waiting to pull out. As always I made sure I was going the speed limit and used my directional signals, but when I looked in my rearview mirror the police car was riding on my bumper. I mean...so close that if I hit my brakes, he would have been in my back seat!

I used my left turn signal, made my turn, went about half a block and hit a red light. I stopped and saw out of the corner of my eye that the police car had pulled up on my driver's side just inches from my side mirror. I tried to avoid eye contact, but he hit his siren for a split second, so I had to look over. He motioned for me to roll down my window, which, of course, I did.



"Who, me?"



Then he says, "So...do you work work with French Bulldog Rescue? Do you have any info" After I almost wet my seat, I said that yes, I did and if he wanted to pull into the next parking lot I would give him my card and a tri-fold brochure. We talked for a few minutes and he said he would look at the website right away. (Down here the police officers all have laptops in their cruisers) As I pulled away he was already tapping the keys on his laptop computer..."

Amber's foster mom is trying to think of ways to get back those 3 or 4 years of life the officer scared out of her! Amber is waiting for a forever family.

The Frog Princess

Raisin: Tart and Sweet!

Our foster families do more than just house the dogs they care for while we find them forever homes. Frequently, they are called to help dogs learn new behavior or to provide a place for dogs to recuperate from illness, surgery or injury. Poor Raisin had to have a place where she could recuperate from the loss of an eye, plus learn new life shkills so she could find a home!
Thankfully, her foster family is up to the task on both counts! Raisin's family has had to make a couple of emergency trips to the University of MN veterinary school, and it's 100 mile trip one way! And one of those trips was in the dead of night.

Our foster families are dedicated, loving people who are committed to helping our foster dogs.
Here's an update from Raisin's foster mom about Raisin, an available dog in need of a loving home.

"Yesterday, I felt brave--actually I felt that Raisin has made leaps and bounds towards being a better dog--so we (my elderly frenchie, Raisin, and myself) made the trip to Petco to pick up dog food.

Raisin was taken back by all the smells, sounds, animals and NEW DOGS! She was not liking the slippery tiled floors, but quickly learned to walk again...she never batted an eye, nor barked or growled at any other animal in the store. She was content with just walking next to her buddy, as we cruised about.

And for being so well-behaved she got to buy a NEW "loofa dog," since SOMEBODY (Raisin) ripped the stuffing out of the last 2.

I was impressed with Raisin's behavior, and she has come a LONG way from when we picked her up...the first couple weeks we had her she would do anything to EAT any other animal she could, but with correction her attitude has improved! Im just happy knowing that she HAS changed, and even though she still has her "moments" (at
unpredictable times) she will someday be able to share a similar experience (traveling to Petco, going for walks in the dog park, etc.) with HER forever family. She has proved today that she can be a good girl!"

We are looking for a family who would like to continue Raisin's training and make sure she continues to be the good girl we know is in there! Check out Raisin's bio and see if you could be the family we are looking for.

The Frog Princess

Chumley Speaks!

Chumley is one of the Texas Twelve, a group of dogs we were asked to place when a drug distribution cum puppy mill operation was shut down a few weeks ago. Here's a note from his foster mom about the heretofore silent young Chumley:

"Last night Chumley "barked"...well, it's actually this tiny whisper accompanied by all the appropriate body language for a real ear splitter.

Our dogs think it is fascinating, and look at him like "how did you swallow my squeaky toy?"

Considering our resident frenchie can produce substantial sound for such a tiny fellow and our mix breed is known for her ear rupturing single percussive barks, I can't say that a whisper bark is such a bad thing. As long as there are no medical concerns associated with it."

Chumley started his heartworm treatment last week. You can follow his story and read about the other Texas survivors here.

Drugs and puppies. What a recipe for disaster, moans

The Frog Princess

Roma through surgery!

Her foster mom writes:
"Roma is doing well. They continued her IV and have been giving her dexamethasone(steriod) to reduce the swelling and make sure her airway stays open. So far it has been fine. The surgery was two and a half hours repairing her hard and soft palate. Her mouth is full of sutures.
They did not spay her due to the length of surgery. They did not want to keep her under any longer or stress her any further. They allowed her to lick ice cubes today and tomorrow will give her a soupy dog food and see how she does. If all goes well she will come home tomorrow, if not, she will be able to come home on Sat.
She is in ICU under respiratory watch so she is having to stay in a cage but is checked very frequent to insure no breathing problems arise. There is a vet there 24 hours if something should happen. She also still has a IV running to ensure she does not get dehydrated.
He promised to call first thing in the morning to let me know how she is doing and if she will be allowed to come home. Our baby girl is a fighter and has crossed the hardest hurdle. I will keep everyone posted on her progress."
Thanks everyone for your good wishes! Keep 'em coming!

The Frog Princess

Roma: Mighty Huntrix!

UPDATE: 8/5 pm Roma's surgeon had an emergency patient, so her surgery is postponed until Wednesday.
UPDATE: 8/5 Today is the day Roma has surgery to correct her palate! The doctor thinks she should need only one since the cleft is less serious than many. Please keep a good thought for Roma today!


Following her triumph over her Uncle Brutty last week, Roma went looking for trouble.
Here are a note and some pictures her foster mom sent us to show how this ferocious 6 pound bundle of nature-red-in-tooth-and-claw spends her days.

She's singlehandedly responsible for the decimation of the wildlife in her foster home. The girl has no mercy.


"Miss Roma went on a safari hunt today and killed all kinds of animals.



1 tiger

1 giraffe

1 blue bunny

1 green frog

2 Dogs

(Does anyone know how to make Roma kill stew?)


And when the hunt and eating is over, she stretched out on the corpse of one of her victims and chewed a bone to clean her teeth."

I don't know about you, but we are frightened to see such a bellicose, feral aspect to this tiny puppy!

We are currently having a fund-raiser to collect money for her palate surgery, which will take place soon. If you'd like to contribute, please visit FBRN's homepage and donate. We are currently at 40% of our goal, and we've been stuck at 40% all weekend. Maybe you can help move the thermometer's mercury some?

We shall have to consider the moral aspects of allowing some poor family to adopt this wildchild. Possibly it would not be a good idea to loose this creature on an unsuspecting public. Probably we shouldn't send such a vicious beast out into the world. We are pretty sure that blood-thirsty puppy should come live with

The Frog Princess

Enzo: It Takes A Thief

Enzo is having a little vacation in the home of masterful tomato thief kingpin and FBRN grad, Benny the Frog.



As is typically the case in these scenarios, the older, charismatic Fagin-type will lead our innocent young Enzo, a currently available FBRN foster, down the primrose path of temptation, wrongdoing and crime.



Benny's mom reports that shortly after she witnessed this confab between the two suspects, she proceeded to shampoo the dogs, one after the other.





Meanwhile, Enzo was putting Benny's plan into action!





When Benny's long-suffering ma emerged from her work of bathing all her beasts, she found herself confronted with the sad evidence of Enzo's moral corruption: He was caught red-handed, toes sandpapered to flower-petal softness, trying to crack the combination on the family breadbox!






We need hardly express the depth of our disappointment in young Enzo. What a breach of the rules of host/guest relations and behavior! Oh! We have had such hopes for him; hopes that he might enjoy the life of a good boy.
We'd hoped he'd be adopted by a lovely family looking for a sweet, laid-back deaf guy with ongoing, but manageable health issues. Now, with this on his permanent record, what hope does he have of finding a loving family?
Look at that face! Completely oblivious to the seriousness of his transgression!

The boy simply doesn't know the difference between mine and thine, right and wrong, infer and imply.

Why, he wouldn't even stand and watch his hostess lecture him! He didn't even pretend to be sorry.


We worry about him. We really do.

If you think you might have a place for an inept and unrepentant would-be muffin-thief, check out Enzo's bio. Could be you could become another Ma Barker, with a whole crew of canine bad boys calling your place home.

Cracking her royal self up,
The Frog Princess

Rambo Gets Dunked!

Rambo is being fostered in northeast Pennsylvania and his daily walks are supervised by his foster mom, a professional dog trainer. You'll notice that Rambo is in the water without a vest. Shortly after these photos were taken, a donor sent our foster mom, and nine other foster families, a package with a vest in it! Keep your Frenchie safe around the water--if he doesn't wear a vest, don't let him get any deeper than his shoulders, and don't take your eyes off him. Don't take your eyes off him if he DOES wear a vest!

"Rambo is a fun little guy to have staying with us. We found that he likes to splash in the lake, but he feels that with his rotund figure, there'll be no swimming, thanks.

He's not too bothered about playing with other dogs; he just likes his humans best. This week, he hopped into the shower for a scrub with a little steak for an incentive, so big improvements there in terms of minding.
Rambo will always be a sensitive soul, on the insecure side, but when you know how to bring out the best in him, he really does have the sweetest personality!

And he's a huge sofa cuddler. I'm hoping he'll go on the available page in the next week or two, I just need to have my vet recheck his eyelids to see whether he still needs entropion surgery. A routine of keeping his face clean seems to be resolving the issue.

He giggles like the Pilsbury doughboy when you poke his tummy-- come to think of it, he looks a little like him too!"

When they got home, Rambo "had an al fresco bath on the deck, now he's getting over his sulk with a peanut butter kong - he has a figure to keep, you know."

We think Rambo is a fine hunk of Frenchie fantastique! We love a frog who walks softly and carries a soggy stick, sighs

The Frog Princess