Alena, Post-Op

Alena underwent a mastectomy this week.  Though she has overcome a lot of problems brought on by neglect, including near baldness, blindness and pyometra, she has had a recurrence of breast cancer.  Her positive and happy outlook on life persuaded us that she'd be an excellent candidate for surgery, and she is doing well post-op. 

She got to go to work with her foster mom to be watched in the first day or two following her surgery.  Here's a note from her foster mom about her condition:

Alena is enjoying some sunshine while she heals.

"Alena is recovering really well. She seems completely unruffled by her ordeal. She is sleeping well, eating well, and has her signature Alena Sparkle. We get results of the cytology report in a few days. Fingers crossed!

Peppermint Patty in Georgia and her gang send  Alena some love!

Alena came to work with me so I could keep a watchful eye over her. She usually sleeps in her bed all day, so it didn't seem like too much for her to manage. She did great, and even managed her potty walks without any trouble. She found sun to lounge in as we had a gorgeous (but 22 degree!) day.

Alena wore her pink sweater along with all her fans :)"

Vienna is sending healing vibes to Alena.



Many of our volunteers sent in photos of their Frenchies wearing pink on the day of Alena's surgery.  We made a donation to Alena's surgical costs in loving memory of our mother, who died of breast cancer.  If you have a friend or family member who has had surgery for breast cancer, perhaps you'll consider donating to the cost of Alena's care, too?  No amount is too small.   
 




We don't know what it is about this silly girl, but she is just grabbing people's hearts all over the world.  We are no exception, admits

The Frog Princess


Lucy didn't have a pretty dress to wear, but she didn't want to miss out on the chance to participate in "Think Pink for Alena!" day.  Her mom found a little pink sticky note.  It's the thought that counts!

Sad News

One of our favorite foster dogs, Twila, has passed away following surgery to repair a perforated bowel.  Twila was one of the happiest Frenchies we've had with us, and her spinal problems never got in the way of her determination to live a joyful life.  Our hearts go out to her foster family and her adoptive family today.

Here is the note from her adoptive mom:

" After a valiant fight, I am heartbroken to report that Twila passed away today. Her perforated bowel was caused by a long ago event that had been festering for several years. The surgeon said that he's seen similar conditions in puppy mill dogs who eat their ropes. The ropes don't puncture the bowel right away, but stay in the GI tract and make little tears over time. By the time the injury manifests itself, the intestine is in tatters. She fought up until the very end, and then went peacefully in the arms of the people who loved her.

We are all devastated at losing this precious girl so suddenly. She was the happiest dog I've ever known. She greeted each day with total joy and made everyone who met her smile. Here's a cute picture of her.

Godspeed, Sweet T. You won't be forgotten."





This is a loss we all feel.  May she rest in peace.


The Frog Princess

Variety is the Spice of Frogs

Here at FBRN, we like to make sure that our foster dogs enjoy a variety of experiences.  Foster families often take their dogs to ballroom dancing classes, for the sake of improving their minuets in case the Dauphin is ever returned to power in the homeland and they are invited to attend a ball at Versailles.

Also, many Frenchies are taught requests (we don't use the vulgar term "commands" here), in Mandarin, Greek, Portuguese, and Latin, in case they are invited to an embassy event.



In this photo, you see Rhett Butler being introduced to the uncommon sport enjoyed by several Texas dog-owners.  It involves hefting a Frenchie up and toting him around for several hours, interspersed with periods where the Frenchie is placed in a sling across the athlete's back as the athlete fires a blowpipe loaded with a paralytic South American toxin at armadillos, rattle snakes, and vegans from Vermont.  Points are assigned by level of difficulty and weight of the Frenchie. Truly accomplished practitioners of this activity are able to balance a cup of scalding tea on their heads while playing, "I Didn't Know the Gun Was Loaded" on a Dollar Store kazoo.  We hear this sport is up for possible introduction to the next Olympics, so watch for it!

And in the final photo, you see Rhett engaging in a wilderness adventure camp.  Alone with only three Frenchie friends to help him, a compass, 3 matches, a box of wine and a GPS device, Rhett and his cohorts must find their way from the bottom of their yard back to their patio in only 2 days. 

Our foster families are responsible not only for the care and safety of their foster dogs, but as you can see, many of our foster families are devoted to ensuring that the Frenchies adopted through FBRN are the ne plus ultra of civilized animals, mens sana in corpore sano, and fully rounded in a variety of life experience.

Some of our foster families go a little further than others, it must be said, but we are proud of them all! boasts

The Frog Princess

Hope You Had a Wonderful St. Valentine's Day!

Pudge did!

He's a little cookie, yes, he is, hums

The Frog Princess

Quigley: Handsome Devil

From time to time a Frenchie comes into FBRN who is so handsome, so appealing, so irresistible that we wonder if we are going to have to beat people off with big sticks.  Quigley is such a dog.









He has already earned a pending banner, and we are hoping that he'll make his match shortly. While we are waiting, we wanted to share some photos of this boy and his fabulous phiz, which is just one of those faces that really registers every emotion, including "Who, me?" and generalized disgruntlement.
















Here he is demonstrating pride of ownership--both of his toy and his person's lap. 

And here is a photo of the devil-may-care attitude that reels in the ladies and makes him a bad boy and hot property.  In case you were unclear, he will not hesitate to grind a grapefruit in the face of any broad foolish enough to put a finger on his nylabone toy.  Don't try it, baby.  He ain't no pushover. 

A final photo captures his essential good looks and explains his universal appeal.



What can we say?  The frog's got elan, he's got eclat, he's got je ne sais quois that just won't quit.  Quigley!  You are breaking our heart, swoons

The Frog Princess