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Frenchies and Kids – Photos Needed!

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Ryan with Tara - Le Bull's Achey Breaky Heart

Ryan with Tara - Le Bull's Achey Breaky Heart

The French Bulldog Village is gearing up for its annual fund raising
calendar. The theme this year is “Frenchies and Kids”, and we NEED
your photos!

We’re looking for clear, well framed photos of French Bulldogs –
adults, puppies or seniors – along with one or more children.

To submit a photo, the children pictured must be your immediate family
members – no random kids from the park or what have you.

Photos need to be hi resolution, digital (ie; emailed to me) and
longer than they are high. When you send them, please include your
name, the name(s) of the child or children, and the name and age of
the French Bulldog(s).

Please attach your photos to an email, and send it to me at
frenchbulldogz@gmail.com .

Remember, photos must be high resolution, digital, longer rather than they are high
(ie; landscape).

Sorry, but NO show photos, and if the photo is
professionally taken you must either be the photographer or have the
photographer’s permission. All photos must be submitted ASAP, so we
can get the calendar out as soon as possible.

Pug Rescue Alert – Vote for Ten!

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Buddha and her Puggy Pal, Hope

Buddha and her Puggy Pal, Hope

Charlotte Creeley sent this to the French Bulldog mailing lists:

Pam Mayes is the founder/inspiration of Pug Rescue of Alabama- http://www.alabamapugrescue.org

She is the one who provides me with a constant reminder of how extraordinary our roles are as rescuers. We make the difference between life and death for some dogs, and for Pam, there never seems to be an end to the dogs that need her and never an end to her trying to help them. She has been my own inspiration since I first spoke to her, it must be 12-15 years ago now. Pam doesn’t give up and she doesn’t give in…

This year, one of Pam’s rescues – this time a brave little Pug named Ten (after the year, not the contest…) – has once again made it into the top ten in Purina’s Rally to Rescue. In fact, Ten is running in front, which is no surprise to me after reading his story. The winner of the contest takes home $5000 in pet food coupons (Pugs love FOOD!) Please vote for Ten, for the sake of the other Puggies at APRA, but also in recognition of a really fine rescuer.

http://www.rallytorescue.org/doingmoreforpets/Vote.aspx

And Frenchie owner! Her first Frenchie was my Stone’s mom, Buddha, and she’s had Frenchies ever since! I’ve attached a picture of Buddha and her best buddy, a little crippled Pug named Hope, who was Pam’s inspiration to start a rescue. As well as a gazillion little misfit Pugs…

Buddha isn’t the only Frenchie Pam has from us – she also has Felix, aka Bullmarket Absolut White Dragon, father of Elliott, son of Maggie’s Lola, and grandfather/great grandfather to half our dogs (and to the puppies some of you own!).

Pam is a phenomenal woman. Pug rescue almost always breaks my heart, but Pam’s Pug rescue gets some of the most heart wrenching cases you have ever heard. The halt and the lame are the very least of it, and most heart breaking of all are the senior pugs who seem to be so commonly and routinely dumped by the people who were supposed to protect them for life.

Please vote for Pam – and if you feel like it, maybe you could also make a donation to her rescue, as well. Do it for all of those Pugs that no one else but Pam could have the strength to care for.

http://www.alabamapugrescue.org

Friday Zen – You’ve Gotta Have Hope!

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I’ve seen a few debates rage lately about just what, exactly, is a ‘reasonable’ adoption fee.

Some people believe that there’s no justification in asking more than a few hundred dollars for a healthy rescue dog. They say that anything excess is just gouging by rescue groups.

In some cases, such the new influx of ‘fake’ rescues that are little more than fronts for puppy mill clear out merchadise, this is probably true. Those ‘rescues’ (which are really just companies that re sell older puppy mill breeding stock and unhealthier puppies that the large brokers either won’t touch, or have returned), this is true, and their high adoption fees are how they turn a profit.

For the majority of rescues, however (legitimate groups like French Bulldog Village, Chicago French Bulldog Rescue, and FBRN), adoption fees on healthy dogs work more like insurance policies. The fees which adopters give for the healthy dogs help to offset the thousands (and sometimes tens of thousands) of dollars which rescues must put towards the care of the older, the unhealthy and the special needs dogs which make up the bulk of rescues.

Take Hope, for example. Hope is the very definition of a ‘special needs’ rescue. A former puppy mill dog, Hope came to Chicago French Bulldog Rescue lame, emaciated and close to death. After months of physical therapy, water therapy and tender loving care, Hope is on the mend.

Donations to rescue, and the adoptions fees of younger, healthier, in demand dogs help to pay for Hope’s care. It’s the very essence of what makes an empathetic society – the more fortunate carry the burden of the less.

And after all, you’ve gotta have Hope, right?

If nothing else, just watching her swim will give you a moment of pure zen.

Rescued Neopolitan Mastiff Update

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Neopolitan Mastiff Puppy Belly

Pink Puppy Belly

Kelly sent along an update on Belle and Bronx, the two rescued Neopolitan Mastiffs, and their surviving puppies. Since we originally wrote about them, one puppy died when Belle rolled over and crushed it. Kelly recently had another scare with one of the girls, which she writes about below.

Over the weekend, one blue girl (I named her Blue Poppy for the paperwork) spend the night at OVC (asp pnem.) On antibiotics and doing totally fine now! I can distinguish her from her sibs as she has a little spot of crazy glue on her face where they stuck the oxygen tube by her face!

They are growing so fast. As they are very strong and healthy, we have been allowing the my boys to sit and cuddle with them in the house in the evenings (after thoroughly disinfecting the boys of course) :). They have been introduced to the cats and the Frenchies and will definitely be well socialized when they go to their new homes. There are 3 interested families and one which has made a firm commitment to a puppy. I am thrilled with the great homes these pups will be going to! So far all have Neos or have experience with mastiffs and rescue dogs.

Bella has found a wonderful home and will be going there when the puppies are weaned. She has gained weight and her nice, friendly personality is coming through. She like to walk but does not like my mini horses, small dogs are cats!

Bronx had his eye surgery and neuter done on Monday and is recovering nicely. He is a very sweet boy who loves to walk. When walking he is oblivious to other animals and just wants to focus on his walk.

http://picasaweb.google.ca/105778920928071786403/April152010?feat=directlink

Bronx is still looking for a home. If you’re interested in a placid, loving Neo boy who is interested in making you the center of his world, please contact Kelly via email. She’d love to see him find a great home.

Catch Up Post

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Belle's Easter Babies

Belle's Easter Neo Babies

Some news from Kelly about Belle and the Neo pups – sadly, Belle accidentally crushed one of the puppies to death (a little dark brindle boy). That’s always a risk with the big dogs, who can’t always tell if they’re sitting on top of one of their kids. Pig rails around the whelping box help, but aren’t a surefire preventative for sad accidents like this.

Needless to say, Kelly is devastated. She’s now removed the pups from Belle, and is putting them back in with her every three hours, under Kelly’s watchful supervision. A lot of work, as you can imagine – and not much sleep for Kelly. Her dedication is amazing.

Kelly also says that she is VERY concerned about finding a home for Bronx as soon as possible. He is NOT happy being outside, and with the puppies taking up all of Kelly’s time and attention, Bronx is feeling sad and lonely. He makes a sad, haunting “wwwwoooo-oooo-oooo” sound, in essence calling out for someone – anyone! – to please come and spend some time with him.

If you think you can provide a home for a sweet natured, very loyal male Neopolitan Mastiff, please contact Kelly – she’d like to see him have a chance to thrive, in a family he can love.

Kelly has tons of new photos of the puppies here – http://picasaweb.google.ca/105778920928071786403/BabyPics?feat=directlink#slideshow/5456689921539295522

..and more photos of Belle and Bronx are here – http://picasaweb.google.ca/105778920928071786403/BellaBronxAndBabies?feat=directlink#slideshow/5456676952824298882

Please note that, as we’ve mentioned before, there WILL be an adoption fee for the puppies. With luck, the adoption fees will be able to partially cover some of the vet expenses which Belle, Bronx and the pups have accrued. A few people have contacted Kelly assuming that ‘adopt’ equals free.  It doesn’t – it does, however, mean that no one is making any money off of these pups – instead, Kelly is just hoping to cover at least part of their ever growing expenses!

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Gunny and Rider, French Bulldog puppies

Gunny and Rider as puppies

Dick and Rider

I was thrilled to have visitors on Friday – Dick and Nancy Lillie came by, to meet with our little foster baby, Alvin.

Dick and Nancy owned and loved Rider – Tessa’s litter brother from a repeat breeding, and brother to Andrea Morden Moore’s Gunny.

Rider sadly passed away a year or so ago, and while their new Frenchie girl, Belle, is wonderful, they were missing having a little pied man around the house.

Enter Alvin, who’s just about the most adorable little pied you’ve ever laid eyes on, and who has the sweetest, silliest personality.

Dick and Nancy were smitten with him, and will be taking him home in a few weeks.

I can’t help thinking he’ll be a wonderful addition to an already wonderful family.

I’m going to be waiting for a LOT of photo updates!

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Down in Syracue, Leah (Bullmarket Absolut Padme) was entered in her first stateside show. After taking reserve winners bitch on Friday and Saturday, she topped the weekend off with a Best of Breed win on Sunday!

Not bad, for a nine month old puppy!

Leah’s mom, Kristina, was there to cheer Leah on  – but from a distance, and safely hidden behind a pole.  No sense distracting the girl while she’s in the ring! Leah was ably handled by Thom and Diane Curley, of Ottawa. Thanks, guys!

Leah will now be staying back home with her mom, and will be doing more stateside shows, via ringside pick up handling.

Photos are on Kristina’s Flickr page – http://www.flickr.com/photos/leahandfriends/

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Simon is on the prowl

The weekend weather was just perfect for playing outside with puppies! I continue to be amazed at how bold these boys are – they’ve never met an experience they didn’t leap into with gusto, especially Simon!

While Teddy and Alvin liked to check in on me from time to time (“Is she still there? yes? Head scratches, and off I go again!”), Simon is quite comfortable exploring all on his own.

After a while, I noticed he was off in the corner of the garden, looking quite intently at something, and doing the occasional puppy pounce, paw slap move. Closer investigation revealed a baby garter snake, and before I had time to swoop in and grab him, Simon had grabbed it in his mouth and was giving it a death shake.

The other dogs were instantly on the scene, trying to figure out just what high priority treat the new kid had managed to nab for himself. Simon wasn’t about to let a bunch of girls intimidate him – he whirled around and growled, clearly telling them to ‘back off, and get your own snake!’.

Since he’s actually a good boy at heart, Simon instantly – if not happily – dropped the snake when I told him to, and it slithered off, shaken but apparently none the worse for wear. The other dogs were deeply disappointed in me.

Photos are after the cut – and video tomorrow!

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