Penny's Story
Penny came to us after our Mastiff passed away suddenly. The Mastiff was my wife’s dog and the loss was very difficult. We have owned a few English Bulldogs and had been considering a Frenchie for a while. I found Penny on an adoption website – she was about 350 miles away – and showed my wife her photo.
Most of the Frenchie adoption websites did not post current pics or the dogs had been adopted already – but Penny was still available. After a few calls we hit the road and met the adoption agent and Penny. After completing paperwork and paying the adoption fee ($400), we started for home.
Penny was totally “wild” and untrained – she would run away, roll around if she had in a collar, play dead if she was on a leash – absolutely no training at all. My wife would later research Penny’s background from her paperwork and we learned that she came from one of the worst puppy farm breeding facilities in the US – so she was probably caged and treated like stock her entire life. Penny rode home in my wife’s arms – this definitely bonded them in those first hours. The safety and close contact definitely at this bond – Penny calmed down and actually slept part of the return trip.
Penny had no issues meeting and settling in with our English Bulldog. I think the companionship helped her adjust quickly to life in a home as she quickly started to mirror our other dogs habits – feeding, laying on the furniture and sleeping on the bed and even going outside to do her business (only occasional accidents inside). Penny had been spayed a couple weeks before we received her and she came to us with a bad suture job and a hernia; within the first month we had to take her to the vet to have this repaired. She did well with the surgery and $1000 later she was back home with us. Aside from routine check ups and shots ahead has had no medical issues at all. Having owned many problematic breeds we are very familiar with the potential high costs of medical bills. We do not use pet insurance- having tried several types in the past we find it to be a poor investment. Instead we set aside $100-$200 per month into a savings account for any vet expenses – so far it’s just money in bank but there if we need it. Pet insurance usually requires you to pay and seek reimbursement and they like to deny costs and make you fight for it – this approach doesn’t work for us.
Penny has no real behavioral issues.
She can be possessive of her sleeping spot and doesn’t like to be stepped on by the English Bulldog (unstable as she is 1/4 her size).
She does pee in the house occasionally – likely mimicking the English Bulldog who is very lazy. Otherwise she is very friendly and the perfect pet; she now loves to have a collar on and go for a walk with my wife – and sits for snacks, comes when called (when she is not at my wife’s side), and is not destructive like some Frenchies.
No real dietary issues. She eats a combination of hard and soft food – lamb and venison for the hard kibble and Beneful for the soft food and we have had no issues. Like most bulldogs she gets very gassy with corn based foods so we avoid those.
Advice to new owners: be patient! An adopted dog of any breed is likely to come with mental issues due to captivity and a lack of proper emotional care. Be prepared to put in the time and love to help them overcome the past. If you have a pet already it may be easier in the transition to a home life as dogs are pack animals and seem to thrive with other dogs around.
We were lucky that Penny had no biting issues or a destructive personality – but our English Bulldog is pretty stubborn and tough so she probably would have dominated Penny is those issues were present anyway.
Don’t expect a pet right away – adopted dogs can be on the wild side and it will take time to learn they are accepted and loved – but when that time comes you will have a friend for life.
The humans-dog bonding with our Frenchie has been very different than with other dogs – it happens quickly and is much stronger. Penny is always there, always following my wife around and is a constant companion; sometimes this can be irritating especially when you are trying to relax.
Find a food combo that works for your dog – it doesn’t have to be expensive – and limit that table scraps as they will put on the weight quickly. And socialize your dog to other dogs and humans – they may have come to you with “damage” but this can be overcome with exposure. Slowly introduce them to new experiences – they seem to sponges for positive change.
Want to share your Frenchie story?
We would love to hear from you. Our aim is to provide real stories of what it is like to have a Frenchie in your life so if you have a story to share please get in touch. We love hearing personal stories from fellow fab frenchie owners!
