Claudine

Dear friends and LSBCR family,

Today marked Claudine’s 12^th birthday.  Her maker decided that reunification with her BFF, Miss Brynn, could wait not a day longer.  Their joyous Bulldog hugging, kissing, and butt sniffing preceded romping in an open lea, sharing the same open she shed during the day, and enjoying sumptuous meals together, including Bulldog Happy Hour, in which they reveled.  OK, sometimes Claudine would steal Brynn’s unfinished portions, but we always compensated with hand fed complements.  How enamored we grew of these two while they graced our home.

Rather than sorrow, let us celebrate the joy of a life fulfilled.  LSBCR stars shine in the miracles universe.  Claudine checked into Chez Maison Ménard BBnB a few weeks after Miss Brynn in September 2019.  Doc Larsen asked us to take both, a fully bonded pair for years.  We dare not deny Doc’s requests!  They always arrive on the wings of devotion stressing our Bullies’ best interest.

Claudine contended with severe arthritis, managed by medication for pain and inflammation.  In her latter weeks, we helped raise her hind quarters in the morning, but she rallied, relatively speaking, during the day.

She suffered no pain from any cancerous tumors.  Alas, given the ravages of time, her internal organ functions failed.  She accepted the degradations of advanced age such as diminished eyesight, deafness, and progressive dementia.  Ever the refined lady, she remained the same sweet old gal.

From December through March, she valiantly fought and ultimately conquered a stubborn UTI that resisted all oral antibiotics.  The last drug choice involved twice daily subcutaneous injections and once daily IV hydration infusion here at home for several weeks.  The consequential damage to her renal system imposed a special diet.  She loved eating and drinking, so a change of menu imposed no deterrence.  All these travails never affected Miss Claudine’s welcoming temperament and undemanding nature.

Doubtless, Misses Claudine and Brynn conspired to trade days and health.  Brynn, a hospice case, offered Claudine her bonus days because Brynn’s tumor shrank, and health improved even although her diagnosis claimed but three months.  Brynn thrived for 20 months.  Both vets expressed surprise that these Bullies survived so long.  Meg and I provided the environment and support; they did all the heavy lifting.  These dogs can teach us so much.  We humans gain immeasurably from fostering relationships.

In her recent days, Claudine’s stasis demanded that we relocate her housing accommodations to a kitchen locale, close to the outside door, and adjacent to the Main Bullie Dining Salon.  To avoid trapping her paws in the she shed bars, we built an open concept as you see in the video.

Most recently, we fed her at bedside and used pads to catch her excreta, with varying degrees of success.  Her mobility virtually disappeared.  Dear Lord, she fought mightily to the bitter end.  Through it all, she dined sumptuously and rapaciously.

God blessed us with the gifts of these two Bullies.   We cherished our too short of a time with them.  Doubtless, they frolic together again on the Elysian Fields side of the Rainbow Bridge, forever freed from the confines of the mortal world.

Until we meet again, sweet girls…

Howdy folks, my name is Claudine. My best friend, Brynn, and I joined rescue, and we are glad to be where we are wanted!

You see, someone found us and took us to the shelter. The shelter found out we had microchips so they called our owners. But they never came to get us! So here we are in rescue and everyone loves us.

We are not sisters, but best friends who have lived together a long time. We would like to stay together if possible, but we understand if that can’t happen. 

I am the thin fawn and white one. I am very sweet and love everybody and all dogs I have met. I am in pretty good health for a girl my age—that’s why I don’t mind telling you I am seven. 

Brynn is the all white one and she is a little chunky compared to me. She has some problems with one of her eyes, but the people at the clinic say they will have it better in no time. Brynn is also very sweet and loves everyone. She may be a little more playful than I am. She is also seven.

We we are just going to sit back, relax and enjoy a little gal’s time together. Once everything is checked out and fixed, we will be off to our foster home, and then our forever home in no time. Wouldn’t you love to have both of us at your house?

8/2/19 Update:  Hello everyone, Claudine here with an update. I’ve been at my new foster home for a couple of days now and things are going really well. I have a new nickname, they call me Dini for short and I think it suits me fine. I’m here with former foster Tory Burch and another fur brother and they are each showing me the ropes. 

I am just as sweet as can be, I get along with everyone I have met, and the dogs as well. I have some stiffness in my legs but I don’t let that stop me. We’ve been hanging out watching tv and grilling steaks- I don’t have any complaints!!

8/15/19 Update:   Hey everyone, Claudine (Dini) here. Sorry I missed the party on Saturday. Sure looks like it was a great event.

Well, I have found my calling… as a lifeguard. I love to sit and stare at the pool for as long as I can, and if you are swimming, I will jump in and try to rescue you. Needless to say, I am the one that keeps getting rescued… I didn’t say I was a good swimmer, just a good guard. Foster mom and dad have started putting me in the house when they swim because I have been way too eager to join in the fun.

I am settling in really well. I pretty much know where and when to do my business, but sometimes that means that I have to wake the foster parents up at 2 a.m. They tell me they would rather get a wake-up call than a smelly surprise in the morning.

What’s that you just said? Oh, you’ll have to speak up. You see, if you are calling me, you really need to be in my field of vision because I am hard of hearing. And not just a stubborn Bulldog selective hearing either. I had some bad ear infections in the past, and I want to listen intently, but if I’m not coming when you call, please don’t take it personally. I usually just follow my other fur siblings when they are called, and I haven’t missed a meal yet:.)

8/26/19 Update:  Hello everyone!  Claudine here, checking in. I hope everyone had as good of a week as I did. I got to spend a few days at the spa at Dr Larsen’s and, boy, do I feel so much better.  All of the pollen in the air was playing havoc on my skin and I was very itchy.  After a couple of fancy baths, I am so relieved and more comfortable.  I am home at my foster family’s home and they keep telling me how much happier I look. They keep saying that my personality is really showing through, now that I am not so preoccupied with my skin.  

I love feeding time, sometimes I get so excited that I bark with excitement over the cuisine being served. I’m not picky, any treat will do.:)  There is some meat stew in the slow cooker, and every time foster mom gives it a stir, I make sure I am front and center, just in case she drops anything…but she never has, yet! That is me in the kitchen dreaming of some tasty treats.

I have made piece with the Roomba (you know, those crazy robot vacuums). I didn’t like it at first, but now I just let it do it’s job and sleep right through the cleaning cycle. In my day, we didn’t have any of those newfangled machines, lol!

That is all for now- see y’all soon, Claudine

9/10/19 Update:  I am so excited, I just got a new toy! I love it and I’ve been playing with it for over an hour and, boy, am I happy. It really is just the little things in life that can make your whole day. Foster Mom had a friend visit this weekend and she was so loving. I got extra rubs and pets. I hope we have more visitors soon. I am really warming up to everyone and am liking being stroked and petted more and more. I sure home my forever family likes giving rubs. 🙂 Take care… I have a toy that needs my attention!  Claudine

10/1/19 Update:  Here we go again!!   Dianne brought this great Bullie to my house and said “Here she is.”  Claudine or Baby Girl as I call her took over.

She doesn’t bark much but can out chortle any dog. She is deaf and has eye sight problems as well as being arthritic but gets around great. She is never far from me. Baby Girl lies under my computer when I am working at home and where ever else in the house we are other times.

Baby Girl is doing pretty good at the house breaking thing, although doesn’t understand what the big deal is. She loves going to Lauren’s house for doggy day care and hangs with Lauren’s Dane, Butters.  They take their afternoon nape on the couch together. Loves her toys but is death to all balls, no matter what size they are.

Mostly she is loose in my bedroom at night sleeping near me and sometimes in her crate.  She goes in her crate when I go to work and back in it if she gets home before I do. I talked to her all of the time and looks at me like I am insane. Treats are common place and demanded at times.

She is in charge and has brought love into both our lives.

11/3/19 Update:  Brynn has welcomed her past, present, and perhaps future fur faux sista from a different mista. Claudine has moved into da hood Chez Maison Ménard BBnB. They are the same age, BFFs, and homies once again. To celebrate and memorialize the event, we brought in a dog whisperer to witness these two being reunited. Below is an unedited transcript of their first meeting. No cameras or cell phones were permitted in the secure interview “facility.”

Brynn (white fur): Claudine, I am sooo thrilled to see you again. I thought you were lost forever.

Claudine (brown fur): Me too. And I have a new nickname that foster mom gave me, Chloe, like the hot Kardashian. So, tell me about this place.

Brynn: You hit the jackpot, sista. We all have a personal chef, a nurse, a maintenance man, security, comfy beds everywhere, and caring bipeds.

Claudine: You look well fed. Good thing that bikini season has passed. Tell me about the food.

Brynn: You look like you have had a good season at the plate yourself! The dining fare here is amazing. We enjoy an entrée, real meat or fish du jour at both meals and Bulldog Happy Hour (BHH) every day. For low energy Bulldogs like us, the galley staff brings the appetizers to us. We get meat, cheese, even sweet morsels placed on your tongue. Imagine that! There are benefits to being a loving lazy lady senior. Also every serving is finished with a warm sauce of broth and pumpkin poured over our dinner bowls.

Claudine: Wow, sounds great, but wassup wid dese udda Bulldogs here?

Brynn: No worries, all is copacetic. The queen is a permanent resident and a benevolent camp canine commander and the others are foster pups, like us. The queen demands peace and serenity, so she has tossed out a trouble maker or two on their doggy butts faster than a double dribble by Basketball Jones. We all get along and form our own dog pack. You will gain acceptance in no time.

Claudine: Well, good behavior and manners are no problems for the two of us. What is the love sichiation?

Brynn: Love is in the air here. We are cherished as family members so that we are fully ready to be happy adoptees when the right furever family finds us. Any adoptive family must meet or exceed the standards to which we have become accustomed.

Claudine: What about fun. What do you do in your spare time and on your day off?

Brynn: Listen up, girlfriend. At our age and health, we are more interested in peace and happiness, security and care, and of course, five star meals in the main Bulldog dining salon. When young ‘uns visit here, they run around, tear up the place, tip over the trash, yadda, yadda. Foster Dad plays ball, tug-o-war, and other games with them. Some chew on shoes, furniture and engage in other naughty antics. We have already been there, done that and bought the T-shirt so now we can just lollygag around and enjoy life. What do you say we chew on some Benebones?

Claudine: Psst, can I share a secret? I heard that one foster family recently had two Bulldogs at their BBnB adopted by the same furever family. Dare we dream that it could happen to us? Wouldn’t that be a hoot?

Brynn: Well, we are both easy and wonderful dogs. We always do our business outside, follow house rules, and bring joy to everyone, fur and skin persuasion. We would be double the pleasure!

Claudine: All that is true, but some people pass on Bulldogs like us because we are 7 years old. On another paw, Lone Star Bulldog Club Rescue has many folks who treasure our ilk.

Brynn: Let’s put all this bother aside for the moment and get reacquainted. What do you say that we relax this weekend and enjoy a spa day next week? I know a place thar we can go where the groomers love us and foster dad pays them in cookies and sweets. He purloins some of that pastry and it finds its way to the dessert cart that comes by at some BHH.

Claudine: Pastry and a spa day? I am all in for that, girlfriend. Also, I heard about the Lone Star Bulldog Club Rescue Canine Chorale. How can I become a member? I have vocal talent.

Brynn: You betcha. The music director is a softie and encourages all of us, even those with squeaky or deep woofs. Ride with me to practice tonight and I will teach you the lyrics and melodies en route.

Claudine: Thanks, sista. This is gonna be just like old times. Glad to be here.

11/15/19 Update:  Dear Santa Paws,  My faux fur-sister, Brynn, showed me her letter to you. She wants to mail it! Picture her trying to lick a postage stamp and pressing in onto an envelope. It would stick to her paw and the letter would never reach you. I told her, “Wassup witchu, girlfriend?” Get into this century. We hip Bulldogs now send emails to Santa Paws.

I agree with all of her loving sentiments. Indeed, all I too want for Christmas is a loving fur-ever family. Lone Star Bulldog Club Rescue has been our savior. We are happy and ready to bless our furever families with love and happiness for a lifetime.

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