Miss Shania is a gorgeous little girl, who will need a loving and caring family. She will give back so much love, but needs an attentive owner who recognizes her specific needs.
Shania was a breeder who was surrendered as a puppy, and was incontinent (leaking urine). She has had multiple surgeries to correct the issue and no longer presents, with the exception of minimal leaking when very excited, like most pups, when playing, greeting new people to the house, etc. A potty break before playing is advised.
Special Needs: Shania had an occluder inserted into her abdomen which prevents her leaking urine. The pressure can be adjusted as needed by the vet if she starts to leak again. She should be monitored regularly for possible UTI. Like most French Bulldogs, she has sensitive skin, therefore itches frequently without medicine. She has benefited from weekly baths to address itching. She does have a reaction to perfumes in laundry soap and fabric softener. Clear soap and fabric softener are recommended to prevent itching.
House Trained:
Shania is potty trained– although has moments. She will let you know when she needs to potty by silently going to the door– recognizing this is key. If you miss the sign, she will relieve herself wherever she can. Currently she goes and stands by the balcony door where she uses a turf pad or back door that leads to the backyard.
She knows the basic commands of sit, and come. She is food motivated for training purposes. Good treats for training beyond “dog treats” are “ice cookies” (ice cubes), frozen green beans, cheese, and small amounts of tofu. She is a quick learner.
Attention and Care:
Shania has become a “world-class” cuddler. She LOVES snuggling, especially in the morning and evening after dinner. She loves to have her belly rubbed and will paw at you to rub her belly. She can be VERY insistent with this because she is rarely satisfied. When you have had enough, you can gently command her to “lay down” and cover her with a blanket. She loves to bury her head under blankets when she is napping.
Shania loves meal times and is very excited to be fed! Again she is highly food motivated. She will let you know it’s time to eat if you are a few minutes late. A quick shake of her treat bag and she’s immediately at your feet. She knows to sit and wait while her foster parents prepare the food and will not eat until given permission. She loves to lick all the bowls to make sure there isn’t something left over.
Household Info:
Shania sleeps in her crate at night and stays in her crate anytime no one is home. She will sometimes defecate in her crate if she hasn’t emptied prior to the foster family leaving, and she will eat her feces. This means all feces in the backyard must be picked up as well. That being said, she is not bothered by peeing in her crate and sometimes will lay on wet blankets. Her foster mom works from home and she has become accustomed to having someone around for a majority of the day.
Shania is still very inquisitive, therefore “puppy proofing” your house is recommended. When she chews on something she’s not supposed to, she is easily redirected to her bone. NO SOFT TOYS or access to anything that she may chew and ingest. This includes (but not limited to): socks, hair ties, small rubber balls, towels, etc. She loves playing ball, but DO NOT leave her with balls unattended as she will ingest them too. She MUST be crated whenever you leave, even for a short period, as she will chew baseboards and furniture, or worse, if left unsupervised.
Other Characteristics:
Shania has moments of high energy, and in her excitement she can be “nippy” when playing. A house with small children is not recommended. This also aligns with the fact that small children’s toys are a danger to her.
Shania enjoys walks, but has a high prey drive. A harness attached with a leash must be used when she is outside the boundaries of the fenced-in yard. She is uncertain about large dogs and can become reactive to them, so it is best to avoid them on walks. She responds well to treats to refocus her on walks when she is tempted by squirrels, birds or other dogs.
She doesn’t need a walk during the winter as long as she has several fetching/chasing the ball sessions throughout the day. She loves to play with her foster sibling and loves to “zoom” around the house. She doesn’t mind the cold or rain and sometimes needs to be coaxed inside.
Shania is full of personality and is very smart. She does well in the car and has learned to rest quietly in her car seat.
Shania’s ideal forever home will be very loving and will enjoy snuggles, as well as be attentive, as she’s full of energy. She thrives with a buddy who doesn’t mind puppy energy and loves to play.
This gorgeous girl has a lot of love to give and a big personality to share with her forever home.
House Trained: Yes*
Kids: Age 10+
Dogs: Yes, if they are calm or a mature/senior pup
Cats: NO– high prey drive
