Kermit

My story

MEET KERMIT — 22 POUNDS OF HOPPITY HOPS, CROOKED SMILES & PROFESSIONAL NAPPING Hi, I’m Kermit! I’m three years old, 22 pounds, and what the humans call a nano bully, which basically means somebody took an entire bully personality and somehow stuffed it into this ridiculously compact little body. I’m easygoing, loving, incredibly chill, and if competitive napping were an actual sport, I would finally have the athletic career this body was clearly designed for. My life is going to require a little more care than the average dog, but before you start feeling sorry for me, you should probably know that I’m pretty darn happy with my life. Give me a comfortable bed, somebody to snuggle, a little morning sunshine, and occasionally enough room for my famous hoppity-hop zoomies, and I’m good. SOMEHOW, I MADE IT I was found in Mesa during the brutal Arizona heat, and considering my size, my breathing, and the body I was born with, everyone is still a little unsure how I managed to survive out there. Nobody knows exactly how long I was outside or what happened before I was found, but somehow this tiny bully kept going long enough to get his second chance. I came to Freedom Frenchie Rescue carrying some things that couldn't simply be fixed overnight, and that's okay. Rescue isn't always about turning a medically complicated dog into a perfectly healthy dog. Sometimes it's about figuring out how to give that dog the best, safest, most comfortable life possible, and that is exactly what everyone has been doing for me. MY FIRST HOUR IN RESCUE WAS A BUSY ONE When I arrived at Freedom Frenchie Rescue, everyone immediately noticed that I had a prolapsed urethra and my penis was stuck outside where it wasn't supposed to be. Within an hour of coming into rescue, I was already at the veterinarian getting the problem addressed and everything returned to its normal position. Two days later, I was neutered, which is commonly part of managing this problem and reducing the chance of recurrence. So far, I've been doing well, but because I'm Kermit and apparently I enjoy keeping everyone on their toes, this is another part of my medical history that my future family and veterinarian need to know about and continue to monitor. GENETICS DEFINITELY HAD SOMETHING TO SAY Being a nano bully means genetics have played a huge role in the way my body was built, and there isn't a surgery that can simply redesign my frame and make everything "normal." I tend to favor my left leg while my right leg curls underneath me, although I am standing on that right leg more now as we've worked on relieving some of the stiffness through my back end. My body may always move differently, and I'm probably always going to need some extra attention and monitoring, but different doesn't mean I don't have a great quality of life. I have made progress, I'm getting stronger and more comfortable, and we are going to keep working with the body I've got instead of expecting it to become something it was never designed to be. MY CHIROPRACTOR KNOWS THIS BODY Chiropractic care has become an important part of my routine, and it has really helped relieve some of the stiffness through my back end and improve the way I'm using that right leg. My medical care is going to be an ongoing process for whoever adopts me, so I'm looking for someone who understands that bringing me home also means becoming part of Team Kermit. Freedom Frenchie Rescue will always be available after adoption to provide guidance, and they highly recommend that my future family establish care with a veterinarian who is experienced specifically with French Bulldogs, Bulldogs, and their unique medical needs. I may never be a medically perfect dog, but perfect was never really the goal. Comfortable, happy, loved, and able to enjoy my life sounds much better to me anyway. FYI, she adores me so much that when I go there, I head right in for the kisses! PLEASE DON'T LET THE NAPPING FOOL YOU I am SUPER chill and, quite frankly, pretty lazy most of the time. I go outside, take care of my potty business, come back inside, find my dog bed, and immediately resume whatever important nap I had going before somebody interrupted me. But every once in a while, something happens inside this tiny body and Kermit activates TURBO MODE. Suddenly I'm flying across the yard with my ridiculous little hoppity hops, running around like my legs and my brain have entered into completely separate agreements about how we're supposed to move. Those little bursts don't last forever, but when they happen, everybody gets to see that underneath my medical issues is still a happy little dog who wants to play, be silly, and enjoy himself. BREATHING IS SOMETHING WE TAKE SERIOUSLY My breathing is intense, which means my family will need to pay close attention to me around food, activity, excitement, and heat. I currently eat specialized food because choking and gagging can be dangerous for me, and if I gag while eating, my food can come back up. I have already had one scary choking episode where my food had to be cleared quickly because I began turning blue, and the episode completely exhausted me for the rest of the day. This is one of those parts of my story that my future family absolutely needs to understand because keeping me safe isn't difficult once you know my routine, but it does require someone who is attentive and willing to take my needs seriously. ARIZONA SUMMERS AND I ARE NOT FRIENDS Because of my breathing, I am definitely not the dog you're going to drag around to outdoor social events during an Arizona summer. Honestly, I don't understand why humans want to stand around outside when it's 110 degrees anyway, so I'm going to call this one common sense. If we're going somewhere, I much prefer traveling in my stroller, poking my little head out so I can see what's happening, and squeezing in a cat nap whenever the opportunity presents itself. I still want to be included in life; we just have to make smart choices about how and when I participate. A COOLER ZIP CODE WOULD BE PRETTY AMAZING Freedom Frenchie Rescue would absolutely love to see me adopted somewhere with cooler temperatures where I could safely enjoy more of the outdoor life I genuinely love. One of my favorite things is lying outside on an elevated dog bed early in the morning while the sun is starting to come up. I am a professional little sunbather, and being able to enjoy that experience for more of the year would be pretty amazing. Wherever I live, my family will need to understand my limitations with heat and breathing, but finding my forever home somewhere with a cooler climate would give this little guy a lot more opportunities to enjoy the outdoors safely. OTHER DOGS? SURE, WHATEVER I'm great with other dogs, although saying I'm obsessed with them would be a serious exaggeration. They can be there, they can not be there, they can play around me, or they can go do their own thing because I'm probably going to be over here minding my business. I am easygoing and chill around other dogs and don't need to be the center of their world. Now, being the center of my HUMAN'S world is an entirely different discussion because I have some very specific expectations regarding that position. WHEREVER YOU ARE, THAT'S MY ASSIGNED SEAT If you take a nap on the couch, I'll be there. If you're lying in bed, I'm coming too. If you're sitting at your desk trying to work, I'll happily park myself at your feet, although if there is an available lap, I think we both know where this situation is headed. I love being close to my people, getting pets, snuggling, and generally making myself part of whatever you're doing. I don't need constant entertainment or a packed social calendar because being close to you is entertainment enough for me. I don't mind sleeping in my crate when needed, but given the choice between a crate and being curled up beside my human, I'm going to need you to guess which one I'm choosing. HAVE YOU SEEN THIS SMILE? I also happen to have one of the cutest little smiles around, thanks partly to a canine tooth that decided normal positioning was boring and grew crooked out toward the side. When I smile, my lip gets caught on that little tooth and gives me an expression that is completely, unmistakably Kermit. Add one of my little shirts—which I actually enjoy wearing—and suddenly you've got 22 pounds of nano bully walking around looking like he has somewhere very important to be, even though his actual destination is probably another dog bed. POTTY TRAINED, CRATE CAPABLE & PROFESSIONALLY CHILL For a medically complicated little dude, I'm actually pretty uncomplicated to live with. I'm potty trained, I go outside to handle my business and come right back in, I'm easygoing around other dogs, and I don't mind sleeping in a crate. I'm not asking for five-mile hikes, endless entertainment, or a calendar filled with dog-friendly breweries and festivals. I need structure, appropriate medical care, safe food, temperature control, plenty of comfortable places to sleep, and a person who thinks having a tiny shadow following them around the house sounds like a pretty fantastic arrangement. SOME DOGS JUST NEED MORE TIME In rescue, we've learned that not every medical dog is going to become 100 percent in a few weeks or even a few months. Sometimes it takes a year or two to figure everything out, build strength, find the right routine, and learn exactly what makes that particular dog comfortable. That's okay. I'm allowed to take my time. Kermit's journey doesn't have to look like anybody else's journey, and the family who adopts me needs to understand that my medical care will continue evolving as everyone learns more about what my body needs. What matters is that I'm comfortable, I'm making progress, I'm loved, and I'm getting the opportunity to have the full dog life I deserve. INTROVERTS, I THINK I FOUND YOU If your idea of the perfect Saturday involves sleeping in, hanging around the house, taking a nap on the couch, working at your desk with a dog at your feet, and occasionally venturing out into civilization before deciding you've had enough people for one day, I think we should talk. If you're into nano bullies and understand that their unique bodies can come with unique medical needs, I might really be your guy. I'm not looking for the busiest house on the block or someone who needs their dog at every social event. I'm looking for somebody who can appreciate a slower life, understands that my health comes first, and thinks my little hoppity hops and crooked smile are worth every bit of extra care that comes with me. Just don't become a complete hermit, because Freedom Frenchie Rescue still expects to see that beautiful Kermit smile popping up at some upcoming events. MY BODY MAY BE DIFFERENT, BUT MY LIFE IS STILL MINE TO LIVE I'm three years old, 22 pounds, potty trained, dog friendly, crate capable, professional nap certified, and extremely committed to being wherever my human happens to be. My body is always going to require some special attention, and whoever adopts me needs to go into this understanding that my medical journey isn't finished just because my adoption papers are signed. But there is so much more to me than my medical chart. I'm the little guy sunbathing on his elevated bed in the morning, hopping across the yard when a burst of energy hits, wearing my tiny shirts, smiling with my crooked tooth, and climbing into your lap because obviously you weren't using all of it anyway. I don't need someone to make me perfect. I just need someone willing to love the Kermit I've already become. Kermit is being fostered in Mesa AZ, he is neutered, vaccinated, and microchipped. You can apply for him on our website at freedomfrenchierescue.org. One stipulation to Kermit’s adoption is that he continues to get chiropractic care.

If you have any questions or would like to adopt Kermit, please reach out to the adoption group directly. PetSmart Charities does not facilitate the adoption process. Thank you.