After a few months of TLC, our beautiful Ember is glowing brighter than ever! Now it’s time for this former mill mama to find a forever home of her very own.

Ember came to FBRN with a number of ailments that are all too common in the world of backyard breeding and puppy mills—infected skin, hyperplastic ear canals, cauliflower ears, luxating patellas, and a scar on her left eye caused by an untreated ulcer. All were preventable, and all were caused by neglect. Ember is doing a million times better now that she’s had proper vet care, a nutritious diet, and all the belly rubs a dog could ever ask for; however, some of her medical issues are permanent, and she is still learning how to be a pet. But she’s well on her way (and an excellent pupil, we might add), and we are excited for her to find a patient, nurturing home that can help undo the damage from those years of neglect.

Let’s start with the good stuff: Ember is an absolute darling who adores her people to no end—in fact, she doesn’t like her humans to be out of her sight! She loves cuddles and snuggles, and is more than happy to be carried around the house like a smoosh-faced baby. Antlers and plushies are her toys of choice, although she has to be watched carefully to make sure that she doesn’t make a snack of that fiberfill stuffing (she can disembowel a plushie at a truly remarkable speeds. Ember has taken well to walking on a leash, and loves sniff-sniff-sniffing at all the interesting smells. Stairs are still a work in progress, but she’s learning! Ember also loves car rides, especially when she gets to watch the passing scenery from her doggy booster seat. And now that she feels happy and secure, her inner puppy has started to emerge! Turns out that our timid mill mama actually has a spark of mischief in her, and she has a talent for sticking her cute nose into anything and everything. In other words…she’s a Frenchie!

Since she spent most of her life in a wire crate, Ember never learned how this whole “housebreaking” thing. Thanks to the tireless efforts of her foster family, she has made incredible progress, and her potty accidents are few and far between. However, her new family should expect some regression in this area as she settles down in an unfamiliar home. It’s also important that Ember be given plenty of time to do her business, as it often takes her a few tries to completely empty her bladder, and she can get distracted by all the wonderful sights and smells of the outside world. Ember has also had a few bouts of stress-related diarrhea, but a daily probiotic helps keep her tummy happy.

Ember has impaired vision in her previously injured eye, and she also has limited hearing due to the repeated and untreated infections she suffered in her ears. Her ear canals are still open—just enough to clean with a q-tip—and require regular cleaning and flushing. Proper ear care has kept her from needing surgery thus far, but her new family should be aware that a total ear canal ablation may be indicated in the future. Ember also has luxating patellas (scientific term: wonky knees), meaning that her kneecaps slip out of their groove as she walks. This doesn’t cause her any pain, but it means she’s not a candidate for long hikes or runs, and instead should get a few short walks throughout the day for exercise. Finally, like so many Frenchies, Ember suffers from severe allergies, and takes a daily Apoquel (along with regular medicated baths) to keep the itchies at bay. In other words, she ain’t cheap! Her new family must have access to a veterinary ophthalmologist (to keep an eye on her…eye) as well as the means to pay for all of these medications.

The ideal home for Ember is one where she can be with her people as much as possible. She does not like being left alone, and especially hates being crated. Because she can be loud in her displeasure at being alone, it’s probably best that her new home not share any walls (unless you have the world’s most understanding neighbors). Ember can also get barky when she is startled, which happens more easily due to her impaired vision and hearing. For that same reason, she would not do well with young children, and any resident kids should be older and dog savvy. As for other dogs, well, it’s complicated. Ember never learned to socialize properly, so she doesn’t understand that most dogs don’t like it when she barrels into their business and gets in their face. Also, as might be expected from a dog who never had a loving owner, Ember can be very possessive of her people, and she has snapped at other dogs who try to get close when she is cuddling with her foster mom. So if Ember were to live with any other canines, they would need to be docile and submissive, and slow introductions would be a must. Otherwise, Ember would be more than happy to rule the roost as an only Frenchie—that just means more attention for her!

Ember’s foster mom will miss her terribly, but couldn’t be happier to see this sweet girl find her happily ever after. She tells us, “Ember is truly a sweetheart and it will be bittersweet to let her go! Watching her blossom from a timid, scared, mill mama into this fun-loving character has been so rewarding. Her cuddles are the absolute best! We would love to have Ember be a part of home/family just as special as she is! She is a pro at cuddling and wants someone to make her the center of attention, although she doesn’t mind having fur-siblings around. Ember doesn’t need much exercise due to her luxating knee caps (poor girl and the awful practice of mill breeding), allergy medication daily as well as probiotics to keep her comfortable and the glowing queen she is! Potty training will need to be continued, but she is doing a great job with little to no accidents and doesn’t have to wear her diapers much either! We would love to stay in touch with her, if her new family is willing :-)”

If you have room in your heart and home for a dog who needs a little extra, then Ember might be the perfect fit. She is a true rescue, in every sense of the word, and we know that her forever home is out there waiting for her! You can apply to adopt her by clicking on the link at the very bottom of this page. Just be prepared to travel—Ember is snuggling and snoogling in south-central Pennsylvania, and will not be shipped.

FBRN dogs are in foster care in people’s private homes. For the foster families’ safety, we do not disclose specific locations, and we don’t set up meet and greets prior to applications. For detailed information about the dogs in our care, please read the extensive bios on each dog.