Samson

Samson arrived at ABR afflicted with IVDD (Intervertebral Disc Disease) and unable to use his back legs.  He was rushed to emergency surgery, where he was given a 10% chance of walking again.  And lo and behold, our little miracle is walking all on his own!!  We are so proud of the progress Samson has made and are in awe of his determination and fighting spirit!

Now that Samson is on his way to recovery, we've been able to learn more about his personality.  This guy LOVES other dogs.  He really wants to be around them as much as possible, and is content just sitting next to his fur foster siblings, even if he can't play a lot right now.  His favorite part of the day is when everyone gets to go sun themselves in the backyard and take a nap.  Samson does really well with handling, grooming, and physical therapy.  He's calm and content when foster mom needs to do any of these things for him, which we think has really helped his recovery process.  And he definitely enjoys being held and loved on.  At night, Samson sleeps peacefully in his crate, knowing that this is his cozy spot to relax and recharge.

Because Samson has dealt with a bout of IVDD that required surgery to recover, he will always be at risk for another occurrence.  We would like to minimize this risk by placing him in a home with no young children and without rough and rowdy dogs.  Samson's forever family should also take measures to avoid recurrence by avoiding stairs, letting him jump off of high places, and keeping up with some of his physical therapy exercises, if his vet recommends it.  IVDD is actually a risk for all Frenchies, based on their body shape, so any French Bulldog adopter should educate themselves on how to prevent it and be financially prepared to help your dog through it, should it happen.