#BichonFrise – Rosepoint Publishing

After reading a pet tag that appeared on LFBooks who got the tag from carlaslovestoread in 2018, I posted a similar article regarding our Bichon Frisé, Frosty Dancer Nampa Dandy, born January 24, 2006 in Idaho. Frosty puppy Discovering that a Bichon rescue wanted a dog already in the home, we opted to get a puppy from Margie, who at the time was lovingly and carefully selecting both dams and sires. Frosty stepped up to greet me when I first went to look at the litter of five (two females and three males). And there’s your “insta-love.”

A companion dog, she went everywhere with us, our tours in the RV, walking trails in the deserts of California and Arizona, parks and camping, riding on the back of our motorcycles. Frosty on the back of the scoot. She was very easy to travel with and at 12 ½ lbs didn’t demand a lot of space unless it was bedtime. Smart, she was very quick to learn all kinds of tricks and commands; no problem to house train.

Always ready to play, she preferred retrieving a ball or toy (whatever you had to throw) to treats. I say “was” because at seventeen she is currently struggling with pneumonia and even walking is taking some effort. She’s been a sick puppy and watching her decline is heartbreaking. She is sleeping a lot now. I won’t be able to post an obituary when she crosses that rainbow bridge, so this will be my tribute to her.

Frosty has been an amazing part of our family. Our fur babies leave us too soon and with a heavy heart but we’ve been blessed with her and will treasure the memories.

Edit July 4, 2023: Now that I can, will mention that she crossed the rainbow bridge the day after I posted this–the very morning of her 17th birthday. Even when you can see it coming, it’s still a shock, and continues to hurt.

Cats can be very dangerous, if you’re a dog. Whether it’s instinctual for a dog to chase a cat or just that most cats immediately go into fight or flight–most being flight–they absolutely demand the pursue response.

Let me just say, I don’t think dogs are born with the need to chase cats. My theory is that it’s the cat’s fault. Or, perhaps, secondarily, the human’s fault (moi?) for trying to get an older, resident cat to accept a puppy. Accept a puppy? Not going to happen. In our house, the cat (fight) tried to relieve the puppy of one of her eyes. Scared the puppy so much, she decided all cats must die. And she’s held to that mantra ever since.

I am usually very careful about having Frosty around cats in the cat’s domain. Hubby–not so much. This morning, little Frost (all 13 lbs. of her), launched off the kitchen chair after the gray house cat in my son’s house (flight).

She landed wrong.

Lots of blood and a visit to super-vet Dr. McPheron of Crown Point, and it was decided Frosty will live. Our son asked how “Stubby” was doing, but it’s apparently not more than a lost toenail. We have something to give her for pain control and she appears to be sleeping comfortably at present.