Pippa

Adopted!

New Name:
Age: Young
Sex: Female
Breed: French Bulldog
Weight: 10#
Current Location:
Adoption Date:
Adopted by: Martha Burnett
Latest Update:

Pippa had some challenges finding the right applicant but Millie is very hands on and diligent about finding the perfect fit.

Here’s Pippas story:

Sometimes it takes a second look to have something feel right…

Our little Pippa has been adopted!

Martha Burnett had filled out an application for Pippa and then waited. When she didn’t hear anything and saw that Pippa was still available, she sent a follow-up email asking us to please reconsider her application. They just couldn’t stop thinking about her.

She sent pictures of herself, Joey and their two cats, Batman and Orange Kitty. I already had her application in my “possible” stack. I knew they had recently lost their beloved Frenchie, Jack, who they had for 14 years. That part really touched my heart, but I just wasn’t sure about Pippa and cats… or about the drive all the way down to Lago Vista, TX.

So I reread everything. And that email kept pulling me back.

I decided to make the call and see if maybe… just maybe… this could work.

Well, Pippa passed her cat test with flying colors!

And then she slept almost the entire way to her new home, curled up in a car seat right next to her new mom. I’d say she was pretty comfortable with her decision.

Martha is semi-retired and works for Austin ISD a couple of days a week. Joey is a policeman who works four days a week and has a flexible Friday. They’ve already fixed up a special room just for Pippa where she won’t have to be crated. She’ll have her toys, a window to watch the birds from, and plenty of room to be her little self.

And on the couple of days Martha is working, their neighbor is going to come over to take Pippa out and spend some time with her, so she won’t be alone for long.

Pippa still has a few things to work through, especially when meeting new people. She can get very scared and nervous and, because of everything she’s been through, becomes protective of her person. She may bark and growl and stick close to her person until she decides you’re okay. But that tough-girl act starts to fade as she warms up and realizes she’s safe.

Luckily for Pippa, Martha and Joey understand that.

They’re already looking at ways to help her become more comfortable and social, and they plan to work with a trainer to help Pippa be the very best version of herself.

Martha actually texted me and said there are so many wonderful things about Pippa that far outweigh the training she’ll need for this one issue.

They were all in.

And sometimes, that’s exactly what a dog needs… someone who sees the whole dog and says, “We want her anyway.”

Thank you, Martha and Joey, for reaching back out and not giving up on Pippa. Thank you for trusting your hearts, and giving this little girl the chance she needed.

I know Pippa is going to have her very best life with you and be loved beyond measure.

About Pippa:

Update from 9/4/26:

I can’t believe this little dog hasn’t been adopted but so far all plans with an adopter fall apart, you know what that means? There is some person out there that’s thinking about her and hasn’t yet pulled the trigger, or some person who hasn’t seen her yet and once they do they know she’s the one. Pippa has been through hell and has come out on the other side like the resilient little stinker she is.

Here’s Millie to describe her, let’s find her a home now.

I think you all remember Pippa…

She’s the little girl who was kicked in the side, pushing all of her organs up under her ribs. She could barely breathe, much less eat, and she was literally starving.

Well… LOOK AT HER NOW!

Pippa is doing absolutely fantastic and is still looking for her forever home. We’ve had quite a few inquiries and applications, but so far, nothing has quite clicked. And after everything this little girl has been through, we want to make sure we find the right home for her.

So, let me tell you what I’ve learned about Miss Pippa…

Pippa is approximately 3 years old… although she apparently thinks she’s a puppy.

Evidently, she missed out on her toddler years and has decided to make up for them now. She’ll definitely keep you on your toes!

She needs an active home — or a home with an excellent supply of toys and someone willing to work at socializing her. She LOVES squeaker toys and Nylabones. She loves going for walks and, once this Texas heat finally gives us a break, walks are a great way for her to burn off some of that boundless puppy energy.

She’s making good progress with her potty training. She tries really hard and will even go to the door when she needs to go. You just have to pay attention and catch her at the door.

Pippa loves to run and play and gets along with most dogs. However, apparently not every dog appreciates her uniqueness

So a meet-and-greet with any potential canine siblings will definitely be needed. She can get a little vocal when she wants someone to play with her, but otherwise she’s usually a pretty quiet girl.

Pippa travels well on shorter trips, but longer car rides stress her out and can result in some motion sickness. Because of that, I don’t think she’s a good candidate for flying or extremely long-distance travel.

And then there’s her sweet side…

Pippa can be incredibly affectionate and absolutely loves to snuggle. She does great with kids and loves being with her people. She’s not a huge fan of the crate, although she will tolerate it. Given the choice between a crate and your bed, she’ll choose your bed!

Sometimes her affectionate side takes a little back seat to her shyness when she first meets someone, but she warms up pretty quickly — especially if you happen to have a treat in one hand and are willing to provide some good ear scratches with the other.

Pippa is also VERY interested in wildlife. Squirrels, birds, bunnies… if it moves, Pippa wants to investigate it. And this girl is FAST!

Because of that, I’m really not sure how she would do with cats.

At about 14 lbs, Pippa is a very petite little Frenchie. She looks bigger in pictures than she actually is, and she hasn’t completely filled out her Frenchie body yet, but I think she’ll get there. What she lacks in size, she more than makes up for in personality! She has WAY more energy than 14 pounds should legally be allowed to have.

And that face… those gorgeous eyes…

But most of all, she’s a survivor who is ready to be somebody’s very best friend.

Could that be you???

Previous Update

LOVES to play — and goes 100% most of the time.

Is currently working on the concept of occasionally chilling. We are still negotiating.

Will enthusiastically guard your yard or deck from invading birds, frogs, squirrels and any other suspicious activity.

Loves her Nylabones and squeaky toys.

Gets along great with most dogs. A slow introduction on neutral territory would probably be best.

Can be vocal at times — because naturally, she has opinions.

Is getting better and better with her potty training and continues to make progress every day.

Pippa is looking for a patient, loving family who understands that sometimes the best things take a little time. Give her the chance to feel safe, let her settle in at her own pace, and you’ll get to watch this sweet little girl blossom.

Whatever you think your next Frenchie companion might look like, be prepared to be completely enamored with Pippa. She’ll quickly become a treasured member of your family, keep you laughing, and make sure you never have to wonder who is running the household.

Pupdate:

Pippa went to see Dr. Spencer on Monday and had a great checkup! She has gained a little over a pound and now weighs a whole 10.6 lbs!

Even better, both her fecal and heartworm tests came back negative. Whew! That was such great news.

Pippa does have a small abdominal hernia, so we’ll discuss the best treatment plan with Rene when she returns. The really exciting part is that her staples are out, which means she gets to start resuming normal activities!

There was also lots of discussion about her breed. Facebook seems divided between Puggle and Frenchie, while the consensus at the vet’s office was Frenchie/Chihuahua. Whatever she is, she’s absolutely adorable, and that’s all that really matters.

Today, Pippa spent some time meeting my dogs, Pill Bug and Star, and she did really well. She’d venture out to explore, then occasionally come back and stand safely between my legs before heading back out again. It’s so rewarding to watch her confidence grow a little more each day.

It continues to amaze me how well she’s recovered from such a major surgery. She’s come so far in such a short time. Now our biggest job is simply helping this sweet little girl put on some more weight!!

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We had a barrage of people tagging us to help this little girl. Little baby at the shelter, 4 months old, emaciated and doesn’t seem to be able to keep food down without vomiting. Parvo negative on testing so we didn’t know what we are looking at with this little girl at just 10 pounds.

Ricky picked her up and has drove her to the ER to get some assessment as quick as we can. We learned after some diagnostics that she has diaphragmatic hernia with her abdominal organs in her chest. So her organs are trapped in there and she will need emergency surgery to try and repair that and save her life. We ended up making the decision to transfer her to the Frisco ER where DVSC has surgeons located there. This is a difficult surgery and we needed someone who was able to do this kind of surgery. Ricky has gone to pick her up from the McKinney ER and is taking her over to the Frisco ER, they will stabilize her for the surgeon to go to work first thing in the morning.

This is a very expensive surgery and aftercare and I will be putting together a Zeffy fundraiser to raise the amount that has been quoted to us. I will close the night with that in about an hour.

Welcome to Dog Ranch Rescue Pippa

adoption fee $800

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