French Bulldogs E-Book

Muriel P. Lee

• Herausgeber: CompanionHouse Books
• Kategorie: Lebensstil
• Serie: Comprehensive Owner's Guide
• Sprache: Englisch
• Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2011

Seitenzahl: 235

Beschreibung

The French call him le Bouledogue Français, the miniature bulldog prized for his affable personality, comical behavior, and almost ineffable cuteness. The French Bulldog is an unabashedly affectionate and entertaining companion dog that assumes his role as family clown with flair and not a little joie de vivre. Frenchie enthusiast, owner, and author, Muriel P. Lee has written a colorful and entertaining guide about her favorite breed, beginning with a chapter that retells the breed's first one hundred years in France, England, and America, accompanied by historical photographs that represent breed members from the early years. The chapter on the Frenchie's characteristics talks about the qualities of this "companion dog;nothing more, nothing less," a sophisticated, smart ami (friend) to everyone he meets. The author extols the many virtues of the Frenchie (and warns about his few drawbacks), giving the reader sensible advice about whether or not this charming dog would make a good addition to his or her household.New owners will welcome the well-prepared chapter on finding a reputable breeder and selecting a healthy, sound puppy. Chapters on puppy-proofing the home and yard, purchasing the right supplies for the puppy as well as house-training, feeding, and grooming are illustrated with photographs of handsome adults and puppies. In all, there are over 135 full-color photographs in this useful and reliable volume. The author's advice on obedience training will help the reader better mold and train into the most well-mannered dog in the neighborhood. The extensive and lavishly illustrated chapter on healthcare written by Dr. Lowell Ackerman provides up-to-date detailed information on selecting a qualified veterinarian, vaccinations, preventing and dealing with parasites, infectious diseases, and more. Sidebars throughout the text offer helpful hints, covering topics as diverse as historical dogs, breeders, or kennels, toxic plants, first aid, crate training, carsickness, fussy eaters, and parasite control. Fully indexed.

Leseprobe

Physical Characteristics of the French Bulldog

(from the American Kennel Club breed standard)

Head: Large and square.

Skull: Top of the skull flat between the ears; the forehead is not flat but slightly rounded.

Eyes: Dark in color, wide apart, set low down in the skull, as far from the ears as possible, round in form, of moderate size, neither sunken nor bulging.

Nose: Black.

Muzzle: Broad, deep and well laid back; the muscles of the cheeks well developed. The stop well defined, causing a hollow groove between the eyes with heavy wrinkles forming a soft roll over the extremely short nose; nostrils broad with a well defined line between them.

Flews: Black, thick and broad, hanging over the lower jaw at the sides, meeting the underlip in front and covering the teeth, which are not seen when the mouth is closed. The underjaw is deep, square, broad, undershot and well turned up.

Ears: Known as the bat ear, broad at the base, elongated, with round top, set high on the head but not too close together, and carried erect with the orifice to the front. The leather of the ear fine and soft.

Neck: Thick and well arched with loose skin at the throat.

Back: Roach back with a slight fall close behind the shoulders; strong and short, broad at the shoulders and narrowing at the loins.

Forequarters: Forelegs are short, stout, straight, muscular and set wide apart. Dewclaws may be removed.

Body: Short and well rounded. The chest is broad, deep and full; well ribbed with the belly tucked up.

Tail: Either straight or screwed (but not curly), short, hung w, thick root and fine tip; carried low in repose.

Hindquarters: Hind legs are strong and muscular, longer than the forelegs, so as to elevate the loins above the shoulders. Hocks well let down.

Coat: Moderately fine, brilliant, short and smooth. Skin is soft and loose, especially at the head and shoulders, forming wrinkles.

Color: Acceptable colors—All brindle, fawn, white, brindle and white, and any color except those which constitute disqualification. All colors are acceptable with the exception of solid black, mouse, liver, black and tan, black and white, and white with black, which are disqualifications. Black means black without a trace of brindle.

Feet: Moderate in size, compact and firmly set. Toes compact, well split up, with high knuckles and short stubby nails.

Weight: Not to exceed 28 pounds.

Contents

History of the French Bulldog

Trace the beginnings of le Bouledogue Français—from its bull-baiting uncles to its Toy Bulldog cousins to its French and American brethren—to see how the breed became the recognizably handsome pure-bred it is today. Meet the foundation breeders and their award-winning dogs to see how the bat-eared French Bulldog came to be.

Characteristics of the French Bulldog

Cozy up to the irresistible Frenchie, one of the world’s companion dogs par excellence, known for his clown-like propensities and his adorable antics. Discover whether this low-maintenance home companion is the right dog for you and your family, and be aware of the breed’s expectations, limitations and health concerns.

Breed Standard for the French Bulldog

Learn the requirements of a well-bred French Bulldog by studying the description of the breed set forth in the American Kennel Club standard. Both show dogs and pets must possess key characteristics as outlined in the breed standard.

Your Puppy French Bulldog

Find out about how to locate a well-bred French Bulldog puppy. Discover which questions to ask the breeder and what to expect when visiting the litter. Prepare for your puppy-accessory shopping spree. Also discussed are home safety, the first trip to the vet, socialization and solving basic puppy problems.

Proper Care of Your French Bulldog

Cover the specifics of taking care of your French Bulldog every day: feeding for the puppy, adult and senior dog; grooming, including coat care, ears, nails and bathing; and exercise needs for your dog. Also discussed are the essentials of dog identification and traveling.

Training Your French Bulldog

Begin with the basics of training the puppy and adult dog. Learn the principles of house-training the French Bulldog, including the use of crates and basic scent instincts. Enter Puppy Kindergarten and introduce the pup to his collar and leash, and progress to the basic commands. Find out about obedience classes and other activities.

Healthcare of Your French Bulldog

By Lowell Ackerman DVM, DACVD

Become your dog’s healthcare advocate and a well-educated canine keeper. Select a skilled and able veterinarian. Discuss pet insurance, vaccinations and infectious diseases, the neuter/spay decision and a sensible, effective plan for parasite control, including fleas, ticks and worms.

Your Senior French Bulldog

Know when to consider your French Bulldog a senior and what special needs he will have. Learn to recognize the signs of aging in terms of physical and behavioral traits and what your vet can do to optimize your dog’s golden years. Consider some advice about saying goodbye to your beloved pet.

Showing Your French Bulldog

Step into the center ring and find out about the world of showing pure-bred dogs. Here’s how to get started in AKC shows, how they are organized and what’s required for your dog to become a champion.

KENNEL CLUB BOOKS®FRENCH BULLDOG

ISBN 13: 978-1-59378-277-1

Copyright © 2005 • Kennel Club Books®• A Division of BowTie, Inc.

40 Broad Street, Freehold, NJ 07728 • USA

Cover Design Patented: US 6,435,559 B2 • Printed in China

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form, by photostat, scanner, microfilm, xerography or any other means, or incorporated into any information retrieval system, electronic or mechanical, without the written permission of the copyright owner.

14 13 12 11 10   5 6 7 8 9 10

Photography by Isabelle Français and Alice van Kempen with additional photos by:

Paulette Braun, T.J. Calhoun, Carol Ann Johnson, Bill Jonas, Muriel Lee and Tam C. Nguyen.

Illustrations by Rentée Low and Patricia Peters.

The French Bulldog derived from the bull-baiting dogs of the 1800s. Today he is rather removed from his athletic beginnings; rather, he is a charming, comical, lovable pet for those who seek a less active dog.

“Il est bizarre avec les oreilles de chauve-souris, robust et avec les oeils qui sourient. C’est quoi? C’est le Bouledogue Français!”

“What’s that funny dog with the big bat ears, the sturdy body and the smiling eyes? It’s the French Bulldog!” He is not a common breed, but he is unique to dogdom with the most charming of dispositions and delightful of manners.

If you are looking for an active dog that will gallop along at your side while you ride your bicycle, or one that will stay at home alone all day, this will not be the dog for you. But once you have a Frenchie and give your heart to him, you will remain a devotee of the breed for a lifetime.

The French Bulldog traces its beginnings back to the 1850s. Its origins began in England with the Bulldog, a descendant of the mastiff breeds. Bulldogs were popular in England as early as the 1700s, and baiting sports involving bulls, bears and badgers were prime sources of entertainment among the general British population. People were poor and uneducated, and cruelty to animals, and to one another, was commonplace. By 1835, when animal fights were outlawed in England, the Bulldog was well known and was considered to be a symbol of courage and stamina.

FRENCH BULLDOG POPULARITY

In the late 1800s, the French Bulldog became very popular in France with the “belles du nuit” in Paris. They were seen on the boulevards and in the cafés with the fancy ladies. Toulouse-Lautrec, the famous artist of Parisian life, liked to place the Frenchie in his drawings and paintings.

Parliament’s ban succeeded ironically in promoting dog fights among the population, though baiting events disappeared quite quickly. Eventually, Bulldog fanciers began to diversify. In order to have dogs with greater speed and agility, one group crossed their dogs with some of the terrier breeds, and these dogs eventually evolved into the Bull Terrier and the Staffordshire Bull Terrier. These bull-and-terrier crosses were ideal for dog fighting, and popularity of the sport continued to rise, despite the illegal nature of the pastime. A dog fight required far less space to hold than a bull-baiting contest, so the authorities were relatively unsuccessful in controlling these underground blood battles.

The French Bulldog can be traced back to the Bulldog, shown here, who was popular in England as early as the 1700s.

Bulldogs were crossed with terriers to add agility; one of the resulting breeds was the Bull Terrier, who also factors into the French Bulldog’s background.

Another group of fanciers, uninterested in the dog-fighting realm, started to breed a small Bulldog, one that would weigh at least 16 pounds but no more than 26 pounds. Not only was there a large weight difference in these dogs but there was also variation in conformation. Some dogs sported the rose ear or the erect ear; some dogs were long-backed and/or high on the leg; and some had flat faces or long muzzles. These dogs found very little support among the Bulldog breeders of England. However, the English working class liked these little dogs and took them under their wing. The small Bulldogs that stayed in England were eventually called Toy Bulldogs. This group received very little support and by 1920 the last of the Toy Bulldogs appeared on the English Kennel Club’s stud books. Through it all, the dedicated Bulldog breeders continued to breed the English Bulldog, and to this day he remains a very popular dog around the world.

The Staffordshire Bull Terrier is another of the bull-and-terrier crosses.

ON THE COVER

In 1897, the French Bulldog was so popular that the Westminster Kennel Club placed a Frenchie and his well-dressed mistress on the cover of its catalog, replacing its usual trademark of the head of a Pointer.

As the Industrial Revolution grew in England, the artisans, particularly the lace-makers and others who worked with their hands, took their skills and their small dogs and moved to France, where they could continue to ply their trades. The English Bulldog breeders were happy to see the small ragtag Bulldog leave the country and before too long the breed became nearly extinct in the British Isles.

The Countess de Chasseloup with a French Bulldog, which has a remarkable resemblance to a Boston Terrier with uncropped ears.

Four famous dogs that helped perfect the breed in the UK. (TOP LEFT) Eng. Ch. L’Entente L’Enfant Prodigue won three Challenge Certificates (required for championships in the UK) in 1926 and six in 1927. (TOP RIGHT) Eng. Ch. Chevet Tinker was born in June 1930. In early 1932, he started taking second prizes, and it wasn’t until November 1932 that he took his first Challenge Certificate, finishing his championship that same year. (BOTTOM LEFT) Eng. Ch. Bonhams Close Thisbe won four Challenge Certificates in 1927, his first year of showing. (BOTTOM RIGHT) Eng. Ch. Gabrielle Silpho was born in July 1930 and began showing at the Crystal Palace in 1932. She won her first Challenge Certificate in October of that year and became a champion in December.

SALVOLATILE DISQUALIFIED

In 1910, Mary Winthrop Turner from Never-Never-Land Kennels owned Salvolatile, a famous bitch whose ancestry was put into question because she was very “bully” in type. She was shown several times and received awards, including at the 1910 show at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York City. After this, a protest was lodged (through envy per Mrs. Winthrop) as to the background of the bitch. The American Kennel Club disqualified her, and Mrs. Winthrop did not show Salvolatile again.

The small Bulldogs earned quite a following in France and, by the late 1800s, were known as French Bulldogs and had become popular enough that they were being exported from France back to England. Mr. George Krehl became a strong supporter of the breed, importing to England many of what had become known as the “little bat-eared dogs.” During this time, the French drew up the first standard for the breed, which actually reads very much like the present-day standard. When wealthy Americans traveled to Paris in the late 1800s, they were very taken with the little dog that they saw on the Parisian boulevards; these dogs had never been seen in America. Frenchies were imported quickly to the United States and by 1890 there was a very dedicated group of American fanciers who were producing Frenchies that were consistent in size and type.

By 1896 the breed was exhibited at America’s oldest and most famous dog show, the Westminster Kennel Club show, and the following year the entry at Westminster had doubled. The judge for that year was an English gentleman who preferred the rose ear of the Bulldog, and all of his first placements had the rose ear. The Americans were upset that the bat ear of their beloved breed had been shunned by this judge and they immediately held a meeting and formed the French Bull Dog Club of America. At this meeting, the first American standard was written, noting that the bat ear was the only acceptable ear. The Frenchie, although hailing from France and carrying the French Bulldog moniker, was developed and stabilized by the Americans. The modern French Bulldog looks very much like his French ancestors, as there has been little change in the breed since the turn of the 20th century.

The breed was accepted by the American Kennel Club in 1898, and the first sanctioned show was held in that year at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York City. This was a high-society affair, held in lavish surroundings. It was attended by New York society and was well covered by the New York papers. The New York Herald reported, “Never was a bench show held in so sumptuous an environment… for up in the sun parlor, on the top most floor of the building, amid palms and soft divans, 50 French Bulldogs were on exhibition.”

Eng. Ch. Stanmore Footitt was born in 1910 and was a great winner of his time.

From 1896 to 1902, nearly 300 Frenchies were exported to the US annually, and it was not unusual for a dog to cost up to $5,000, an amount of money that only the very wealthy could afford.

In 1905, the French dog Nellcote Gamin was exported to the United States by Samuel Goldberg. Gamin weighed 22 pounds and was considered to be the best representative of the breed up to that time. He was not only a winner in the show ring but a top stud dog, making a lasting mark on the breed. It was written, “No dog ever lived that has done so much for the breed.” Among the exceptional champions that Gamin produced was Ch. Pourquoi Pas, the foundation dog of the Never-Never-Land Kennels of the famous actress Mary Winthrop Turner. Pourquoi Pas was described as a grand dog, weighing 22 pounds. He was a top show winner and the sire of some outstanding champions, including the noted European winner The Belle of New York.

PURE-BRED PURPOSE

Given the vast range of the world’s 400 or so pure breeds of dog, it’s fair to say that domestic dogs are the most versatile animal in the kingdom. From the tiny 1-pound lap dog to the 200-pound guard dog, dogs have adapted to every need and whim of their human masters. Humans have selectively bred dogs to alter physical attributes like size, color, leg length, mass and skull diameter in order to suit our own needs and fancies. Dogs serve humans not only as companions and guardians but also as hunters, exterminators, shepherds, rescuers, messengers, warriors, babysitters and more!

Eng. Ch. Napoleon Buonaparte began showing in 1905 and won a Challenge Certificate in 1906 in the class for dogs below 16 pounds.

NEVER-NEVER-LAND

Mary Winthrop Turner of Never-Never-Land Kennels wrote, “I was given my first French Bulldog in the fall of 1909 and showed the dog ‘Ponto’ at the Westminster Kennel Club show the following February, winning first Novice, the first time he was ever shown. Soon after, Ponto was accidentally poisoned and I at once wanted to surround myself with French Bulldogs, to try to forget a little the one I had cared for so dearly. As a sort of remembrance to him, I started the Never-Never-Land Kennels.”

Eng. Ch. Ambroise was born in 1912 and was shown by his breeder, Mrs. Romilly, to a remarkable string of impressive wins.

Eng. Ch. Lady Lolette was born in 1912 to parents who were not registered with the English Kennel Club. She went on to win a great number of prizes.

Mrs. Turner was only active in the breed for five years, but she had excellent kennel managers who guided her in the buying and breeding of dogs. Her stud dog, Ch. Parsque, was thought to have the best head and ear carriage of Frenchies up to that time and, at the 1914 specialty, 14 of the 15 first placements were sired by this dog. Her kennel, and the dogs she bred and imported, made a strong impact upon the breed in America.

At the end of the 19th century in France, the French Bulldog was probably smaller than it is today, and so was more of a Toy breed. The two dogs illustrated here are typical of the French dogs of that time.

By 1913, there were 142 Frenchies entered at the French Bulldog Club of New England’s specialty. After this spectacular entry, the registrations of the breed began to decline in America.

In England, in 1902, fanciers called a meeting to discuss forming a club whose objectives would be the promotion of the breed and the importation of the pure-bred French Bulldog. The name of this new club was the French Bulldog Club of England and the standard that was drawn up was nearly identical to the French, German, Austrian and American standards.

There was opposition to the club from the Toy Bulldog breeders and the Bulldog breeders, who both questioned if there were actually such a breed as the French Bulldog. In an article in Cassell’s New Book of the Dog, Frederick Cousens wrote, “The French Bulldog Club let no grass grow under their feet; with only twenty members, they pluckily decided to hold a show of their own to demonstrate the soundness of their position. Their first show was accordingly held at Tattersall’s, 51 French Bulldogs being placed on exhibition. All of these dogs were pure-bred French specimens, either imported or bred from imported ancestors. The success of official recognition of the breed under the name of Bouledogues Français finally settled the disputed points.”

TOP-PRODUCING SIRE

Ch. Cox’s Goodtime Charlie Brown is America’s top-producing sire. He was bred to 44 different bitches, producing 56 litters and a total of 154 AKC-registered puppies, of which 98 became AKC champions.

In England at the end of the 19th century, the French Bulldog was similar to the dogs of today, but had longer and straighter legs.

Back in America, the breed continued to garner show wins even though its popularity had begun to wane. In 1895, Frederic Poffet, a Frenchman, moved to New York City and was active in the breed from 1901 until his death at the age of 94. His kennel prefix was LaFrance, and he last exhibited when he was 89 years old. Mr. Poffet was president of the French Bull Dog Club of America and an avid lifelong supporter of the breed. He and his friend, John Maginnis, were the guardians of the breed during the years when popularity was declining. Mr. Maginnis’s Ch. Miss Modesty, whelped in 1935, won the Non-Sporting Group 69 times and won all-breed Best in Show four times.

Ralph and Amanda West were very prominent breeders in the 1950s and 1960s in America. They loved the cream-colored Frenchies (not acceptable in the United Kingdom and just recently approved on the Continent) and were responsible for the present-day creams in America. They owned and showed Am. Can. Ch. Bouquet Novelle, who won 37 all-breed Bests in Show in addition to winning the breed at the Westminster Kennel Club dog show for eight consecutive years and the national specialty for four consecutive years. The Wests’ greatest dog, Ch. Ralanda Ami Francine, won 55 Bests in Show and won the Ken-L Ration award in 1962 and 1964. The Wests felt that Francine was the best Frenchie that they had ever bred or owned.

BAT EARS—A HALLMARK OF THE BREED

French Bulldogs are known by their distinctive bat ears, the only breed to possess this particular feature. When looking straight on at the head, more of the orifice of the ear will show than it does on any other breed of dog. At first there was a dispute about the ear shape. Was the correct ear the bat ear or the rose ear of the Bulldog? Or the tulip ear? When Americans imported the breed, the bat ear was their preference and the bat ear became the hallmark of the breed.

In America, the Frenchie reached its low point in popularity in the 1950s and 1960s, when average AKC registrations were less than 100 per year; one year, the national specialty entry was only 15.

The next great American breeders to have a tremendous impact upon the breed were Janis Hampton and Dick and Angel Terrette from the West Coast. Ch. Terrette Bourbillion D’Gamin sired 35 champions. In addition, the Terrettes exported several dogs to England and the Continent. Mrs. Hampton had an excellent eye for the breed and has been a formidable guardian of the Frenchie, encouraging every French Bulldog breeder to breed the best dogs possible. Dick and Angel Terrette and Janis Hampton were lifelong friends and worked together on their breeding programs, with the two kennels producing over 70 champions.

Eng. Ch. Thisbe, the famous French Bulldog bitch, looking very young for her years. She was photographed shortly after the Bath Championship Show in 1934 with her son, Eng. Ch. Bonhams Close Toby, who earned 12 Challenge Certificates himself.

A RECOMMENDED PAL

T. W. Hancock Mountjoy, in 1927, wrote in his Points of the Dog, “I think he originally came from our throw out and weedy Bulldogs, exported to France in the eighties, with perhaps a dash of the Pug thrown in. But there is no doubt that since then he has assimilated all the French characteristics of the present-day breed, which is now a very distinct type. This is a dog I can thoroughly recommend as a pal.”

In recent years, the French Bulldog’s popularity has rebounded in America. In 1998, the French Bull Dog Club of America held its centenary show in Kansas City, Missouri, with an entry of over 300 dogs viewed by visitors from around the world. The week of festivities indeed showed that the French Bulldog is an internationally beloved breed.

The mid-section of America has certainly produced winning Frenchies during recent years, with the following breeders very active: Arly Toy of LeBull Kennel, Colette Secher of Lefox, Robin Milican of Kobi, Doris and Hershel Cob of Cox, Kathy Dannel of Jackpot and Pat and Luis Sosa of Bandogs Kennel. Farther west, Luca Carbone of Jaguar, Ed Bigham and Bud Niles of Balihair and Nanette Goldberg of Marianette have all made their presence felt in the ring and in the whelping box.

In England, there are many fine Frenchie breeders and the breed is very healthy, which shows in the entries at recent Crufts shows of around 100 Frenchies. Among the active breeders in England are Maureen Bootle, Mrs. Wendy Henderson, Charles Satchell, Mr. and Mrs. Phillip Stemp and Dr. Christine Towner.

Mrs. Vera Strandell has been active for many years in Sweden, and Rita and Roar Guiliksen and Bjorg Solbakken are active breeders in Norway. The all-breed kennel clubs of these countries should be contacted for addresses and other information. The Czech Republic has an active club, and Mrs. Ivana Kolarova, chief breeding advisor of the Frenchie, has been breeding since 1971. She notes that in the Czech Republic there are 25 active breeding kennels. Arja DeBoer in the Netherlands is active in the show ring with his breeding and makes yearly trips to the United States for the national specialty.

Eng. Ch. Harpdon Crib, a typical French Bulldog in England in the 1930s.

The French Bulldog, once considered a foreign breed, eventually became known as an English breed. Where it was once classified with Toy Bulldogs, it is now considered anything but a Toy. This is Eng. Ch. Bonhams Close Toinette.

In Australia, the Cartwrights of Topette Kennels have been active and in Brazil, Mr. Sandro Soares breeds Frenchies. There are a number of Frenchie breeders in Canada, and the Canadian Kennel Club can be contacted for their names. Two very active breeders who have had much success with their dogs are located in Ontario: Carol Taylor of Bullmarket Kennels and Dr. Dorit Fischler of Belboulecan Kennels. Dorit has had wonderful wins with her dogs at recent American national specialties.

The French Bulldog is a companion dog—nothing more, nothing less. He was not bred to find a bird in the field or to chase a rabbit down a hole. He is smart and sophisticated and he was bred to be a companion to man. However, just because he likes to sit with his master on the sofa and watch television with an occasional tidbit popped into his mouth, it does not mean that he is not fun-loving or active!

The Frenchie is considered to be the clown of the canine family. Some dogs will tolerate wearing party hats and sitting in front of a birthday cake while their pictures are being taken, and other dogs will wear T-shirts and caps and let their little mistresses push them around in strollers. The Frenchie actually enjoys these antics and participates fully. He likes hats and caps and Mickey Mouse ears, and he loves the badger collar that has been a part of his dress since the late 1800s. He also likes sunglasses in any size. He likes to ride and you will find pictures of Frenchies in carts, in cars, in wagons and on bicycles. And some Frenchies pull carts as well as ride in them. They also like to do things in pairs. If a Frenchie likes to dress up for a birthday party, he likes to have another Frenchie companion with him—also dressed, of course. There is nothing better for a Frenchie who enjoys leaning against his master in the evening on the sofa than to have another Frenchie leaning against him!

LEARN TO LIKE THEM

Will Judy wrote in the 1936 Dog Encyclopedia (along with a photograph of a Frenchie sitting at a table, wearing a nice white shirt, contemplating blowing out the candles on a birthday cake in front of him), “One must learn to like the Frenchie just as he learns to like olives, but once having learned to like the Frenchie, he will never cease to speak the praises of the breed. Not only in name but in mannerism, the breed is French…He may look serious but he is a laughing philosopher, laughing not only with his mouth and eyes but with his entire body. He is always a clown, always ready for tricks but when he is at ease, he is the soul of dignity.”

Ooh, la, la! Who can resist the charm and magnetism of this French lady?

SMALL COMPANION