Boy oh boy, it’s a puppy! Little Joey is available for adoption and ready to break the internet! At only 8 months old, Joey was surrendered to FBRN by his owner and breeder due to a reported leg injury. He has an s-shaped spine and has been diagnosed with Scoliosis, Kyphosis, Lordosis, and Hemivertebrae. These irregularities do not stop this spunky little puppy!

Joey loves to play with toys; he’s known to hold one toy in his mouth while using his feet to play with another one! He enjoys chewing on Nylabones and Kong toys and his favorite toys are his bobo and a stuffed hedgehog. He’s more than happy to play by himself and can keep himself busy for quite a while. When he’s looking for more interaction, Joey will bring a toy over and put it at your feet to encourage you to toss it for him to fetch.

In addition to his spinal issues, Joey has urinary incontinence. He pees very frequently. He is good about using a pee pad indoors and will gladly wear a belly band. Joey is still young and it’s hard to tell how his medical issues will progress as he ages. He will need a supportive forever family to help manage these conditions.

Joey is a happy little puppy. He is very quiet, laid back, and submissive. He’s happy to use his crate and is working on leash walking. Joey does have a tendency to eat feces though with monitoring and redirection this behavior can be corrected. Joey is a happy pup who likes dogs of all sizes and genders, but because of his spinal issues he should only live with smaller, calm dogs who will not want to wrestle or play tug-of-war. For this same reason, Joey should not be in a home with children under 10 years old. Joey does not display any prey drive and would probably enjoy the company of a dog savvy cat though he does not live with one in his foster home.

Joey will require a very patient forever family with an experienced Frenchie owner. Due to his condition, he would do best in a home without stairs where someone is home and able to let him out to potty frequently. An apartment would be just fine as long as there is easy outdoor access. Most important is that Joey’s forever family takes the time to understand his spinal issues and stay on top of his physical needs. He will likely need continuous physical therapy. His spinal issues may become worse and his family should be willing to take the necessary steps for Joey to live a happy and comfortable life. They should also understand that Joey may never have total control of his bladder.

Joey’s foster mom has this to say “Joey loves people. He is a funny little guy. He is super happy to be with you and playing with toys. I don’t think he realizes how different he is from other dogs and what his limitations should be. Joey is super friendly and loves attention. We call him our sidewinder because he sometimes runs sideways because of his spine. Joey is unique with his shape, he looks bowlegged from behind. He reminds us of a jack rabbit the way he gets around sometimes. But currently he is happy and does not seem to care. He is happy when he is running and playing and having someone toss his hedgehog for him to retrieve. He likes to be hugged and carried like a baby. He is quite the licker. Any exposed skin is fair game. Joey is fascinated by bugs.”

If you’re interested in bringing Joey into your family, please submit an application and tell us why! Then get ready to travel because FBRN does not ship dogs as cargo, so adopters are expected to pick up their dogs from their foster family.

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.

About Joey:

Joey has IVDD and has been diagnosed with vertebral malformation (hemivertebrae and kyphosis) resulting in potential instability and spinal cord compression. He must always be carried up and down stairs and must not be allowed to jump off furniture. Joey may need physical therapy or to see a neurologist in the future.