How we came to find each other - our story does not start all roses and rainbows!

To truly understand our story I must first take you back to the beginning to share the obstacles Lloris has already overcome. This is a puppy dog that should never have made it much passed 1 yr old, so to even still be here at 3.5yrs is an achievement in itself.

Born to this world on 16th June 2018 in a family home in an undesirable area of Wolverhampton, this beautiful fawn and lilac French Bulldog was initially known by his foster parents as ‘Buster’, the second largest in the litter but by far the most adorable.

His ‘advert’ shot that hooked me in!

Rewinding just slightly, perhaps our story would also benefit from me explaining how I came to be ready for a pup in my life in the first place!

After putting my career first and never choosing to settle down, it wasn’t until I was 37 that realisation hit that I had ‘missed the boat’ with my fertility. Damn it, they don’t teach you that at school!

In 2018, at the age of 40 and following one particularly gruelling round of IVF that still left me childless, it was my sister who suggested I think about getting a dog and maybe the distraction would de-stress me and I would fall pregnant naturally. After all, that is exactly what happened for her!

So, the search for a big chunky French Bulldog came about. I’d first seen one and fallen in love with the breed many years before in my early 30’s whilst in Southampton visiting a guy I used to work with. The dog belonged to his neighbour and was called Diego. He was absolutely gorgeous and I fell in love with him instantly. From that day onwards any dog entering my life was undoubtedly going to be a French Bulldog.

I originally was searching for a ‘blue’, but when I stumbled across my baby boy on a pet search site, it was love at first sight. To my delight his dad was a great big chunky one, I just instantly knew I had found my boy!

Loris’s Parents. (Dad - lilac / Mum - Fawn)

Even though upon going to see him, his brother was even bigger and also handsome, I just felt this instant bond to this little boy which to this day has never been broken.

Our very First cuddle 😍

He is the naughty little toddler who’s cheeky smile can’t let you stay mad with him for long. His eyes have so very much to say. He’s unlike any other dog I have known but no doubt we all say that about our beloved pets.

I digress!… back to the story..

The day came in September 2018 to pick him up. I received a call from the breeder telling us he’d been attacked by their sausage dog who had bitten a chunk out of his ear and caused a lump on his leg. They asked would we rather pick one of the other puppies instead or collect this one a few days later after he’s been to the vet.

I chose neither and went to collect him as planned. I am his mum now, I will get him fixed back up! …. But if only I could …

I wanted to name him Cooper, but was out voted. To be fair I was just so excited to have him I’d have agreed to anything! But he was to be Lloris after ‘Hugo Lloris’ the French goal keeper who had just won the World Cup. To me though, unless he’s in trouble and his full name is required, he is known as Piglet, Piggy, Puppy, mummy’s little solider…. And right now Pissy Pants (you will understand why when you read our account of Day 8 of rehab) And I wonder why he never comes when I call him by his name!?!!

The vets gave him antibiotics for the lump and his little knick out of his ear just added to his cuteness. All was well. Accept the lump never went away. More and more antibiotics later and it had shrunk or he had gotten bigger ?! but it was still there. I kept taking him back to the vets and kept being reassured it was nothing to worry about. It was only when I was looking at a photo of him and could see the lump on his back leg really sticking out, it was then that we decided to take him back to the Vet yet again and this time insist on the biopsy.

Our fears were confirmed and despite being told on so many occasions prior that it would be unheard of for such a young puppy to have cancer, he was diagnosed with the worst grade possible and on 21st March 2019 at the age of just 9 months old he underwent horrendous surgery to remove the mass cell tumour which would go on to severely scar his leg for life.

Read our next article to see how we have kept cancer at bay!