After rescuing my first bichon, Charley, in September 1997, I learned about and became involved with the local Bichon Frise Club of America Rescue organization. Over the next 11 years, I stopped working at my full-time job outside of the home to start working as a full-time volunteer for our Rescue group (Maryland Bichon Frise Rescue, Inc.)

In November 1999 I adopted my second bichon, Lucy, from Maryland Bichon Frise Rescue, Inc. (MBFR). I thought that would be all of the dogs living in my home. I was wrong. My early work with MBFR was doing fund-raising. It grew to assisting others with training and behavior problems with their bichons. Then I started taking in bichons to foster for MBFR, especially those with orthopedic or medical problems.

It was January 2007 when I got involved with my first massive search for a lost dog, a young Australian Shepherd named Wink. I learned a lot leading that several months-long search ... most of all, I learned how VERY important it is to keep your dogs safe and secure so they are not able to get away from you, since the outcome too often leads to the death of the dog.

Mid-June 2007 I was asked to help a woman find her lost bichon, Toulouse. As I was driving to meet her, there he was: a male bichon racing across the road in front of my car! It took us two very long days and nights to capture him, but we did! I raced us all to the nearest 24-hr veterinary clinic .... where we learned that the dog we caught was NOT Toulouse*, but a different bichon! So he came home with me, I named him Hadley, and I tried to find his family but to no avail. I was fostering Hadley for many months, when I realized it was important for Hadley to join our family, so he became my third rescued bichon.

During my 10+ years with Bichon Rescue, I worked with many different dogs, including many with social and anxiety issues and various medical needs. I have learned from veterinarians, animal behaviorists, faculty at Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine, and others with a passion for animals (in particular, small dogs).

In addition to Bichons And Friends Small Dog B&B, I run a Bichon Boutique, where 100% of the profits go to Bichon Rescue to help bichons in needs. I started with predominantly gift items, but now the items I add to the Boutique are primarily products that help keep dogs safe, secure and healthy.

Your dog's health, happiness and safety will always be my top priorities!

Jill Siegel, CDO (Chief Dog Officer)

*Note: Although weeks were spent looking for Toulouse, he was never found. But 14 months later, his family in Germantown, MD got a phone call from the Prince George's Animal Shelter that they had their bichon! He had been picked up as a stray in Mitchellville, MD and brought to the shelter. Just before he was to go home to the family adopting him, he was to be microchipped. He was quickly scanned first ... and they discovered he already HAD A MICROCHIP IMPLANTED IN HIM! They called the tollfree number, got the owner's up-to-date contact information ... and now Toulouse is back home with his family in Germantown!