Outside Time

Today, we took Charlie and Momster to a fenced-in field. They had a blast! Momster had her nose to the ground or in the air the whole time. She leaped through the tall grass and her little stump of a tail was in constant motion. She was so happy to be off-leash and free.

Then it was the puppies' turn. I set up a pen on the grass and let them run around. We almost caused a few car accidents because it was such an attraction. There was interest in the 3 that are still available. Then Chief's new family came by! It was so great to see them and their new-ish dog, Jenny. That's going to be one happy family.

All the puppies like being on the lawn, smothering kids with licks and getting lots and lots of attention. A good day to be outside.

Too Tired to Sleep

Little Emma was just too wound up to sleep. She was keeping everyone else awake with her insistence that they could surely play for just one more hour. So my husband brought her up to his comfy chair. Immediately, the puppy pile was silent. He held her close and stroked her forehead. She was asleep in minutes.

Tomorrow, the shelter is closed. I'll gather all my volunteers for a big play session and a thank you. I could never have done this alone. Hopefully the weather will be perfect and we can sit out on the lawn and watch the puppies experience grass.

Best Behavior

The pups were on their best behavior today. Those adopted, spent the day at the animal shelter with their new families. The other 4 went to an adoption event at Petco. Einstein got adopted!

But now, they're crazy. They ate like fiends, checked out the new (clean!) garage, and are wrestling like mad. What is it about best behavior for a playdate, then meltdown for mom? All is well; I know they'll sleep like logs tonight.

I got to meet some of the new families. I'm glad to know them. It's not that I could keep all 11 puppies, or even one right now. But I would if I could. So, I want to know that they're all going to loving homes. I helped give them a start, now it's time to launch them into the world. Hopefully, I'll be ready by the end of the week. There will be tears.

I've always wanted to be a puppy raiser for Canine Companions, or Guide Dogs for the Blind. It's a great program in which you raise a puppy from 8 weeks to 18 months. You get lots of support and dog training classes. But after just 4 weeks with these little guys, I know I'd never be able to give up a dog I'd had for 18 months.

So we'll just have to figure out the next adventure. Or maybe it'll just fall into my lap like these 11 puppies did.

Winter illnesses

My whole family is sick. My husband has pneumonia; my kids have bad colds; I've got some version of some gunky thing. But life goes on as it must with animals. I literally slogged through the day today, from one chore to the next. Good thing half the puppies visited the shelter. More adoptions! Tomorrow all 12 will be at the Petaluma Animal Shelter from noon -6. It would be so great if they all got adopted. They can't actually go home tomorrow; they still need their altering surgery. But all the paperwork can be completed.

When I took Charlie and Momster for their walk today, I realized how much she needs to get off the leash and run. When she first arrived, she was nursing often enough that exercise wasn't a priority for her. Now that her puppies don't need her much, she's ready to reclaim her life. We walked for an hour today and I think she could have done 2 more. Which makes me think that she's a young dog. Her breed tends to mellow out after 5 years old. She's not mellow. She's not wild either. She responds well to positive corrections. She pulls on the leash, but will come back to my side when she realizes that's what I want. She's very very good at waiting at the door, or the top of the stairs. 'Sit' isn't her favorite thing, but I think that position is uncomfortable for her while she's still producing milk. She'd like nothing better than to jump up on me. But if I move into her and say 'uh-uh', she responds. Someone's worked with her. She knows some things.

But she's not street-smart. She has a hard time staying on the sidewalk and would love to cross to the other side, then back, then back again, with her nose to the ground. Cars and trucks don't freak her out, but she will not walk across a metal grate.

I found a large fenced grassy area for tomorrow's play session. I can't wait to see the joy on her face when she can roam. She'll be a good dog for someone with a little energy and lots of love.

Play hard and sleep hard

Today, the girls went to the shelter. It looks like 2 of the 4 are spoken for! Nice. The pups are so different when they're in a smaller group. They're able to play more with each other, eat more leisurely, and sleep in a smaller pile. When they get back home, they rush around the garage, then find their bed, then look for the food bowls. Once they establish that all is the same, they settle in for a nap. Then it's back to a sort of routine. Eat, play, sleep. They're eating more at each meal, playing longer and harder, and sleeping less. Fun!

Letting Go

I dropped the boys off at the shelter today for some meet and greet time. I hung around because there were 2 families interested in adopting. One family had their eye on Chief. We talked, the puppies played and pooped. We talked some more.

Ever since we brought these little guys into our house, we've all wondered if we'd adopt one, and then which one it would be. Everyone is touched in a different way by different critters. Chief has grabbed our hearts in a way that the others haven't, yet. He'd fit well into our household. Two brown dogs.

But, I realized that he's not my dog. He's not the one for me. And since I know I'll be the main caregiver of our next dog, that dog really has to speak to me. There are so many dogs in need out there in the world. I'll find mine.

Anyway, this family will be great - kids, another dog - what more could Chief ask for. Well, maybe the prime spot on the couch for the Super Bowl! He's just that kind of dog.

And then when the pups came back home tonight, I heard that another family wants to adopt 2! Wow. I knew that they'd get adopted, but I had no idea it would happen quickly or how I'd react. I'm happy, of course. The shelter has a great screening system in place, so I know the pups will be adopted by good people. But I know 'adoption day' will be difficult.

All I have to do is walk into the room and 44 little paws come bounding toward me. 22 eyes are glued to me. 11 tails couldn't wag more. They're special and will always have a place in my heart.

Letting go.

Giving up

I can finally admit that sometime last week, I was ready to give up. I just couldn't do it anymore. I couldn't pick up another pile of poop, let alone 11 piles. I couldn't let my ankles be bitten. I couldn't mix another batch of food. I just wanted to read my book and knit and prepare for my classes and cook dinner for my family. I didn't want to think about walking 2 dogs and paying attention to 11 puppies. I didn't want to ask my neighbors for anymore newspapers. I didn't want to ask the shelter staff for clean bedding and even more food. I wanted to quit.

I admitted to myself that this was really hard work - back breaking work. And now that the puppies had outgrown the sleep-a lot-stage, they were less cuddly and in need of a different kind of attention. More work. More food. More poop. More work. I knew that every 3 or 4 hours, I'd have to redo the whole thing - mix food, clean up poop, facilitate nursing in shifts, clean up some more, encourage playing with toys rather than my hands, more cleaning. The whole process took 45 minutes to an hour. Just the thought of doing it was more than I could handle.

So I did what I always do when I'm feeling overwhelmed - I hunkered down and got to work. I streamlined the whole operation. I started to train the little buggers not to bite me. I took my dog and the mom out for a walk every day that it wasn't raining and some days when it was. I started thinking about the future - when these pups would all be adopted into loving homes and I'd have my life back.

Kathy, at the shelter could tell that I was near the end. But neither of us wanted to say it out loud for fear that we'd create some unthinkable situation. She took the puppies to the shelter for some afternoon play sessions. She started asking me specific questions like, "do you need more bedding," rather than just saying, "what do you need?"

It all helped. I made it through. And one puppy has a family! She'll stay with the litter until she's old enough to be spayed, but she has a home! Wasn't that the goal?

When I agreed to try this crazy adventure, I knew I'd go through stages. Sort of like being in a foreign country for an extended period. There's initial euphoria when everything is new and rosy and quaint. Then reality sets in and you realize that these unfamiliar customs and modes are hard to get used to. Then when you're near the end of your stay, you get nostalgic for all of those things that had been annoying just a few weeks before. After college, I spent a year in Tunisia. It was fun and eye-opening and hard and exhausting and I'd do it again in a heart-beat.

I'm in the home stretch with these puppies. I already feel myself letting go. Well, maybe letting most of them go...

A break for me

I took part of the day off from puppy care to join my son at Bouverie Nature Preserve today. He's part of a jr. docent program. As the kids started their training, the parents hiked. My group went to see the Peregrine falcon nest at the waterfall. On the way, we saw a newt, banana slugs, turkey vulture remains, water in the creek. Our docents were incredibly knowledgeable and fun to hang out with. The weather was great until the hail started! It was so restorative to be out in nature, looking at the moment.

David Bouverie bought the original land as a retreat and destination for his wealthy San Francisco friends. Eventually, part of his mission was to instill a love of nature in young people. Being on that property reminded me of my great aunt. By the time I knew Aunt Len, she had a well-established apple orchard and sheep farm in Wisconsin. We'd help her pick apples, make apple cider and set up for the annual art fair. She hosted family Christmas parties and welcomed us into her life whenever we wanted to drop by. There were always too many animals to remember, living in her barn, or even in her house. During lambing season, she always had a few orphans sharing her bedroom. A trip to Aunt Len's was always an adventure.

As I got older, I learned her story. Her father had bought the farm for her when her fiance left her. She was sort of banished from the family and their upper class affairs. But she went back to school to learn about agriculture and started a new life. She continued to play cello in a local quartet and hosted the art fair in the orchards. She was every kid's idea of what life was all about. A free spirit who worked hard and enjoyed herself.

As we picked apples or made cider, she'd tell us stories. We never knew what was true and what was imaginary. But it didn't matter. It was a magical place in a magical time with a magical woman.

So as I hold my little Einstein or play hard with Bitey, I can't help but feel Aunt Len smiling down at me, approving of this little adventure.

Puppies' Day Out

The pups spent the day at the shelter, getting lots of attention from different folks. So good for them. They all ate, then crashed for a few hours. But now they're up again, hungry and ready to play. They're being a little rough with Einie, so he's helping me type.

The puppies don't all travel in one big group anymore (unless they're trying to get to the food bowls). Some pictures of their groups...

They keep growing! How does that happen? They got new collars on Friday and some are already too tight. Their personalities are starting to become more recognizable too. Chief is big and lazy and happy. He'll wrestle with the bunch or curl up on your lap. I have a feeling he'd love to lie at your feet and watch a football game. Then there's Biter. She's feisty and full of energy all the time. She lunges for your pant leg, lunges for your face, unties your shoes. But blowing in her face, or redirecting her puppy teeth works well. She'll figure it out. Then there's Einstein, of course, the smartest dog that ever lived. I swear he already knows his name. He's a little needy or maybe it's just because we all think he's special, so we pick him up a lot and cuddle.

The little rascals have claimed the garage as their playground. We covered the floor in shredded paper and there are cardboard boxes for them to chew on and wrestle around. Tina at Knotty Dogs http://knottydogs.com/ heard about the litter and donated some special little puppy rope toys. Usually, she puts treats in the knots, but she made some small ones without treats. The puppies prance around with them, shake their heads, tug with each other. Or lie down for a good chew. They've also discovered tennis balls. Their eyes are tracking movement pretty well, so they can follow the ball across the floor.

These guys will probably be ready for adoption in 2 weeks. It will be so good for them to get the right home. They'll need lots of playtime and exercise. If you're interested, fill out an application at the Petaluma Animal Shelter:

http://www.petalumaanimalshelter.org/

Newspapers needed!

Does anyone read the newspaper in print anymore? I could use some newspapers to line the puppy pen. Drop them off at my house or at the shelter please!!

http://www.petalumaanimalshelter.org/

If you have the old-fashioned shredded paper (not cross-cut), I could use that too.

Thanks in advance. Raising these puppies has become a huge community effort. I appreciate all the support and attention that they're getting.

Names

We really wanted to take the pups outside today. But this cold rainy weather forced us to use our garage instead. They had a blast! Finally, they had the space to run and jump and wrestle. Again, we had lots of visitors to help us corral them and cuddle them. It also gave us a chance to watch their behavior and think about names.

The three males in my house want to give everyone a name from the Simpsons. Since I tend to use nicknames anyway, I don't care what the 'official' names of these guys are. Chocolate Charlie may be Charlie to the rest of the family, but I call him Charles Nelson Riley, Charles Barkley and Cha Cha depending on my mood and his behavior.

So here are a few of the names:

Mom is Marge (Momster to me)
The biggest male is Chief Wiggums (Anvil)
The next biggest male and the sleepiest is Homer (Fatty)
Bart is rambunctious
Professor Frink (Einstein or Einy)
One really tenacious girl got the name: Krusty
Selma has a raspy bark

They're eating more and pooping more! Of course.

I also went out to Big Dog Rescue today to get more food. They are an amazing animals rescue organization who work with the Animal Shelter. Our pups came to the shelter through this group. They've donated lots and lots for their care. In the first 5 minutes of walking through the door, I met an incredible Goldendoodle, an Australian Shepherd, 4 Italian Greyhound pups and 2 Chinese Crested hairless dogs. I was ready to take them all home. But...

Check them out at:
http://www.homelesshounds.us/

Birthdays

What do you get a boy who's about to turn 12? A puppy! Or maybe 11 puppies?...

My son's birthday is next week. I can't figure out what to get him or when to shop. He reads, a lot, so I have a stack of books that I've been meaning to pass along to him. I'll wrap those. But he needs something cool and hip that he can brag about at school. Or does he?

I have to admit that I have no desire to adopt one of these puppies. And if a puppy became a birthday present for my son, it would become my responsibility - that's the nature of kids' busy lives - they don't have time to meet the needs of a dog. I know that every last one of these puppies will find a good home because they're cute and cuddly and wonderful. So why would I adopt one.

However, I could see adopting 2. They need each other. I can't imagine any of them being split up from their pack. They've done everything together since birth. How unnatural to break that union. But could we really be a 3-dog family?

Chocolate Charlie has been ours for 3 years. He came to us out of necessity. Kiko (my forever dog) had to be put down suddenly. Floyd, who'd been raised by Kiko, flipped out. He started howling when we left him alone. He escaped from the yard, headed to the park and caused mayhem at the playground. He was lonely and really needed a friend.

Dylan was going through a rough patch at school, so we thought we'd get him his own dog. We looked at all of the rescue sites online and went to an adoption day. He'd had his eye on a black lab who seemed great online, but had no interested in Dylan or any other human being when we met him in person. Dylan was devastated. He thought he'd made a commitment to adopt this dog who didn't actually care about him. Near tears, he kept looking at this 5 month old chocolate lab pup. So we took him for a walk. Chocolate Charlie couldn't take his eyes off of Dylan. They walked together, curled up together, love at first sight.

We took Charlie home. Dylan has been whispering his secrets to Charlie ever since. They sleep together, Dylan feeds him. It's a good thing. But in the end, it's up to me to walk the dog and train the dog. That's ok. A boy and his dog - nothing better.

So, what do I want in a new dog? A female; a breed that's not considered dangerous (I can't tolerate the perceptions people have of pit bulls and Dobermans...); a bit of a challenge; a playmate for Charlie; a dog that will become a therapy dog.

Could one of these puppies satisfy my needs? Could the mom?

(Chocolate Charlie came to us from: http://www.lakecountyanimalservices.org/
we help them walk dogs whenever they're in Petaluma and it fits our schedule...)

Einstein

All of the puppies look pretty much the same. They differ in size, but because there are so many of them, it's still hard to tell them apart.

Except for Einstein. He's definitely the runt and his little forehead protrudes . But he's not that far behind his next smallest sister on the scale. He's been steadily gaining weight - a good measure of progress. He plays, he's rough when he needs to be, he doesn't get picked on any more than anyone else. Yet, I wonder, I worry. I watch him for signs of anything abnormal. But what do I know from abnormal? I've never done this before.

Kathy (Animal Shelter wonder-woman) and I have discussed him at length. Is he eating? Yes. Is he getting pushed out of the feeding frenzy? No. Does he nurse? Yes, in fact, I let him nurse for both sessions while I switch out the others. Does he play? Like a wild man. So we stop worrying for a little while.

Then Kathy mentioned him to the vet, who said that there is a congenital condition that does present with a huge forehead. But he might not have it, Einstein might be just fine. If he's not, it's in his genes and there's nothing we can do about it, or it's not a result of anything we've done. Einstein might be just fine.

Yesterday, he was crying and whining so loudly, that I had to scoop him up and carry him around while I prepared his dinner. His siblings slept soundly, but he just couldn't be consoled. Finally, he fell asleep in the crook of my elbow as I mixed and poured with my left hand. It reminded me of the infant days with my boys - I got really good at doing things one-handed. Because, really, what do you do with a crying baby (puppy)? You pick him up, of course.

What is it about the runts? Wilbur was the runt that Fern rescued and we all grew to love. Is it something about 'against all odds we will survive'? Is it about rooting for the underdog? Is it about helping others who need so much?

My boys left a school situation in which most of the resources were allocated to those in desperate need. The right thing to do, of course. But over time, I grew to realize that my children were suffering because of it. As the resources dwindled (education cuts are in the news daily), there was just nothing left for the kids who were doing ok. But I contend that these kids are not ok. They're actually becoming another at-risk group because the resources are spread too thin. So we left.

We are fortunate to have choices. I home-schooled for a year, I researched the options and found a wonderful learning environment for my kids. But what if I had to choose between feeding Einstein and feeding one of the robust puppies. What if my choice determined how much he thrived.

We all want everyone to have equal access to the resources regardless of race or economic status or geography. But that's just not realistic. In this country of individuals, there are going to be differences. And we celebrate these differences. But is there a limit? If someone is 'too different' do we shut them out, do we determine their level of survival?

Of all the kitten litters we helped raise last summer, we only had 2 obvious runts. They both died. One wasn't eating or thriving in any way and had to be put down after 3 days in our care. I was absolutely devastated. How could this happen? What had I done? Well, actually, I'd done nothing. It was the law of nature at work. The other kitten was 10 oz. when he came with his 4 siblings. It was hard to help raise that many little guys. But little Divot (golf course rescue) ate well, gained weight, stood up to his siblings, loved to cuddle. He made it all the way through 4 weeks with us, through his neuter surgery, put up for adoption, then his eyelid started attaching to his eye. He had to be put down because of this congenital condition. It was absolutely the right thing to do. He was suffering and would have had a hard life. But... my heart broke. The last few nights he was with us, he slept on my bed. He was so considerate, giving me most of the pillow. That last night, he burrowed under the covers and curled up in the curve of my knee. It was a short life, but a good one.

And Einstein might be just fine.

Selfish

I move through my day, meeting the needs of my family and these 11 puppies and their mother as if there aren't human beings buried beneath the rubble in Haiti. It's what has to be done. We must move forward and we have immediate needs. The puppies can't understand, but my children are old enough to know about this tragedy and devastation. As we talked about the situation, they got very uncomfortable at their inability to do anything immediately to save lives. They fidgeted in their chairs and finally had to get up and move around in order to work it out. I explained that the airport is damaged and the port is damaged and the roads are damaged, so that there's not much of a way to get help into the country or move supplies around if they make it through. And that many people in the government are still missing, so coordinating the efforts to be effective is very difficult. They felt helpless. I let them struggle, like a puppy trying to get to his mother.

Then I told them that former President Bill Clinton is working to help and he said that the best thing for us to do right now is to donate money. $5 or $10 dollars will make a huge difference. We've made our donation.

But we're also going to a hockey tournament and a basketball tournament and getting together with friends and feeding puppies. Because every puppy needs to eat and every person needs to smile.

Growing little dogs

When the pups first arrived a week and a half ago, they were little. They fit into 2 large pet carriers. They could sleep in one 2' x 2' area, but preferred to pile on top of each other. They ate out of little cat dishes. They looked small. I could scoop one up with just one hand.

Now, they're miniature dogs. I need both hands when I pick them up in order to stabilize their round bellies. They sleep next to each other in a 4' x 4' space. They've graduated to dog bowls with high sides. They're growing!

I reconfigured the pen yesterday in order to give them more play space and to give me easier access for cleanup. I had so much fun, I decided to do it all over again today. I extended their pen so that they could have a designated eating area, and maybe pooping area. I know - they should not be expected to poop so close to their food. I'll work on that. But I think it's really important to get their pooping area far away from their bed area.

These are photos of the feeding process. First, we put down bowls of gruel. The puppies eat their fill. Then we lure mom onto the bed in the main enclosure and let her nurse half of the puppies. 10 to 15 minutes later, we make the switch. (It's so great to have all this help.) After the nursing session, the puppies play, bite ankles, curl up on laps, and finally crash.

Helpers

I'm getting a ton of help with the pups. Neighborhood families are pitching in holding puppies, cleaning up, making food, saving their newspapers. It's been a great way to spend time together.

Good Dogs: born that way or not?

Those puppies sure can produce a lot of waste! I'm wearing rubber gloves these days to clean up the enclosure. They're all pretty good at doing their business on the pee-pads or newspaper. The problem is that there are so many puppies, that someone inevitably steps in something nasty, then scampers on his merry way. Perhaps it's time for more space.

The puppies graduated to adult sized food bowls. They'd been using small cat bowls, but I had to refill them just to satisfy those little round bellies.

My neighbors helped with the feeding tonight. I got to hear the story of Oscar, their dog. They adopted him when he was 4 months old. He'd been in the shelter for 6 weeks. He's a black lab. How could a cute little black lab puppy not get snatched up quicker than that? Well, he was a very demanding dog. On their first meeting, he bit his future owner. She wrote him off, but couldn't quite get him out of her mind. After talking to a trainer, she gave it a shot.

They walked him morning, noon and night to help get some of his energy out. They took him to training classes twice a week for a year and a half. That's incredible commitment! And it shows. Oscar is a wonderful dog. He's full of personality and has his own agenda, but he's a good dog. And he wasn't just born that way.

How much time can you devote to a dog? How much effort can you put into making his life great, or forging the relationship? Everyone has their limits. Finding the dog that's right for you takes time. Shelters and rescue organizations can help match your requirements with dogs' personalities and known behaviors.

How big will these puppies get?

I did a little research to figure out how big these puppies will be. The mom is a German Short Haired Pointer. The dad is some kind of hound. One of the calculators reported that a puppy that will grow to be 100 pounds, will gain 2.5 pounds a week after 4 weeks. Another said that as a general rule, the weight of a puppy at 2 months is 1/4 of its adult weight.

So extrapolating: If our pups weighed 4 or 5 pounds at 4 weeks, and if they gain 2 pounds per week from this weight until they're 8 weeks (2 months), then their adult weight will be 48 - 52 pounds!

Safety First

This afternoon, my 5 year old buddy helped me with a feeding. He was great, petting the puppies while they waited, handing me bedding or newspapers. After they filled up on gruel, and returned to their clean enclosure, he really wanted to get in with them. We'd talked about sharp puppy teeth, nonexistent manners, claws, slurping tongues. He couldn't resist. As soon as he'd gotten comfy on their bed, they advanced. All I saw was his head. His torso was covered in puppy bodies. He was laughing so hard, he couldn't speak. I asked him if he was ok. He shook his head. I grabbed his arms and told him to stand up. The puppies were dripping off of him like an ice cream cone on a hot summer day. After he caught his breath, he settled on the steps, outside of the pen with one calm puppy on his lap. He was fine with the whole situation, the puppies were fine too. But it reminded me that young children and puppies need lots of supervision.

When I started fostering these puppies, I knew we'd have lots of visitors of all ages. I promised myself that I'd never leave children (no matter what age) alone with the puppies. There are just too many unknowns. The mom could suddenly decide to get territorial, a child could drop a puppy, a puppy could need more than a child could give. I see this as a learning experience for anyone who comes to visit, with safety at the forefront of every encounter.

Especially as the pups get bigger. They just hit a milestone. I can't scoop them up in one hand anymore. I did it last night - scooped up two whiners and held them close. But today, I need two hands to safely grasp those round bellies.

When I was 6 years old, we lived on 20 acres in the woods in Wisconsin. Our dog was a silver German Shepherd. He was the sweetest thing that ever lived and protective of his pack. One day the neighbor kids were over and we were coloring on the picnic table outside. Hans was lounging underneath, keeping watch over the brood. Those were the days in which older siblings were in charge and moms took care of other business. Well, our little neighbor slipped under the table and started to climb on Hans. He growled a warning, but this 4 year old didn't understand. Then his jaws opened and closed on her face. Afterward, I remember my parents talking in hushed voices about losing everything if there was a lawsuit. But those were different times and neighbors didn't sue each other, even if their kids' faces were altered forever. We were very lucky. After that, Hans didn't get to hang out with us so much. It was nobody's fault and everyone's fault. It's so important for kids to learn that dogs are not playthings and for adults to remember to be ever vigilant.

My dad still owns that land. He lives nearby, but I don't think he'll ever sell it. Not with Hans' grave under one of those trees.

Another great day

I had 2 groups of awesome helpers today. We figured out some new logistics for feeding time that really shorten the time between waking the pups and getting the bowls of food in place.

Mom also got 2 walks this weekend. We took her to the local school where she was unlikely to encounter other dogs. Since we don't know anything about her, we need to be careful in terms of leash behavior, aggression toward dogs, kid friendliness. She was fine. More than fine. She walk well on the leash until she spots a bird or squirrel in the tree. Then she pulls a bit. But she didn't respond in any way to other dogs or skateboarders or ball throwing. She really just wanted to circle the perimeter of the school with her nose to the ground or in the air. She had a blast. Then she crashed when she got home. I think she slept better than she had in a long time.

The pups have grown in just one week. They're bigger and sturdier and more vocal and hungrier. For the last few days, we've had to bribe the mom to get into the enclosure with them and nurse. Even when we split the litter in half, she was reluctant to be with them. Tonight, after a non-nursing feeding, I was sitting on the floor covered in pups. They were playing or sleeping or trying to nestle into my elbow. Mom pranced by the door. When Kevin opened it for her, she gladly jumped in. She stood in the middle of the pups while they nursed for about 10 minutes. They were in milky bliss. Mom leaned into my leg for support, half closing her eyes. I think it was some relief to her too. Maybe she just needed to feel more comfortable in our house. All 11 puppies fell asleep in my lap.

First Light

6:58 - I wake up an hour later than the puppies usually eat! But it's quiet, so I sneak into the kitchen, warm mom's food then warm the puppies' food. Mom's awake. I tiptoe downstairs to let her outside, grab the huge garbage bag to start the cleanup. I'm able to cover a few piles of poop before the puppies stir. This minimizes the mess.
7:05 - The process begins: set up the holding enclosure, let the puppies into that, replace soiled newspapers, wee-wee pads and bedding, put down clean bowls, fill with gruel, let the puppies back into the main enclosure. They all eat, dance around my feet, tug on my shoes. But I'm too tired to sit down. This feeding doesn't include nursing, so I escape.
7:13 - I let mom inside. Lots of crying and whining from the pups. She gobbles her delicious mixture and settles in for a good chew on a rawhide baseball. I escape upstairs.
7:20 - The cacophony subsides, most of the pups get comfy for another nap. But a few hang around the door, hoping to wheedle their way to mom. Sounds like children begging for candy.
7:21 - I start the water boiling, one cup of tea, lots of dog food. The dog food is barley, oats, carrots, peppers, dehydrated chicken, so I just add boiling water and wait for it to reconstitute. It smells like chicken pot pie.
7:22 - The whining gets louder. Mom decided to move from her bed to the top step so that she could keep an eye on me. This movement gets the attention of the pups. Are my kids actually sleeping through this? I ignore all whimpers.
7:27 - All quiet again. Time to drink some tea and boil more water for more dog food.

January 9, 2010 - later

We had two groups of helpers today for 2 of the feedings. It was great. I was more relaxed about the whole process and the joy on the helpers’ faces was incredible. There really nothing like puppy kisses.

We made a logistical change that’s helped so much. We set up a temporary enclosure outside of the main pen so that the puppies can spill out into it when the door opens. Then I can sneak in and clean up the soiled newspapers, wee-wee pads, bedding and food bowls. Once the place is cleared, we put down fresh everything, including food and let the feeding frenzy begin! It’s fun to witness the change from whining, crying puppies to the slurp of food and relative silence.

Then we all sat down somewhere in the pen and when the puppies were finished eating or nursing, they’d find a lap. There was lots of talk about the puppies and what they should be named. Everyone tried to pick their favorite. In the end, we’d all have a lap full of sleeping puppies.

A great hour – puppies fed and sleeping happily, connecting with people over this most basic need.

I’m reminded of the first months of my children’s lives. I was in a fog, learning to take care of an infant, meeting their every need. People would come to visit and try to be helpful. Everyone had something to contribute. Some people just held the baby while I scurried around trying to accomplish something, anything other than baby-care. Then there were a few people who really understood. They never overstayed their welcome, they didn’t wake the sleeping baby, they did some of the undesirable tasks like cleaning the bathroom or washing the dishes. Same thing with these puppies. Some people have extra time for the mom, others rush to the puppies, others pick up some poop. Like my grandma used to say, “It takes all kinds to make the world go round.”

January 9, 2010

A very busy last few days. The puppies and mom spent Thursday afternoon at the Animal Shelter. They all got checked out by the vet, then passed to a willing volunteer for playtime. They’ve all gained weight and have the appropriate puppy belly. I stayed home and cleaned! I emptied their enclosure and did a thorough scrub. I did enjoy the solitude.

That evening and the next day, mom was less willing to nurse the pups. But we used our tricks (tasty treats) to make that happen. After consulting with the shelter staff, we decided to continue to feed the gruel to the pups every 3 or 4 hours, but cut down their on nursings. Maybe that way, mom will be more willing. That worked nicely – the pups are able to settle themselves without nursing and get some sleep. Mom gets more time to relax.

Last night we finished a feeding at 10:30. That seemed too early for the last on of the day, but I didn’t really think I’d wake up at 1:20 or 2 for another round. We left them with lots of food to see what would happen. I didn’t wake up until 6am. Everything was quiet. And mom had spent the night outside of the enclosure. Wow. But inside was a mess. Not only did those little guys eat and slobber, but they pooped too. Up to this point, we’d done minimal poop cleanup. I guess we’re in a new phase. Then when mom heard that I was awake, she stirred, which caused the pups to wake up and walk right through the mess. Needless to say, I’ve already done one major cleaning job.

Today’s task: reconfigure the enclosure so that they can clamber at the door without tracking through the mess.

January 6, 2010

And she sleeps. It’s been another long day in the life of a mother dog. But again, we learned a few things to make it all easier. We’re splitting the puppies to eat gruel or nurse, then switching them again so that they all benefit from mom’s milk. She’s much more willing to nurse 5 or 6 at a time. It’s not chaos. She actually lies down.

We also got the food right. It’s dehydrated and I was adding too much water. Mom gulped down a ton of food now that it’s the right consistency. The puppies just gobble and slurp, regardless of what’s in front of them. Tonight, I lined up their little dishes and they all munched away happily. The slurp/sucking was so loud.

When I’m home, I let mom out of the enclosure to roam the laundry room. She has a nice comfy bed, but prefers to sleep on the top step in case I happen to decide it’s time for her to enter the rest of the house. The only way to get her onto her bed is to give her a peanut butter filled Kong. She loved that! Again, I think that she’s been cared for in a loving home. She knows the smells and sounds of a home and they don’t freak her out. If she passes her vet check tomorrow, I think we’ll introduce her to our dog and let her spend more time upstairs. But we’ll strike a balance. She still needs to be with her pups. More than just feeding. There are 2 dominant puppies who need scolding from their mother.

Tonight, during the last feeding of the day, I sat down to receive my dose of puppy kisses. Petting those little guys, offering my lap for comfort made the day’s worries melt away. What’s more immediate than a crying puppy? And one who will easily settle in a warm embrace.

It’s good. And now it’s time for me to sleep.

January 5, 2010

I’m exhausted. There, I said it. Yes, of course, I still love it, but I’m tired. Physically, my body aches.

What did I learn today? Well, mom (I have to find out what her name is) has been very happy spending time away from her pups. We set up an 8 ft by 4 ft space with a divider that she can hop over, but the puppies can’t. In her ‘princess quarters’ she has an elevated bed, food, water, room service. The puppies hang out in the other half. They, of course have food and water, but they also have poop and pee and 10 siblings to contend with. I can see why mom might prefer her half.

So after consulting with Kathy (the incredible resource at the animal shelter), I took down the dividing wall. Now, Mom has to do a little more work. This also gave me an opportunity to put everyone in one half, clear out the other half and clean, clean, clean. Fortunately, it’s a small space.

Once the puppies fell asleep, I let mom out of the enclosure to wander around the rest of the room with me. She’s really an awesome dog. She followed me around, nosed my pockets for treats, wagged her stub of a tail. She does get a full-body wag going, but only for something really tasty. Whoever adopts her, is getting one good dog.

I had a dentist appointment and then had to volunteer at my kids’ school, so I was gone for chunks of time. It worked out just fine. They all had food and warmth and comfort without making too much of a mess. It’s these first few days that routines are set and I get a feel for things. It was the same for each kitten litter we fostered. It took a few days to figure out if they really preferred a completely clean litter box, or if I could wait another hour to scoop. They’re all so different.

Kathy and her husband came over this afternoon to do a weight check and photo session. Good thing they all gained weight! And of course, they are runway model material. We put collars on the smallest ones so that we could sort of monitor their progress. Then we devised a plan to have the 2 groups nurse separately. Mom had been standing to nurse, thus discouraging long sessions. But with smaller bunches of pups (5 and 6 respectively), she can lie down and they can all get some nourishment without so much hassle.

Tonight, my son cradled mom’s head in his lap, feeding her treats while she nursed one batch. My other son held the other batch in his lap. Incredible. Every living being in that room was content. Even though I was replacing soiled blankets and newspapers, I could feel the love. These moments make it worth every puddle of pee that I’ve sat in (accidentally…)

I’m ready for another day!

January 4, 2010

Lots of cleanup today. But I feel like I have a handle on how to swap out bedding while the puppies are eating, then change the newspapers and wee-wee pads when they stumble back to bed. And Mom is doing well. She’s eating a lot, resting a lot, nursing a bit. I have to trust that she knows what she’s doing. I placed puppies on her bed once today when I thought they could use a little more food. She took it all in stride.

I had my first volunteers today too. They were great! They took over the food prep, feeding and cleanup for one shift, while I picked my kids up from school. It was good for all of us. I have some appointments tomorrow – should be interesting since I’m pretty certain the puppies schedule will not coincide. Mom will have to take over and I guess there’ll be extra cleanup when I return.

All-in-all, a good day. I’m tired, but not as exhausted as they are. Eating, pooping and crying is hard work when you’re only 3 weeks old.

This evening, my whole family helped with the feeding process. At one point, my son was holding a pup, watching the feeding frenzy and said, “This rocks!” Even tho his brother had just accidentally planted his butt on a pile of puppy poo, I think he meant the whole scene. It is amazing. It does rock.

January 3, 2010

Later: The dogs are all getting a high quality diet of organic, human grade food that includes dehydrated chicken. I add water and let it puff up. For the pups, I grind it in the blender first. A few of them actually slurp it up. But Mom loves that consistency more than the solid chunks. Lesson learned! They’ll all get the gruel version next time. And after each meal I provide for Mom, she nurses the pups. Valuable info to get us all through the night…

January 3, 2010

Have you ever seen 11 puppies in one place before? They’re so darn cute, it makes me feel like Santa visited all over again! They look like chocolate labs, with pushed in faces. The only resemblance to the mom is that they’re the color of her head and the big spot on her back. They are all little tanks, solid wiggly, crying bundles.

The mother is absolutely incredible. She’s endured lots of people handling her today, not to mention her puppies. But she was pretty happy to retreat to her bed where the puppies couldn’t reach her. And when I took her into the backyard, her nose went high into the air to catch whatever was on the wind. I can only imagine her story, but I don’t want to think about it. She wasn’t really keen on nursing her pups, so I hand fed her while she stood. They were on their tiptoes, leaning on their siblings sucking away. Now, she’s curled up around them and they are in milky heaven.

Yes, there’s poop and pee and puppy feet trailing their gruel everywhere. But it’s pretty cool.

We’ll take this week to settle in and then I’ll call for visitors! I want to get sort of a feeding/cleanup routine established. But it’ll probably be like raising a baby – just when you think you have it mastered, everything changes.

January 1, 2010

I’m still in shock. Kathy from the shelter called to ask if we might be interested in fostering a mother dog and her 11 puppies. The puppies are 3 weeks old. Can we do this? I’m already thinking about the logistics – where will we put them? How will it work with our dog? How much will the mom need? Dirty bedding – more laundry? Kathy answers all of my questions – they’ll come over and check out our space, provide a configurable kennel, dog bedding, laundry service (for the dogs…), food, even volunteers to help clean up, walk the mom and socialize the pups. I have to think about this.

The boys are skeptical. They know what it’s like to take care of 5 3-week-old kittens. The first week is mostly cleanup. But then they remember the fun and quickly get on board.

My husband remains skeptical. He’s so practical, thinking about the time it will take just as the boys go back to school and sports schedules ramp up.

I waffle. I know I really want this opportunity. I like cats, but I’m absolutely a dog person. And I can’t stop thinking about Kiko. She was my first dog. I found her roaming the streets near work. As Animal Control loaded her into the truck, her eyes met mine and I was hooked. I visited her in the shelter, waiting to see if her family would claim her. It was clear that she’d recently weaned some pups. The day after she was found, 3 pups looking just like her were found by the side of the freeway. I think they were adopted within an hour of arriving at the shelter! But Kiko retreated farther and farther into the back corner of her kennel. When I’d bring her into the play yard for our visits, she’d lay her head on my lap while I stroked her velvety ears. Finally the 5 day waiting period was over and we could start our life together. It didn’t take her long to forget that she’d probably been a back-yard dog, dumped with her puppies when they weren’t useful anymore. We spent 14 years together, hiking, camping, reading by the fire. She helped us raise our 2^nd dog. She patiently waited for her walks when our 2 kids were small. She was a great friend.

I’m going to do this! Why not. A new year, new life, new opportunities, new friends.

December 31, 2009

Birdie went to her new home today! She’s such a wonderful kitten; it was hard to give her up. But that’s what fostering is all about. You give what you can – time, attention, clean-up, food, more time and especially love – so that these helpless creatures have a chance to find their family.

Over the last 7 months, we’ve helped so many kittens. And in the process, we’ve all learned something about ourselves. My boys understand more about the circle of life (we lost 2 little guys) and they know that they’re able to give up something they’ve grown attached to. My husband has learned that he really does like to hang out with cats! Our own pets have learned to share us a little.

I’ve learned that as my kids get older and need me less for the little stuff, I still need something to take care of. Yes, we have our own menagerie (smaller by 2 in the past few months), but I also feel incredible joy in helping. I’ve volunteered in all kinds of situations over the years. But volunteering with animals is something different There’s immediate gratification. A pile of kittens in my lap is better than any therapy session I’ve ever been to!

And now kitten ‘season’ is over. I guess we’ll take a break.