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.