Saturday, October 2, 2010
September 30
Sorry I haven't written recently but the month of September was eaten up by my 2 week hospital stay. During this month Annabelle was able to stay with my husband and begin her doxycycline for her heart worms. She has an appointment to go in for heartworm injections in early October. Annabelle and her pups are hopefully going in on Saturday (October 2) so that they can all get spayed or neutered.
September 7
Unfortunately, my back surgery in June has landed me in the hospital. Because of this, the puppies have had to be transferred to another foster so that I can recooperate. I will be fine in a few weeks, but this will end the puppy's saga for now....
August 31
contact the foster family of the pup they are interested. The adopters
will meet the pup at the fosters or adopters home or a location like a
pet store/dog park where the family can interact with pup. If they
want to check out 2-3 different pups, this may mean arranging 2-3
separate play dates.
We also participate in adoption fairs at major pet stores, but I don't
feel this in the ideal way to meet pups. Usually they last 3-4 hours
and with all of the excitement, the puppies are wired for the first
hour or so and tend to get tired out pretty quickly there after. You
may be looking at a crazy hyper dog, but because they are tired they
may seem more mellowed out at the meeting. You may be looking for the
perfect family dog and walk past an ideal candidate because she is
scared of all of the barking the other dogs are doing.
From an adopters stand point, adoption fairs are great because a
family could potentially meet hundreds of dogs, from different litters
and all sorts of breeds, in one place. That makes for easier comparing
and contrasting to find out which dogs will do best for their family.
Often at the adoption fairs, the foster parent in there to help share
the dogs story and situation. While Fluffy may be incredibly cute, she
may not be the best if you are looking for a dog that doesn't bark - a
foster parent will share that with you. Then they can guide you to a
dog that doesn't bark.
The Humane Society I volunteer for doesn't have a shelter. Shelters
have the benefit that allows an adopter to see tons of dogs at one
time. The problem is that when you are going to look at a dog, often
that is when everyone else is looking at their future pets - on the
weekends. Getting the chance to speak with someone who can truly tell
you what the dog is about - more than what is on the kennel card - can
be tough. Some shelters have areas set up so that you can take the dog
for a walk or let them play with your kids, but many shelters have
very minimal space for these activities. I would not suggest adopting
a dog until you have had the chance to interact with them face to
face. No fence or cage door in between.
If you are considering going to an adoption fair or shelter, I suggest
that you bring a slip leash (or take a normal leash and put the clip
end through the loop) so that it can fit any dog you may be looking
at. Regardless of where you are considering adopting from, I suggest
bringing a toy. If you have your heart set on playing fetch with a
dog, it is probably best to figure out if they have any interest in a
ball or frisbee.
Lastly, this is not as important with a puppy, but it doesn't hurt. If
you have other animals at home, take a towel and let your current pets
get their scent on them. Let the cat sleep on it or rub your dogs bum
with it. Then when you meet who you think is the right puppy, let the
pup check out the smell of your current pups. Some pups will ignore
the smell and just want to keep playing with you. Some pups will sniff
and sniff and sniff, showing interest. These are both good signs. On
the other hand, some pups will growl at the towel, start barking
incessantly looking for "the other dog" or trying to cover the other
scent with their own (peeing). These signs are not good. If you have a
less than ideal outcome, this doesn't mean that this dog won't work in
your home. It is just a sign that you need to let your current pets
and your new ones meet (on neutral terratory). Once they have met, the
pets can decide if they will be fast friends or if you should keep
looking.
will meet the pup at the fosters or adopters home or a location like a
pet store/dog park where the family can interact with pup. If they
want to check out 2-3 different pups, this may mean arranging 2-3
separate play dates.
We also participate in adoption fairs at major pet stores, but I don't
feel this in the ideal way to meet pups. Usually they last 3-4 hours
and with all of the excitement, the puppies are wired for the first
hour or so and tend to get tired out pretty quickly there after. You
may be looking at a crazy hyper dog, but because they are tired they
may seem more mellowed out at the meeting. You may be looking for the
perfect family dog and walk past an ideal candidate because she is
scared of all of the barking the other dogs are doing.
From an adopters stand point, adoption fairs are great because a
family could potentially meet hundreds of dogs, from different litters
and all sorts of breeds, in one place. That makes for easier comparing
and contrasting to find out which dogs will do best for their family.
Often at the adoption fairs, the foster parent in there to help share
the dogs story and situation. While Fluffy may be incredibly cute, she
may not be the best if you are looking for a dog that doesn't bark - a
foster parent will share that with you. Then they can guide you to a
dog that doesn't bark.
The Humane Society I volunteer for doesn't have a shelter. Shelters
have the benefit that allows an adopter to see tons of dogs at one
time. The problem is that when you are going to look at a dog, often
that is when everyone else is looking at their future pets - on the
weekends. Getting the chance to speak with someone who can truly tell
you what the dog is about - more than what is on the kennel card - can
be tough. Some shelters have areas set up so that you can take the dog
for a walk or let them play with your kids, but many shelters have
very minimal space for these activities. I would not suggest adopting
a dog until you have had the chance to interact with them face to
face. No fence or cage door in between.
If you are considering going to an adoption fair or shelter, I suggest
that you bring a slip leash (or take a normal leash and put the clip
end through the loop) so that it can fit any dog you may be looking
at. Regardless of where you are considering adopting from, I suggest
bringing a toy. If you have your heart set on playing fetch with a
dog, it is probably best to figure out if they have any interest in a
ball or frisbee.
Lastly, this is not as important with a puppy, but it doesn't hurt. If
you have other animals at home, take a towel and let your current pets
get their scent on them. Let the cat sleep on it or rub your dogs bum
with it. Then when you meet who you think is the right puppy, let the
pup check out the smell of your current pups. Some pups will ignore
the smell and just want to keep playing with you. Some pups will sniff
and sniff and sniff, showing interest. These are both good signs. On
the other hand, some pups will growl at the towel, start barking
incessantly looking for "the other dog" or trying to cover the other
scent with their own (peeing). These signs are not good. If you have a
less than ideal outcome, this doesn't mean that this dog won't work in
your home. It is just a sign that you need to let your current pets
and your new ones meet (on neutral terratory). Once they have met, the
pets can decide if they will be fast friends or if you should keep
looking.
August 27
As the puppies are getting larger, I am having to make the tough
decision about how long I can keep the entire family together. Usually
I wouldn't think about separating a litter, but with nine puppies it
will become inevitable that they will have to split up before the
puppies are ready to be adopted out at the end of September. I figure
by then they will be about 25-35 pounds! I can do a lot, but having
about 250 pounds of energetic puppies in my house while their Mama is
trying to fight heart worms is not ideal.
I will keep the puppies with Annabelle until they are at least 7 weeks
old, so she can teach them as much as possible about being a dog. One
of the problems with pet store dogs and many animal adoption groups
that adopt out 6 week old pups is that they separate the pups from mom
as soon as possible so that the "cute, six week old puppy" can find a
home. The humane society I foster for understands that 5-8 weeks is an
essential time for the dogs socialization to have Mom correcting them.
Mom will teach them about bite inhibition. Mom will teach them how
dogs interact with each other - what the different types of growls,
barks, and postures mean. And Mom will tell them, with no uncertain
tones, if the puppies cross the line.
As much as Annabelle can teach them, it is important that they have
plenty of people time too. The more one on one interaction the puppies
have with a person, the better pets they will make. I try to get the
dogs familiar with my cat, but I can only do this one dog at a time so
that Selina doesn't get overwhelmed. The puppies also need to
understand not to bite on hands when someone is trying to pet them.
Learning that sitting will garner more attention than jumping all over
people is important. They will need to begin learning to walk on a
leash. Because of the size of these puppies, it will be vital that
they begin to learn basic puppy etiquette as soon as possible. While I
am good at dog training, there is no way I have the time to spend
30-45 minutes each day per dog teaching them the basics from 8-12
weeks old.
Now I am trying to figure out how best to split this litter. The other
foster home that the pups will be going to has a couple other Mama
dogs. Those Mama dogs would be happy to correct a puppy that gets too
mouthy or crosses the line so the pups will continue to get their dog
educations. Due to the large size difference between the Texan pups
and Victoria & Phoenix, by separating the big pups from the small
pups, it will allow the smaller pups to come out of their shells. By
allowing all of the dogs to come out of their shells, become more
outgoing, and better socialized the puppies will find their forever
homes quicker. The other thought is that because Austin has an
umbilical hernia and two others have small holes, that I should keep
them as my house is quieter. I am sure it will all work out, but just
another thing to think about with all of these puppies!
decision about how long I can keep the entire family together. Usually
I wouldn't think about separating a litter, but with nine puppies it
will become inevitable that they will have to split up before the
puppies are ready to be adopted out at the end of September. I figure
by then they will be about 25-35 pounds! I can do a lot, but having
about 250 pounds of energetic puppies in my house while their Mama is
trying to fight heart worms is not ideal.
I will keep the puppies with Annabelle until they are at least 7 weeks
old, so she can teach them as much as possible about being a dog. One
of the problems with pet store dogs and many animal adoption groups
that adopt out 6 week old pups is that they separate the pups from mom
as soon as possible so that the "cute, six week old puppy" can find a
home. The humane society I foster for understands that 5-8 weeks is an
essential time for the dogs socialization to have Mom correcting them.
Mom will teach them about bite inhibition. Mom will teach them how
dogs interact with each other - what the different types of growls,
barks, and postures mean. And Mom will tell them, with no uncertain
tones, if the puppies cross the line.
As much as Annabelle can teach them, it is important that they have
plenty of people time too. The more one on one interaction the puppies
have with a person, the better pets they will make. I try to get the
dogs familiar with my cat, but I can only do this one dog at a time so
that Selina doesn't get overwhelmed. The puppies also need to
understand not to bite on hands when someone is trying to pet them.
Learning that sitting will garner more attention than jumping all over
people is important. They will need to begin learning to walk on a
leash. Because of the size of these puppies, it will be vital that
they begin to learn basic puppy etiquette as soon as possible. While I
am good at dog training, there is no way I have the time to spend
30-45 minutes each day per dog teaching them the basics from 8-12
weeks old.
Now I am trying to figure out how best to split this litter. The other
foster home that the pups will be going to has a couple other Mama
dogs. Those Mama dogs would be happy to correct a puppy that gets too
mouthy or crosses the line so the pups will continue to get their dog
educations. Due to the large size difference between the Texan pups
and Victoria & Phoenix, by separating the big pups from the small
pups, it will allow the smaller pups to come out of their shells. By
allowing all of the dogs to come out of their shells, become more
outgoing, and better socialized the puppies will find their forever
homes quicker. The other thought is that because Austin has an
umbilical hernia and two others have small holes, that I should keep
them as my house is quieter. I am sure it will all work out, but just
another thing to think about with all of these puppies!
August 25
It is completely insane the amount of dog food this family is eating.
Since Annabelle came here I have gone through more than 100 pounds of
puppy food! Fortunately, the humane society provides the dog food for
the puppies. This family would eat me out of house and home, if the
humane society didn't cover the food bill.
The pet food bank gets food in several ways: donations from "normal
people", donations of broken/damaged bags from pet stores and grocery
stores, and money will be donated specifically to buy food. This means
there is often small quantities of many different types of puppy and
dog foods. While I would love to only feed the dogs one high quality
dog the entire time, but the food bank rarely will have 100+ pounds of
really good stuff. Starting with Annabelle's food and carrying it on
when the puppies started eating mush, I chose a handful of high
quality puppy foods and have blended them together to avoid any
stomach upset when changing from bag to bag.
Right now, I am using about 3-4 pounds of puppy food a day. Then
Annabelle is still eating nearly 10 cups of dog food a day so she can
keep providing the pups with milk. Based on the fact that the puppies
are gaining weight well and that Annabelle's weight has stabilized,
whatever they are eating and how ever much they are eating seems to be
doing them well!
Since Annabelle came here I have gone through more than 100 pounds of
puppy food! Fortunately, the humane society provides the dog food for
the puppies. This family would eat me out of house and home, if the
humane society didn't cover the food bill.
The pet food bank gets food in several ways: donations from "normal
people", donations of broken/damaged bags from pet stores and grocery
stores, and money will be donated specifically to buy food. This means
there is often small quantities of many different types of puppy and
dog foods. While I would love to only feed the dogs one high quality
dog the entire time, but the food bank rarely will have 100+ pounds of
really good stuff. Starting with Annabelle's food and carrying it on
when the puppies started eating mush, I chose a handful of high
quality puppy foods and have blended them together to avoid any
stomach upset when changing from bag to bag.
Right now, I am using about 3-4 pounds of puppy food a day. Then
Annabelle is still eating nearly 10 cups of dog food a day so she can
keep providing the pups with milk. Based on the fact that the puppies
are gaining weight well and that Annabelle's weight has stabilized,
whatever they are eating and how ever much they are eating seems to be
doing them well!
August 23
As the puppies are getting bigger and more active, it is really easy
for me to start feeling overwhelmed. The last litter of puppies that I
fostered had 5 puppies that were this litters size at about 8 weeks
old. This litter, is, well, wow!
Everytime I start to get frustrated I think about why I get
frustrated. Most of the time, the sense of being overwhelmed is caused
by something very positive. It is tough to get down on the floor to
scrub it because the puppies are too friendly! They all want to be
played with by their humans. They don't care that they are running
through a puddle of piddle, they want loving. Over night I try to keep
the puppies corralled in their play pen so if there are accidents, it
is contained. Waking up and immediately needing to mop the floor is no
fun! But any of the breakouts are because Annabelle is such an
attentive mother that when the puppies whine for milk, she does
whatever she needs to to get to her puppies (often making a hole in
the play pen when she goes in, inadvertantly, letting them out).
Even though the puppies can cause stress in my life, there is nothing
more relaxing than curling up on the couch with a puppy or two on my
chest! So even when it is stressful it is still a good experience.
for me to start feeling overwhelmed. The last litter of puppies that I
fostered had 5 puppies that were this litters size at about 8 weeks
old. This litter, is, well, wow!
Everytime I start to get frustrated I think about why I get
frustrated. Most of the time, the sense of being overwhelmed is caused
by something very positive. It is tough to get down on the floor to
scrub it because the puppies are too friendly! They all want to be
played with by their humans. They don't care that they are running
through a puddle of piddle, they want loving. Over night I try to keep
the puppies corralled in their play pen so if there are accidents, it
is contained. Waking up and immediately needing to mop the floor is no
fun! But any of the breakouts are because Annabelle is such an
attentive mother that when the puppies whine for milk, she does
whatever she needs to to get to her puppies (often making a hole in
the play pen when she goes in, inadvertantly, letting them out).
Even though the puppies can cause stress in my life, there is nothing
more relaxing than curling up on the couch with a puppy or two on my
chest! So even when it is stressful it is still a good experience.
August 22
For the last week or so, I have been dog sitting for a friend. So
besides having Annabelle and her puppies, we have had a "rental" dog
here named Saki. Plus our two cats. Yeah, 13 pets is insanity! But
everyone seems to get along well
Saki has a lot of experience being with all sorts of dogs, so it is
interesting watching her interact with the family.
When Saki first got here, she went for Annabelle's food bowl.
Annabelle quickly let Saki know that we don't poach Mama's food.
Annabelle was glad to share her bed with Saki, but the occassional toy
or food item would cause Annabelle to send out a clear warning growl.
99% of the time the girls got along like peas and carrots, but
especially with food, at first, Annabelle started to show the
beginnings of guarding behavior that I will have to nip in the bud.
Since Annabelle didn't want to play with Saki, Saki had no choice but
to try to get the puppies to play with her. The first night Saki was
here, she let the puppies crawl under her for a sniff. The puppy found
something to suckle on between her legs. Saki didn't much care for
that. After she recovered from that trauma, Saki would play bow to
encourage the pups to play with her. The pups would stop what they
were doing not sure of what Saki wanted. Then Saki would commence
running in a circle around them for a couple of minutes. The pups
didn't seem to understand the game, but Saki seemed to get tired out
and that is good.
Reply |Bekkah Hackett
show details 9:18 AM (19 minutes ago)
By this weekend, however the dynamics between Saki and the brood here
had changed dramatically. Annabelle was willing to share anything she
had with Saki. Currently Annabelle is still being free fed so she
doesn't lose any more weight. Now when Saki would approach Annabelles
food bowl, Annabelle would come running over to me for a treat. Today
I noticed Annabelle dragging her food bowl to wherever Saki was. She
would then come to me as to say, "Look Mom, I am sharing!" Saki would
just seem confused, but she has learned not to ignore "delivery food"
and would eat a few bites.
As for the puppies, they are all further developing their little
personalities. Saki really seems to be enjoying playing with Troy and
Charlotte. They are willing to venture out further into the back yard
so a good game of chase can get going. Toledo is definitely developing
a mischevious streak. Saki has a sore spot on her tail and Toledo has
mastered to art of finding that *one* spot that Saki doesn't want
chewed on. Victoria will try to cuddle with anyone and a few times I
have watched her snuggle with Saki when Annabelle was otherwise
occupied. Our three Texas boys - Austin, Dallas, and Houston - have
mastered the art of sitting back and watching the madness ensue. If
all of the dogs are outside, they will find a spot in the shade, line
up and watch their siblings play with Saki or roll around in the
grass. When the rest of the puppies start to tire out, all three will
try to take Saki on at once. Romeo is just now starting to warm up to
Saki, so they haven't had much in the way of playing together. Though
Romeo keeps trying to steal Saki's rope bone whenever she lays down
for a good chewing. Phoenix, the runt, is hanging back. Right now he
is the Mama's boy.
besides having Annabelle and her puppies, we have had a "rental" dog
here named Saki. Plus our two cats. Yeah, 13 pets is insanity! But
everyone seems to get along well
Saki has a lot of experience being with all sorts of dogs, so it is
interesting watching her interact with the family.
When Saki first got here, she went for Annabelle's food bowl.
Annabelle quickly let Saki know that we don't poach Mama's food.
Annabelle was glad to share her bed with Saki, but the occassional toy
or food item would cause Annabelle to send out a clear warning growl.
99% of the time the girls got along like peas and carrots, but
especially with food, at first, Annabelle started to show the
beginnings of guarding behavior that I will have to nip in the bud.
Since Annabelle didn't want to play with Saki, Saki had no choice but
to try to get the puppies to play with her. The first night Saki was
here, she let the puppies crawl under her for a sniff. The puppy found
something to suckle on between her legs. Saki didn't much care for
that. After she recovered from that trauma, Saki would play bow to
encourage the pups to play with her. The pups would stop what they
were doing not sure of what Saki wanted. Then Saki would commence
running in a circle around them for a couple of minutes. The pups
didn't seem to understand the game, but Saki seemed to get tired out
and that is good.
Reply |Bekkah Hackett
show details 9:18 AM (19 minutes ago)
By this weekend, however the dynamics between Saki and the brood here
had changed dramatically. Annabelle was willing to share anything she
had with Saki. Currently Annabelle is still being free fed so she
doesn't lose any more weight. Now when Saki would approach Annabelles
food bowl, Annabelle would come running over to me for a treat. Today
I noticed Annabelle dragging her food bowl to wherever Saki was. She
would then come to me as to say, "Look Mom, I am sharing!" Saki would
just seem confused, but she has learned not to ignore "delivery food"
and would eat a few bites.
As for the puppies, they are all further developing their little
personalities. Saki really seems to be enjoying playing with Troy and
Charlotte. They are willing to venture out further into the back yard
so a good game of chase can get going. Toledo is definitely developing
a mischevious streak. Saki has a sore spot on her tail and Toledo has
mastered to art of finding that *one* spot that Saki doesn't want
chewed on. Victoria will try to cuddle with anyone and a few times I
have watched her snuggle with Saki when Annabelle was otherwise
occupied. Our three Texas boys - Austin, Dallas, and Houston - have
mastered the art of sitting back and watching the madness ensue. If
all of the dogs are outside, they will find a spot in the shade, line
up and watch their siblings play with Saki or roll around in the
grass. When the rest of the puppies start to tire out, all three will
try to take Saki on at once. Romeo is just now starting to warm up to
Saki, so they haven't had much in the way of playing together. Though
Romeo keeps trying to steal Saki's rope bone whenever she lays down
for a good chewing. Phoenix, the runt, is hanging back. Right now he
is the Mama's boy.
August 21
Today the puppies turned 4 weeks old. It is so strange, when the
puppies are born they look like overgrown gerbils. They don't have
"dog noses". It takes them a few weeks before they learn to growl and
bark. But in the last week all of the "gerbils" have begun to look
like actual puppies! Also based on their attempts to sound fierce,
they are starting to want to sound like puppies, too!
This week showed a huge increase in the degree of mobility these dogs
have. I try to let the puppies have their run of the first floor, but
inevitably someone leaves a puddle or a present, so I try to march all
of the puppies outside or into their play pen (where their potty is)
to keep the mess contained. I don't want the puppies thinking that it
is okay to mess on the floor, so I feel like I am constantly cleaning
and running puppies to the potty!
The puppies are complaining. It has been nearly 3 hours since their
last meal, so I need to tend to their needs! Puppy fostering can be
one heck of a lot of work, but looking at their adorable little faces
somehow makes it all worth while.
puppies are born they look like overgrown gerbils. They don't have
"dog noses". It takes them a few weeks before they learn to growl and
bark. But in the last week all of the "gerbils" have begun to look
like actual puppies! Also based on their attempts to sound fierce,
they are starting to want to sound like puppies, too!
This week showed a huge increase in the degree of mobility these dogs
have. I try to let the puppies have their run of the first floor, but
inevitably someone leaves a puddle or a present, so I try to march all
of the puppies outside or into their play pen (where their potty is)
to keep the mess contained. I don't want the puppies thinking that it
is okay to mess on the floor, so I feel like I am constantly cleaning
and running puppies to the potty!
The puppies are complaining. It has been nearly 3 hours since their
last meal, so I need to tend to their needs! Puppy fostering can be
one heck of a lot of work, but looking at their adorable little faces
somehow makes it all worth while.
August 19
Today the puppies are 4 weeks old! They have gotten so big. Most of
them have doubled their weight in the last 10 days!
Because I strive to expose the puppies to as many things as possible I
set a goal each day to introduce them to a new person, new item, and a
new sound each day. The new person can be tough as I don't want to
overwhelm the puppies and new people rarely come to my house one at a
time, but the puppies have probably met 20 people from a 6 month old
baby to an elderly gentleman who fought in the Korean War. Because
Annabelle is allowing me to socialize her pups with kids this early
on, there is no excuse for these dogs not to be awesome family dogs!
One of the things that I do to ready the pups for a "family"
atmosphere is try to build one here. My husband and I don't have kids,
but to make a "family" home we have resorted in borrowing children,
their toys, and their equipment (like strollers). The puppies have
been exposed to some of the child acoutrements and will be introduced
to more and more as they learn not everything is for them to chew on.
Let me preface this by saying all interactions between dogs and
children need to be closely monitored. Children will try to pick up
the puppies but may not have the strength. They will pull ears and
tails. Puppies, regardless of how often you trim nails, puppy nails
can scratch. Puppies mouth EVERYTHING! And you don't want a puppy
scaring a child because "the doggy bit or scratched me". The
experience needs to be positive for the puppies and the children.
them have doubled their weight in the last 10 days!
Because I strive to expose the puppies to as many things as possible I
set a goal each day to introduce them to a new person, new item, and a
new sound each day. The new person can be tough as I don't want to
overwhelm the puppies and new people rarely come to my house one at a
time, but the puppies have probably met 20 people from a 6 month old
baby to an elderly gentleman who fought in the Korean War. Because
Annabelle is allowing me to socialize her pups with kids this early
on, there is no excuse for these dogs not to be awesome family dogs!
One of the things that I do to ready the pups for a "family"
atmosphere is try to build one here. My husband and I don't have kids,
but to make a "family" home we have resorted in borrowing children,
their toys, and their equipment (like strollers). The puppies have
been exposed to some of the child acoutrements and will be introduced
to more and more as they learn not everything is for them to chew on.
Let me preface this by saying all interactions between dogs and
children need to be closely monitored. Children will try to pick up
the puppies but may not have the strength. They will pull ears and
tails. Puppies, regardless of how often you trim nails, puppy nails
can scratch. Puppies mouth EVERYTHING! And you don't want a puppy
scaring a child because "the doggy bit or scratched me". The
experience needs to be positive for the puppies and the children.
August 17
So I finally have found the right names for all of the puppies!
The runt with the blue tiger striped collar has been named Phoenix. He
had a rather rough start in life but he has thoroughly flourished out
of the ashes now. Even though he did need supplemental feedings and
special one on one time with mom, he is now back on track and has been
fully integrated back in with his siblings. His weight gain seems
good, so hopefully he will catch up to his brothers, or at least the
girls, weight wise soon!
The two girls are Charlotte (purple collar) and Victoria (pink
collar). Charlotte is the tom boy. She is happy to get rough and
wrestle around with the boys. She is ready to explore the world and is
our little adventurer.
On the other hand, Victoria is the opposite. She doesn't like to get
dirty. She does not like walking on wet grass. If one of her siblings
is playing too rough, she will bark, growl, and tattle on them. She is
a bit of a priss, but a super sweet pup. Victoria is more of a people
pup who will want to be the center of attention. Even with their
different personalities Both of the girls will make awesome dogs for
someone.
Then we have our three large brown pups - Austin, Houston, and Dallas
- because everything is bigger in Texas!
Austin (Aqua collar) is a big lug, but he is sensitive. If one of the
smaller pups bites on his ear or pulls on his tail, he will cry and
sulk. Austin does seem to have a bit of an umbilical hernia. What this
means is when Austin was connected to Annabelle by the umbilical cord,
the blood vessels went from the umbilical cord, through the belly
button, to nourish the pup. Most of the time, within a few days of the
umbilical cord falling off the little hole that the blood vessels went
through closes up. That doesn't seem to be the case for Austin. So I
will have to keep an eye on it until it closes on its own or he gets
neutered (when the vet will fix the hernia).
Houston (Cammo collar) is just big and laid back. Houston has met both
of the cats and does not seem impressed by them. When all of the other
pups are running around, he is happy to find a comfortable spot on a
doggy bed or on a lap and just watch. Though when it comes to food
time, he is always willing to sprint for his food!
Dallas (Brown and Aqua Collar) was a bit more aggressive at first. He
was the first pup to get teeth in so he began chewing on everything
sooner. About 10 days ago the rest of the puppies were doing their own
things, wrestling and discovering their new world, but Dallas's thing
was chewing and biting. He didn't realize his jaw strength. Over the
last 10 days or so he has had to be handled a lot. He is starting to
learn that we chew on our toys, not our people, but I would bet he
would end up with the softest mouth out of the litter with the amount
of bite inhibition he has gotten from so early on!
Next is the black little boy, Troy (with a blue collar). Troy is about
middle of litter size wise, but he has no fear. He was the first pup
to just walk down the step from the kitchen to the back patio (about
4"). He tumbled a couple of times, but that didn't scare him, he kept
doing it and now he has mastered going up and down that little step.
Also, if the puppy play pen is left open, even a tiny crack, Troy is
the first one to break out. He is sweet and lovable, but he also is
easily distracted and loves to wander.
Then we have Romeo, another of the brown pups (red collar). Romeo was
the last to realize he had teeth so he is a kissing pup with people.
He is one of the smaller pups right now. With his siblings, he is
starting to "fight back" when the play gets too rough, he is learning
to growl and bark at them to tell them to stop. Also if his current
appetite is any indication, he may be headed towards a growth spurt!
Last, but not least, we have Holy Toledo. Toledo is the white puppy
with the black collar. He has mastered the art of puppy eyes already
and he uses them fully to his advantage. He will frequently follow
Troy or Charlotte into trouble, but Toledo will bat his eyes and let
out a small whine to get out of trouble. Also if my house guests vote
on the "Cutest Puppy" based on the amount he is handled, the votes
would say he is the cutest puppy. A lot of his handling has been done
by children and strangers so he is probably the best "people"
socialized dog.
So this is a basic introduction to Annabelle's nine puppies! Wow there
are a lot of them and many different personalities, but they are all
cute as a button!
The runt with the blue tiger striped collar has been named Phoenix. He
had a rather rough start in life but he has thoroughly flourished out
of the ashes now. Even though he did need supplemental feedings and
special one on one time with mom, he is now back on track and has been
fully integrated back in with his siblings. His weight gain seems
good, so hopefully he will catch up to his brothers, or at least the
girls, weight wise soon!
The two girls are Charlotte (purple collar) and Victoria (pink
collar). Charlotte is the tom boy. She is happy to get rough and
wrestle around with the boys. She is ready to explore the world and is
our little adventurer.
On the other hand, Victoria is the opposite. She doesn't like to get
dirty. She does not like walking on wet grass. If one of her siblings
is playing too rough, she will bark, growl, and tattle on them. She is
a bit of a priss, but a super sweet pup. Victoria is more of a people
pup who will want to be the center of attention. Even with their
different personalities Both of the girls will make awesome dogs for
someone.
Then we have our three large brown pups - Austin, Houston, and Dallas
- because everything is bigger in Texas!
Austin (Aqua collar) is a big lug, but he is sensitive. If one of the
smaller pups bites on his ear or pulls on his tail, he will cry and
sulk. Austin does seem to have a bit of an umbilical hernia. What this
means is when Austin was connected to Annabelle by the umbilical cord,
the blood vessels went from the umbilical cord, through the belly
button, to nourish the pup. Most of the time, within a few days of the
umbilical cord falling off the little hole that the blood vessels went
through closes up. That doesn't seem to be the case for Austin. So I
will have to keep an eye on it until it closes on its own or he gets
neutered (when the vet will fix the hernia).
Houston (Cammo collar) is just big and laid back. Houston has met both
of the cats and does not seem impressed by them. When all of the other
pups are running around, he is happy to find a comfortable spot on a
doggy bed or on a lap and just watch. Though when it comes to food
time, he is always willing to sprint for his food!
Dallas (Brown and Aqua Collar) was a bit more aggressive at first. He
was the first pup to get teeth in so he began chewing on everything
sooner. About 10 days ago the rest of the puppies were doing their own
things, wrestling and discovering their new world, but Dallas's thing
was chewing and biting. He didn't realize his jaw strength. Over the
last 10 days or so he has had to be handled a lot. He is starting to
learn that we chew on our toys, not our people, but I would bet he
would end up with the softest mouth out of the litter with the amount
of bite inhibition he has gotten from so early on!
Next is the black little boy, Troy (with a blue collar). Troy is about
middle of litter size wise, but he has no fear. He was the first pup
to just walk down the step from the kitchen to the back patio (about
4"). He tumbled a couple of times, but that didn't scare him, he kept
doing it and now he has mastered going up and down that little step.
Also, if the puppy play pen is left open, even a tiny crack, Troy is
the first one to break out. He is sweet and lovable, but he also is
easily distracted and loves to wander.
Then we have Romeo, another of the brown pups (red collar). Romeo was
the last to realize he had teeth so he is a kissing pup with people.
He is one of the smaller pups right now. With his siblings, he is
starting to "fight back" when the play gets too rough, he is learning
to growl and bark at them to tell them to stop. Also if his current
appetite is any indication, he may be headed towards a growth spurt!
Last, but not least, we have Holy Toledo. Toledo is the white puppy
with the black collar. He has mastered the art of puppy eyes already
and he uses them fully to his advantage. He will frequently follow
Troy or Charlotte into trouble, but Toledo will bat his eyes and let
out a small whine to get out of trouble. Also if my house guests vote
on the "Cutest Puppy" based on the amount he is handled, the votes
would say he is the cutest puppy. A lot of his handling has been done
by children and strangers so he is probably the best "people"
socialized dog.
So this is a basic introduction to Annabelle's nine puppies! Wow there
are a lot of them and many different personalities, but they are all
cute as a button!
August 16
One of the "joys" about watching puppies grow up is watching mom do
less and less for the pups as they are able to do more and more for
themselves. For a foster mom this means we often take on more
responsibility. Right now the pups are eating puppy mush 6 times a day
(first thing in the morning, about 10am, 1-2pm, 4-5pm, 7-8pm, and then
right before I go to bed). After they get their mush, they inevitably
have to go to the bathroom. I have learned that with a litter this
size, feed the puppies whenever you can outside. First of all, puppies
are messy eaters. Also there is the issue of different puppies eat at
different paces. One will eat quickly while others will dawdle. The
quick eater will then go to the bathroom where you feed them because
they don't want to leave their slower eating littermates. I am lucky
because Annabelle will still mostly clean up after them - most moms
will stop within a day or two of the puppies beginning to eat mush. So
I best hurry up to get them all used to the eating and pottying
outside before Annabelle realizes she has "big puppies" now and not 9
little babies.
With all of the cleaning I am doing, the smell of Clorox Cleanup has
permeated my skin. Even the puppies think twice before coming over to
lick my hands. But at least using a bleach based solution, I know
everything is truly clean and that any little germs that were on
anything will be quickly killed.
less and less for the pups as they are able to do more and more for
themselves. For a foster mom this means we often take on more
responsibility. Right now the pups are eating puppy mush 6 times a day
(first thing in the morning, about 10am, 1-2pm, 4-5pm, 7-8pm, and then
right before I go to bed). After they get their mush, they inevitably
have to go to the bathroom. I have learned that with a litter this
size, feed the puppies whenever you can outside. First of all, puppies
are messy eaters. Also there is the issue of different puppies eat at
different paces. One will eat quickly while others will dawdle. The
quick eater will then go to the bathroom where you feed them because
they don't want to leave their slower eating littermates. I am lucky
because Annabelle will still mostly clean up after them - most moms
will stop within a day or two of the puppies beginning to eat mush. So
I best hurry up to get them all used to the eating and pottying
outside before Annabelle realizes she has "big puppies" now and not 9
little babies.
With all of the cleaning I am doing, the smell of Clorox Cleanup has
permeated my skin. Even the puppies think twice before coming over to
lick my hands. But at least using a bleach based solution, I know
everything is truly clean and that any little germs that were on
anything will be quickly killed.
August 14
By the end of last night I realized that I would have to break down
and give the puppies a bath. They all had varying amounts of dried
puppy mush and most of them having some extra panacur on them, bath
time became inevitable.
Because I do most everything with "Annabelle and the pups". Bathtime
help their little personalities come out. The little girl with the
pink collar wanted nothing to do with water at first, but once she got
in and started getting rubbed all over, she really enjoyed the
attention. The other little girl, with the purple collar, loved the
idea of bath time. She is one of the more adventurous spirits in this
litter so she took a bath all in stride. She enjoyed splashing all
around and didn't really want out of the tub. Thank goodness I washed
her in a bathtub. If I would have tried a sink bath, I don't think
there would have been any water left in! Our cammo colored pup is a
big lug out of water. When I put him in the tub, he just sat there
with a goofy puppy grin on his face. The white pup was the last one in
and he was tired. He kept trying to lay down and put his head between
his front paws. (The water was about 2" deep at the drain end and with
him lying down, his nostrils are only about an inch off of the tub
base.) Had to keep reminding him that he had to stand or at least hold
his head up so he wouldn't drown.
For those of you who are using this as a reference for your own foster
puppies, the puppies were just washed in warm water - no soap. At this
age, they aren't really dirty and very few soaps are recommended for
pups under 6 weeks old. I just wanted to "melt off" the dried on
chunks. After the bath, I dried everyone off and kept them in the warm
bathroom so no one would catch a chill.
and give the puppies a bath. They all had varying amounts of dried
puppy mush and most of them having some extra panacur on them, bath
time became inevitable.
Because I do most everything with "Annabelle and the pups". Bathtime
help their little personalities come out. The little girl with the
pink collar wanted nothing to do with water at first, but once she got
in and started getting rubbed all over, she really enjoyed the
attention. The other little girl, with the purple collar, loved the
idea of bath time. She is one of the more adventurous spirits in this
litter so she took a bath all in stride. She enjoyed splashing all
around and didn't really want out of the tub. Thank goodness I washed
her in a bathtub. If I would have tried a sink bath, I don't think
there would have been any water left in! Our cammo colored pup is a
big lug out of water. When I put him in the tub, he just sat there
with a goofy puppy grin on his face. The white pup was the last one in
and he was tired. He kept trying to lay down and put his head between
his front paws. (The water was about 2" deep at the drain end and with
him lying down, his nostrils are only about an inch off of the tub
base.) Had to keep reminding him that he had to stand or at least hold
his head up so he wouldn't drown.
For those of you who are using this as a reference for your own foster
puppies, the puppies were just washed in warm water - no soap. At this
age, they aren't really dirty and very few soaps are recommended for
pups under 6 weeks old. I just wanted to "melt off" the dried on
chunks. After the bath, I dried everyone off and kept them in the warm
bathroom so no one would catch a chill.
August 13
When I woke up this morning, I came downstairs to find that the
puppies had broken out of their play pen and "redecorated" my kitchen
with puppy poop. So that I could clean my kitchen, this meant the
puppies got their first excursion outdoors today. The grass needs to
be mowed so it took a lot of puppy energy to run through the yard, but
the puppies seemed to enjoy themselves and get tuckered out pretty
quickly!
Later in the day, they got their first experience with puppy mush.
Puppy mush is puppy food that has been let to sit with water for 3+
hours. I then mix in some puppy formula for the first week or so to
increase the nutritional value. This batch was put in the blender so
it is baby food consistancy.
Annabelle is a piggy right now so I need to separate her from the
puppies during meal time. Annabelle was not thrilled with having to
watch her puppies eat. Oh well, I am sure a dog treat will make her
better. If my past experiences with puppy mush is any indication, the
first time the puppies get mush, it will be more of a tactile
experience than an eating experience, but several of them, including
the runt, just dove in and chowed down! Once the pups ate/danced in
the food, Annabelle was glad to clean the pups up and she probably got
a good cup or two off their coats!
They also needed the third day of their deworming. For those of you
unfamiliar with Panacur, it is a white liquid medicine. It looks a bit
like White Out and smells like questionable milk, but it is an awesome
dewormer for puppies. It can kill most of the worms that a dog can
have. For those of you who have followed the trials and tribulations
of the runt, that is just one example of what a dog with a heavy worm
load goes through. Now that his worms are dying off, he is gaining
weight and becoming feistier.
While Panacur is great, but it is a weight based medication. That
means for a small puppy they only get a few milliliters, not too tough
to administer. But if I were to give Annabelle Panacur, she would
about a 1/2 cup of yucky tasting meds. Thankfully there is a similar
medication that comes in pill form for Annabelle.
puppies had broken out of their play pen and "redecorated" my kitchen
with puppy poop. So that I could clean my kitchen, this meant the
puppies got their first excursion outdoors today. The grass needs to
be mowed so it took a lot of puppy energy to run through the yard, but
the puppies seemed to enjoy themselves and get tuckered out pretty
quickly!
Later in the day, they got their first experience with puppy mush.
Puppy mush is puppy food that has been let to sit with water for 3+
hours. I then mix in some puppy formula for the first week or so to
increase the nutritional value. This batch was put in the blender so
it is baby food consistancy.
Annabelle is a piggy right now so I need to separate her from the
puppies during meal time. Annabelle was not thrilled with having to
watch her puppies eat. Oh well, I am sure a dog treat will make her
better. If my past experiences with puppy mush is any indication, the
first time the puppies get mush, it will be more of a tactile
experience than an eating experience, but several of them, including
the runt, just dove in and chowed down! Once the pups ate/danced in
the food, Annabelle was glad to clean the pups up and she probably got
a good cup or two off their coats!
They also needed the third day of their deworming. For those of you
unfamiliar with Panacur, it is a white liquid medicine. It looks a bit
like White Out and smells like questionable milk, but it is an awesome
dewormer for puppies. It can kill most of the worms that a dog can
have. For those of you who have followed the trials and tribulations
of the runt, that is just one example of what a dog with a heavy worm
load goes through. Now that his worms are dying off, he is gaining
weight and becoming feistier.
While Panacur is great, but it is a weight based medication. That
means for a small puppy they only get a few milliliters, not too tough
to administer. But if I were to give Annabelle Panacur, she would
about a 1/2 cup of yucky tasting meds. Thankfully there is a similar
medication that comes in pill form for Annabelle.
August 12
Tonight I was checking out the pups, getting them used to being poked
and prodded, and I noticed that everyone now has teeth. This may not
seem like a big deal to most people, but this means that their puppy
mush can be baby food consistency rather than milk consistency. The
advantages for the foster mom? The more nutrition per bite means that
the puppies need fewer bites of food. The less food that goes in,
means the less poop that comes out!
We did the next round of Panacur today. The puppies did not enjoy
todays medicine any better than yesterdays, but it seems to be helping
them. Everyone, including the runt, gained at least 100g (about 1/4
pound). Yay!
and prodded, and I noticed that everyone now has teeth. This may not
seem like a big deal to most people, but this means that their puppy
mush can be baby food consistency rather than milk consistency. The
advantages for the foster mom? The more nutrition per bite means that
the puppies need fewer bites of food. The less food that goes in,
means the less poop that comes out!
We did the next round of Panacur today. The puppies did not enjoy
todays medicine any better than yesterdays, but it seems to be helping
them. Everyone, including the runt, gained at least 100g (about 1/4
pound). Yay!
August 11
So this morning, I gave the puppies a dewormer called Panacur. It
helps kill off any of the parasites that may be in the puppies gut.
Just like small children, puppies don't always know/understand/care
that the medicine will help them in the long run, they just know the
medicine tastes disgusting and the puppies revolt. Fortunately, most
of the puppies are small enough that they only get a few mililitres of
it. The giant puppy, the one with the cammo collar is over 4.5 pounds
so he needed a bit more. He is usually rather sweet and docile, but he
was shaking his head, clawing at my hand, and clamping his jaw down to
avoid the rest of the dose. Oh well! Only 2 more days of medicine then
they get time off. I am sure the puppies and I will make it.
helps kill off any of the parasites that may be in the puppies gut.
Just like small children, puppies don't always know/understand/care
that the medicine will help them in the long run, they just know the
medicine tastes disgusting and the puppies revolt. Fortunately, most
of the puppies are small enough that they only get a few mililitres of
it. The giant puppy, the one with the cammo collar is over 4.5 pounds
so he needed a bit more. He is usually rather sweet and docile, but he
was shaking his head, clawing at my hand, and clamping his jaw down to
avoid the rest of the dose. Oh well! Only 2 more days of medicine then
they get time off. I am sure the puppies and I will make it.
August 10
The runt had a huge health scare last night. Most of the day yesterday
he was reluctant to drink from a bottle. By yesterday afternoon, he
wouldn't drink from Annabelle. By last night when I tried snuggling
the family down for bed, Annabelle kept pushing the runt off to the
side. I started running through my whole bag of tricks. I put the
puppy in a sling and carried him around the house, keeping him close
to my body for comfort and warmth. The sling helps me keep track of
his situation on a moment by moment basis. One of the problems with
puppies at this age and size is that if they decide to go downhill, it
happens so quickly. After a few hours in the sling and several
attempts to feed him, I decided that he needed some rehydration. So
the poor runt got 2 shots of normal saline under his skin. When I gave
him the first shot, he didn't even make a noise. By the time he got
the second shot, he was doing well enough to let out a puppy cry. By
about 4-5am, Annabelle was interested in her pup again. This morning
he is back to his one on one feedings with mom. He may need a few
extra one on one feedings over the next few days, but he seems to be
okay for now.
With this runt not gaining weight like I would hope, I may have to
deworm him and his siblings earlier than I had anticipated, but last
night just showed me exactly how attached I am to these puppies. When
I didn't know what else to do, I broke down and was a big bucket of
tears. When I thought about injecting the normal saline, I was that
over the moon.I actually sang and skipped when the saline and syringes
were found. Then when he started feeding from Annabelle and she
started grooming him, I started crying again. I can't handle any more
nights like last night. The puppies need to be fat and healthy from
here on out!
he was reluctant to drink from a bottle. By yesterday afternoon, he
wouldn't drink from Annabelle. By last night when I tried snuggling
the family down for bed, Annabelle kept pushing the runt off to the
side. I started running through my whole bag of tricks. I put the
puppy in a sling and carried him around the house, keeping him close
to my body for comfort and warmth. The sling helps me keep track of
his situation on a moment by moment basis. One of the problems with
puppies at this age and size is that if they decide to go downhill, it
happens so quickly. After a few hours in the sling and several
attempts to feed him, I decided that he needed some rehydration. So
the poor runt got 2 shots of normal saline under his skin. When I gave
him the first shot, he didn't even make a noise. By the time he got
the second shot, he was doing well enough to let out a puppy cry. By
about 4-5am, Annabelle was interested in her pup again. This morning
he is back to his one on one feedings with mom. He may need a few
extra one on one feedings over the next few days, but he seems to be
okay for now.
With this runt not gaining weight like I would hope, I may have to
deworm him and his siblings earlier than I had anticipated, but last
night just showed me exactly how attached I am to these puppies. When
I didn't know what else to do, I broke down and was a big bucket of
tears. When I thought about injecting the normal saline, I was that
over the moon.I actually sang and skipped when the saline and syringes
were found. Then when he started feeding from Annabelle and she
started grooming him, I started crying again. I can't handle any more
nights like last night. The puppies need to be fat and healthy from
here on out!
August 9
The last few days have been hectic! The runt is still getting
supplemental feedings. I am still doing several loads of towels each
day to keep the puppies in fresh bedding. Plus Annabelle wants to
spend more time with me and less time with her pups. To get her to
feed the pups during the day, I am having to sit with her in the puppy
area. Usually at the three week mark, I start feeding the pups mush
(moistened and mashed up puppy food). I am sure Annabelle will be
thrilled when the pups start eating their mush. The pups are growing
like weeds. I can't even begin to imagine how much milk she must be
putting out!
supplemental feedings. I am still doing several loads of towels each
day to keep the puppies in fresh bedding. Plus Annabelle wants to
spend more time with me and less time with her pups. To get her to
feed the pups during the day, I am having to sit with her in the puppy
area. Usually at the three week mark, I start feeding the pups mush
(moistened and mashed up puppy food). I am sure Annabelle will be
thrilled when the pups start eating their mush. The pups are growing
like weeds. I can't even begin to imagine how much milk she must be
putting out!
August 7
It is very common in large litters that there is a runt, one puppy
that is just much smaller than the others. Our runt, a little boy with
a blue tiger striped collar, is starting to require additional
feedings. His weight has essentially plateaued. Ideally this pup
should be gaining about 50 grams per day, but for the past 2-3 days,
he has actually lost 14 grams. In a case like this, the runt will need
supplemental feedings. These feeding can be done a few ways. My
preferred method for supplementation is to let him have some one on
one time with mom. Sometimes this is all a pup needs to let them catch
up. Right now this runt is 2 pounds smaller than his siblings; his
siblings can just push him aside and not get the "choice" nipples. So
every morning and evening, the runt, Annabelle and I sit on the couch
and watch TV. The runt is mostly focused on eating, but Annabelle and
I watch TV. She really enjoys watching Animal Planet! :)
Even the one on one feedings aren't helping him put on weight, so I am
giving him a few bottles during the day. I have to be careful of how
much formula I give him because it can cause runny stools. This may
not seem like a big deal, but if a puppy gets diarrhea, he can become
dehydrated very quickly. Hopefully our current feeding schedule will
allow the runt to put on weight.
that is just much smaller than the others. Our runt, a little boy with
a blue tiger striped collar, is starting to require additional
feedings. His weight has essentially plateaued. Ideally this pup
should be gaining about 50 grams per day, but for the past 2-3 days,
he has actually lost 14 grams. In a case like this, the runt will need
supplemental feedings. These feeding can be done a few ways. My
preferred method for supplementation is to let him have some one on
one time with mom. Sometimes this is all a pup needs to let them catch
up. Right now this runt is 2 pounds smaller than his siblings; his
siblings can just push him aside and not get the "choice" nipples. So
every morning and evening, the runt, Annabelle and I sit on the couch
and watch TV. The runt is mostly focused on eating, but Annabelle and
I watch TV. She really enjoys watching Animal Planet! :)
Even the one on one feedings aren't helping him put on weight, so I am
giving him a few bottles during the day. I have to be careful of how
much formula I give him because it can cause runny stools. This may
not seem like a big deal, but if a puppy gets diarrhea, he can become
dehydrated very quickly. Hopefully our current feeding schedule will
allow the runt to put on weight.
August 6
The puppies are 2 weeks old today and I have finally come up with the
theme for this litter. They will all be named after cities. I have
several ideas but I like to get a large selection of names to choose
from. As the puppies develop personalities, I can start to pick the
right name for the right dog.
A lot of people are suggesting names of Texas towns, but many of the
names don't seem like dogs names to me. I can't imagine yelling in the
back yard, "Beaumont and Waco, come inside." Many of my friends and
family are suggesting towns from my home state of Michigan. The
problem with those cities is pronunciation. I don't know how the
average Texan would pronounce Mackinac or Algonac, but somehow I fear
it would be butchered. So I think I will need to pick a few Texas
towns, a few Michigan towns, and then a few more fitting cities that
have names just too perfect to pass up!
theme for this litter. They will all be named after cities. I have
several ideas but I like to get a large selection of names to choose
from. As the puppies develop personalities, I can start to pick the
right name for the right dog.
A lot of people are suggesting names of Texas towns, but many of the
names don't seem like dogs names to me. I can't imagine yelling in the
back yard, "Beaumont and Waco, come inside." Many of my friends and
family are suggesting towns from my home state of Michigan. The
problem with those cities is pronunciation. I don't know how the
average Texan would pronounce Mackinac or Algonac, but somehow I fear
it would be butchered. So I think I will need to pick a few Texas
towns, a few Michigan towns, and then a few more fitting cities that
have names just too perfect to pass up!
August 4
Last night Annabelle went to go get her first set of shots. She did
remarkably well. The vet clinic was really busy, so we waited outside.
It was hot, but she found a cool spot in the shade. Once she had
settled in, she refused to get up. To get her into the vet, I had to
actually pick her up and carry her to the vet table, When it came time
for her to go home, there was a nice young man there who offered to
help me get her in the car.
I believe that he was one of the other volunteers teenage son. I am
pretty sure, that he didn't understand what all lifting a nursing dog
entailed. Poor kid had about a half a cup of milk all over his arms
and chest. The kid was scared he had "broken" Annabelle. I felt bad
for the young man, but I couldn't stop laughing. The joys of fostering
a nursing dog!
On a slightly sadder note from the evening at the vet, Annabelle
tested positive for heart worms. Based on the home she came from, the
fact she was covered in fleas, who knows if her nails had ever been
trimmed, and the general lack of care she had receives, I wasn't
surprised, but I always hope that the dog is healthy. When the
heartworm test was done it can show a "low positive" indicator or a
"high positive" indicator. Annabelle is a high positive so when the
puppies are closer to being weaned, she will start on a month long
treatment of antibiotics to help kill off the parasites that live in
the heart worms. After that she will go in to get 2 deep injections to
kill the actual heart worms. No fun, but given that the only other
option is to let her die from Heartworms, this treatment is better
than the other options.
Even though she has a high heartworm count, Annabelle has several
things going for her. She is a young dog. Now that she has been with
me for a couple of weeks, she has been eating healthy food for the
last 2 weeks. A healthy diet will only help her in battling the heart
worms.
remarkably well. The vet clinic was really busy, so we waited outside.
It was hot, but she found a cool spot in the shade. Once she had
settled in, she refused to get up. To get her into the vet, I had to
actually pick her up and carry her to the vet table, When it came time
for her to go home, there was a nice young man there who offered to
help me get her in the car.
I believe that he was one of the other volunteers teenage son. I am
pretty sure, that he didn't understand what all lifting a nursing dog
entailed. Poor kid had about a half a cup of milk all over his arms
and chest. The kid was scared he had "broken" Annabelle. I felt bad
for the young man, but I couldn't stop laughing. The joys of fostering
a nursing dog!
On a slightly sadder note from the evening at the vet, Annabelle
tested positive for heart worms. Based on the home she came from, the
fact she was covered in fleas, who knows if her nails had ever been
trimmed, and the general lack of care she had receives, I wasn't
surprised, but I always hope that the dog is healthy. When the
heartworm test was done it can show a "low positive" indicator or a
"high positive" indicator. Annabelle is a high positive so when the
puppies are closer to being weaned, she will start on a month long
treatment of antibiotics to help kill off the parasites that live in
the heart worms. After that she will go in to get 2 deep injections to
kill the actual heart worms. No fun, but given that the only other
option is to let her die from Heartworms, this treatment is better
than the other options.
Even though she has a high heartworm count, Annabelle has several
things going for her. She is a young dog. Now that she has been with
me for a couple of weeks, she has been eating healthy food for the
last 2 weeks. A healthy diet will only help her in battling the heart
worms.
August 3
Two of the puppies opened their eyes today! I figure the rest of them
will have their eyes opened by the end of the week. Now with their
eyes opening, that means the hearing shouldn't be too far off. All of
these mile stones mean that the pups are starting to develop
personalities and I can start exposing them to all sorts of household
sights and sounds.
One of the great things about Annabelle is how much she trusts my
husband and I. She hasn't even been at the house for 2 weeks yet, but
she trusts me enough to know that when I take a puppy away from her I
will bring it back. Most street dogs would not be okay with strangers
being in her space, but Annabelle has received several hugs and kisses
from small children. As long as I tell her that everything is okay,
she will try anything I ask. Ideally I will be able to boost her self
confidence so she doesn't need me telling her it is okay, but until
then, she is a good dog.
Today, Annabelle tried to create a new bonding experience for us. I
went upstairs to take a bath and Annabelle came with. At first she was
happy with sitting on the bath rug while I was in the tub. After about
10 minutes, our Mama wanted more loving. While I am glad to cuddle
with you, Annabelle, I would prefer to not do it in the bath tub from
now on!
That helped serve as a reminder that I needed to trim her (and the
puppies') nails! Nail trimming is a job that never seems to be done.
will have their eyes opened by the end of the week. Now with their
eyes opening, that means the hearing shouldn't be too far off. All of
these mile stones mean that the pups are starting to develop
personalities and I can start exposing them to all sorts of household
sights and sounds.
One of the great things about Annabelle is how much she trusts my
husband and I. She hasn't even been at the house for 2 weeks yet, but
she trusts me enough to know that when I take a puppy away from her I
will bring it back. Most street dogs would not be okay with strangers
being in her space, but Annabelle has received several hugs and kisses
from small children. As long as I tell her that everything is okay,
she will try anything I ask. Ideally I will be able to boost her self
confidence so she doesn't need me telling her it is okay, but until
then, she is a good dog.
Today, Annabelle tried to create a new bonding experience for us. I
went upstairs to take a bath and Annabelle came with. At first she was
happy with sitting on the bath rug while I was in the tub. After about
10 minutes, our Mama wanted more loving. While I am glad to cuddle
with you, Annabelle, I would prefer to not do it in the bath tub from
now on!
That helped serve as a reminder that I needed to trim her (and the
puppies') nails! Nail trimming is a job that never seems to be done.
August 2
Today Annabelle and I went for our first "walk" together. She is
surprisingly good on a leash. She gets easily winded, so we only
walked up to the end of the cul-de-sac and back, but this girl really
enjoyed the sunshine, sniffing the neighborhood, and getting away from
her puppies for a bit!
surprisingly good on a leash. She gets easily winded, so we only
walked up to the end of the cul-de-sac and back, but this girl really
enjoyed the sunshine, sniffing the neighborhood, and getting away from
her puppies for a bit!
July 31
For any of you who wonder what you can do to help your local humane
society foster new born puppies, here is a list of things that I would
bet every animal charity could use.
1) Towels and Blankets. The birthing process is messy. The towels that
a dog gives birth on are usually unsalvadgeable. For the first week or
two of their lives, a puppy only goes to the bathroom when mom
stimulates them by rubbing or licking their genetalia. As the puppies
begin to get more mobile, then accidents happen. When the puppies
climb all over each other, someone could get stimulated and have an
accident. So that these accidents do not become a habit, I have had to
change out the towels at least twice a day.
From birth until the puppies are about 2 weeks old, I use a dog bed
covered with heavy duty garbage bags that are duct taped together. The
bags protect the bed from any accidents, any stains caused by
Annabelle's bleeding, and from being discolored by the Chlorox Cleanup
that I use to clean the puppy area. When the puppies are about two
weeks old, I stop using the dog bed because the pups will begin
digging into their bed (ripping holes in the plastic bags) and chewing
on whatever they can get their teeth on (including chewing apart the
garbage bags).. I don't want the puppies to swallow or axfixiate on
the garbage bags.
As the puppies get more mobile, the towels and blankets are easier to
clean when someone makes a mess. If one of the pups steps in a mess
and then tracks it back to their bed, I need to be able to wash
whatever is soiled ASAP. If I keep the puppies bed insanely clean for
about 10 days, that will reinforce natures programming that a dog
doesn't potty where it sleeps (or eats or plays).
I only have one dog bed. If I had to wash the bed whenever a puppy has
an accident, the dogs would never get to sleep on their bed. Towels
and blankets are easier to clean than a big dog bed. The towels and
the blankets I use for beds, can be washed and ready for the next use
within 2 hours. If I have to wash the dog bed, it will take at least 2
days to dry.
The towels also get used for bath time. When the puppies are ready
for adoption, they will also need a bath. With 9 puppies, that means 9
towels. Even if the puppies did not make another mess all day, the
baths alone would mean about 2 loads of towels just on bath day.It
adds up quickly! Which leads to our need for...
Laundry detergent and bleach: I do about 2 loads of towels each day
with my current litter of puppies. Each load of laundry needs to be
bleached so that there are no lingering smells. Besides using the
bleach for laundry, I also use it to clean up when the puppies have an
accident. Bleach solutions thoroughly clean up the smell of the
accidents.
Collars and Leashes: I touched on this earlier, but I spent about $25
putting collars on Annabelle and her puppies. Besides helping me tell
the puppies apart, the collars will hold an ID tag with my information
in case a puppy gets lost, an ID tag from the microchip company, and
when they are old enough, their rabies tag. Spending $25 per litter of
pups may not seem like a huge expense, but the Humane Society I
volunteer for is relatively small. They will only find homes for
between 100-150 dogs this year. That would mean they spend $300-800 in
collars per year. We probably spend at least that on leashes as well.
If we spent less money on things like collars and leashes, the money
can be used for vet bills, dog food, or any of the other expenses that
a humane society incurs. So the next time your dog outgrows a collar
or you buy a shiny new one for your pup, your local humane society
will be appreciative for your old collars and leashes.
society foster new born puppies, here is a list of things that I would
bet every animal charity could use.
1) Towels and Blankets. The birthing process is messy. The towels that
a dog gives birth on are usually unsalvadgeable. For the first week or
two of their lives, a puppy only goes to the bathroom when mom
stimulates them by rubbing or licking their genetalia. As the puppies
begin to get more mobile, then accidents happen. When the puppies
climb all over each other, someone could get stimulated and have an
accident. So that these accidents do not become a habit, I have had to
change out the towels at least twice a day.
From birth until the puppies are about 2 weeks old, I use a dog bed
covered with heavy duty garbage bags that are duct taped together. The
bags protect the bed from any accidents, any stains caused by
Annabelle's bleeding, and from being discolored by the Chlorox Cleanup
that I use to clean the puppy area. When the puppies are about two
weeks old, I stop using the dog bed because the pups will begin
digging into their bed (ripping holes in the plastic bags) and chewing
on whatever they can get their teeth on (including chewing apart the
garbage bags).. I don't want the puppies to swallow or axfixiate on
the garbage bags.
As the puppies get more mobile, the towels and blankets are easier to
clean when someone makes a mess. If one of the pups steps in a mess
and then tracks it back to their bed, I need to be able to wash
whatever is soiled ASAP. If I keep the puppies bed insanely clean for
about 10 days, that will reinforce natures programming that a dog
doesn't potty where it sleeps (or eats or plays).
I only have one dog bed. If I had to wash the bed whenever a puppy has
an accident, the dogs would never get to sleep on their bed. Towels
and blankets are easier to clean than a big dog bed. The towels and
the blankets I use for beds, can be washed and ready for the next use
within 2 hours. If I have to wash the dog bed, it will take at least 2
days to dry.
The towels also get used for bath time. When the puppies are ready
for adoption, they will also need a bath. With 9 puppies, that means 9
towels. Even if the puppies did not make another mess all day, the
baths alone would mean about 2 loads of towels just on bath day.It
adds up quickly! Which leads to our need for...
Laundry detergent and bleach: I do about 2 loads of towels each day
with my current litter of puppies. Each load of laundry needs to be
bleached so that there are no lingering smells. Besides using the
bleach for laundry, I also use it to clean up when the puppies have an
accident. Bleach solutions thoroughly clean up the smell of the
accidents.
Collars and Leashes: I touched on this earlier, but I spent about $25
putting collars on Annabelle and her puppies. Besides helping me tell
the puppies apart, the collars will hold an ID tag with my information
in case a puppy gets lost, an ID tag from the microchip company, and
when they are old enough, their rabies tag. Spending $25 per litter of
pups may not seem like a huge expense, but the Humane Society I
volunteer for is relatively small. They will only find homes for
between 100-150 dogs this year. That would mean they spend $300-800 in
collars per year. We probably spend at least that on leashes as well.
If we spent less money on things like collars and leashes, the money
can be used for vet bills, dog food, or any of the other expenses that
a humane society incurs. So the next time your dog outgrows a collar
or you buy a shiny new one for your pup, your local humane society
will be appreciative for your old collars and leashes.
July 30
My best friend and her 15 month old daughter came over to see the
puppies. I was expecting to have to keep the puppies separated from
the baby, E, but Annabelle was perfectly okay with letting us see the
pups. E has had a fair amount of experience with baby animals, so she
gladly sat on her mom's lap or on the dog bed and put a pup in her lap
to see what would happen. E was happy to sit nicely and pet the pups!
Kids and puppies, dangerously cute together!
puppies. I was expecting to have to keep the puppies separated from
the baby, E, but Annabelle was perfectly okay with letting us see the
pups. E has had a fair amount of experience with baby animals, so she
gladly sat on her mom's lap or on the dog bed and put a pup in her lap
to see what would happen. E was happy to sit nicely and pet the pups!
Kids and puppies, dangerously cute together!
July 28
Because so many of the puppies look alike, I have had to put ribbons
on them to tell everyone apart. Between Annabelle's desire to
thoroughly clean the puppies and the puppies climbing all over each
other, the ribbons keep coming off so I am going out to buy collars
today.
Yes, I know they sell temporary collars that are like hospital
bracelets (unable to be easily taken off), but I couldn't find any at
the pet store and with the growth rate of these puppies I would have
to put a new set of collars on every 10 days or so. You can also paint
each of the puppies nails a different color. Maybe if there were more
girls in the litter, I might consider it, but that seems like a lot of
work and weird for this litter. So puppy collars it is!
Now where to get puppy collars? I first tried the big pet stores and
was shocked at the price of their collars. At least $5 each! Multiply
that by 9 puppies and that is not in a non-profit, humane society's
budget. I looked online. To get 9 different colors that I would need
to tell the pups apart, it was going to be just as expensive as the
pet stores, be a pain in the butt, and take 3-4 days minimum for the
collars to arrive...
So I ended up at Walmart. They didn't have the best selection, but I
was able to get 7 collars for less than $13. I then went to Target for
the last 2. They didn't have any better suggestion than Walmart, but
they had what was needed and for about $2 each.
Also, just to brag about my puppies... There are 6 sizes of collars:
Tiny, Small, Medium, Large, XL, and Jumbo. I tried to get the tiny
collars (suggested to fit chihuahuas), but the tiny ones would have to
be expanded about as open as they could be. So that there is still
room for growth, we had to go up to size small (8-14" - suggested to
fit pugs)! Wow! These pups are getting big fast!
on them to tell everyone apart. Between Annabelle's desire to
thoroughly clean the puppies and the puppies climbing all over each
other, the ribbons keep coming off so I am going out to buy collars
today.
Yes, I know they sell temporary collars that are like hospital
bracelets (unable to be easily taken off), but I couldn't find any at
the pet store and with the growth rate of these puppies I would have
to put a new set of collars on every 10 days or so. You can also paint
each of the puppies nails a different color. Maybe if there were more
girls in the litter, I might consider it, but that seems like a lot of
work and weird for this litter. So puppy collars it is!
Now where to get puppy collars? I first tried the big pet stores and
was shocked at the price of their collars. At least $5 each! Multiply
that by 9 puppies and that is not in a non-profit, humane society's
budget. I looked online. To get 9 different colors that I would need
to tell the pups apart, it was going to be just as expensive as the
pet stores, be a pain in the butt, and take 3-4 days minimum for the
collars to arrive...
So I ended up at Walmart. They didn't have the best selection, but I
was able to get 7 collars for less than $13. I then went to Target for
the last 2. They didn't have any better suggestion than Walmart, but
they had what was needed and for about $2 each.
Also, just to brag about my puppies... There are 6 sizes of collars:
Tiny, Small, Medium, Large, XL, and Jumbo. I tried to get the tiny
collars (suggested to fit chihuahuas), but the tiny ones would have to
be expanded about as open as they could be. So that there is still
room for growth, we had to go up to size small (8-14" - suggested to
fit pugs)! Wow! These pups are getting big fast!
July 26
Poor Annabelle! I woke up and felt her sides and her stretch marks
have begun scabbing up. I have started putting some udder cream on
her, but poor baby!
When the puppies were born, I took their weights. I have always used a
diet scale that I bought at a garage sale for $0.50. The old scale was
analogue. It only weighed in ounces, didn't have the ability to
measure in grams. It didn't have a tare function. By no means was this
a great scale, but it had always worked for me. Unfortunately, after
weighing the 5th puppy a spring broke and my scale would no longer
work. Today I splurged and got a new scale. Spent a whole $7 on it,
but it has all the bells and whistles that I wanted. It weighs in
ounces and grams. There is a bowl that will hold a newborn puppy.
There is a flat top that will hold a larger bucket to hold a larger
puppy.
I keep track of what the puppies weigh so that I can make sure that
everyone is gaining weight and no one is losing. If a puppy starts
losing weight, then I need to start supplementary feedings
immediately. As the pups get older, their weight is important so I
can administer the correct amount of medication.
While weighing them, I also realized that I needed to trim their
nails. It never ceases to amaze me how quickly the nails of all baby
animals grow. I make it a habit to trim puppy nails every 4-5 days.
Nothing seems to turn a mother off of nursing like 9 sets of sharp
puppy nails being raked over her tender chest!
While Cringer, our male cat, was out on the streets, he would "help
baby sit" the local kittens. When one of the kittens would wander
away, Cringer would pick the kitten up and help them find their way
back to mom. Today between the weighing and nail clipping, I had a
couple of puppies on the couch. Cringer came over for a sniff. Selina,
our female cat, was sitting at the other end of the sofa. While
tending to the pups, Cringer kept trying to "pup-nap" a baby and take
him to Selina. The puppy tried nuzzling into Selina and she jumped
straight into the air. She has no mothering instinct at all.
have begun scabbing up. I have started putting some udder cream on
her, but poor baby!
When the puppies were born, I took their weights. I have always used a
diet scale that I bought at a garage sale for $0.50. The old scale was
analogue. It only weighed in ounces, didn't have the ability to
measure in grams. It didn't have a tare function. By no means was this
a great scale, but it had always worked for me. Unfortunately, after
weighing the 5th puppy a spring broke and my scale would no longer
work. Today I splurged and got a new scale. Spent a whole $7 on it,
but it has all the bells and whistles that I wanted. It weighs in
ounces and grams. There is a bowl that will hold a newborn puppy.
There is a flat top that will hold a larger bucket to hold a larger
puppy.
I keep track of what the puppies weigh so that I can make sure that
everyone is gaining weight and no one is losing. If a puppy starts
losing weight, then I need to start supplementary feedings
immediately. As the pups get older, their weight is important so I
can administer the correct amount of medication.
While weighing them, I also realized that I needed to trim their
nails. It never ceases to amaze me how quickly the nails of all baby
animals grow. I make it a habit to trim puppy nails every 4-5 days.
Nothing seems to turn a mother off of nursing like 9 sets of sharp
puppy nails being raked over her tender chest!
While Cringer, our male cat, was out on the streets, he would "help
baby sit" the local kittens. When one of the kittens would wander
away, Cringer would pick the kitten up and help them find their way
back to mom. Today between the weighing and nail clipping, I had a
couple of puppies on the couch. Cringer came over for a sniff. Selina,
our female cat, was sitting at the other end of the sofa. While
tending to the pups, Cringer kept trying to "pup-nap" a baby and take
him to Selina. The puppy tried nuzzling into Selina and she jumped
straight into the air. She has no mothering instinct at all.
July 25
July 25
While I understand that everyone wants to know about the puppies, I
feel it is important to share a little about Annabelle's story, too.
To begin with, she is an amazing dog considering where she came from.
There are a few behavioral matters we need to work on, but nothing
major or unexpected to overcome. One of her problems is that Annabelle
thinks that she is a lap dog. If she has the chance, she wants to
cuddle with me. I am okay with her sitting next to me on the sofa, but
she is too heavy to try to crawl on my lap. Her other issue is that
she eats out of trash cans. Given that Annabelle had to forage for
food, it doesn't surprise me that a trashcan has often been her dinner
plate. It may take her a while to learn that she will aways have
plenty of dog food here, but as she learns to trust people to provide
her food, her interest in the trash bin will diminish.
On a positive note, I have been really surprised with how she has done
with house breaking. Based on the condition of her previous residence
and the smell of ammonia that permeated the building, I expected her
to have no knowledge of house training. So far, no accidents. And I
couldn't be happier about it. Annabelle will bark at the bottom of the
stairs if she needs to go out in the middle of the night. While not
ideal, it is better than waking up to a large puddle. My pregnant or
post natal friends are happy to remind me that this little girl just
gave birth to 9 puppies. Annabelle drinks a ton of water to keep her
milk production up. She also cleans up when the puppies urinate or
deficate; this means that Annabelle is taking in that much more fluid.
The other thing I have been surprised about is that Annabelle is
really friendly with our cats. She isn't a fan of the neighborhood
stray cats - if a cat runs, she will chase it - but Annabelle hasn't
shown anything except curiousity towards our house cats.
I am also surprised that she is willing to let me handle the puppies
with our male cat, Cringer, around. Cringer will come over, sniff and
attempt to figure out what these squeaky little "things" are.
I would guess that Annabelle is only about 16-18 months old. The
neighbors have told me that, Annabelle had a previous litter this
spring. For being as young as she is, having back to back litters is
tough on her body and mind. Having a second litter with 9 puppies
could be overwhelmind, but so far, so good. She is eating like a pig:
10+ cups of dog food, some extra protein (usually 3-4 scrambled eggs
or a chicken breast), and then additional calcium (ice cream, a
sprinkling of powdered puppy formula, or a daily tablet of Tums). For
all that she is eating, she is still not putting out enough milk for
all of the puppies. I will keep letting her eat as much as she wants.
It takes a lot of energy to make all the milk that 9 puppies need!
I wish I had sound equipment to record the noise of the feeding frenzy
these pups make. For such small babies, they have one heck of a food
drive!
While I understand that everyone wants to know about the puppies, I
feel it is important to share a little about Annabelle's story, too.
To begin with, she is an amazing dog considering where she came from.
There are a few behavioral matters we need to work on, but nothing
major or unexpected to overcome. One of her problems is that Annabelle
thinks that she is a lap dog. If she has the chance, she wants to
cuddle with me. I am okay with her sitting next to me on the sofa, but
she is too heavy to try to crawl on my lap. Her other issue is that
she eats out of trash cans. Given that Annabelle had to forage for
food, it doesn't surprise me that a trashcan has often been her dinner
plate. It may take her a while to learn that she will aways have
plenty of dog food here, but as she learns to trust people to provide
her food, her interest in the trash bin will diminish.
On a positive note, I have been really surprised with how she has done
with house breaking. Based on the condition of her previous residence
and the smell of ammonia that permeated the building, I expected her
to have no knowledge of house training. So far, no accidents. And I
couldn't be happier about it. Annabelle will bark at the bottom of the
stairs if she needs to go out in the middle of the night. While not
ideal, it is better than waking up to a large puddle. My pregnant or
post natal friends are happy to remind me that this little girl just
gave birth to 9 puppies. Annabelle drinks a ton of water to keep her
milk production up. She also cleans up when the puppies urinate or
deficate; this means that Annabelle is taking in that much more fluid.
The other thing I have been surprised about is that Annabelle is
really friendly with our cats. She isn't a fan of the neighborhood
stray cats - if a cat runs, she will chase it - but Annabelle hasn't
shown anything except curiousity towards our house cats.
I am also surprised that she is willing to let me handle the puppies
with our male cat, Cringer, around. Cringer will come over, sniff and
attempt to figure out what these squeaky little "things" are.
I would guess that Annabelle is only about 16-18 months old. The
neighbors have told me that, Annabelle had a previous litter this
spring. For being as young as she is, having back to back litters is
tough on her body and mind. Having a second litter with 9 puppies
could be overwhelmind, but so far, so good. She is eating like a pig:
10+ cups of dog food, some extra protein (usually 3-4 scrambled eggs
or a chicken breast), and then additional calcium (ice cream, a
sprinkling of powdered puppy formula, or a daily tablet of Tums). For
all that she is eating, she is still not putting out enough milk for
all of the puppies. I will keep letting her eat as much as she wants.
It takes a lot of energy to make all the milk that 9 puppies need!
I wish I had sound equipment to record the noise of the feeding frenzy
these pups make. For such small babies, they have one heck of a food
drive!
July 24
July 24
I fear I have already developed a favorite puppy. There are 6 brown
pups with white blazes (5 boys and a girl), 2 nearly black pups (a boy
and a girl), and a little white baby boy. The little white pup is my
favorite. If my last few "favorite" pups are any indication, this
means the little white puppy is going to be TROUBLE! I guess it is a
good thing he is super cute because I am a sucker for a cute puppy!
I fear I have already developed a favorite puppy. There are 6 brown
pups with white blazes (5 boys and a girl), 2 nearly black pups (a boy
and a girl), and a little white baby boy. The little white pup is my
favorite. If my last few "favorite" pups are any indication, this
means the little white puppy is going to be TROUBLE! I guess it is a
good thing he is super cute because I am a sucker for a cute puppy!
July 23
August 23
2AM: So I went into the backyard to check on Annabelle and she was
actively starting to go into labor. As I looked around the shed the
less suitable of a place this looked like for her to have her puppies.
The wood was rough and I couldn't set it up in a way that would keep
the pups from wandering off, so Annabelle was moved, with much
protest, into the kitchen.
Once in the kitchen she realized that coming inside wasn't so bad. The
dog bed was going to be more comfortable than plywood to give birth
on. Plus, she likes the air conditioning!
About 6AM, July 23- I was woken up by the sounds of squeaking coming
from the kitchen. Annabelle wasn't making a noise giving birth, but
the first puppy was born. A dark brown, nearly black, female,
certainly wanted the world to be aware of her arrival.
About every thirty minutes or so another puppy was born until she had
delivered nine live births. During her labor, Annabelle didn't make a
sound. She would lie down for most of the delivery. Once the puppy was
out of the birth canal, Annabelle would stand to remove the puppy from
the sac and bite off the umbilical cord. When Annabelle would stand,
the puppies that had become comfortable nursing would become
dislodged. The dislodged siblings would squeak noisily whenever their
first meal was interrupted by a new arrival.
I like to let the Mama dog take care of her pups, but sometimes it
becomes inevitable that I will need to help out. As Annabelle and I
get to know each other, I will have to learn how much help she will
allow me to provide.
Speaking of that, I better go start a load of towels. Can't afford to
get behind on laundry already!
2AM: So I went into the backyard to check on Annabelle and she was
actively starting to go into labor. As I looked around the shed the
less suitable of a place this looked like for her to have her puppies.
The wood was rough and I couldn't set it up in a way that would keep
the pups from wandering off, so Annabelle was moved, with much
protest, into the kitchen.
Once in the kitchen she realized that coming inside wasn't so bad. The
dog bed was going to be more comfortable than plywood to give birth
on. Plus, she likes the air conditioning!
About 6AM, July 23- I was woken up by the sounds of squeaking coming
from the kitchen. Annabelle wasn't making a noise giving birth, but
the first puppy was born. A dark brown, nearly black, female,
certainly wanted the world to be aware of her arrival.
About every thirty minutes or so another puppy was born until she had
delivered nine live births. During her labor, Annabelle didn't make a
sound. She would lie down for most of the delivery. Once the puppy was
out of the birth canal, Annabelle would stand to remove the puppy from
the sac and bite off the umbilical cord. When Annabelle would stand,
the puppies that had become comfortable nursing would become
dislodged. The dislodged siblings would squeak noisily whenever their
first meal was interrupted by a new arrival.
I like to let the Mama dog take care of her pups, but sometimes it
becomes inevitable that I will need to help out. As Annabelle and I
get to know each other, I will have to learn how much help she will
allow me to provide.
Speaking of that, I better go start a load of towels. Can't afford to
get behind on laundry already!
July 22 - Day One
July 22
I was contacted about a pregnant Mama dog earlier in the week. One of
the neighbors had been feeding the dog since her family moved out,
abandoning her. This dog was so loyal that she kept waiting in the
house for her family. Day in and day out, she patiently waited for her
family. She only ventured out in the morning for food and to use the
bathroom.
When I got to the dog, she was so pregnant that she could barely walk.
Even with a huge belly, you could tell that she was extremely thin.
All of her ribs were visable. I tried enticing her to the car with
treats, but this skinny dog was refusing to eat - a clear sign of
labor starting any time now. To get her into the car, the neighbor who
fed her, led her by the leash while I put a towel under her belly to
help keep it from dragging. I could feel her stomach contracting as we
loaded her into the car. Just getting her to the car was a slow and
arduous process that left all of us, human and canina alike, hot and
tired.
Fortunately, we had an uneventful drive home.
Once I got this Mama dog to the house, I tried to encourage her to
walk into the backyard. She just looked at me in disbelief. She was so
pregnant that she had no plans to walk anywhere until the puppies were
born. Eventually, my husband had to carry her out of the car to the
back yard so she could get her long overdue flea bath.
This Mama dog had a bad case of fleas. The fleas were just jumping off
of her. Her gums were barely pink, a sign that the fleas have been
eating well. Other than the horrible case of fleas, she looked okay
health wise. Her "waist" measurement was 41 inches! This means there
will be a lot of puppies in there! She let me look at her paws, open
her mouth, and give her a good once over. It didn't matter where I
touched her, she was very friendly.
Because she was so pregnant, there are very few options for addressing
her flea problem. Most flea treatments can cause issues for a pregnant
or nursing dog. The only option I could find, was giving her a
thorough flea bath. Because she is already showing signs of anemia,
killing the fleas immediately is important so that this Mama dog is
only feeding herself and her puppies. I don't want this Mama dog
passing her fleas onto her puppies, potentially making them sick from
flea bites. Also, I want to avoid getting fleas in the house. Because
we have other pets, I have a policy that all animals live in seclusion
or outside until they are flea free!
Besides the fleas dying en masse, this dog needed a bath so badly that
the water coming off of her was black. I have a feeling that this was
this poor girls first bath. She was startled and scared by getting
wet. She didn't care that we were trying to help her and kept trying
to run away from the water.
One of the things I look for when evaluating a new foster is how do
they react when scared. For this dog, even though we were scaring the
bejezus out of the her, probably giving her the first bath of her life
or that she was just taken out of her home, she was still a sweet dog.
As soon as we turned the hose off, she wanted to give me kisses!
Once the fleas were mostly dead, I tried getting the dog back in the
house, but Annabelle (the name we decided to give this sweet girl) was
not having any of it. So we opened the shed up, started running fans
in there, and set her up with blankets and food/water.
I was contacted about a pregnant Mama dog earlier in the week. One of
the neighbors had been feeding the dog since her family moved out,
abandoning her. This dog was so loyal that she kept waiting in the
house for her family. Day in and day out, she patiently waited for her
family. She only ventured out in the morning for food and to use the
bathroom.
When I got to the dog, she was so pregnant that she could barely walk.
Even with a huge belly, you could tell that she was extremely thin.
All of her ribs were visable. I tried enticing her to the car with
treats, but this skinny dog was refusing to eat - a clear sign of
labor starting any time now. To get her into the car, the neighbor who
fed her, led her by the leash while I put a towel under her belly to
help keep it from dragging. I could feel her stomach contracting as we
loaded her into the car. Just getting her to the car was a slow and
arduous process that left all of us, human and canina alike, hot and
tired.
Fortunately, we had an uneventful drive home.
Once I got this Mama dog to the house, I tried to encourage her to
walk into the backyard. She just looked at me in disbelief. She was so
pregnant that she had no plans to walk anywhere until the puppies were
born. Eventually, my husband had to carry her out of the car to the
back yard so she could get her long overdue flea bath.
This Mama dog had a bad case of fleas. The fleas were just jumping off
of her. Her gums were barely pink, a sign that the fleas have been
eating well. Other than the horrible case of fleas, she looked okay
health wise. Her "waist" measurement was 41 inches! This means there
will be a lot of puppies in there! She let me look at her paws, open
her mouth, and give her a good once over. It didn't matter where I
touched her, she was very friendly.
Because she was so pregnant, there are very few options for addressing
her flea problem. Most flea treatments can cause issues for a pregnant
or nursing dog. The only option I could find, was giving her a
thorough flea bath. Because she is already showing signs of anemia,
killing the fleas immediately is important so that this Mama dog is
only feeding herself and her puppies. I don't want this Mama dog
passing her fleas onto her puppies, potentially making them sick from
flea bites. Also, I want to avoid getting fleas in the house. Because
we have other pets, I have a policy that all animals live in seclusion
or outside until they are flea free!
Besides the fleas dying en masse, this dog needed a bath so badly that
the water coming off of her was black. I have a feeling that this was
this poor girls first bath. She was startled and scared by getting
wet. She didn't care that we were trying to help her and kept trying
to run away from the water.
One of the things I look for when evaluating a new foster is how do
they react when scared. For this dog, even though we were scaring the
bejezus out of the her, probably giving her the first bath of her life
or that she was just taken out of her home, she was still a sweet dog.
As soon as we turned the hose off, she wanted to give me kisses!
Once the fleas were mostly dead, I tried getting the dog back in the
house, but Annabelle (the name we decided to give this sweet girl) was
not having any of it. So we opened the shed up, started running fans
in there, and set her up with blankets and food/water.
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