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.