Diary, dog rescue, fosterdogs, fostering, litters, puppies

Diary of a Rescue: Week Six

Cara Achterberg

In less than a week these puppies will head to their forever homes! I surely won’t forget this crew—it has been an equally heartbreaking and heartfilling experience being their foster mom. By this time with every litter I am ready for them to go – they have outgrown our little puppy room and the work of caring for them is enormous. Still, I am trying to treasure it and working hard to give them the very best start to the very best lives.

Here are this week’s entries in their entirety. Continue reading “Diary of a Rescue: Week Six” →

adopters, dog rescue, Dogs with Issues, fostering, owner responsibility, puppies, returned dogs, training, Uncategorized

CAUTION: Puppies

Cara Achterberg

Everyone wants a puppy.

I get that.

Puppies are cute and fun and at least at this age (seven weeks) they are highly entertaining.

pup with tongue out
photo by Ian Achterberg

 

These puppies are no exception and already, Continue reading “CAUTION: Puppies” →

Diary, dog rescue, fostering, hookworms, puppies, training

Diary of a Rescue Week Five

Cara Achterberg

There aren’t as many entries this week because, well, everybody’s fine. The cuteness and the mess continue to escalate, but otherwise, no news is good news, right?

This week the puppies were offered to the people on the ‘Puppy Waiting List.’ After they make their selections, the puppies will be added to the rescue’s website.  I’m excited to get to know the people who will be taking these precious pups home in less than two weeks!

Here are this week’s diary entries for Continue reading “Diary of a Rescue Week Five” →

dog rescue, fosterdogs, fostering, hookworms, puppies, returned dogs

Hookworms Round Two

Cara Achterberg

The trip to the vet with puppies was a quite different experience this time around.

The last time I drove there with a small airline crate full of nearly lifeless puppies who didn’t make a sound. I stopped once just because I was worried that Pippin was being smothered (there was no evidence to indicate it was even a possibility but the overtired, distraught mind conjures up all kinds of scenarios on a long drive alone in silence with sick puppies).

Once at the vet’s office, we had to wait in the parking lot like everyone else – only everyone else had Continue reading “Hookworms Round Two” →

Diary, dog rescue, fostering, puppies

Diary of a Rescue Week Four: A Week of Growing Puppies

Cara Achterberg

The puppies are doing well. Growing plump and busy.

litter 4-23

It is odd to be raising them in such isolation. Normally, by now, we would be having lots of visitors to help with socialization and even a few potential adopters would be stopping by to meet them. Until they get the all-clear from the vet next week, the rescue has not offered them to the people on the Puppy Waiting List (approved adopters who have been through the application process and are just waiting for the right puppy) or put them on the website. I expect them to be cleared on Monday, but I qualify my assumptions these days.

Below are the diary entries from this week. Continue reading “Diary of a Rescue Week Four: A Week of Growing Puppies” →

dog rescue, fostering, heartworms, hookworms, litters, poop, puppies

Hookworms & Heartworms: Lots of Healing Happening Here

Cara Achterberg

I’m breathing a little easier now. I no longer walk into the puppy room holding my breath. Instead, I hold my nose!

Last Friday, the pups finally breached the side of the box, so we moved them to bigger digs and they are enjoying having plenty of room to play and poop.

The Broadway Babes are busy, happy, messy pups! Their biggest fault is Continue reading “Hookworms & Heartworms: Lots of Healing Happening Here” →

Diary, dog rescue, foster dogs, fostering, hookworms, litters, puppies

Diary of a Rescue Week Three: A Tough Development

Cara Achterberg

This last week has been a tough one. Just like my beautiful tulips that were bright and healthy a few days ago and now droop and struggle in the below freezing temperatures, the puppies’ story changed drastically this week.

Below are the entries from our week in rescue. If you’d like to read them in real-time, you can follow the daily diary on my Facebook page, Cara Sue Achterberg, writer.

Diary of a Rescue Day 15: Continue reading “Diary of a Rescue Week Three: A Tough Development” →

dog rescue, foster dogs, fostering, hookworms, puppies, Spay and Neuter, worms

The Reality of Rescue Hits This Foster Home Hard

Cara Achterberg

Health is sacred. We are all realizing this as we struggle together against a virus we can’t see.

I’m also realizing this as I care for our foster dogs this week. Siobhan is handling heartworm treatment beautifully so far, but I will not say she is out of the woods because I am still learning the hard way that we cannot take anything for granted when it comes to these amazing, yet fragile animals.

We lost one of our puppies on Sunday night. Continue reading “The Reality of Rescue Hits This Foster Home Hard” →

Diary, dog rescue, foster dogs, fostering, puppies

Diary of a Rescue Week Two

Cara Achterberg

This week the pups morphed from guinea pigs to real puppies. They are growling and wrestling and starting to even notice the toys I’ve placed in their box. I tried a few Live Streams but as about 23 hours of their day is spent sleeping both ‘puppy hours’ mostly featured a big pile of pups napping. I will try again this week.

Mia continues to be an all-business mom, getting the job done and getting back out of the box. She is much more interested in what is happening in the rest of the house or the other dogs.

Below are the entries for this week. If you’d like to read them in real time (and maybe catch a puppy hour livestream) be sure to follow my public Facebook page.

Diary of a Rescue Day 8: Continue reading “Diary of a Rescue Week Two” →

fosterdogs, fostering, heartworms, puppies

Quarantined with Puppies: Saving Lives in Uncertain Times

Cara Achterberg

If you have to stay in your home for a month, it’s not a bad thing to be stuck home with puppies.

92811334_1387530191419089_6434125854271340544_n

Caring for this little family is a wonderful distraction; it gives me a purpose and is defining the days that have begun to blur together – is it Tuesday or Friday?

Mia, for her part, is Continue reading “Quarantined with Puppies: Saving Lives in Uncertain Times” →