adopters, dog rescue, foster dogs, fostering, hard to adopt, heartworms, hound dogs, Humane Society of Shenandoah County, multiple dogs, puppies

The House of Bark

Cara Sue Achterberg

I’m currently working in the house of bark.

It’s rarely like this, but for the next nine hours, until our temporary foster takes off for his new life, there doesn’t seem to be a way around it. I’m trying to breathe calmly and exude still energy, but nothing really helps with this particular combination of dog.

I’m fairly sure he’s a Husky mix because of his need to ‘talk’ all the time, his crazy smarts, and his style of play (chasing anything and everything but not bringing it back). At nine months, Steele is a bundle of energy and curiosity.

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adopters, dog rescue, fosterdogs, hound dogs, litters, mama dogs, puppies, worms

Down to the Wire with These Puppies

Cara Sue Achterberg

We are getting down to the wire with these puppies, matching them with adopters, microchipping (tomorrow!), and I just slogged through the multi-day Safeguard deworming protocol (none of us enjoyed it). They’ll get their second set of vaccines and be ready to go home as early as December 30th.

Every day I grow more convinced that they are hound dogs. As a foster, I try very hard to dodge fostering hound dog puppies. Not because they aren’t cute, oh my gosh, they are. And not because they aren’t fun or sweet or snuggly – they’ve got that in spades. But because they are messy.

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adopters, dog rescue, fostering, Humane Society of Shenandoah County, puppies, training

Love is Not Enough When It Comes to Puppies

Cara Sue Achterberg

Love is not enough. At least when it comes to puppies (maybe when it comes to anything…).

Raising a good dog means putting in the work when they are puppies. The genes and individuality of your puppy are out of your control, but there’s lots more that is within your control.

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adopters, Breeds, foster dogs, fostering dogs, hound dogs, Humane Society of Shenandoah County, puppies

How Big Will the Puppies Be?

Cara Sue Achterberg

The Snack Cake Pups were born November 2, so they were five weeks old on Thursday. They are weighing in at between six to seven pounds. The question everyone asks (right after they ask what kind of puppies they are) is—how big will they be?

The answer to that question depends largely on the answer to the first question. And the only one who has the answer to that question is Krimpet, and she’s not been forthcoming with the information.

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fostering, hound dogs, puppies

Introducing the Snack Cake Pups

Cara Sue Achterberg

Let me (finally) introduce you to the cuter-by-the-day pups who keep me from getting anything done these days. They were four weeks old on Thursday and all weigh about five pounds. Caitlin will be back to take some portraits of these cuties, but here are a few pictures taken with my iphone.

Ring Ding has probably the most dramatic brindle coloring of all. He is also the largest puppy. He is friendly and sweet, and seems fairly confident. He is often found lounging on his back and sleeps soundly (he’s not one to jump up if I come in the pen unexpectedly). The others love to pile on him, so perhaps he is the ‘popular guy’.

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adopters, dog rescue, foster dogs, fostering dogs

It’s an Adopter’s Market

Cara Sue Achterberg

It’s a tough time to be a dog looking for a home. Especially if you’re labeled a ‘bully breed’. And also if you’re ‘older’ (five years or more). And if you have opinions about other dogs, that makes you a tough sell as well.

Adoptions are down all across the country, so basically it’s an ‘adopter’s market’ which means you can find a pretty darn near perfect dog right now just about anywhere. Or a puppy – lots of them are available too.

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puppies

And Then There Were Puppies

Cara Sue Achterberg

And then there were puppies…despite the best guesses of vets and my assessment of Krimpet’s size/activity, she sure fooled me. Which just goes to show, it’s pretty much impossible to predict an outcome when it involves animals. (I spent a few summers working on a racetrack, so I should have known that already.)

Last Thursday, I was writing at my desk and Krimpet was having her turn being loose to wander in/out the dog door between the dog yard and my office. I was mildly concerned because instead of periodically trying to steal my planner off my desk, which had been her habit, she was stretched out full length on the futon.

When I ducked out to do something, forgetting it was Krimpet and not Gracie Lou I’d left out, I raced back expecting to find my planner in bits on the floor (like happened to one of my notebooks, several important notes on my desk, and a dozen of the rack cards I give out a book signings), my planner sat where I left it and Krimpet thumped her tail from where she still lay on the futon. But now, she looked different and it sounded like her teeth were chattering.

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adopters, dog rescue, euthanasia, former foster dogs, hard to adopt, Humane Society of Shenandoah County, pregnant dog, puppies

The Waiting is the Hardest Part

Cara Sue Achterberg

Someone famous wrote–the waiting is the hardest part.

But actually, for some it is and for others, it isn’t.

With Krimpet, it’s not hard at all. I’m hoping to wait at least another week. The longer those puppies stay in Krimpet’s belly, the healthier she and they will be.

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dog rescue, foster dogs, heartworms, Humane Society of Shenandoah County, pregnant dog

Mystery Solved

Cara Sue Achterberg

One mystery is solved – Krimpet is definitely pregnant. The mystery now is when is she due?

At her vet check that confirmed the pregnancy, the vet put her at about 45 days along (gestation period for a dog is between 57-65 days). Counting backwards that means she either got pregnant the day she entered the shelter (almost seven weeks ago or got pregnant at the shelter. I’m going to hope the vet’s off by a few days and she got pregnant shortly before entering the shelter.

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cats, former foster dogs, fosterdogs, pregnant dog, puppies

The Gangs All Here

Cara Sue Achterberg

Assimilating three dogs takes patience.

Once upon a time, in my early days of fostering, I would rush it. No, actually, I just wouldn’t think about it. Foster dog arrived and we let it loose in the house. I look back on that now and am amazed it didn’t result in anything worse than ruined carpets.

I have three canine guests in the cottage with me. Two are fosters and one is a previous foster puppy who is hanging out with us while his family is traveling. I rarely get to see my puppy fosters all grown up, so this is a treat.

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