Our adventures as a foster dog family
Today is the first day of Stela’s real life. The life in which she will never have puppies again. She will never be thrown away again. Now we can find her a real family—one that will value this special dog.
And I mean it when I say special.
I keep telling people that she’s really special. And they all say, “But you think every dog is really special.”
Which I do.
But Stela?
Continue reading “One Special Dog.”
Fostering is a lot of work.
I won’t lie or paint a warm fuzzy picture of it being all unicorns and happy endings and lovely dogs who don’t poop indoors.
This past week has been one of those weeks. Nothing terrible happened and everyone is fine and on-their-way-to-being-healthy.
They are happy and engaged and exercised and gaining weight. (Pretty much every animal in this cottage except me, needs to gain weight.)
But I am pretty wiped out. It’s been non-stop.
Continue reading “One of Those Weeks”
Being surrounded by kittens and puppies while you work is good and bad.
Good…aren’t they adorable? And they’re right here anytime I need some inspiration or snuggle.
And bad…aren’t they adorable? And they’re right here anytime I need a distraction or a snuggle.
Nick knows he should brace himself whenever I’m in a tough place emotionally.
It always means more animals.
This past week I pushed my IT band too far and now am paying for it with restricted activity and an aching hip.
Plus, the latest news on my latest manuscript was not good. My agent is once again asking for massive changes and my heart just isn’t in it. So physically and mentally, I’m feeling a little defeated.
Which is always a great time for puppies.
Continue reading “Puppies are the Perfect Panacea”
I don’t know what happened to my puppies before they arrive here with us. They may have come from a place of neglect or overwhelm or been strays with their mamas. Most likely they didn’t have good nutrition or prenatal care.
I can’t control what happened before, but I can have a say in what happens from here, and do my best to make up for lost time.
So I’m very intentional about fostering puppies. Beyond plenty of good food, a solid deworming schedule, and vaccinations, I try to give them daily enrichment in the form of new toys, new puppy room set up, new obstacles, plenty of attention, and lots of new experiences (vacuum cleaner, radio, dropping loud things nearby, etc.).
Continue reading “The Stress Factor in (Foster) Dogs”Puppies.
Ah, now I remember.
And I’m really glad I only have three as I get my puppy-raising legs back underneath me.
After several different set ups, I’ve settled on having a big area (3/4 of the room) for their awake time and a small area (1/4) for bed time, nap time, and get-them-out-of-the-way-so-I-can-clean-without-helpers time.
Continue reading “I Remember Puppies Now…”
Puppies are coming.
Finally.
I have missed fostering puppies, but I just didn’t have the space or the time during our two-year relocation adventure. Now that we’re settled in the Shenandoah Valley, I’m ready.
Continue reading “Did Someone Say Puppies?”
Often when you first bring home a new foster dog (or two), the dog is still stunned by its new situation, maybe feeling queasy from the recent dewormings and vaccinations, so they are not themselves. It’s a mistake to assume that the compliant, easy-to-deal-with dogs you first bring home will still be that way a week or two into their stay with you.
I’ve fostered over 200 dogs now, and am wary of that honeymoon period. So, I’ve been holding my breath, wondering if Abby and Bonnie (A&B) who had been so quiet and easy their first week with me, would continue to be once they got comfortable with their surroundings…..
Continue reading “The Honeymoon is Over”
This weekend we bleached the puppy fences, the crate, and the baby gate that we used with our ‘parvo pups’ last fall one last time and finally stowed them in the attic of the garage. They’d been wiped down with bleach last fall and then left stacked in the corner of our stone porch all winter. Even though they’d been bleached once, I was still wary of them. So afraid that in a crevice or a hinge, parvo virus still lingered.
Continue reading “Movie Mutts and Parvo Puppies”
There are a lot of wagging tails in this household, and Otis has just upped the ante.
He has a big, loose, 180-degree+, constant wag. His tail can make circles or figure eights. I’m fascinated by its repetoire.
Mia’s tail is also constant, and mostly back and forth, with her hips going just as fast.
Continue reading “Which Way Does Your Tail Wag? (plus DNA results!)”
Another Good Dog™ 