One puppy, two puppy, three puppy, four…. TEN??!!!

A few years ago I received a panicked call from the shelter. Ten three week old puppies had been brought into the facility by a local policeman.  Several officers had been involved in a drug arrest in a small local colonia.  One officer had entered a school bus which was on the back of the property after hearing something move inside.  When he entered the bus he came face to face with a large angry dog, which he shot.  Then he realized that it was a mother protecting her pups.  A sad story.

Let me give you a heads up  when it comes to taking care of puppies.  You will find that they differ significantly from kittens in a few very big ways.

Puppies can be characterized by four words…. Play, pee, poop and nap… all day…until they  are several weeks old.   It is not uncommon to have to  clean up after a puppy every 15 minutes.   Got the concept?? Multiply it by TEN!  Luckily we had a large spare bathroom that had a linoleum floor(not yet remodeled).  The floor was covered with layers of newspaper and potty pads.  Those coverings were changed every 15 minutes.. honestly… I know because I was the one doing it.  At three weeks old puppies are ready to begin weaning.  These pups had been well taken care of by their mom.  They were fat, clean and healthy.. a few fleas and in need of worming but over all in great shape.  Without mom available 24 hours per day to keep their bellies full they were ready for puppy food.  When feeding puppies it is much easier to use a cookie sheet type of bowl.

Puppies typically will put their noses down to the food, open their mouths and start walking. So within a few minutes they are covered with the mush that you have made for them.  Ok, they do look cute covered in mushy puppy chow but boy is the clean up tough. 

• Here’s a tip.  When fostering puppies keep within reach a roll of paper towels, a squirt bottle filled with water,  cloth towels, newspapers and a garbage bag.  It always helps to have a stack of old towels and blankets or sheets handy because you will be changing them several times per day.  Unless you have the time to do laundry constantly plan on having enough of the cloth towels and blankets so that throwing them away is not a problem. 

• Here’s another tip regarding puppies:  find a CD  or recording of a heartbeat and play it as they are settling in for the night.  And stuffed animals are always a plus to have in with baby animals.

After four months, the terrific ten were ready to go to their forever homes. And I was ready to clean the floor of puppy memorabilia for the last time.

later,

charlie