The Grand Finale

So - I'm not sure that I'm really done with fostering. In fact I've tried a few times to 'take a break' and those lasted less than a week each. But I am feeling that this current assignment is something of a culmination of all the time and effort I've been putting in, and well... it sorta has me beat.

I have been longing for several months to bring home a momma dog and her pups. Something about the idea of watching the little creatures nursing, just tickled me silly. So when I saw the video of Greta with her 4 munchkins, I knew that this sweet terrier would be the perfect next foster gig for me!

She-- they-- haven't disappointed. When they came home with me the puppies were about 3 weeks old. Their eyes and ears had long opened, but they were nursing like little fiends. Mama was doing all the heavy lifting, eating for 5, and even cleaning up after the pups. (Tiny puppies and kittens need their mom's help to eliminate, which just works out as an added bonus if you're caring for such a family!)  The little boys (yup - 4 boys) looked as much like guinea pigs as dogs, and were pretty close to that size.

I set the family up in the bathroom, which I've long mastered on puppy-proofing, with a space to nest in the closet and wall-to-wall pee-pee pads. Feeding Greta 3-4 times a day, and taking her out about as often, was the bulk of the work.

It brought me immense joy to just go sit in there, pet the sweet mama - who lives for affection, while her babies sucked away, occasionally pushing each other out of the way to try a new teat, sometimes making sucking and grunting sounds, other times quietly engaged in their task until their eyelids started to droop in milked-out bliss.

This sweet arrangement was first disrupted by the poor mama doggy reminding me with no ambiguity that she was once a regular ol' dog, loved by some owner, before she was a mommy.  She started to demand to be released from the confines of the bathroom (who can blame her?!)  The little breaks and walks I offered were clearly not enough, and she wanted more freedom - and more couch time.

The inspiration for the next arrangement occurred when cleaning the bathroom. I had all the pups set up in the living room, in an enclosed pen, atop layers of plastic, blanket & towels, and then pee-pads.  It turns out the puppies had somehow managed to learn that the pads are where one 'goes', and the blankets are not. I was thrilled!   From here out, I have kept the brood in the living room. I was able to jimmy the opening to the pen so that Greta could jump in and out, but the puppies could not. Win-win-win: Mama could get away from them/ or get to them whenever she wanted. The puppies were still getting nursed and cleaned regularly. And I could watch all the fun from the comfort of my home-office on the couch.

And so all went swimmingly. Until Greta was done cleaning after the pups -- my job increased exponentially. And until the first pup learned how to climb out the gate -- I had to try to figure out when to get Mom in and out to meet both their needs and hers. And until she was ready to wean them.   And when they came into their full vocal glory of self-expression. And when they discovered how pleasurable it is to chew power cords, and.....

I now feel like I have two foster assignments: a grown dog, who barks at the neighbors and needs confidence building in addition to lots of belly rubs. And 4 puppies, who need a full-time maid. 

I'm not saying I regret it - not for one minute. But I am feeling that as sad as it will be to say good-bye come Monday, I am also ready.


Thing is... I think they are ready too!  Greta is definitely ready to be away from the din of these crazy monkeys. I think the puppies would even like breaks from each other. Sometimes the play gets a bit elevated, and they don't know how to calm themselves down. They do moderately well at removing themselves from the fracas when they need a break, but there is only so much room in their pen; and they've not yet earned more than limited part-time freedom in the living room.

I am a bit sad for them, as I imagine they will miss each other. But each one of them is going to an amazing home, and I know they will love all the extra time and attention. (Ha! Going from a household with 1 human and 5 dogs, to households with a minimum of 2 humans*see footnote --and in two cases they are going to have children as playmates -- will be a big and wonderful change indeed!)

Now for Miss Greta to just find her perfect forever home. Actually: first things first: she will be heading to another foster home after her spay surgery on Monday, so that she can receive treatment for heart-worm. A 3 month ordeal, her activity will be restricted, so really, she is the one I worry about the most.  I know, though, that she is going to good hands, and I trust -- as I always do (I must, to be able to foster) -- that she will find the absolute perfect forever home at just the right time.

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* One of the precious pups actually will remain in a one-person household. But if I may say so myself: he is getting a very doting, loving and excited owner, who fully intends to make him something of a 'circus dog'. Much more to come on that!