I live with fairly self-sufficient individuals. My husband and two teenagers can care for themselves, and my eleven-year-old dog is content with a daily walk and some tummy rubbing.
Fostering two nine-week-old puppies threw our house into a whirlwind of chew toys, newspaper, urine, and an insane amount of cuteness.
After some encouragement from my friend who has fostered many puppies, I brought Jamison and Jill home from a local rescue. Their mother is a dachshund/beagle mix who got knocked up by an unknown male. The momma’s family didn’t want the six puppies, so they surrendered them to Small Miracles.
PSA: Get your pets spayed or neutered!
If you don’t want puppies, make it impossible for your dog to have puppies.
The rescue houses older dogs who are waiting to be adopted, but it fosters out puppies so that they can be socialized. Jamison and Jill were with us for two and a half weeks, and each was adopted this past weekend.
Sleeping pup selfie
Some friends and family were sure that we would become “foster fails” and adopt one or both pups instead of giving them back. While I knew that would not happen, I did enjoy being a foster mama. It reminded me of parenting toddlers – exhausting and wonderful, frustrating and fun, messy and rewarding.
There were many similarities:
Frequent whipping out the phone to share adorable photos with friends, family, or the nice lady at the Petco cash register. I’m proud of the pups, as if I had anything at all to do with their adorableness.
Siblings are siblings, regardless of species.
Jamison is playing with one bone, Jill is chewing on another. Jamison notices his sister’s bone, and decides that hers is the one he wants. A fight ensues. Rarely, two little mouths chew side by side on one bone.
Nap time is golden, and the day is structured around short bouts of calm.
About ninety minutes after breakfast, the puppies got tired and I put them in their playpen for a nap. I had just enough time for my own breakfast and a quick workout and shower before they were up again.
Peeing, pooping, and cleaning up pee and poop consume about three quarters of the day.
Poop bags litter the yard like deflated balloons, until I collect them and leave them in the trash for an unsuspecting sanitation worker.
The house is torn apart, in an attempt to prevent complete destruction.
After one dog peed on my shag rug, it was rolled up. Boxes barricaded the pups into one room, while their playpen was in another. Thank goodness they don’t have opposable thumbs; I think childproof cabinet locks would have pushed me over the edge.
If he can put it in his mouth, he will.
Every good foster mom lets her pups play with a decapitated Barbie head.
Head sniffing and cuddling make it all worth it.
I understand why dogs visit hospitals and nursing homes. Holding a puppy in my arms and rubbing their tiny heads against my chin was heavenly.
We said our goodbyes and got in one last head sniff on Saturday. Gwen and I dropped the pups off at the rescue, promising to take them back for the night if they weren’t adopted yet.
Later that afternoon, I received the text every foster parent longs for. Jill was adopted by a vet tech who drove three hours to meet her, and Jamison was adopted by a family who are friends with a staff member. As I looked at the photos of each puppy with his or her new family, I started crying.
Happy tears for puppies who found their forever home. Sad tears for puppies I will never see again.
I’m even crying a little as I type this, and I know that it has as much to do with Gwen’s graduation on Thursday as it does about Jill and Jamison.
Saying goodbye is hard. Letting go is hard.
I texted Ellen, my friend whose experience fostering convinced me to do the same.
Me: Just got word that pups are adopted. Now I’m crying – this does not bode well for graduation.
Ellen: Of course you’re a wreck bc you’re a good mom. The goal is to launch. Mission complete!!!
Ellen is a wise woman; the goal is to launch. The pups and the high school senior.
One mission complete.
dana, you are such a good mama! what a wonderful, fulfilling experience.
It really was! Gwen hopes we can do it one more time before she goes to college.
Aw! The goal is to launch. Must remember that. And also must keep reminding myself that puppies and what they grow into are work! Because Zoe keeps asking for one.
When we got our dog, I knew I’d be the primary caretaker. But she was already 8 months old – these puppies were babies. And LOTS of work!
I totally would have been a foster fail! They are adorable. This is why I have 7 animals. I cannot come out of a shelter without an animal (or 2). I am on strict orders not to visit right now. My last 2 visits resulted in 4 cats. I’m glad those adorable pups found homes!
Ha- you are totally a foster fail! I resisted, for now.
Aw! So sweet! I don’t think I could foster and I KNOW my girls would not be able to let go without LOTS of tears and sadness.
“The Goal is to launch.” What great advice. My oldest is already stressing out about high school next year and she doesn’t even finish middle school until Friday! I have a feeling this phrase is one I will need to remember often over the next 4 years. 🙂
I’ll try to remind you, Lisa! I think I had the hardest time letting the puppies go, but Gwen is already talking about fostering again this summer. Just when I got my house back in order…
Adorable, and you are a brave woman. I love the phrase “The goal is to launch.” I’ll need to remember this one in the years ahead.” 😢 Good luck with graduation!
So late to reply to this – and you know that graduation went really well. The launching…I’m working on it!
Oh goodness what cuties! That definitely sounds similar to my days…small chunks of time found to get anything done. Best of luck to you today, and many congratulations to Gwen. The feeling of graduating from high school is exhilarating. I hope she can hold onto that feeling for a long time.
I hope so too! I’m still holding onto it, five days later.
Those puppies! They sound like two very lucky dogs.
Man, caring for puppies is like caring for a toddler. Your first comparison about the adorableness and showing every photos — it reminds me of how odd it is for someone to say that Eve is cute and for me to thank them. I mean, I guess in some way I am *partially* responsible for her cuteness since she has half of my genes, but I can’t really take credit for that. But I can’t say nothing!
Anyway, you are a special person for taking those adorable pups in. And congrats to Gwen!
Thanks Bev! It was a fabulous, busy, exhausting, happy weekend.
You are a good woman! I’m exhausted reading this. Next time I get hounded about getting a puppy, I’m whipping this post out. Good luck on Thursday, I’ll be thinking if you. Sniffle, sniffle.
Well, by now you know that gradation was awesome! I love that you noticed her shoes. 🙂
Dana, Beautifully writ-up. But i don’t like puppy personally…
I have tears too! Those pups are too adorable. Of course I am a sucker for anything dachshund :). Oy it’s hard to let go… But necessary. Don’t be sad it’s over, I tell myself, be glad it happened.
xoxo
I forgot you’re a dachshund lover! They are adorable, and now they have families. And you’re right – I’m so glad it happened.
Aww, letting go is just hard. It’s about the puppies. It’s about Gwen. Of course. Of course!
There’s nothing better than puppies. Too much whipped cream leads to a stomachache. Too much of any food does.
Too much puppies? No such thing.
You are so right, Tamara! Too much puppy pee and poop is not a good thing, but we managed.
AWwww, BLISS)))
the Barbie head is Hilarious!! xx
She kind of deserves it))
She definitely does! She was already decapitated and headed to the trash, so at least she served a purpose.
Beautifully written, Dana. I’ll bring two packets of tissues on Thursday, one for each of us!
What little cuties! How awesome that you fostered them!
Thanks – it was fun!
Aw, does sound like you did a great job and got to be honest though having one puppy when we got ours was hard enough work, but couldn’t imagine adding another in into the mix at the same time. But seriously, you did an amazing and awesome job and my hat is off to you my friend 🙂
One puppy is hard enough! Two was quite the adventure, but we did it.