Day ten update
Annie is becoming a part of our family like our summer mama, Sweetie, never could. Sweetie was so sick the entire time we had her, only really getting over her giardia and coccidea near the end of her time with us.
Annie loves to chew her Kongs. She loves you to throw them and she loves to chase them and then to chew chew chew them. She is surprisingly good with all people. Even though her pups are only 10 days old today she allowed my friend Cathy into her puppy room to look at her babies! This is unheard of. Of course Cathy knows dogs and loves bully breeds so that was probably part of it. But Annie has been friendly to anyone she’s met. If she gets a sniff first then she is all tail and butt wags! She especially loves all the kids she’s met, showing immediate friendliness toward them. She loves to run, she walks well on a leash and she loves cuddling. When it is her time for a forever family, she will make someone a great companion.
About the puppies – they are 10 days old so their eyes are ready to open any day now. They are still all closed but I suspect that soon they will open. The ears follow a few days later. Once eyes and ears are open puppies get really noisy! These puppies are getting really big, but there are two who are smaller then the rest. I’d call them the “runts” but they are thriving along with the rest of the litter.
Mommy instincts kick in
sleeping puppies
Annie is finally looking like a normal dog. Her ribs are receding and her hip bones don’t stick out any more. And her pups are getting FAT! Good for her! When they were born you could see all of their ribs. But now, three days later they look fat and happy – just like pups born to healthy moms. It is amazing how little it takes to help these doggie families along. She’s been with us just two weeks and already her health troubles are becoming a thing of the past. For anyone who wonders if they can help these sorts of dogs, don’t question it – the question is absolutely, yes you can. It takes so very little – just clean water, nutritious food, a warm bed, a clean place to live and medical care if necessary. Just stuff you’d provide for your own dogs. Please, if your heart moves you, help out in any way you can. Ok, public service announcement over.
Annie is also becoming more trusting. She greets me with wags and allows me to pet her. This morning, for the first time since I met her, she put her head into me and just relaxed as I scratched her neck and head. It was good to see her opening up. She also seems happy to see my son. But she is wary of people she hasn’t met before.
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