Grand dog·ma

Never did I ever see this coming.

This week I became a grand dog ma.

Ten times over.

Fostering has been good to me

Allows me to give back to my community.

And it’s a grand way

to still take care

of dogs during this time.

If you don’t know (wow. we must be new friends) I sit dogs. #Amythecrazydoglady

Should change that to #Amythecrazydogma

I think I found the name of my business.

Grand dog·ma

What do you think?


******

So anyways,

This week I became a grand dog ma

To Reba the rescued boxer-lab and her 10 pups.

They came from a kill shelter in Louisiana, I think

My local animal center, Helen Woodward (HWAC), called and said

Reba was to be shot and her babies drowned.

Something about the lack of animal laws in Louisiana, I think.

Breaks my heart and triggers heavy hearted feelings.

Would I consider fostering all eleven of them? Helen Woodward asked.

Of course! Another incredible challenge, I thought.

The opportunity to help a dog mom and her nursing babes.

An implausible thought throughout the pre-Grizzly Bear era of my days.

If you don’t know what that means (wow. we should chat soon - it’s been way too long) #Grizzlybearbenoit


******

So anyways,

This week I became a grand dog ma.

To pups:

Rose
Raine
Roscoe
Rosie
Ryleigh
Raphie
Ryder
Raider
R..
…

I honestly can’t remember all of their names. Not grand, dog ma.

But to be fair I can’t just go read their forms because mom and her pups split the other day.

When Helen Woodward called to confirm my availability

They didn’t have the animals yet. So what they knew was presumed,

“3.5 week old pups in need of weaning from mom.”

The day I picked everyone up it was confirmed,

“7.5 week old pups in need of weaning from Mom.”

That’s what was said, but what I found was

Mom really needed the weaning more than her tiny tots.

Reba came to me a tired, tired mom.

Babies always on her. Never satisfied.

Never not hungry.

I can only imagine, I am not a mom,

but I can imagine.

If Reba could talk no doubt she would have said,

“I’m gonna go over here and sleep for 36 hours. You’ve got this grand dog ma.”

No doubt that’s what she would have said.

And I did.

I got it.

While Reba rested I looked after her litter

Trying to take after her sweet nurturing nature

in my own humane way.

When it was time for their first feeding

I brought mom into the playpen.

Ten babies flocked after their mother immediately.

Reba no doubt communicated to me with her eyes,

“It is time for my flock to fly. Get my puppies off of me.

I’m gonna go over here, 

outside of this play pen, 

over there in my own space, 

and sleep for another 36 hours.

You’ve got this grand dog ma.”

And I did.


******

So anyways,

This week I became a grand dog ma.

A captivating observation of life, love and longing

between a dog ma and her newborns.

I am changed forever.

After day 1 I consulted HWAC and we came up with the plan to try nursing two at a time instead of all ten.
Momma made it clear that it was time to be done, so we went to dry food.
Momma Reba is very food motivated though, so I fed them on the countertops, out of reach.
Individual feedings took almost two hours the first night.
So I tried two and three at a time.
Two was manageable.

I mean ...💗💗💗💗 !!!!

******

Grateful for the opportunity.

Thank you Helen Woodward.

Helen Woodward Animal Center is a unique, private, non-profit organization in San Diego County that, for more than 40 years, has been committed to the philosophy of people helping animals and animals helping people. Located on 12 acres in Rancho Santa Fe, our nationally recognized Center provides a variety of services that benefit the community through educational and therapeutic programs for people, and humane care and adoption for animals.

We are a no-kill facility that receives no government funding and relies heavily on tax-deductible contributions from private donors to continue our life-saving mission.

Helen Woodward Animal Center’s passionate belief that animals help people and people help animals through trust, unconditional love, and respect creates a legacy of caring. Sharing this philosophy with others, the Center inspires and teaches, locally and globally, the importance of the animal-human bond.