First Solid Food

When the puppies start to eat solid food, they often need a little help figuring out where the food is. So, I spend time dipping my fingers in the food and letting them suck the mush off my hand. With these little guys, a couple of my fingers full of glop, satisfies 2 or 3 at a time. With bigger-breed litters, it’s one at a time…

And it’s a messy time. They walk in the food, they might poop on the plate. So, this is the time during fostering a litter that the washing machine is in constant use.

And all of that makes me so happy. The fact that all 6 of these puppies reached this milestone is HUGE! New life is fragile, puppies rely on their mom who relies on her humans to make it warm and safe and provide all the right nutrition. One false move, or some unknowing exposure to germs and all bets are off.

So, I do this laundry with pleasure, and I dip my hands in slop in service, and I clean up the poop out of necessity, because I have the privilege of helping this family thrive and grow, and get ready to make their forever homes complete.

Tomorrow is another day; Peach will look at me with all the love in her eyes; the puppies will eat on their own and play a little, and sleep a lot. And I will revel in their perfection.