'Twas the night before puppies
And all through the house
Not a cocker was homeless ...
Or so we thought!
Late October, Karen P got a tearful phone call from a young woman standing at a pay phone. Her stepfather had given her an ultimatum, "get rid of the dogs today or tomorrow or I'm taking them to the shelter and telling them to put the dogs down." The woman drove around all day with the dogs in her car and finally was referred to cocker rescue by a vet.
I arrived home to the message "two cockers ... one's pregnant ... girl moving to Florida in five days ... stepfather #?!!! ... Can you/will you..." My initial reaction was "yes we can't destroy two good dogs." Reality settled in quickly. I called Pat E. - not home - a dog class; Reggie - not home; Kim - not home - went to a class; Tom & Bettie C - not home. One of their kennel help said, "no problem, you can move her to your house!"
Ignorance is bliss and so off I went to rescue the dogs. I arrived at the home to discover two sweet B/W parti cockers living in squalor. They were seldom walked outside but allowed to do their business on a newspaper covered carpet in the living room. The young woman told me how she had cared for the male, "Mannie", as he recovered from being hit by a car. A front leg has a plate and 4 pins. I asked who fathered the puppies and when they were due, and she told me the R/W parti of her mother's and Mimi were "stuck together" about 2 months earlier. But she wasn't sure...
I brought both dogs back to the "home of the homeless" and got started. Karen P and Jackie M, the "Cocker Red Cross," arrived a few days later with a basket full of supplies from J&B Wholesale. Jackie loaned me her "Dura Whelp" box .
Pat E. and I spent an all-nighter on Halloween watching a prospective but restful mom. I left candy and a sign on my front door, "Please don't ring bell - very pregnant dog here." No one did, and no-one pigged out on candy. (And Mimi refused to produce puppies that night).
Shortly after Halloween, Mannie was adopted by a family living in a neighboring town. The woman came and sat with Mannie on the couch in my family room snuggling, and they fell for each other. He went to his new home for the weekend and came back to my vet for his neuter. His new Mom reports he loves her, mopes until she comes home from work, sleeps on her side of the bed when she's not home, and will check out anyone who comes to the house and then goes back to "his" bed to wait for his mom. This is the first time in his life that he can be Mannie without Mimi. He never looked back.
With a
job to tend to, I could not sit home with Mimi, but I ran home frequently. On Election
Day I came home after school and found Mimi sitting in fluid and throw up. Off we
went to the vet to check her out As we waited in the exam room, Mimi had a noticeable
contraction - oh well, so much for the X-ray! Christie was born on the floor of the
exam room. Mimi did all the work, thank goodness, 'cause I didn't have a clue but
I was in the right place. I called Pat E. from the office and yelled "Help!!!"
The techs packed up the puppy and set the three of us home. I called a neighbor,
who had whelped Newfies previously, to help out until Pat arrived. All the puppies
popped out within 2 1/2 hours, weighing between 9 and 12 ounces and continued to
do well day after day. And Mimi amazed us with her obvious knowledge of just what
to do with the puppies.A week or so after the puppies were born, I received a phone call from the former owner's mom. She explained that she had not known that her daughter was going to give Mannie away and could she have him back. I said "NO", that he was in a new home and neutered. She said , "Why did you neuter him? He and Mimi made beautiful puppies!" WHAT! I had been told Mimi had not had a litter before. Mom said, "Oh no, this is her third litter. She had 15 the first time and 8 the second." Mimi was only 2 1/2 years old (they bred her every heat!). She knew someone who wanted a girl puppy - could she have one? "No, they're all spoken for!" Lie! Lies! Lies! The mom said her daughter must have thought I would not have taken the dogs if she was honest.
The puppies were a constant source of fun and wonder. At five weeks they came out to the dining room to meet and greet their "aunts and uncle." And prosper they did. Kelsey, my 6 year old cocker played the strict disciplinarian. Brandy was wary, but Derry was wonderful playing and exercising them. Broch wanted nothing to do with them. The neighbors came to visit and handle the little ones.
On Dec. 26 Mimi went to her new home - no more puppies ever! The "aunts" could finish raising the puppies! Mimi could be herself with the new family. She had a tough first week, but she is doing well. Her new family is patient and working with her.
The Party of five all left on January 10 for new homes. Christie (Pebbles) and Murray to SNJCSC friends who will be working them in obedience with ILP registrations, Hillary (Casey) to a loving family in Mays Landing, Roselyn (Abbie) to a family nearby who recently lost their cocker and Jimmy (Jersey) to a Harrisburg family.
I was warned early on a litter of puppies would negatively impact on my rescue efforts. I didn't let it stop me. I practiced careful sanitation throughout with other dogs I was fostering and had no problems. Thanks to everyone who provided assistance, advice and encouragement.