My first time fostering: Louisiana and pups

Originally I was going to keep a day by day (or at least week by week) account of my first time fostering, but that didn't happen :) So this is what did:

April 28, 2017 - I went down to the rescue, it was raining, and I'm a nervous driver as is, but we made it okay! It was there I learned I would be getting a momma who had already given birth, and her puppies. I had so many questions! We were given the supplies we would need - towels, sheets, food, etc. but I couldn't fit the pool (for the puppies to be in and for momma to nurse in) in my little bitty meep meep mobile (Aka Chevy Aveo).  So my brother and I had to hunt one down, but it turned out he had a neighbor who had one they weren't using. Problem solved!

April 29, 2017 - Mom and Pup day! I spent most of the day nesting, LOL. I cleaned the house, got the room ready for them ( a small spare room, that seemed even smaller as time went on), and waited for the phone call that my foster puppers were at the shelter for pick up.  They were coming up from St. Landry Parish Rescue in Lousiana.   After getting the call, we headed down there (again in the rain!), the team met us at the door and loaded mom and pups into my car.  The momma dog's name was Louisiana, but we quickly started calling her LouLou.  I was told to name her puppies after streets in Louisiana. Not an easy task - when half of them I was unsure of how to pronounce! I guess that's how people feel when coming to St. Louis and trying to pronounce Spoede.

We got Lou and pups all settled in, she was just happy to not be in a car any longer probably. And everyone, she was the most sweet dog.  I sat down with her in that room, and she laid her head in my lap and just sighed. As the weeks went on - that disposition never changed, she was the most sweet and patient dog I could have asked for as my first time foster.  And such a good momma!

Time Marches On - Like I said, I was unable to write every day like I wanted to, but here is the gist of what happened. :)

 I ended up getting a "nanny-cam" for my pups.  I had a runt in the litter, that I needed to watch out for and make sure that when Lou was feeding, she got on there.  A couple times I went into the room and she was off by herself crying, and it hurt my heart so bad. I didn't want to miss feeding time.  Doing that, I was able to stay on it.  I'd pull one of the chunkers off (And boy, were there a few!), and put her on and then guard her so another didnt push her off.  Even though her official name was Calliope St. she quickly became "Little bitty." And as time went on, she became a healthy sassy puppy.

 

(Little bitty is the one with the white head, look how tiny!!!) 

 

(here she is at 7 weeks :) )

It was amazing watching them open their eyes and as time went on become more mobile.  I googled so many times what milestones I should be seeing, what concerns I might be addressed, and basically became on a first name basis with people at SR because I had questions and I stayed anxious if I didn't know the answer for sure, LOL. And guys, SR is amazing. They were so patient with me, and were always quick to help me.

Days turned to weeks, and soon they were trying to climb out of their pool, so they had to be transferred to running around the pin. It was difficult to set it up so that Lou could get away from them time to time, so I flipped it so that the top of the pen was on the ground, and so there was a ledge they'd have to step over to get out the open pen door.

Of course they grew like weeds! so I had to add a piece of cardboard to it, which when they started really gaining teeth they tried to destroy. Eventually Lou had to put up with them.  She was definitely teaching them their manners! The first time I heard her growl form the other room and a puppy squeal I ran in there thinking something terrible was happening.  Nope, she was teaching them what was what. And the puppies were just being little Divas.

This one especially!:

At one point I was sitting in there with them, Lou was teaching her a lesson and she ran for me.  Lou pulled her back.  Felt a little bad, but again Momma wasn't hurting her at all. She was just being a puppy. She also became the one who had to be held and loved on the most, more so than most of her siblings, though Toulouse was a close second:

Here we are all together :) Hard to believe they ever fit in my lap like this

Soon came the day that Miss Louisiana and 4 of her puppies went back to the rescue. Louisiana was going into intake, and the 4 puppies were going on to 2 wonderful new fosters.  I wont lie, I cried so hard saying goodbye to Lou. I didn't know if she'd be adopted and I felt awful that I was leaving her there. I know everyone at SR is amazing, but I didn't know if she understood, and basically I'm a big marshmallow. 

Turns out she was adopted 2 days later! And she's doing well in her new home with a new little sibling. :) I cried when I heard that too, LOL.

This was on the last day I had her and all the pups <3

So I ended up taking 3 puppies home with me to foster: Calliope, Magnolia, and Dauphine.  And as time went on, their personalities just blossomed.  It's amazing how much they grow in so little a time! My dog loved them, too. Piper ran around with them and continued to teach them. She was so incredibly gentle with them that I was surprised (pleasantly of course!) My other dog is a crabby ol' lady so she was kept separate from them.  Not that she'd attack, but she doesn't like to be messed with. :/ Oh GracieBella.  I think she didn't like puppies, when SHE was a puppy, and that was 10 years ago.

Little bitty liked to get under the tv stand and bark at the other two as they rough housed with Piper. At times all 3 of them would play tug of war with her. Guess who won? Yep, Piper. It was so funny to watch.  When they first go to go outside after the 3rd round of booster shots, they just ran and ran. I'd take out toys, but they found more enjoyment out of an empty mcdonald's coffee cup.... and of course chasing each other around the yard.  Dauphine and Magnolia were usually the two chasing each other, while Calliope investigated the flowerbeds (and by investigate, I mean tried to eat them which I had to keep her from).

 Right before Magnolia ran into the lens...

 Dauphine was trying to help me take pictures...

 Dauphine leading Callipe around :)

Anyway, so all 3 of the Three Muttkateers (as my brother called them) were adopted out. :) They went on 7/5/17 for their spay and went on to their wonderful new families!  Piper is kind of moping around the house, I keep expecting them to be there, and now we are looking forward to bringing 2 new puppies into the home. I know that this first foster experience though will have a special place in my heart. 

Edit: I forgot to mention! All of Lou's pups were adopted! :D How great is that?!