Puppy Love(y)

I am very fond of small, senior doggies.  The only puppy I ever had is my now 17 year old Maltese, Clarisse.  It's been a long time since that young of blood has been in our household.  I've fostered dogs that were around 2-3 years old, and they're playful...but not like pups!

I was recently given a stray puppy that was pulled (rescued) from a shelter north of me.  At 4 pounds, she was in an outdoor kennel in the gravel.  This has been a little over a month ago, so the weather was pretty chilly.  I agreed when I took her on, I'd keep her.  I look back on that and wonder, 'what was I thinking?'....but I say that with a laugh!

Our new girl is a hoot! A breath of fresh air! Our home has mainly older doggies, and it's been a long time ago that Clarisse was a pup.  It's interesting, as I recall when I got Clarisse, I had pretty much zero knowledge on canine care.  And there's a lot more available today....and also, I know a whole lot more...experience is truly a good teacher!

She's had her first round of puppy shots, and will be getting spayed in the next couple of weeks, and some extra teeth removed, and her next round of puppy shots.  Oh, what I didn't know then that I know now! It's great really.  I am enjoying having her here.  She is extremely lovable....thus, I named her Lovey.  She's 8 months old.  I am so happy and eager to provide her a good and healthy life.

I don't even recall what I fed Clarisse when she was little...probably that kibble that I now consider doggie junk food! Yeah, I've come a long way too! Clarisse has been a great companion and I've had very little health/medical issues over the years.  I'm very blessed.

The vet I take my pets to knows how I care for and feed the dogs I have.  He is anxious to see how with the good diet I feed my dogs whether her coat becomes coarse, and whether she changes color or not (she has some brown underneath the black on top).  I always stress in this blog the importance of proper canine nutrition.  With Lovey, I will have the opportunity to start this at a very early age.  I don't know what she has had previous, but my vet said after her exam that she seems to be very healthy.  I plan to keep that momentum going.

I hope if you have a puppy or puppies in your care that you follow or put in place a top notch nutrition program.  Most of the dogs I take in have years of their lives behind them, and probably already have issues underlying because of poor practices....to no fault of their own.  These precious creatures depend 100% on us to care for them properly, and when we don't, we are slighting them...and that's not right.

Enjoy all your dogs, regardless of their age...feed them right, get proper medical attention and give them endless love...believe me, the return will be a hundred fold, if not more!