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- #21
Only if the dogs were brought inside, or she was put outside with them. The saddest thing is that they have a huge yard, great for this many dogs. It's all fenced with a chain link fence, and is separated into front and back yards, perfect for keeping moms with litters separate from the Stud and the others females in heat. Her house is literally surrounded by dogs, but the blinds are hooked to the window sills with those little plastic hook things and they're never opened. She's only outside to feed them or when she is going to or from the car.
I think she has some bad feelings about the mother dog, but just thinks this is how it's supposed to be. I think that in her entire life, every female dog she's ever had has had this (lack of) care, and gotten this thin. I think she just doesn't know any better, and thinks this is how it's supposed to be.
That's why I can't wait for the vet to get here. He'll tell her straight up that the mother dog needs more food.
the results of my foray outside a moment ago:
Roxy and I may not be "Friends" yet, but she's beginning to trust me. I put food out for her and stood nearby while she ate. Then I walked around the yard ignoring her and raking up pine needles. When her food was gone she started following me. When the pile was big enough, I stopped raking. I put down more food right at the opening to her puppy "box" and stood there while she ate. I took it all slow and let her know I didn't want to hurt her or the pups. Once she stopped body blocking me from her babies, I got the pine needles i had raked up and put those in the box with the pups. After 15 minutes or so, she even let me pick the pups up and put them on top of the bedding.
There are FIVE pups, not 4. The last one is just small and stays buried under the others most of the time. They are all amazingly fat and healthy looking. They're maybe not roly-poly pups, but they are not underweight which amazes me. Since they're not walking around yet, they pretty much stayed right where I nested them.
Roxy followed me around the yard some more, after making sure her pups were ok. She even butted her head under my head and let me love on her. She's really a sweet thing when she's not starving to death. I've got a picture of her on my phone, but there's not enough signal here for me to send it to email. I'll get that pic up ASAP. I want you all to see just how thin and starved this little girl is.
ALso, Marley, the puppy, is missing. Hubby got home as I was putting up the rake, and i told him. We searched for the pup all over the yard, even looking into the pool area, that she shouldn't be able to get into, but she's nowhere to be found. She's still small enough to maybe have gotten under the fence or to have slipped between the post and the edge of the gate. We're going to look for her more later. I made him put some food outside the fence, just in case.
I think she has some bad feelings about the mother dog, but just thinks this is how it's supposed to be. I think that in her entire life, every female dog she's ever had has had this (lack of) care, and gotten this thin. I think she just doesn't know any better, and thinks this is how it's supposed to be.
That's why I can't wait for the vet to get here. He'll tell her straight up that the mother dog needs more food.
the results of my foray outside a moment ago:
Roxy and I may not be "Friends" yet, but she's beginning to trust me. I put food out for her and stood nearby while she ate. Then I walked around the yard ignoring her and raking up pine needles. When her food was gone she started following me. When the pile was big enough, I stopped raking. I put down more food right at the opening to her puppy "box" and stood there while she ate. I took it all slow and let her know I didn't want to hurt her or the pups. Once she stopped body blocking me from her babies, I got the pine needles i had raked up and put those in the box with the pups. After 15 minutes or so, she even let me pick the pups up and put them on top of the bedding.
There are FIVE pups, not 4. The last one is just small and stays buried under the others most of the time. They are all amazingly fat and healthy looking. They're maybe not roly-poly pups, but they are not underweight which amazes me. Since they're not walking around yet, they pretty much stayed right where I nested them.
Roxy followed me around the yard some more, after making sure her pups were ok. She even butted her head under my head and let me love on her. She's really a sweet thing when she's not starving to death. I've got a picture of her on my phone, but there's not enough signal here for me to send it to email. I'll get that pic up ASAP. I want you all to see just how thin and starved this little girl is.
ALso, Marley, the puppy, is missing. Hubby got home as I was putting up the rake, and i told him. We searched for the pup all over the yard, even looking into the pool area, that she shouldn't be able to get into, but she's nowhere to be found. She's still small enough to maybe have gotten under the fence or to have slipped between the post and the edge of the gate. We're going to look for her more later. I made him put some food outside the fence, just in case.