They are now five days old and I watch her and marvel--she's never had puppies before, she had no training or preparation--she didn't even understand what was happening to her as she grew larger and more unwieldy as the days progressed. And yet, even though she is a spoilt and coddled little darling and this was sprung upon her without warning, she is such an excellent little mother it is heartwrenching.
For the first four days she would not leave the box with the babies in it for more than the 30 seconds it would take her to go use her potty pad. Food and water had to be delivered to her or she would not eat or drink. The tiniest squeak of one of the babies put her on instant alert, looking for it, then licking and nuzzling and nudging it towards her belly until it quieted.
She has allowed nothing to interfere with the well-being of her children, denying herself sustenance, staying indoors, sleeping in the box instead of on my pillow where she has slept since she came to us 3.5 years ago...those babies come before anything else in her world just now...
And I have to wonder, what was wrong with our mothers that we were never accorded the kind of selfless mother-love that even a spoilt and pampered little dog can give to her puppies, and how sad it is that my dog's concern and care for her babies is so much greater than our mothers ever had for us.
