Work at Home Mom: Puppy Love

A telenovela is unfolding in our household. It all began this morning when we found a puppy hiding under the sampaguita bushes outside our gate. We left it alone, hoping that the mother dog would come back for it since the puppy seemed to be a month old at most. By afternoon, no mother dog came.

We couldn't leave the pup out there hungry and thirsty. We were also afraid that it might leave the bushes and be caught by vehicles on the road. So we brought it in. We also let the neighbors know that if anyone came looking for a lost pup, we were temporarily caring for it.

The pup lapped up the milk and softened dog food we gave it. Since he was crawling with fleas, we sprayed him with Frontline - it's safe even for very young pups. Soon he was licking my hands. I then began to pick out his fleas. He loved it. After a while, he was all clean. I rubbed him all over with a moist washcloth followed by a dry one. He snuggled against me.

When a pup snuggles against you and looks at you trustingly with those puppydog eyes, how can you resist falling in love?

The problem is that we already have three dogs and there is no room for another one.

If no owner claims him, we will have to offer him to our relatives and friends. If there are no takers, we will bring him to PAWS for adoption.

My youngest daughter's heart is breaking. She has fallen hard for him already.

We have even given him a temporary name - one that fits in with our three dogs named Poop, Booger and Barf. We call the little one Li'l Fart!

As soon as my husband declared that there was no way we could adopt him, the kids said we should detach ourselves from the puppy. C3 didn't even want to call him by any name anymore.

I could understand her trying to protect her emotions and I feel for her. If only there was a way to keep Li'l Fart. After all, it's her birthday on the 28th and this little girl really, really loves animals. In fact, all our pets (3 dogs and 3 guinea pigs) were her requests. This time, though, it looks like there's no solution to our dilemma. We can only be a foster family for this pup.

I suppose the best thing we can do is find him a really good home where he will be just as loved and cared for. Hopefully, somewhere we can visit, too. I hope one of our close relatives living nearby will take him.

I'm not very hopeful that he has a legitimate owner who will come claiming him. The state he was in doesn't show that he was a house pet. I even have a suspicion that he might have been abandoned by someone whose native dog gave birth to a litter.

I will be asking many questions when someone comes to claim him. I want to make sure that we will not be handing him over to dog traders posing as owners.

In the meantime, I just can't keep my distance. I know I'll be hurting the moment we have to hand him over to someone else but while he's here I can't resist him. He's still looking for his mom and I'm only too willing to stand in for her. Look at him. How can you guard your heart against such a lovable furball?



P.S. Yes! It's just past 1 a.m. and we have already found a home for Li'l Fart if no owner comes to claim him. My cousin who's a real dog lover, and whose dog recently passed away of old age, will take him. They have another dog that he can play with. Of course, I think they'll give him a more respectable new name :D