Living in a Dog Rescue

“You have how many puppies at your house?”

“Six, plus 6 adult dogs”

“Oh, I’d love to be around that many dogs/puppies all the time.”

 

I have had this conversation several times. Like everything in life, it is true and untrue. First some background. My wife started her own dog rescue (Puplandia Dog Rescue, look it up and like it on Facebook). I fully supported her in this, at the time we owned 5 dogs and she was already doing volunteer work for another rescue. It quickly took off and before we knew it we had lots of dogs at our house. We were asked to foster a litter of puppies for another rescue while my wife pulled a litter of puppies out of a kill shelter. I think we had a total of 11 puppies and 8 adult dogs in the house. (Don’t worry that is not the most we have had in our house at one time. And our house is pretty small).

            When I have a conversation like the one above I just laugh (in my head) at the people who I am talking to. They only see how cute and lovable the puppy is and experience how much fun it is to cuddle and play with them. While you get that 100 times over by having the puppies at your house, you also have to clean up after them. Most people have had a puppy before, either as a kid or an adult, so they understand that it is some work to care for them. What they don’t see is that late night or early morning bark-fest one hour before you have to get up and go to work. Yes if you run a dog rescue you still have to have a regular job, got to pay the bills somehow. They don’t smell the poop filling the house after a meal. Six puppies can poop a lot and pee everywhere. They don’t just poop on the pads either, in fact they more often than not just tear them up and poop where they used to be.

            Having a litter of puppies at your house also means you are never board. They are always exploring and finding new and interesting things. Puppies don’t let you be depressed. They are always happy to see you and their sweet faces and wagging tails will bring a smile to your face. Yes it is hard work to have puppies in your home but knowing they are safe, full, happy and healthy and you go to bed exhausted only to get up in a few hours and do it all over again, you feel a sense of joy. It is hard to care for these puppies and pick up their poop and then when they are old enough find them amazing homes, but you know that all your work meant something. That you made things a little bit better, not only for the puppy you rescued but the family who adopts them and for yourself. So while I laugh (in my head) at people who say they would love to have a litter of puppies at their house, it is not because I think less of them but because I know it is true, just not in the way they think.

 

Puppies are amazing, but please do not breed your dogs, rescue. There are a lot of dogs who are euthanized every day, we don’t need to breed our dogs. If you want there are pregnant dogs in shelters that need help, but please get your pets spayed or neutered.