A Furlough in the Making

Hands down! Missy is a great mom!

It was fascinating to watch her care for her babies. From delivery to nursing and cleaning them, Missy enthusiastically handled each task. At the first whimper of one of her puppies, she would move immediately from her resting position to full attention, focusing in the direction of the puppy box and watching me prepare her nursing place. She would trot from her quarters to the kiddie pool and stop at the edge, surveying the scene. I loved watching Missy gingerly enter the pool, careful not to hurt her babies, and lay on her side for feeding.

It made me think of my children. I remembered how great it felt to feed and care for them. It was wonderful to know that they depended on me, and I lovingly met their needs. I remembered the stages of their growth, and the changing length of time between feedings. I remember seeing their teeth protrude through their gums, and introducing them to baby food. Each time I watched Missy, I thought of myself and felt a strange connection to her.

As time passed, I was feeling a bit sideways at the thought of weening the puppies. I hated the fact that I would be moving Missy to the sidelines, and she would no longer provide their nutrition. The puppies would transition to dog food and forget about the quiet feeding times with their mother. My heart went out to her and the special bond that would soon be severed by the weening process. I understood it to be the natural progression, and I remembered how I felt long ago. Putting Missy through it made me feel like a traitor.

Over the course of the next two weeks, Missy would be put out of her job as “Milk Ma’am”. To calm my feelings, I lovingly referred to the weening as “putting Missy on furlough”. It was destined from the start, and the term made it seem less personal, and more business. She wasn’t being fired, just furloughed. We would definitely be putting her to work again for the next litter, and in the meantime, she would be drawing unemployment in the form of care, food and rest. Be encouraged Missy! You are valuable, and will be called back to work soon!