Two Dogs are Better Than One: My First Week as a Dog Foster Mom!

I had been waiting months for my first foster pup once I was approved through Cavalier Rescue USA. I have a soft spot for this breed since they are incredibly sweet, gentle and eager to please. They look like puppies even when they grow old and their expressive eyes just warm my cold heart.

Last week I got the call that a sweet Cavalier needed a foster home stat and we didn’t yet know her story, what issues she might have–health or behavioral wise and so I drove down to get her only knowing her name was Koko Chanel, and that she was surrended to a shelter in the Detroit area.

The Pick Up

When I went to get her, I was so overwhelmed with emotion. I held back tears as Lisa, the foster mama who picked her up for me from the shelter, explained her story and her current health issues. It broke my heart to think of the person who had to surrender her and it hurt even more to think about what was going through Koko’s mind as she was dropped off to a strange place after 11.5 years. I sobbed for about an hour on my drive home after picking her up. And I wipe away tears and snot as I type this now, damn I’m emotional.

She has a handful of health issues, but you’d never know by her personality. She is the sweetest, happy go lucky senior girl and she always looks like she’s smiling at me.

The Meeting of the Cavaliers

James was initially super excited to meet little miss Koko and that turned into a bit of jealousy. I can tell with James little glances and stares that he felt a little unsure of how much attention she was getting from me. James isn’t an aggressive dog or anything, I just know his little soul and I could see by his expressions that he was a little put out by our new guest.

She showed little interest in him and just wanted me to hold her, which I happily obliged. I’ve been accustomed to James’ catlike personality. He only wants to be held by me when he randomly wants to be held and he doesn’t usually follow me around room to room, unless we’re at the office.

Koko on the other hand loves to be held and cuddle in my lap. She doesn’t let me out of her sight and it’s incredibly endearing.

Koko is also much smaller than James. At 10 pounds, she’s seven pounds lighter than James and I can hold her for a long time around the house. I like to rock her in my arms before I set her into her dog bed for a little nap so I can get some stuff around the house. She’s like a tiny, furry baby.

My New Normal

I used to be able to move quickly with James. He has no major health issues beyond his seizures which have become quite infrequent with medication. He can run up the staircase at home and on and off the bed and can easily go on a couple mile walk.

Now, it takes a little more time with Koko. She was just spayed and since she’s older and has a heart murmur, I’m careful to not let her walk too long on our walks and I help her on and off furniture. I bought a dog sling and she sits inside the pouch on my chest during most of our walks now.

At the office, she loves to visit everyone and rotate through my colleagues’ laps. She doesn’t bark or make a peep, she is just so happy and wags her tail at any new person she meets at work.

Next Steps

Koko visited my vet this past week and she’s got medications for ears, eyes, spay/tumor removal incision and antibiotics. Next week, she gets her chest x-rays to check out her heart and the following week we’re off to the doggie cardiologist in Novi. We’re going to get her on the best meds and get her in an even better place.

I’ll be sure to share updates on her progress!

Plaid top c/o White Crow | jeans from Madewell

Photography by Brooke Cummings