"Perfect Storm" of dogs

[Richard Crowe]

We have five of our Crowe Maltese plus our Goldendoodle, Holly = 6-dogs

We are presently fostering six Maltese plus our Labradoodle rescue, Cocoa = 7-dogs

We offer dog sitting services to persons who give our fosters a furever home.  We don't want our fosters ever put back in a kennel, even a nice kennel. We also love to see the dogs come back to us looking lovely from the TLC they receive in their furever homes.

Three families have taken us up on this over the Labor Day Weekend = 3-dogs

Our daughter and son-in-law needed to go out of town for a couple of days and we are watching their dogs.

Three Maltese and a Labrador Retriever = 4-dogs

That totals out to 20-dogs in our home right now.  It is really quite calm and the dogs get along quite well.  Even two of the foster Maltese who are not perfectly house trained are following the pack outside to go potty. We can handle a dozen dogs quite well because we have separate places for each of them to eat.  Some are slower eaters than others and we don't want the chow hounds to finish theirs and steal food from the slower eaters.  Above a dozen dogs we have to sort of feed them in shifts.

We have plenty of room for dogs and none of them are in pens or kennels.  We don't think that we can prepare foster dogs for furever homes by keeping them in pens or kennels.  A dog cannot learn to be house trained without being in the house.  Having a large home and plenty of yard space really helps too, as does living in a semi rural area and having understanding neighbors  each of whom have their own dogs..

However, this morning our best laid plans went bonkers.  We usually feed Holly and our daughter's Lab outside - they eat quite well together.  This morning since it is so hot in our area, our gardener came an hour early, before the dogs were fed.  We had to do some tap dancing on where and how to feed the poochies.

Our daughters 4-dogs leave this afternoon and the three boarders are scheduled to leave by Monday. That will put us back to 13-dogs total.  A very manageable number.

After all - one Labrador or doodle weighs as much as seven or eight Maltese...

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

OMD, Richard! You and Judy are simply amazing! Thank you for all you do for all of the dogs who are lucky enough to end up under your roof, if only temporarily.

That spread of yours is pretty amazing, too. :)

[Donna K & Quincy]

I need a nap just reading this. How in the world do you keep everything straight? Most days I can't remember what I had for lunch or if I even had lunch. You guys really are wonderful.

[Pat and Traveler]

Wow!  That's quite pack!  Great that they all get along, and great that you are such great furever parents!!!

[Lucy & AnnaBelle's Mom]

I'd have to put different collars on them like the breeders do when they are puppies ... at least all the maltese.  Oh my goodness and I thought 3 was out of control.  Have a great week-end you all!

[F, Calla & Luca]

Unbelievable. I would never be able tokeep track. Our town limits us to 4 or 5 dogs anyway : )