For those of you who are wondering what fostering an older bulldog is all about, here’s a sampling of a typical day with Mr. Wally….
“When he gets up in the morning, the first thing my foster Dad does is clean up the pee puddle I left on the kitchen floor during the night. (I pee a lot more lately since I’m on Prednisone for my anemia, but I don’t know why I don’t use the doggie door at night – maybe I’m just afraid of the dark). Then I get my pills rolled up in a piece of doggie meatball (yum!). Now breakfast – some kibble and canned food with warm water, olive oil, my vitamins and some yogurt and pumpkin on top – yum again! After eating I take a long drink of water and then Dad dumps out the bowl and puts in fresh water because I tend to ‘backwash’ a lot!
“After breakfast Dad puts in my eyedrops, and cleans my face wrinkles. He says I’m a really good boy and gives me a kiss on head. If I get a chance while Mom and Dad aren’t paying attention, I make a run at Chester on the other side of the baby gate (I really hate Chester – not sure why, but I’d sure love to get a piece of him. Maybe I’m just jealous because he’s still young and handsome!).
“Now it’s time for our morning walk – I don’t go very far but it’s a good chance to check out what’s going on down the street and have a nice poop. After we get home Dad cleans up my rear end. With all the folds and flaps back there he goes through four or five baby wipes sometimes getting it all cleaned up, but I guess it’s better than wiping it on Mom and Dad’s rugs or my nice soft pillows! Don’t forget my tail pocket!
“If I need to go in my crate for a while, Dad always gives me a couple of biscuits – yummy! The crate’s not so bad – I have my red blankie in there and it’s a good place for a nap or maybe to spend some time chewing my antler or nylabone.
“Sometimes my dad will clean out my ears with cotton balls and some kind of blue stuff. Not too crazy about that part, but at least he warms the stuff up so it’s not too cold in my ears, and he only does it every couple of weeks so I can’t complain too much.
“I get an afternoon or late evening snack, – a little kibble with some yogurt – Dad says I still need to put on some weight!
“At dinner time, it’s more pills, and then dinner… love that pumpkin topping!! Maybe I’ll take another charge at Chester if I see him – did I say how much I hate Chester? (Mom and dad are trying to train me to get along with him better – we’ll see about that! But it’s worth it for the extra treats!) Then it’s time for eyedrops again – another kiss on the head for being a good boy!
“In the evening we take another walk and poop – “clean-up on aisle 6″ again! Somtimes during the day I’ll use the doggie door to go out back and sneak out another poop – Dad’s always checking my rear end for when I do that so I don’t bring the mess inside!
“Later I might watch some TV with Dad, or stalk him around the house just to keep an eye on him (whatever he’s doing I need to make sure he stays out of trouble!). Then I settle in on one of the pillows in the family room with Ruby and Bosley (my foster sister and brother – they’re pugs) for a well deserved good night’s sleep! See you in the morning…….!”
A note from Wally’s foster dad: This may sound like a lot of work (and I suppose it is, especially if I include the many trips to the vet, recuperation time from his surgeries which required extra attention, occasional bouts of diarrhea, vomiting, etc. etc.). But we very quickly established a daily routine and it’s really not all that time consuming. Still, it’s a bit of work and a daily commitment, but I wouldn’t trade it for the world – it gave me a chance to connect with Wally deeply and it’s an experience that I will never forget, and will never regret. If you are considering fostering a bulldog, I promise you will not regret it either!
– was also a bonding ritual, and I learned his rhythms just as I know he tuned into mine. But I also learned for myself about patience, commitment, and most of all “living in the moment.”
