[Kitchen Cottage]

Fred, my sprollie, at 19 soldiers one but I think is starting to enjoy life less.  His incontinence is extreme now but a washable soft bed from ebay has arrived.  Other than that I was washing 3 soft beds a day.  Fred needs bathing every other day because he wee's while asleep and consequently lays in it.

Fred and Misty both have mites from the chickens which I am trying to get rid of by washing with flea shampoo every other day.... I suspect a trip for the vet is going to be necessary though.....

Fred falls around a lot, getting up resembles a drunken sailor and he's starting to have difficulty with my deep steps from the living room to the kitchen... an old house issue.

Looking after Fred is time consuming but I love him and its not quite his time while he wags his tail, but, herein is where I am the author of my own misfortune BIGTIME..... I foster blind dogs from Eastern Europe while they find new homes.

My last one, the redoubtable Maggie, went to her forever home on Saturday and.... I was supposed in February to get a permanent dog, Luca.... in the interim I said I would foster Yellow, a labbie like 5 year old too weak to survive the winter in the outside shelter in Bulgaria.

Well, naturally, things have gone SLIGHTLY awry, and Luca and Maggie arrive together on Monday.... Luca is nervous (he lived blind in a cage for two years) because his foster in Bulgaria had to give him for transport Last Monday.... so he'll have been in a cage since then poor boy.  He will feel his happiness with his foster was very transient.

Well I have Monday and Tuesday off work and from 18th until New Year and both dogs are well socialised.  Blind dogs tend not to be too aggressive, so I'm not worried about doggie fighting because its never happened but generally, I have a LOT of doggy issues coming up....

Bugger me, what have I done!!!???

[Bionic]

Gosh, you deserve a medal. I wouldn't be able to cope with all that but well done to you 

[doganjo]

You do have a lot on your plate and I really admire you as I know I couldn't take on what you do.  So long as you take your own needs into consideration as well as these poor souls then all will be well. And if you feel frustrated or worried at any time we are here to listen.

[Old Shep]

yes well done you!  I'm on my 4th foster dog this year - and have 4 of my own also.  My foster is elderly and incontinent but I am coping Ok because she lives in a heated outhouse with a run - keeps the smell out of the house!  She's happy anyway.
The period when you are working till the 18th and not be able to do too much with the new dogs will probably be good for them - just to chill and get used to their new life and realise nothing bad is going to happen - so don't worry :-)  I like to keep them separate for 3 weeks to give my dogs chance to accept them.  Good luck - would love to hear how you get on