My Fur Baby Is Growing UP

My baby is officially a young woman now that she’s started her first heat cycle and is having a menstrual period. Diapers were necessary believe me. She’s taught me that dogs too go through it when on their period and most likely wish it were over already. Read that theirs can last for about two weeks or more so I’m in for quite the February. It happens to be her birth month too. She turns 1 on the 24th. Here are some things I’ve noticed since this started:

• She’s not very comfortable and I think it’s less to do with the bleeding and more to do with the swelling and reddening of her vulva and how it affects her gait.

• She’s even more compelled to lick the area more than before (even when the blood is coming). This is such a fun time for me…

• She’s moody and goes through swings. One minute she’s excited and the next she wants to hide from the world.

• She’s easily tired now. Even when I release her, she only wilds out for a short while and then is ready to relax again. In this way she doesn’t even follow me around as much. She now willingly stays back till she feels strong again.

• However, she’s even more clingy than before and wakes me up with barks to lift and cuddle her. I really need to find her a boo thing because cuddle duty has overed me briefly.

• She doesn’t have much of an appetite anymore and is eating only bits of her food. This is the biggest change because if you know Mäshké, you know she LOVES food. Gave her an egg as part of her initiation into womanhood and she ate that so I take it she’s accepted her new phase of growth hehehe.

• She’s restless and angsty. In fact this started days before the bleeding did.

Lastly she’s taught me that I’m not in that place in life when I can handle being a grandma for two reasons: 1. I can’t stand watching her being miserable and 2. I don’t have the financial standing to allow her to mate, get pregnant, and then have puppies that I would have to care for during the first 8 weeks of their lives and until they find good homes. So I passed by the vet and inquired about spaying. They will get back to me. This pup was destined for a stress free baby girl type of life. Maybe in future when I’m ready and get another pup, I’ll be open to breeding. If they come back and I can afford the procedure, she’ll be spayed once this cycle is over. Please don’t try to change my mind…😬🐶❤️