A mother dog and her seven puppies are thriving after being surrendered by a northern B.C. owner who couldn’t take care of them.
Cookie, a terrier mix, was one of 119 dogs surrendered to the B.C. SPCA in March from a property near Fort Nelson. Many of the dogs were severely matted and needed to be treated for dental issues, hernias, nose abrasions, eye issues and were malnourished.
After that, Cookie and her puppies were given to Paige Ward to foster.
“When I first got her, she was terrified of people, myself included,” said Wards. “She hid in her blanket fort and did not come out when I was around. Her puppies were super friendly but she was very concerned when I would pick them up.”
But all it took, Ward said, was some love and kindness and now Cookie is “absolutely obsessed” with her new home.
“She follows me up the stairs and around the house wherever I go. She enjoys being around my other dogs and finds comfort in them. She even sits on my lap and lets me pick her up, brush her, check her teeth and bathe her,” Ward said.
Cookie, who the SPCA believes gave birth to her puppies in early March, has learned to be a “wonderful” mother.
“She hides their food when they’re done eating just to make sure they get some later on (even though I feed them every three hours) and she brings them new toys and slippers everyday and barks to wake me up first thing in the morning when her babies are hungry,” Ward said.
“While she enjoys being a little more independent now and letting her babies roam and learn new things, Wards says Cookie is always concerned about her puppies and their whereabouts. “I’m sure her last home was very hectic and keeping track of them would be difficult. I think it’s pretty special that she steals items from around my house to take for her babies.”
The seven puppies have been named, and it’s a basket of sweet treats: Wafer, Sugar, Shortbread, Teddy, Graham, Oreo, and Chip.
“They’re constantly jumping all over each other and playing. They’re also starting to walk more so they want to go everywhere. I absolutely love all the puppies and how much fun they are, and they will be amazing pets in the future.”
While the puppies aren’t up for adoption yet, Ward believes they and their mom will be perfect for a new home one day.
“Cookie is an amazing dog. She is so loyal and loving,” she said. “She is resilient and with patience, time, effort, understanding and compassion she will blossom into a wonderful pet for any home.”
