'Joyful life' ahead for mum and puppies

Two-year-old Dumpling had a few little dumplings of her own on the way when she came into Blue Cross care – she was heavily pregnant. 

The team at Blue Cross Devon rehoming, advice and behaviour unit knew she needed a very special foster home.

“Dumpling had come into the RSPCA about to pop,” Asha Rowlinson, Assistant Manager at the Devon centre, says. 

“So, they asked for our help as we’re lucky to have vets and vet nurses among our wonderful team of foster carers. We placed Dumpling in a foster home with a vet and, a few days later, she gave birth to six puppies. 

"That’s a huge litter for a Chihuahua so our foster carer was able to help the newborn pups latch on to Dumpling’s nipples and supplement their feed when necessary.”

There were three female pups in the litter – Houdini, Princess and Gizmo. And three of the litter were boys – Nugget, Albie and Potato.

Dumpling was a devoted – albeit exhausted Mum – and the pups thrived, each developing their own personalities. Gizmo, for example, was very confident while her brother Potato was shy, taking his lead from his siblings.

But, when the pups were weaned at six to seven weeks old, Dumpling was ready for some me-time. An affectionate girl, she loved her foster carers and wanted to hang out with them without a puppy calling for her attention every two minutes.

“Dumpling reached a point where she was saying to the pups: ‘Leave me alone!” Asha laughs. “Luckily the pups were very popular with potential adopters and by the age of nine weeks they had all flown the nest.”

That wasn’t the only good news for Dumpling, though – her foster carers were so smitten with this sweet girl who hadn’t enjoyed the best start in life they decided to adopt her.

“It’s such a well-deserved happy ending for Dumpling,” Asha says. “She’s sent six wonderful puppies out to spread joy in the world and now she can have a joyful life too.”

Gillian Boulos, Gizmo’s adopter – who has since renamed the grey and white pup Mabel – says: “Mabel has settled in really well in her new home. 

“She’s tiny in stature but big in personality – very playful, inquisitive, funny and affectionate. She is the perfect little companion, loving nothing more than to curl up on my lap for a cuddle. I am so glad I chose her.’