Tragedy Strikes
I left for Marquette for 3 days to scout property ... and on the last day got a terrible phone call. Pod had crushed my beloved Shuffle. Dan had taken her to dog class that evening in her Shuffle Duffle to keep her safe...then stayed up all night watching over the puppies because Pod couldn't seem to calm down - she would circle and pace. Finally, he laid down for 2 hours to get some much needed sleep when Pod and the puppies fell asleep. When he awoke, Shuffle was dead. Pod had somehow managed to crush her. Our hearts are broken, the puppy we had carried everywhere for 5 weeks was gone. There was nothing he could do. I got the call in a restaurant in Marquette...I was hysterical but fortunately had brought Mula and Mocha which kept my sanity. I would never get to say goodbye or hold my precious little angel again. Now she was in God's hands...why? Why give us a beautiful, sweet puppy that needed constant care only to take her when she was almost the size of the others and becoming truly alive? It made no sense...it was so sad and seemed so senseless. She had grown so much in those three days, I barely recognized her...my little ugly duckling had started to become a swan...and now she was gone.
I am told it commonly happens that the mom rolls onto a puppy and smothers it - it had never happened to us before because we are always there, supervising as much as possible. For weeks we don't go anywhere unless one of us stays home to watch over them. We were devastated it happened anyway. All of our mom's had been exemplary mothers - carefully watching where they laid and gently moving a puppy if necessary.
Pod seemed to be lacking this instinct - whether it was from the c-section or a lack of maternal instinct, we don't know. When I returned we buried little Shuffle under a flowering crab apple tree and blamed ourselves. From that point on Pod had constant supervision with the puppies - she was able to nurse them but we removed her when we couldn't be right there. The puppies seemed depressed because Pod seemed to only care about nursing them - nothing else. She wouldn't play or cuddle or show much interest at all in them. She was never a great mom, but now she seemed even more indifferent. She would just walk in circles in the pen and we had to make her lie down. Was she depressed? Upset? I don't know but she wasn't mothering the puppies so what to do? We still had two puppies that needed a mother's love, but for some reason Pod couldn't give that love.
So as an experiment, our daughter suggested we let Jazzy do some mothering. I say experiment because Jazzy and Pod do NOT like each other...at all. How would Jazzy take to her enemies' pups? We knew she loved puppies, and had been gentle with Shuffle when she was carried around...but that was with us in charge. Would she be as good with them?
It was amazing. We'd seen Malamute auntie behavior before, but nothing like this. Jazzy got down and played with them. She disciplined them gently when they got too rough. She watched over them when they slept. She only wanted to leave them when she knew they were sound asleep and safe. If one cried, she was there instantly. She was teaching them games like "face" and "tug".
I was amazed...in fact, so amazed I forgot to take any photos! But the puppies for the first time seemed to act like they felt loved. They were doing happy puppy "wild dogs" around the room! We'd have never thought to do this until Shuffle was killed, so maybe that is Shuffle's legacy...she gave them love at her own expense...
In death...Rest in Peace Dear Shuffle...at least you are at peace and no longer live in the land of the giants.
Shuffles Rainbow bridge tribute
