Just One LitterYou say, you want to just have one litter. What can it hurt you

say, my friends are lining up for the puppies. Read on.....

This was written and posted on the AOL Bichons Board. Permission was granted by

the author and she said.."Yes, you may use my story anywhere that it may

help."...so here it is for you, with permission to crosspost.

"I have wanted to share this story since before Christmas but it took me until

now to sit down and write it. I learned a tough lesson through this experience,

and more importantly became even more enlighten to all the "Angels" out there

that sacrifice so much to rescue unwanted animals.

Some of you may remember my story; I have 2 bichons, a boy, TJ and a girl,

Annie. My Annie is so cute that I thought before I get her fixed it would be fun

to have one litter. So last June I mated Annie with my sister's bichon and on

September 1st she gave birth to 1 girl and 2 boys.

From the beginning I had two friends that were planning on taking the pups, and

one was going to my mom. I had no intentions of selling them for profit, all I

wanted was for them to have loving homes. I kept the little pups until they

turned 12 weeks old and hard as it was, I gave them to their new owners. Now

keep in mind, they all left my home with a storage container filled with new

toys, bones, collars and leashes, doggy beds and books on how to take care of

Bichons and doggy toothbrushes. Oh, and they had all their shots and were

chipped in case they got lost. I made it clear to all the new owners that if for

any reason the new pups did not work out, they were to give them back to me..I

never dreamed of what happened next.

Three days after they left, I got a call from the woman who got the little girl

Molly. It seems that Molly was going through separation anxiety and would cry

loudly whenever her new mom left the room. Since they lived in a Condo, they

were receiving complaints about the crying and the management told her that the

puppy had to go or she would be evicted. So she brought Molly back to me.

Three weeks after they left, I got a call from my other friend who said that she

did not realize how much responsibility a dog was, and her and her husband had

decided that,"they are just not "dog" people" so she brought back Simon.

Connor the last little guy was going to stay with me until he was potty trained

and then he was suppose to go to my mom. Do you know how hard it is to train 3

puppies at once?

So, after they were all back with me, I realized that there was no way I could

let my pups go to people I did not know. After all, my friends that I trusted,

who entered into being puppy parents with all the best intentions ended up

giving them up. I could not bear the thought of my dogs ever ending up at the

Humane society or even wandering the streets because people just decided that

they didn't want them.

So this week my sister took Molly, (she now has 3 bichons). My mom is taking

Simon on Wednesday of next week (instead of Connor) and my husband and I are

keeping Connor.

The moral of the story is, FIX YOUR PETS!! Don't do the "one litter" thing.

Although I love all my bichons more then anything, it has turned my life

upside-down emotionally. It was an incredible experience, and my pups ended up

being like my children. As hard as it was to let them go, it was even harder to

have everything fall apart with their new homes.

I apoligize to all you rescuers and foster parents out there, I have incredible

respect for what you do every day to save all the unwanted homeless pets. I

learned a tough lesson, but I will make it right by loving my pups and will take

full responsibility for their lifetime love and care. (Annie has already been

fixed!)

So if any of you out there are considering "just one litter" Don't do it. It is

selfish. There are too many unwanted dogs out there that need homes, don't add

to the problem!!

Kmac and the macpherson bichons T.J., Annie, Molly, Simon and Connor "