Ichhabe
04-04-2004, 08:26 AM
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Puppies thrive after woman nursed them
A young Norwegian mother captured the hearts of animal lovers last fall when she impulsively nursed a litter of puppies that had lost their own mother. Now the surviving puppies are thriving, but four still need new homes.
Kine Skiaker last November, when she impulsively took the motherless puppies to her breast.
PHOTO: Sverre Chr. Jarild
Read this:
Woman who nursed puppies has no regrets -
Young mother nursed orphaned pups -
Earlier reader response -
Kine Skiaker says she's thrilled and touched by the international support she's received after Aftenposten's story on her unusual puppy nursing made headlines all over the world.
The story, the most-read ever in Aftenposten's online history, set off a flood of response, with letters pouring in from all over the world.
While some people in Norway reacted negatively to Skiaker's puppy nursing, roughly 95 percent of the mail from Aftenposten's international readers was positive. Most praised Skiaker for her motherly instinct that saved the lives of more than half the litter.
"I'd just really like to thank everyone who sent such nice messages of support," Skiaker told Aftenposten's Internet edition. "It's so nice to know there are so many kind, warm people out there."
Today, more than three months after her Dogo Canario died while giving birth, things have calmed down somewhat, but Skiaker is running a busy household in Siggerud, south of Oslo.
In addition to her husband Ivar, who's studying animal behaviour, and baby Emil, four of the 14 puppies that were born are still living with the Skiakers -- along with two other dogs, one of whom is the puppies' "half-brother," as Skiaker calls him, and a few cats.
Skiaker looks back on the puppy drama with no small amount of incredulity. It all started, she says, when she and her husband decided to import a male Dogo Canario from Spain.
The breed is known as a watch-dog, and Norwegian authorities have been wary of them. But the Skiakers loved the one they brought from Spain. "There are rumours that these dogs can be dangerous, but we've had nothing but good experience with them," Skiaker said.
Ill-fated breeding attempt
When their dog's mother in Spain later became available, and was pregnant as well, the Skiakers thought they'd try their hand at breeding the dogs, which remain rare in Norway. They've since dropped that idea.
Their new dog, Aida, developed complications while giving birth just three weeks after arriving in Norway. Only one puppy emerged naturally. Litters normally number six to 10, but Aida had 14 puppies. She died, as did three of the puppies at or shortly after birth.
"I was absolutely desperate," Skiaker recalls. "The first puppy was writhing and squealing, the only way to keep her calm was to hold her tight and close. And they all needed milk. I figured, I had milk." She'd given birth to her own son Emil just a few months earlier.
Eight of the puppies ultimately survived. Three have been placed with new owners in the Norwegian cities of Honefoss, Trondheim and Kongsberg. Another, however, died tragically just after New Year when it was attacked by another dog, ironically enough while on its way to a veterinarian to be vaccinated.
Discriminating sellers
That leaves four still squirming around at the Skiaker home. "We had lots of inquiries from prospective buyers, but not all of them have been what we consider serious," Skiaker said. "We want to find proper homes for them, preferably with families. We don't want the dogs used for defense purposes."
It's no cheap undertaking to acquire a Dogo Canario in Norway. Imported dogs can cost up to NOK 40,000 (about USD 5,500), while those bred in Norway cost about NOK 16,000.
"They're still small, sweet puppies," says Skiaker. And her toddler son Emil is good friends with all of them.
http://www.aftenposten.no/english/local/article495386.ece
Puppies thrive after woman nursed them
A young Norwegian mother captured the hearts of animal lovers last fall when she impulsively nursed a litter of puppies that had lost their own mother. Now the surviving puppies are thriving, but four still need new homes.
Kine Skiaker last November, when she impulsively took the motherless puppies to her breast.
PHOTO: Sverre Chr. Jarild
Read this:
Woman who nursed puppies has no regrets -
Young mother nursed orphaned pups -
Earlier reader response -
Kine Skiaker says she's thrilled and touched by the international support she's received after Aftenposten's story on her unusual puppy nursing made headlines all over the world.
The story, the most-read ever in Aftenposten's online history, set off a flood of response, with letters pouring in from all over the world.
While some people in Norway reacted negatively to Skiaker's puppy nursing, roughly 95 percent of the mail from Aftenposten's international readers was positive. Most praised Skiaker for her motherly instinct that saved the lives of more than half the litter.
"I'd just really like to thank everyone who sent such nice messages of support," Skiaker told Aftenposten's Internet edition. "It's so nice to know there are so many kind, warm people out there."
Today, more than three months after her Dogo Canario died while giving birth, things have calmed down somewhat, but Skiaker is running a busy household in Siggerud, south of Oslo.
In addition to her husband Ivar, who's studying animal behaviour, and baby Emil, four of the 14 puppies that were born are still living with the Skiakers -- along with two other dogs, one of whom is the puppies' "half-brother," as Skiaker calls him, and a few cats.
Skiaker looks back on the puppy drama with no small amount of incredulity. It all started, she says, when she and her husband decided to import a male Dogo Canario from Spain.
The breed is known as a watch-dog, and Norwegian authorities have been wary of them. But the Skiakers loved the one they brought from Spain. "There are rumours that these dogs can be dangerous, but we've had nothing but good experience with them," Skiaker said.
Ill-fated breeding attempt
When their dog's mother in Spain later became available, and was pregnant as well, the Skiakers thought they'd try their hand at breeding the dogs, which remain rare in Norway. They've since dropped that idea.
Their new dog, Aida, developed complications while giving birth just three weeks after arriving in Norway. Only one puppy emerged naturally. Litters normally number six to 10, but Aida had 14 puppies. She died, as did three of the puppies at or shortly after birth.
"I was absolutely desperate," Skiaker recalls. "The first puppy was writhing and squealing, the only way to keep her calm was to hold her tight and close. And they all needed milk. I figured, I had milk." She'd given birth to her own son Emil just a few months earlier.
Eight of the puppies ultimately survived. Three have been placed with new owners in the Norwegian cities of Honefoss, Trondheim and Kongsberg. Another, however, died tragically just after New Year when it was attacked by another dog, ironically enough while on its way to a veterinarian to be vaccinated.
Discriminating sellers
That leaves four still squirming around at the Skiaker home. "We had lots of inquiries from prospective buyers, but not all of them have been what we consider serious," Skiaker said. "We want to find proper homes for them, preferably with families. We don't want the dogs used for defense purposes."
It's no cheap undertaking to acquire a Dogo Canario in Norway. Imported dogs can cost up to NOK 40,000 (about USD 5,500), while those bred in Norway cost about NOK 16,000.
"They're still small, sweet puppies," says Skiaker. And her toddler son Emil is good friends with all of them.
http://www.aftenposten.no/english/local/article495386.ece