At 12:30 AM on 9/1, Flirt, my sweet toy poodle, pushed one very large puppy into the world.
She has never before given birth, but somehow knew to make a safe nest before hand and manage labor gracefully. She instinctively knew how to remove the pup from it's sac, nip the umbilical cord, and stash the placenta. She helped her new daughter to nuzzle up to the milk bar and polished her till she shone like a small warm pearl in the low light. She is a dedicated mother; I have to force her to go outside to take care of business, and deliver food and water to her by hand because she will not leave her new baby. I have to wonder, gazing on this vignette of maternal instinct, if there is some way to teach certain human mothers such devotion to their young?
A few days ago I spoke to a woman who told me she used to teach art to underprivileged inner city kids. One first day of class she heard a student say, "I am not going to listen to that bitch." She turned to the class and said, "Do you know what a bitch is? It is a female who will do anything to protect her young. You are right. I am a bitch. And I will be here not just to teach you but to protect you." My little Flirt? She's a bitch. 7 pounds of fierce protecting her singleton pup. It is beautiful to see.
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