Sweetie is a Maltese that we are fostering until we can find her a "forever" home. She was found wandering the streets of the city and was totally infested with ticks and fleas. Her coat was filthy, brown and ragged and she was pregnant! She had her two puppies the day after we brought her home and the puppies came into a safe world where their bed is clean, where they are warm and where both mom and the pups are well fed.
We named the mom "Sweetie" because even with her traumatic life, she was still a sweet and loving dog. She has been an excellent mother even though she was covered with sores and scabs from the flea and tick infestation.
She was petrified of big dogs at first but, our 60 pound Goldendoodle, Holly, soon won her over with gentleness.
Sweetie would duck her head every time we reached down to pet her and had probably been abused.
Sweetie has blossomed over the two and a half months we have had her. Her coat is starting to grow out white and she no longer cringes when we reach to pet her. Her puppies are darling and precocious little dogs.
Here are the before and after shots. As she looked day we took her in and, as she looks today, on her way to full recovery.