When we got the call from one of our rescue partners in the Central Valley, we were told the mama dog had six puppies, all just under a week old. “She’s blind and deaf,” they said. “Can you take her?”
We rushed to take her and her puppies in Despite not being able to hear or see us, she was wiggly and friendly as she was unloaded off our transport van. Our staff fell in love instantly with her sweet, trusting nature. She was patient and leaned into our medical team during her medical exam. During the exam, Dr. Campbell noted that she had no reaction to sound and found that she had small, underdeveloped eyes. Her vision was very limited, but she had some reaction to light.
Her puppies were all healthy and chunky thanks to their amazing mama. Dr. Campbell recommended the mama and puppies go to a foster home while the puppies continued to grow, and so both mom and puppies’ sight and hearing could be monitored.
Our medical team stayed in close touch with mama and her pups over the next few weeks. Mama was named Gooey Marshmellow and her puppies were given equally delicious dessert names: Rice Puddin, Chunky Tofu, Vanilla Swirl, Wonder Bread, Angel Food Cake, and Coconut Cream. The puppies were growing perfectly and showed no signs of having the same issues with their hearing and sight as their mama. Gooey was learning quickly how to get around despite her limited sight – after a few days, she figured out the landscape of her foster home and got around fairly easily on her own.
For the next few weeks, Gooey’s puppies continued to grow and get more wrinkly and adorable as the weeks went on. Finally, they were big and strong enough to find homes of their own, and were brought back to start meeting potential families.
The puppies were a huge hit on our adoption floor. While they didn’t share their mama’s vision and hearing abnormalities, they did share her sweet, friendly personality, and everyone wanted to meet the Mini Marshmellows, as they were nicknamed.
With their wrinkly faces and snuggly demeanor, all six of the Mini Marshmellows found their new homes quickly.
Next, it was Gooey’s turn. Once she was found to be medically healthy and spayed, it was time to start looking for her perfect home. In her foster home and in her first few days back at the shelter, she was sometimes uncomfortable and uneasy around other dogs. Our Behavior team hoped they could help her become more comfortable with dogs, so they created a plan.
They began pairing her for playdates with confident, polite dogs who could show her that other dogs could be fun to be around. After just a few of these playdates, Gooey Marshmellow’s confidence soared. She started to play and seek out the company of other dogs. She was also a little awkward – without much sight or hearing, she didn’t always know exactly where the other dog was. But with the right matches, her awkwardness didn’t matter. It was amazing to watch the other dogs accept Gooey for who she was.
Finally, after Gooey spent weeks in our shelter looking for a new home, the perfect family finally came. They had another dog that Gooey did great with right away, thanks to all the work our Behavior team put in to help her become more comfortable with dogs.
Marshy, as her family now calls her, has been in her new home for months and her family has stayed in touch. They say she’s doing great – she’s spending tons of time exploring and going to the beach, hiking, and camping.
Thanks to the support of our incredible community – from the foster families that cared for Marshy and her special family, to donors who provided the support we needed to care for this incredible mama, all seven members of this unique family are now thriving. We are so grateful that we were able to be there for Marshy and her puppies when they needed us most. Thank you for helping us create a happy ending for the Marshmellow family!
19 Comments on “Gooey’s Journey”
Wonderful to see Gooey blossom and find her loving home! And her beautiful puppies, as well.
That’s so awesome! Great to see a happy ending!
Awwww, this just made my day!!! SO happy everyone found loving forever homes. Loved watching “Marshy” having fun playing with her friend. She seems so happy!! I want to be Marshy’s friend!!
Such a heartwarming story. So wonderful to hear that Marshmello and all her puppies found loving homes.
This is a great success story! I remember when this foster took them on and loved the hilarious creative names she gave the family. So glad that things went so awesome. Hssv foster mom and team did a great job!
What a very happy story and thank you HSSV for caring so much about each pup and their special mama! Great photos too….. 🙂
This is such a heart warming story!
What a wonderful story! This has made my day! I love the way Marshy bounces around!
Thank you HSSV for everything you do for animals. You are a shining star.
Love love this story. Warms my heart.
Thank you to HSSV and team for a job
well done and to the adopting families
I love dog stories that doesn’t end badly. Yes, this one made my day.
So very happy for these beautiful mom and puppies. I keep watching this site. I lost my qw and a half year old Shih Tzu Fang, to cancer on May 4th. Of this year. As a legally blind, dissabled person. And also because Fang was my best friend
I miss himike crazy. So i’m constantly searching for a dog si.ular to Fang
When i saw this story it warmed my heart. I know now i am ready and needing another luppy..
What a wonderful story! Made my day. 🙂 Best wishes for what looks like an amazingly happy life, Marshy!
So nice to have a happy story to read! Thank you.
So glad to have read about this real story and see how everything went so well for Marshy and puppies! Reassuring that there is so much love and care at HSSV for animals with challenging disabilities. Great work!
Truly heartwarming! So happy for that furry family. Thank you to all at Humane Society Silicon Valley for the love and care you provide to our innocent friends.
So very happy for Gooey and her adorable puppies!! Thanks to the wonderful team at the Humane Society, couldn’t be done without you!
Us petlovers will always go the extra mile. They are all our Angel babies & we should always be their Angels & advocates. Thank you all for your generosity & caring hearts.💕
I adopted angel food cake, she is the sweetest dog I have ever had, we renamed Inigo from the Princess Bride, she’s a lil over 3. Her ears are still floppy, she is super well behaved and the love of my life.