A stray dog has delivered six adorable puppies under the patio. I am a hot mess.

Puppy update: they came out to play today.

One got tired mid-fun and fell asleep on my shoe.

Much panic on the way to our first vet visit today.

Total exhaustion on the way back.

Had a call from a woman who’d heard about the puppies and wanted to adopt the sole male. It absolutely had to be the male. She asked for a photo, which I sent. Her response: no thanks, she needs a white dog. I knew my people were not that into blackness, but even black dogs now??

Look at this guy. Turned down for being too black. Life is tough, my friends.

Greetings from puppyville, where energy is high and appetites are growing.

I am somewhat ashamed to admit that I have a favorite. She is the runt of the litter, constantly bullied by her siblings. I hope she finds a really good home, but I might cry when she goes.

Puppy update: they are still very cute.

Puppy update: ends up frolicking is exhausting.

This puppy looks cute & innocent, but she is an absolute terror.

Puppy update: it’s almost impossible to control a pack of six puppies.

Puppies had their first vaccinations today. We were all traumatized. They are now trying to sleep away the memories. Eternal sleepiness of the spotless puppy mind.

Puppy update: hot days require effective cooling systems, and this little one has already got one figured out.

Everything is shit. But, thankfully, there are still puppies.

I have definitely missed my calling as a puppy photographer.

After eight weeks of energy and pizzazz (four of them with me) the puppies are sick. Started with one and now has moved on to two others. Please send good vibes for these bundles of joy.

I’ve just been informed by someone (amusingly/worryingly a person whose salary I’m paying) that only a disturbed individual would rescue stray puppies, let alone try to nurse them back to health. My peeps are special.

Homed the first of the puppies over the weekend. Gave him a bath and a cuddle and sent him on his way. He is brave, lovely, and sweet. I hope his humans are too.

On Sunday this puppy tried to go to the bathroom and released a torrent of blood. At 3am, I tried to give her sips of fluid while I prepared myself for her imminent death, which seemed inevitable. Today she nibbled on her first teeny sliver of food in five days. I almost cried.

After a traumatic and bloody (literally) week during which these three adorables nearly died of parvovirus, I’m thrilled to report that everyone is eating again and no one has vomited in the last 24hrs. Thank you to all the tweeps (especially @marinaomi!) who sent healing vibes.

For those keeping track: yes, there were six puppies. One’s been adopted, three got sick, and these two have managed to remain virus-free (albeit thoroughly unimpressed by the fact that they’ve had to be sequestered from the rest of the pack on vet’s orders).

Watching puppies running up stairs tends to cheer me up a teeny bit. I hope it will so the same for you.

Homed the second of the puppies today. Gave her a bath and a cuddle and sent her on her way. She is sensitive, playful, and sweet. I hope her humans are too.

This cutie (temp name Blanca) had her adoption fall through today, 2hrs before drop-off. I think it was mainly bc I (a regular habesha) had the nerve to want to walk down the street to the woman’s house (she being a special half-Italian habesha) to see where the dog would end up.

And this bundle of joy (temp name Mitmita) is also seeking a home. I had a tentative place lined up for her, but that’s how looking unlikely.

Apparently COVID-19 is even affecting dog adoptions in Addis, as many people who would consider it are in panic mode and/or leaving the country. I’m overjoyed that all six puppies survived birth, attempted murder, and parvovirus, but it now means more homes are required!

I realize posting for puppy adoptions on here while in Ethiopia is a loooong shot, but I hope that my dog-loving tweeps (who have more followers than I do) can help amplify. I would love to find homes for bubbly Blanca and mischievous Mitmita. cc: @AguilB @marinaomi @Mgebremedhin

Senior citizen viciously attacked by youngsters wielding kisses.

It. Never. Stops.

Please help me find homes for Blanca and Mitmita before 11yr old Kuki leads them into traffic just so she can get some peace and quiet.

Mitmita and Blanca on the prowl this afternoon.

Every time I look at Blanca’s sweet face, I can’t believe that her adopter dumped her at the last minute bc she thought I wasn’t deferential enough. Help, Twitter! Please don’t let my inability to grovel based on skin tone be the thing that keeps this cutie from finding a home!

Mitmita - the friendliest puppy in this litter - and her paintbrush tail are also very ready to add spice and color to a lucky home somewhere in the world.

The interwebs are telling me it’s #NationalPuppyDay in the US. Although they’re thousands of miles away (in Addis Abeba), it’s as good a day as any to remind Twitter that Blanca & Mitmita are still both desperately seeking permanent families/homes somewhere in the world.

Two weeks ago, I was certain this dog was going to die as I held her. Even if she’s still weak & wobbly, the fact that she managed to stay alive (and actually looks happy that she did) brings me joy.

I realize it’s an onslaught of puppy tweets today, but I have it under good authority that this is officially required on US #NationalPuppyDay. Besides, I just had to share how much the runt has changed in one month.

Greetings from a magical land where every day is #NationalPuppyDay. Today, there was a vicious battle over the colonization of my shoe.

I repeatedly stopped Mitmita from nibbling on my fingers. Eventually, she resorted to gnawing on her own paw.

Hey @darth? I’m struggling to find homes for these wonderful Ethiopian puppies (Blanca & Mitmita). They were born under a patio, almost got dumped in a sewer and then survived parvovirus. Any chance you could help me drum up interest in these adorable & tough pups?

The guy who adopted one of the puppies last week just sent me this video of her playing football with him, and it’s made me so happy that I teared up. She was a shy and tentative puppy who was so sick for a few days. I’m thrilled she’s found a good home.

Homed the third of the puppies today. Gave her a bath and a cuddle and sent her on her way. She is loving, tough, and overflowing with joy. I hope her humans are too.

I was so desperate to connect Mitmita to a home. Although I’m overjoyed that she’s found one, I surprised myself by tearing up as she was driven away. She is one of the friendliest and happiest dogs I have ever met. I will miss her.

Shoutout to the creature who’s shown the most patience during this entire puppy saga: the eldest & original canine resident of this house. She’s endured annoying whining during naptime & the horror of onslaughts of unsolicited kisses. She is unimpressed but remains magnanimous.

Homed the fourth of the puppies yesterday. Gave her a bath and a cuddle and dropped her off at her new house. She is playful, curious, and loving. I hope her humans are too.

I’m so relieved that Blanca has finally found what appears to be a nice home. But her new human said that she wailed uncontrollably when I left yesterday. It broke my heart. She is such a lovable puppy. I miss her already.

Puppy being introduced to the world beyond the gate. Not 100% on board with the idea.

And this puppy apparently thinks that the leash situation is a total joke.

Update: this puppy’s ears continue to grow faster than the rest of her body. (cc: @mariposapixie)

When I was taking the puppies out on their walks this morning, we bumped into the neighborhood dog who is rumored to be their father. One of the puppies was terrified. The second was thoroughly unimpressed.

As coincidence would have it, my phone tells me that this photo (with the same dog) was taken exactly two years ago today. Rather than posing for selfies, I should probably have been giving him family planning advice.

Update: this dog and her ears remain ridiculously cute. (cc: @mariposapixie)

This puppy’s ears are obviously not as impressive as her sister’s, but she’s doing her best.

“Um... excuse me. Hello? Can I have a treat please?”

Last month, I was convinced that this puppy was going to die in my arms. Now she struts around with her adorable puppy swagger. It amazes me and brings me joy. I hope she passes some of her resilience on to me.

I was outside with one of the puppies and a giant cat walked by with a calm and quiet indifference. Poor pup stood on the spot for a while looking like this. Suddenly has so many new concerns and questions.

This morning, and elderly chap from the hood (whom I’d never met) stopped me while I was walking one of the puppies to tell me that it was obvious that I’d lived among the whites. White people, according to him, have time to look after dogs because they don’t have children.

He, for example, as father to ten children would have not have the time to do what I was doing. I raised my eyebrows, resisted the urge to talk to him about the importance of family planning, and carried on. Sigh...

I saw this dog in the hood today. Based on the size of his ears, I’m on the verge of finding his humans to ask for child support contributions.

It’s a chilly & drizzly day in Addis. I tiptoed into the room where one of the puppies sleeps to find her napping with her nose warm under paw-insulation. I momentarily died from the cuteness of the situation. And then, of course, whipped out my phone to document.

A bit more wind, and these ears would probably achieve liftoff.

Puppy update: evidence suggests that beneath the adorable exterior lurks a terrifying demon-like creature.

Every time she blinks, the ears grow a teeny bit more.

I keep trying to get these two puppies to hang out with each other. It’s not going as splendidly as one would have hoped.

Yesterday, a puppy and her ears using me as a resting place.