Elyana Smith

I started fostering dogs, or convinced my parents that we needed to start fostering dogs, when I was 12 years old.

This quickly became my entire personality.

And within the first year, I had fostered over 40 different dogs.

And it was around then that I was presented with the holy grail of foster dogs.

Annabelle was about a year and a half old and she was like a pity mix, very stereotypical, very sweet and like wanted to be all over you.

And she was very pregnant as well.

So in a few short weeks, I would have five tiny puppies in my house at all times.

And I was so excited.

I learned everything I could about early puppy development.

Even in those first few days, exposing them to the right things will determine what they're afraid of and how emotionally stable they are later in their life.

It's really incredible.

So on the 4th of July, Annabelle had not five, but 10 puppies.

And again, I'm 12 years old and I get to have 10 puppies in my lap at all times.

It's incredible.

And the first few weeks, they're not really doing much.

They don't really do anything.

But then come three weeks, those eyes are open, their ears are open, they're learning to walk, they're learning to play, and they're realizing there's a world around them.

And they get really excited about that.

And it's around then that I got the best email you could ever receive.

Animal Planet.