Foster dogs..Anybody ever do this?
Moms View Message Board: General Discussion Archive: Archive January 2006:
Foster dogs..Anybody ever do this?
I know Shelly does this, but has anybody ever been a foster family for a dog needing a home?
I have my very first foster dog. Now its not unusual for me to have many dogs here, seeing that is my business to do inhome petsitting(in my home)plus my own 2 large dogs. I adopted my 2nd dog from a rescue group. Right away the adoption coordinator thought Id be perfect for fostering dogs. I was very hesitant because with my customers, I know the families, their backgrounds etc.. With foster dogs, well frankly they come from all over the place. So I declined this back in August. Although we ended up adotping a very sweet yellow lab mix from the rescue group. I just couldnt be sure all dogs would be that sweet.
Well fast foward to now, I decided to "give it a try" the foster thing, and agree to start in January. 2 weeks ago I was brought a beagle mix(beagle mixed with foxhound) who is 2 yrs old and named "Shelby". To say this dog is a sweetheart is an understatement. Shes been with us 2 weeks, and Im so attached to her. I mean I have dogs coming and going, but she is just a little sweetheart. She was a hunting dog and use to live outside all of her life. My job is to make her a well adjusted inside dog. Ok, she is now the biggest couch potatoe Ive ever seen. She is 95% housetrained. But, since she was an outside dog, she had to be retrained. I put her outside alot to do her business, I guess I treat her like a puppy in that respect.She does well. She sleeps in a crate at night(Requested by the rescue group)and she whines a bit, but then settles down and we dont hear a peep out of her all night)
I do take her to Petsmart on Sundays when the rescue group does their Adoption shows.
Its so hard for me to feel like she is my dog. My husband keeps telling me
"We are not keeping her"...its going to be hard to let her go;. But I know Im doing the best for loving her, getting her use to being around kids, and other dogs, and just plain loving her. I think shes adjusted being an inside dog very nicely.
I did it for cats and kept the first 2---then hubby said I was done. LOL.
It is very hard to not get attached!
Ditto, I did it on the basis that I thought we would adopt "Pete" anyway. Our Humane Society was remodeling and not much room. Our dog had passed away several months before.
I was not sure if I was ready.
So she told me to foster him for a couple of weeks. Within a week I knew.
Everyone of us in the house would keep taking in pets if it weren't for me! I'm the one that has to say enough is enough.
I can hardly go into the Humane Society without wanting to adopt. All of those sad faces seem to say 'take us home!'
Jackie, no advice here, but after reading Catherin's post about getting a dog, my post on adopting another dog, and now this, I am laughing out loud to myself, thinking we should change the name of the board to MOMS-WITH-PETS VIEW!
It's got to be hard to foster a pet. I would have a hard time letting go, I think. On my dog board, if you foster a pet and find it a new home, then you have "passed" Foster 101. If you end up keeping the dog, then "failed" Foster 101! (All meant in fun!)
Some of the girls find their dogs new homes and uh... some of them don't!
No I have never done this and would never be interested in doing this... Takes a special person I am sure.
Dawn, that is too funny!
Jackie, I know how hard it is to foster. You fall in love! Just think, how you can save ANOTHER life once this guy gets an awesome home. You are making her a very adoptable dog by all that you are doing. Good job!
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