Fostering dogs

 Nope, we failed.  Which is why we have 4 dogs instead of 3.  ;)

tashakota

 Nope, we failed.  Which is why we have 4 dogs instead of 3.  ;)

=] thats why I'm not sure if I can do it

 This post is a bit OT, but I thought it was important to mention these things.

I treat all new fosters like they are 8 week old puppies in terms of potty schedules, behavior, and basic house manners. I expect for them to come is as wild unruly animals and if they have any house manners I consider it a bonus! If there are behavioral issues, we work on those, and I constantly remind myself that each dog has a family out there looking for them -- they just haven't found each other yet. I cry when they leave, but I also know that some fosters make life stressful for my dogs, so the day they find their forever home, is also a day that my dogs' lives will be a little easier. Rosco, Lexi and Luna are generally great with fosters, and Luna adores any Aussie that comes to our house but one more dog  -- especially the ones with  needs -- mean that my dogs have to give up some of the time and attention they are use to. (They all still get tons of training, play and love, but it is an adjustment.)

Fostering can be great and it can be terrible. It's great to get the dogs out of bad situations, fun to have another dog around, and very rewarding when you can help them with training, develop confidence, etc. It can be terrible when things don't go according to plan. I am currently hating being a foster, because our most recent foster bit him new owner and has been returned to the rescue, where he will have to be put down. He is here until Thursday, when DH and I will take him for that appointment. He's three years old, sweet and silly and if his new home had done what they contractually and verbally agreed to do (training and management wise) he would not be in this situation. This is a worst case scenario in rescue, but one that you have to be emotionally prepared to deal with if you decide to foster. Most stories have happy endings; some do not.

That being said, we will foster again down the road and the dog we are taking to be put down Thursday will be cremated and buried in our yard this spring under a hydrangea bush that he loved to rest under.

the more you keep - the less you can help. That's how I look at it. Two dogs is MY max, so I have Casey - and a foster. I can take three dogs at once, I just feel like it's TOO much for a longer period of time (money wise and time wise).

 Agreed. I can only care for so many animals, and if I keep a wonderful dog that another family could give a great home to, I'm filling that spot in my house. I can't help anybody else.

Try and think of it as caring for a friend's dog for an extended period of time.  You do all the things an owner would do but you know that at some point the dog will be leaving for his new home.  This will help you to not become so attached.  Fostering can be fun and rewarding or it can be heartbreaking as another person described.  Make sure the entire family is on board and prepared to teach the dog the basics.  It should leave your home housebroken, crate trained, basic obedience commands (sit,hear,heel) and healthy.  This sounds easy but it's not with many dogs as you know from this forum.  The dog can't be given a license to mis-behave because some one in the family feels sorry for it because it's a shelter dog. 

erica1989

the more you keep - the less you can help. That's how I look at it.

Exactly, that is how I also see it. The other thing is that I don't go looking for a dog to help they always seem to find me.

Sowilu

The other thing is that I don't go looking for a dog to help they always seem to find me.

That is what usually happens to me, too!  Sometimes I feel like a magnet for lost or stray dogs. LOL