Difficult..

[voodoopitbull]

Now's the time where I must decide if I should find Pumpkin a home or should I add him to my horde of girlies.

I've got about a month to decide...I want him fully vaccinated, neutered, socialized and obedience trained before he goes, like I do with my other rescues. I don't like giving super young dogs up. I really like all my pitties to leave with a good foundation in obedience.

I look at that cute little face and boy I don't want to give him up...but what if he turns on? Then I have another group of dogs. That is the LAST thing I need.

Why does it have to be so difficult?! :wallbang:

[caped dog]

Hey girl. I love how thoughtful and thorough you are with the care you provide the fosters The question I have for you, and one I often ask myself is, if you keep Pumpkin how will that impact your ability to foster wayward pitties? There are a million more questions, but know I have loved dearly each of my fosters- as you have- and sometimes have only very narrowly dodged the bullet of keeping them. In the end, my dogs are perfect for eachother just the way they are, and when it comes time to tally the votes theirs invariably state "Nay."

What are the factors you are juggling and scenarios that you are playing out?

[pocketpit]

[Spurby]

Just wanted to say thanks to all the people that foster..and letting these dogs be all they can be in their new homes How hard it is, to fall in love, work hard on a dog, then say good bye. I cannot offer words of wisdom, other than thank you for doing what many can not, including me!

[voodoopitbull]

The question I have for you, and one I often ask myself is, if you keep Pumpkin how will that impact your ability to foster wayward pitties

What great advice.

This is why I've already talked to Amanda (Pit Prints) about putting him up on Petfinder within the next few weeks.

I want Pumpkin to have the best. Even better than what I can offer him with as many dogs as I have now. I want my own dogs to have the best I can give them and the more dogs as keep, as much as I do love them with every fiber in my being, the less attention I am able to give them.

It's always hard. It's even more hard when you have a pup. They're so cute and funny. I even don't mind the hard work (potty training and so on). I was reluctant to take him in the first place...but I know that when I did and he gets the snip-snip, that means less pit bulls we've got to rescue down the road.

[Maryellen]

i am proud of you for not failing fostering 101 , its very hard. just remember, the more you keep the less you save from death row..

[nan]

I just wanted to add my support. I had a foster pit bull pup this past summer, six weeks old, only four and a half pounds when we found him. He stayed with me for a month and a half...and everyone who knew him totally fell in love with him. My five year old son was completely attached to him, and I thought long and hard about keeping him.

But I already have three young adult male dogs (two hounds and one pit bull), and all the stress of being a single parent as well. And my own pit bull needs a lot of attention and exercise...I just felt it wouldn't be fair to either the pup or my own dogs, because I didn't have enough time and energy to give them all what they needed. My son already gets jealous sometimes of the attention the dogs get. I agonized about it, and was very sad to give the little one up, but I know it was the right decision for all of us. Good luck making your decision...I know it's hard.

[caped dog]

Just to torture myself... and show my empathy for your situation... I'm gonna post the dogs and pups that were the closest to being permanent... the thing is... if any of them had stayed, the subsequent dogs would not have been.

Last weekend Bubba went on a trial overnight and it was the first time in over two months that my Arlo let his guard down enough to snore away in the front room in the middle of all other activities... that type of stress that I put my dogs under reinforces when I know I have to hold that boundary to two dogs. At this point I focus on fostering for the AC or other groups where I know I am doing good but it is for a set time period and I have an outlet...

Really...almost had to keep her: (a cruelty case form the AC her owners poured acid on her then withheld medical care) Butterfly:







Bunny and Blondie: my first AC fosters and almost had to keep the darker one:



Thsi guy got placed thru AC and went on to die of a bowel obstruction (worms) less than a week later. Despite deworming him 4 times, inadequate vet care suggested PTS. We still mourn this one: Monkey



picked these guys up via Criagslist "free to good home" Made about 10 trips to vaccinate and de-worm them, got them s/n and into another group to re-home 'em. No danger of keeping any.



Most recently, a neighbor handed me the black/brindle one at 5 wks old. I sniffed him out another litter in rescue to join to ensure adequate socialization...Only prob. was the other rescuer couldn't prevent the pups owner from handing them out intact and free at 6 weeks so...needless to say, this photo is titled "My Ex-Kitchen" Seriously, anything that was not bolted down was in the living room.





I guess what I'm trying to say is, I understand. At the end of the day you have to do what is right for you, your family, your dogs, and the dogs that are yet to cross your path.

Warm regards, M

[voodoopitbull]

Awww. What sweet babies. Butterfly is sooo beautiful.



I almost kept this guy a few months ago. He was rescued off a chain because his owners were moving and couldn't keep him anymore. He was SO cold (as in dog-aggression). He adored dogs...male, female...anykind. He was so loving and goofy but powerful. Sigh. I still wish I would've kept him but now he's living with a lady who adores him and only one female pit that he adores. So it worked out very nicely.

I've counted the dogs I've fostered and found homes for. It's surprising how it has added up in the past few years. I'm certainly not going to say that number

Thank you everyone for your support.