Need Feedback your experience as a foster

[kornygerm]

Hi Guys
well as i been volunteering in a local rescue, going to the events for a few years now. I think its time i move up a bit and be a foster home, so a homeless dog/cat can enter the adoption program.
We already have a small dog of our own as you can tell, so from what i been reading here and other sites, its not a very good idea to blend in a medium large/large size dog with a small or from the same sex as they could be territorial issues, etc. Living with other household member has its disadvantages though, my dad is all up for it, my mom not so much. And it would suck for that dog to be taken back, i know a bit of clicker training, etc, so i could train him if i spot a bad behavior.

Thanks.

[Celesteandthebullies]

I personally wouldn't take in another dog if I was unable to keep them separated if it becomes necessary for whatever reason.

[Amie]

I wouldn't either. You may not need to, but if you do, you're stuck.

Fostering kittens and cats is usually even more needed than dog fosters - is that a possibility?

[Amy Hendrickson]

I agree with the other two. If not all family members are on board - do not do it. It requires a commitment from everyone. ALso, do not do it if you expect the dogs to get along. They may not and it's not fair to make the commitment to save a life and then turn around and take it back. I realize it happens a lot with some rescue groups but it's really not the fair thing to do to the animal. A dog generally isn't pulled from a shelter with a back up plan. The foster home is typically it and if you fail, other people have to put a dog where there was no space or return it to the shelter.

You should have the ability to separate through separate crates, living areas. They should be separate for the first week to two weeks home anyway just as the dog settles in. I have had plenty of fosters that were never integrated into the house. They lived in one part and the permanent pets lived in another.

[jamielvsaustin]

If not all family members are on board - do not do it.

I know it sucks, because I understand that feeling of wanting to help, but I agree with everyone else. The reason you want to take in another animal is because you want to help it-right? What help would you be providing if everyone wasn't on the same page and eventually the dog had to go back.

Kittens are a good idea. Are there other ways to help? Could you maybe transport dogs from the shelter to a rescue, or from either of those places to a foster home? That's is equally important as fostering. All those little steps mean something too.

[pacopoe]

Maybe it's the optimist in me but I'm wondering if your mom saw what a great job you did then maybe she would be more open to the idea in the future. Is there a way you could make her a deal (ie. do the dishes the whole time the foster is around, get good grades, volunteer at the shelter taking responsibility for one specific dog for a month)? I'm sympathetic because I've fostered while having, ahem, less than enthusiastic roommates but by keeping the foster pretty much under wraps (exercised well, crated or contained, cleaned up after) then the situation has always worked out.

You're in Mexico, right? What I would do, after gathering your mom's reluctant approval with your awesome deal, is be very frank with the rescue group and describe your situation so they can find a foster that will be "easy" (and also maybe create a back up plan). Whether that be a cat, another small dog, a puppy, or a very mellow older dog, I think an easy first foster will warm her up. There are no shortage of choices down there (choose a quiet, calm one!). Have everything set up to keep the foster contained and separate from your dog for at least two weeks. The goal should be having this new animal disrupt the home as little as possible.

Perhaps your mom will not budge, in which case you shouldn't push the issue, but you're young enough and responsible enough that maybe you can sway her to at least give it a fair shot and allow you to see the cycle of one full foster.

And going back to part of your original question, totally independent from the issue of if you should foster or not, but it is generally easier to foster a dog the same size and opposite sex from your own. However, with experience and proper management (containment, separation, supervision) you should be able to integrate same-sex or larger fosters but I would shoot for "easy" first.

[kornygerm]

I wouldn't either. You may not need to, but if you do, you're stuck.

Fostering kittens and cats is usually even more needed than dog fosters - is that a possibility?

I dont have a problem with cats, love then.My family is just not cat friendly as my brother was allergic to them.Whenever a stray would come home, they will shoosh them away

I agree with the other two. If not all family members are on board - do not do it. It requires a commitment from everyone. ALso, do not do it if you expect the dogs to get along. They may not and it's not fair to make the commitment to save a life and then turn around and take it back. I realize it happens a lot with some rescue groups but it's really not the fair thing to do to the animal. A dog generally isn't pulled from a shelter with a back up plan. The foster home is typically it and if you fail, other people have to put a dog where there was no space or return it to the shelter.

You should have the ability to separate through separate crates, living areas. They should be separate for the first week to two weeks home anyway just as the dog settles in. I have had plenty of fosters that were never integrated into the house. They lived in one part and the permanent pets lived in another.

The girl who is one in charge told me the same thing. If other family members are not perfectly ok with it and they get tired of it and decied to return the dog to someone else or a animal clinic, it just a pain to do that and rehome the dog, and i agree its not fair for the dog.

Kittens are a good idea. Are there other ways to help? Could you maybe transport dogs from the shelter to a rescue, or from either of those places to a foster home? That's is equally important as fostering. All those little steps mean something too.

I could do "House calls", and that is just check the future dog/cat owner home, check if it meets the rescue requirements, if its clean, how are their other pets treated, etc"

Maybe it's the optimist in me but I'm wondering if your mom saw what a great job you did then maybe she would be more open to the idea in the future. Is there a way you could make her a deal (ie. do the dishes the whole time the foster is around, get good grades, volunteer at the shelter taking responsibility for one specific dog for a month)? I'm sympathetic because I've fostered while having, ahem, less than enthusiastic roommates but by keeping the foster pretty much under wraps (exercised well, crated or contained, cleaned up after) then the situation has always worked out.

You're in Mexico, right? What I would do, after gathering your mom's reluctant approval with your awesome deal, is be very frank with the rescue group and describe your situation so they can find a foster that will be "easy" (and also maybe create a back up plan). Whether that be a cat, another small dog, a puppy, or a very mellow older dog, I think an easy first foster will warm her up. There are no shortage of choices down there (choose a quiet, calm one!). Have everything set up to keep the foster contained and separate from your dog for at least two weeks. The goal should be having this new animal disrupt the home as little as possible.

Perhaps your mom will not budge, in which case you shouldn't push the issue, but you're young enough and responsible enough that maybe you can sway her to at least give it a fair shot and allow you to see the cycle of one full foster.

And going back to part of your original question, totally independent from the issue of if you should foster or not, but it is generally easier to foster a dog the same size and opposite sex from your own. However, with experience and proper management (containment, separation, supervision) you should be able to integrate same-sex or larger fosters but I would shoot for "easy" first.

That could work, i could do all that, but at one bad slip and i get the remember you want to foster a dog comment .
Thanks everyone

I was thinking in one of these pups or parents. There is someone else just giving them food, water but the person living next to the lot they are in, is not a foster, all of the family have been fixed though.




and there is this fella, he was left alone by his owner cause he had to move out of town and couldnt take him *facepalm*


Maybe i should just wait until i get a place of my own, but that could take time and that frustrates me bit.

[Ilovethepits]

How do you feel about maybe walking/training the dogs that are living on those lots? I know you want to bring one in your house, but if that can't work I bet any training stuff would be welcome to try to get those dogs a future home.

I fostered once and kept her << (over there in my avatar) and since I have what I feel enough pets (2 dogs/2 cats) then I didn't want to foster anymore but I did attend and help at events and transport dogs to adoptions for fosters who had other things to do. It seems that everything helps.

I think, do what you can do without getting in over your head first and then add on to that.

I very much admire your enthusiasm to get involved!!

[kornygerm]

How do you feel about maybe walking/training the dogs that are living on those lots? I know you want to bring one in your house, but if that can't work I bet any training stuff would be welcome to try to get those dogs a future home.

I fostered once and kept her << (over there in my avatar) and since I have what I feel enough pets (2 dogs/2 cats) then I didn't want to foster anymore but I did attend and help at events and transport dogs to adoptions for fosters who had other things to do. It seems that everything helps.

I think, do what you can do without getting in over your head first and then add on to that.

I very much admire your enthusiasm to get involved!!

That sounds great as well, i could try and ask the lady who found them. I help "capture" the whole family and take them to a van, so they could get fixed and check the next day. They were very scared as they are not used to people, but the parents seemed very friendly, when i took this picture, they didint even bark a me, in fact the dad and the mom greeted me with a lick.

[kornygerm]

Lil update, a girl who also volunteers at the rescue with me told me her dad is interested in one of the dogs, so i hope one of them does.

[Ilovethepits]

Lil update, a girl who also volunteers at the rescue with me told me her dad is interested in one of the dogs, so i hope one of them does.

That would be nice. It's good to have a hopeful beginning! I look forward to any updates. GOOD LUCK to you.

[kornygerm]

yup, another volunteer told me about another she dog that needs a foster home, i told her i'm interested.So i hope soon she will bring her home to see. While i was recommended is to have an agreement with the other volunteer in case one day, i cant take care of the dog for some reason, she can take it too, as some kind of dual ownership, something like that.
the next couple of months, my schedule may change as i will be taking classes in the university, hopefully if all the paperwork take its natural course, and possibly find a job, so i may not be with the dog...the whole day, so again i have trust on my folks word that they can take of her while i'm gone just like as i would take care of my li sister when they are gone.

[kornygerm]

We also had a meeting today about upcoming events we do to get funds for the association and i seen a picture of a dog who is up for adoption again, so i ask one of the members what was the deal with that?She told me, they found out that dog wasnt fed right..or because of her behaivor problems, the owner couldnt handle her anymore, and they ask the people who have foster for her, but they didint want her back..see i dont wanna be that kind of person

[kornygerm]

BIG UPDATE AND GOOD NEWS

The girl who found the dog in her neighborhood and cant take care of her for family, space reasons, so she brought her this evening. The dachshund was inside, so i put the leash on him and took him outside, so they could meet. He is taking very well so far. The usual growl, etc was present, but nothing ugly. Its her first day, so i'm following from a thread i read on here about advice, so i guess it will take her some weeks to get used to us. Next week, she will get her shots that she needs and get her fixed as as soon as possible as she is starting to get in heat. She is over a year old.
Tomorrow i will try to take better pictures,
she looks like a pit/lab mix to me, what do you think?

[merriterrier]

Aww, she is a cutie! What are you going to call her?

Good Luck!