# Possible Foster, Need some help please



## gsdplease (Jul 17, 2012)

I live with my parents & We have a 19 yr old mutt under 6 lbs, has been kept as an inside dog.

I have always had a soft spot for GS, I never owned one but grew up around them (friends and other family members had them). They are my favorite breed. 

There's a senior male GS in need of a foster home. But my family and I have some concerns before jumping into this. 

Does anyone have any experience with a senior GSD?
How active are they?
Do they bark a lot?
I know GSD are heavy shedders. How often do you brush them? Any tips on how to keep this under control?

Where should we keep the GS, indoors (possibly blocking off the dinning room for him) or comfortably outside?

If outside, what would be essential to have the GS as comfortable as possible during the summer?

What should I expect as being a foster home for this breed?

Any info and advice would be appreciated!


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## Gilly1331 (Apr 16, 2011)

Keep him inside ESP in this terrible heat and weather **** do much better. Depending how old they are calling him senior activity level can very. We brush our 3 about 1-2 times a week and use a shedder comb about 1-2 a month. Inside have comfy bed for him to lay on, good food and possibly a joint supp. Barking depends on the dog. My male only barks outside when he wants you to throw his ball or frisbee. My female sings......yes sings...only way I can describe her prob wouldn't be politically correct so she take it as Ashe sings whenever she gets excited which is a lot barking on the other hand average. My GSD mastiff cross barks at every noise, car, animal etc. are you taking in the dog for their final home or just long enough until they find a forever home?


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## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

GSD's like to be with their family so I"m sure he would prefer to be inside, especially in this heat. 

Have the shelter/rescue test with small animals and other dogs. Some GSDs have a pretty good prey drive and you'll want to make sure your current animals are safe.

I just vacuum alot! lol Run a rake and a comb over them every couple of days and you'll be fine. You might want to give him a good brushing and bath when you get him home.

Dog activity depends on the dog. Some need more activity than others. Some might be restricted to low impact because of hips or elbows.

Barking depends on the dog and is a training issue. My girl barely makes a peep inside. She whines like crazy in the car and barks at things outside.


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## gsdplease (Jul 17, 2012)

I'm just being a temp foster home. Rescue shelter says this GS is 12yrs old.
This is new to me since I will be the person in my household responsible for caring for the GS.
What should I expect as far as expenses, does the shelter generally cover vet cost if needed? Are there other cost the shelter picks up?

Looks like I will need to get two gates to block off the dining room, large pillow bed, bowls, food, shampoo, special brush and comb, toys..what about collar and leash? I guess if he doesn't already have it??

My mix 19 yr old mutt doesn't shed, sleeps all the time (we have to wake her for bathroom breaks) she isn't very active or vocal. We do bathe her once a week with flea shampoo. She's very quiet and low maintenance (still healthy too).

Do I bathe the GS the same way since it has a double coat? Is there something I need specifically to bathe him?

What type of toys should I get for him?


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## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

what kind of flea shampoo? those worry me unless it has natural ingredients. I would just get a good, gentle shampoo to get the stink off of him. A rake and a comb are sufficient to brush him for now. Look for a Kong Zoom Groom. I really like those for getting the undercoat and working the shampoo in. They also work great to get the hair out of your car!

You will need to ask the shelter what cost is covered. Some cover all, some cover some, some cover none. Discuss in length their procedure for vet care.

I would get a collar and leash. Perferably a martingale collar so he can't back out of it. Remember you are strangers to him. 

If you have any old, clean blankets then you can use that for a bed. A bed for a GS is going to be a minimum of $30 at Tractor Supply to $100 for some at other stores. He'll need is own food dish.

Do you have a crate? If not, ask the shelter if they have one you can borrow? Or look on craigslist to find a used one. You will probably need a 42". 

Toys? Get the dog first and then worry about toys. he might be an active 12 yr old or he might be one that just wants to go for quiet walks. 

Food - Geesh...with so many recalls that's a hard one for me since I feed RAW. We do have one dog eating Canidae all life stages and I like the results I see. that's a middle range dog food. Not cheap but not to expensive.

Can I ask what area you live in?


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## gsdplease (Jul 17, 2012)

Michelle, you are so helpful!! I've started searching online for products but will look at your suggested items.
I'm located in south Louisiana, close to New Orleans. Heat & Humidity central 

I've sent an email to the Rescue shelter asking for details about fostering this GS. They posted that "all his expenses will be paid for." I hope this works out for me and the dog.

Oh and I used 2 different brands of flea shampoos for my mutt, one was sergeant (which works really well) and the other was sentry.



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## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

You can get most anything you need at Tractor Supply. Tell them it's for a rescue dog and see if they'll give you a discount! 

go meet the dog and make sure he has been tested with small animals! So important!

And since you are in Heat & Humidity Central...has he been tested for heartworm? Tick diseases? do they have him on any preventatives? If they put Frontline or Advantix on him then you don't need to use a flea shampoo. That would be double treating him. Personally, the OTC flea shampoos worry me. I got to see a frothing at the mouth bad reaction up close and personal one day.


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## Magwart (Jul 8, 2012)

If that dog is a New Orleans GS Rescue dog, you can absolutely rely on them to live up to a promise to take care of vetting. I haven't been in Louisiana long, but I fostered for NOGSR earlier this year (well, foster FAILED...I eventually ended up adopting the li'l cutie :wub. It was a great foster experience, and there was never a doubt that NOGSR cares deeply about the dog getting the best vet care possible when it was needed. I think *very, very highly* of them. 

That dog needs to be inside in the A/C. I'm not far from you, and it's just too hot for dogs to be left outside here. GSDs need to be with their people -- that means inside, near you.

Flea control and heartworm preventative are also mandatory in Louisiana. There are parts of the country where that might not be true, but we don't live in one of them. Even if your yard doesn't have fleas, the fleas infest parks and other people's yards when you walk, so have a plan (I'm using Advantage 2, as its side effect incidence seems lower than k9 Advantix, and I haven't seen ticks lately; I'm hearing reports at the shelter here that Frontline seems to not be working as well as it used to). 

For food, you might take an exploratory trip over to Neighborhood Pet Market by Jefferson Feedin Mid-City (NOLA). I get my food at their BR branch, and the manager is an ex-Wellness regional marketing manager. He knows the pet food industry well and is brutally honest about inside "dirt." He's a wealth of info. I'm positive someone there could talk to you very knowledgeably about foods at different price points. Go in when they aren't busy and have a long conversation.

If you're willing to drive to Baton Rouge on Saturdays, and this old guy likes to socialize and play, there's a gentle, GSD-loving trainer here who runs a weekly "socialization field" (mostly his alumni, but not all), which is basically a weekly GSD "party" in a large, enclosed field, with really great, friendly energy (both dog and human). It's seriously the best hour of my week and beats any dog park. 

Good luck!


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## gsdplease (Jul 17, 2012)

Magwart I am looking at NOGSR, I saw their urgent post about Remy.

Still waiting to hear more info from them. Glad to hear your thoughts about them.

Thanks to all giving helpful tips!


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## Magwart (Jul 8, 2012)

Not sure why it double posted. Weird. Glad it's them GSDPlease -- they deserve all the support they can get.


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## gsdplease (Jul 17, 2012)

Can you give me some more info about the Saturdays for GS in BR?
I'd like to go check this out.


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## Magwart (Jul 8, 2012)

If you are approved as Remy's foster, send me a PM and I'll connect you with the group (which also has many non-GSDs). Good luck!


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## gsdplease (Jul 17, 2012)

magwart, sent u a pm reply. sorry i didn't see your pm from days ago. i didnt have my notifications set properly.


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