# Things to keep in mind while fostering??



## jae (Jul 17, 2012)

Really not certain how I am going to handle this, but I did express interest in fostering to the local rescue. Said they need plenty of help in that department. So I guess I will be contacted very soon.

I did not do much thinking through, as usual for myself. What I did figure was, 
Have resources to feed another dog. 
Ability to include the other dog in my normal routine (morn/eve workouts, weekend fun)
My dog is very social so I don't think there will be an issue from him
Size of my apartment is probably okay for another larger dog

However I am not sure I covered all the bases. So now I must ask some general advice from anyone willing...

Thanks!

PS for those not familiar, my dog is one year old. I have had him for 8 months. He is my first dog... and I like to think we do great together.


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## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

You need to be able to keep the dogs completely separated. Do you have that? Gates, doors, whatever.


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## Lin (Jul 3, 2007)

Yes, how to keep the dogs separated if necessary. And gates to break up areas of your house for supervision. Also where and how you're going to do introductions, its best to do them in a neutral area so your dog does not feel possessive which is more important when both you and your dog are inexperienced with fosters. 

Not getting attached to the dog, being able to let it go when the right family comes along. How long you're ok with fostering a given dog for, are you going to be ok watching the dog and then giving it up after 6 months? What dogs you're ok fostering. Will you take more difficult cases that require more attention or training, dogs with health issues. 

Be prepared for lots of housebreaking. I don't use expensive enzyme cleaners I use straight white vinegar. Luckily large breeds are so much easier to housebreak, I fostered THE most difficult breed to housebreak (Italian Greyhounds) for a couple years.


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## Magwart (Jul 8, 2012)

Huge kudos to you for doing this! Every foster adds to the ability of the rescue to take on one more dog -- that's one more life saved from the shelter. Good fosters are _the most critical _link, so this is a really wonderful thing to do.

Preparing _really _depends on the dog. I would hope the rescue would send you an "easy" dog to foster for your first one (healthy, no major known issues).

I limit my foster's freedom for a couple of weeks (sometimes longer, depending on the dog)--no unsupervised time in the house to get into mischief (kenneled when not with me or DH), and lots of time on a leash next to me _in the house_, to help them get the rhythm of how we behave in the house (they often come to me having never been house dogs, so it's all brand new). Expect you may have to teach them about sliding glass doors (you can't walk through them), how to go up/down stairs, etc.

We try hard not to overwhelm a dog fresh out of the shelter. They really need at least a good week (sometimes more) to settle down and relax -- try to limit introductions to new people, dogs, etc. during that time.


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

Magwart said:


> Huge kudos to you for doing this! Every foster adds to the ability of the rescue to take on one more dog -- that's one more life saved from the shelter. Good fosters are _the most critical _link, so this is a really wonderful thing to do.
> 
> Preparing _really _depends on the dog. I would hope the rescue would send you an "easy" dog to foster for your first one (healthy, no major known issues).
> 
> ...


Agree! And don't let the dog have freedoms that may be taken away on adoption(furniture, bed should be off limits) 
I like to make up a packet with good information/ training & book suggestions, website links specific to the breed and nutrition/vetting information to better help the dog when they move on to their new life. Also a page of observations of the dog can help the new owner)suggesting different training venues the dog may excel in). Sometimes it is overwhelming to comprehend everything, if they can go back and read the little incidentals again, it may help in the future. 
Thank you for helping the rescues!!!


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## Zeeva (Aug 10, 2010)

I've foster failed 4 of my 6 cats and one of my dogs...be careful c: getting attached is definitely something to consider!


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## LifeofRiley (Oct 20, 2011)

Excellent advice has been given! 

I just want to add that if you don't have an extra crate most rescues/shelters will be able to provide you with one for the time you are fostering with them. 

So glad you have decided to foster. Trust me, it may seem intimidating now, but once you have your foster it all seems rather natural!


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## JeanKBBMMMAAN (May 11, 2005)

Any updates? The rescue group may also have a booklet for you to check out!

This could be the second new volunteer from the board. Excellent!


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## jae (Jul 17, 2012)

Yes, agreed that this is all excellent advice.
And also met with them at an adoption event, and we agreed that it is probably best to stick with adult dogs for now. I think that maybe two puppies and a full time job would be unfair to both dogs. They did have a packet, basically on general dog behaviors and what was mentioned here as well. What is nice is they provide all the essentials, crate, food, collar, leash. 
There is no actual rescue kennel, each foster goes right from the shelter to the foster home. I thought that was interesting. Well, this whole thing should be interesting.


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## DJEtzel (Feb 11, 2010)

I would look up and read the "two week shutdown" process. Depending on the dog, it could be invaluable. 

Most rescues pay for food and vetting and give you all of the neccessary supplies. I probably wouldn't foster for a rescue that didn't.


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## Bear L (Feb 9, 2012)

I'm fostering my first right now. 6 months puppy. He is super well behaved. Maybe the rescues go easy on new foster parents? The rescue sent him to me with a crate, toy, chewies, BB food, leash/collar and calls to check up on his first night. This dog is the easiest dog I've ever met. 5 star.


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## jae (Jul 17, 2012)

Bear L said:


> I'm fostering my first right now. 6 months puppy. He is super well behaved. *Maybe the rescues go easy on new foster parents?* The rescue sent him to me with a crate, toy, chewies, BB food, leash/collar and calls to check up on his first night. This dog is the easiest dog I've ever met. 5 star.


 this is what I like to hear


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## JackandMattie (Feb 4, 2013)

Not just increased food costs, but vet bills as well. Even if the rescue covers the foster's, there's the chance you end up having to vet your own or someone else's along the way.

I rushed into fostering as a response to an emergency effort where a sheriff in a neighboring county seized between 200-300 GSDs all at once and the Humane Society couldn't house them all.

I highly recommend using the two-week shutdown method. My extra vet bills were from some superficial stitches my existing dog had to have because I didn't introduce the newbie properly. They're best buds now, but I could've made that transition a lot easier for them and saved us some heartache along the way.

Oh, and you may want to consider the impact on your homeowner's policy as well. 

Good luck and good for you, opening your home, heart and pocketbook!


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## Lin (Jul 3, 2007)

Most rescues are run out of foster homes and volunteers, it would be too costly to acquire a building while county shelters typically get some government funds to run their buildings. 

None of the rescues I've fostered for provided food for me for the fosters, though I'm sure they would have if I could not afford the food. The feeding and care were biggest donations to the rescue. Occasionally dogs came with food they were currently being fed when transferred from other foster homes, or when they were surrendered with a bag of food.

One of the rescues I fostered for required me to temporarily cover any ER vet bills, which can be huge. This is due to the way the finances in the rescue were done that did not have something such as a credit card available for ER vets who require to be paid upfront, while the vet I picked out for basic exams and vet care was willing to bill the rescue directly. This of course was discussed with the rescue PRIOR to my starting fostering though and I was fine with it and agreed. It happened once when a foster started puking blood, and I think the bill was around $350 but was faxed to the rescue and I received a check in a couple days.


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## RebelGSD (Mar 20, 2008)

I fostered for many rescues and never received food and crates, so it is not true that it is a general rule. I got reimbursed for veterinary care, which had to be approved by the rescue ahead of time, except for true emergencies. Some dogs came with a collar, other did not. I used my own leashes, provided toys and treats. 
I think fostering is about giving, not about pumping out of the system as much as possible. With the cost of the crate and leashes, the rescue could save another life. I did not mine sharing my own to save a life. Most rescues operate on shoestring budgets, and people running the rescue are just overworked volunteers.


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## Lin (Jul 3, 2007)

Lin said:


> The feeding and care were biggest donations to the rescue.


That should have said the feeding and care [of fosters] were MY biggest donations to the rescue, not that the rescue got loads of donations of food lol. 

Some of the rescues provided collars for the dogs, some did not. Leashes were rare. The Italian Greyhound rescue always provided a cheap nylon martingale collar and leash (like 1/4 inch wide) but I bought all my fosters cotton martingale collars with their names embroidered. I also sent all my IG fosters home with at least one pair of fleece pajamas or a coat. I sewed them myself and enjoyed making them for my fosters to wear in my care, and sending them home in them occasionally got me customers buying more from me anyway!


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## Magwart (Jul 8, 2012)

I keep a set of collars and leashes for fosters, with an ID tag that says "FOSTER." After a foster goes home, I pop the dirty collar in the washer and get it ready for the next one. It's not much of an investment to get a spare nylon collar or two -- $5 at Walmart, even less online. I think the tag cost another $5. I have crates already. 

Frankly, I'd rather feed my fosters the good food I feed my own dogs than whatever I might be provided. It means my food bill is higher, but I'm okay with that. Some months it's _a lot _higher -- esp. when I'm nursing a sick dog back to health who doesn't want to eat, and we go through lots and lots of high-end wet food to keep the dog taking in calories and avoid an immune system shut-down.


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## RebelGSD (Mar 20, 2008)

It seems that many view rescue as a workplace and start out with "what are the benefits, what are they giving me". Many posts here encourage that attitude. The reality is that fostering and volunteering is not for the "rescue", it is for the dogs. Most rescues don't have paid staff responsible for providing stuff and services for other volunteers. maybe a few large ones are equipped. If somebody really cannot afford food and supplies for the foster dotg, I am sure that can be accommodated, but it is certainly not the rule. Over the years I have seen too many walk out after a few days of fostering, after the person realizes the effort, it would be extremely expensive for rescues to give away crates to all of those. And there is no good way to reclaim crates (most dropout fosters have no problem with returning the dog). I also wash and recycle collars, often adopters come with a collar when they pick up the dog. And most like to pick out a maching collar and leash set for their new pet. So they just return the old collar to the rescue. 
I may be in minority, but I feel that rescue should not be treated like an employer to be pushed for maximum benefits. It is the place where we all should be pulling together for the dogs.


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## Konotashi (Jan 11, 2010)

You've been given great advice so far. 

We foster cats right now, and there have been a few incidents that have made me decide that I will NOT foster unless the rescue pays for the vetting.
Reason being, one of our other foster moms kept one kitty in quarantine until he could be tested for the feline diseases (they're usually tested in less than a week).
He was tested and cleared, but had some kind of bacterial infection and got her 11 personal cats sick. She was afraid she was going to lose two of them.

Luckily for her, the rescue paid the bills, but that opened my eyes. I will be willing to pay for everything else, but I won't be able to afford all the vetting for every foster that comes through.


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## RebelGSD (Mar 20, 2008)

All rescues I know of cover veterinary care. Approval is required for vet visits and there are sometimes preferred veterinarians rescues use. Life threatening emergencies do not require approval usually, but it is advisable to contact the rescue because emergency bills can run very high.


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## Magwart (Jul 8, 2012)

RebelGSD said:


> The reality is that fostering and volunteering is not for the "rescue", it is for the dogs.


:thumbup:

By the way, this goes a little beyond taking care of a foster, but it's still fostering advice, as fosters often get drawn into this stuff. Because fostering is _for the dogs, _I try to stay out of rescue/shelter/volunteer Facebook politics and interpersonal drama. I've never known any group that doesn't have some version of that drama (maybe because animal rescuers are emotional people? I don't know). My philosophy is I don't care who is mad at whom over what decisions not involving me--since I'm in it for the dogs, getting involved in the human interpersonal conflicts between others would just interfere with being able to help the dogs. The people who seem to do the most helping dogs seem to be the ones who don't get embroiled in intra-volunteer conflicts, so that's what I try to emulate.


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## Rangers-mom (Jan 28, 2013)

You have received a lot of really good advice and I want to share a little more. I have fostered several Australian Shepherds.

First, fostering can be really tough. I found that the most important thing was to provide the foster with structure which meant spending a lot of time with the foster. I always tethered the foster to me for the first several days (at the least) and that meant watching the foster at all times when he was not in a kennel.

Many fosters are not house trained. It was never a big problem but it is something to consider.

Maybe I am unusual, but I found it easiest to part with the easiest dogs that I fostered. I knew that they were going to good homes and I knew that they would be great pets. Ironically it was the difficult dogs that I had the hardest time parting with and they are the reason I no longer foster. I couldn't help but worry that they would not fit in well in a new home. And I had one dog in particular that really scared me away from placing dogs in permenant homes.


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## Rangers-mom (Jan 28, 2013)

Oh Magwart you are so right about the drama. I have only been involved in one rescue group so I was hoping they were unusual. There was SO much bickering and there were so many snide comments I just asked to be removed from their email list. Luckily (or unluckily) i did not live near any of these people so I never met any of them in person. It was really easy for me to stay out of the politics and just help dogs, but I would imagine that if I lived anywhere near these people it would have been tough to stay out of it. I totally forgot how much that turned me off to the whole experience.


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## doggerel (Aug 3, 2011)

All great advice! I read this thread eagerly, because we're about to get our first foster TONIGHT! We will be a foster home through our dog Pyrrha's rescue, Southeast German Shepherd Rescue.

There are a lot of great blogs out there, too, about fostering. I liked the tip from Love and a Six-Foot Leash about the "tie-down." They tether a new foster with a leash to a doorknob or other sturdy piece of furniture, give him/her a bed, and something to keep them occupied (e.g., a stuffed Kong) when they can't be right next to him/her for the first few days. 

Along with keeping the foster separated from our dog, and monitoring all interactions for the first week, I think this is a strategy we'll try.

Good luck!


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## RebelGSD (Mar 20, 2008)

Wow! I would absolutely not leash a German Shepherd to a piece of furniture or a doorknob. It all depends on the dog of course, but a GSD leashed like this can to terrible damage to the house or injure itself. These are powerful and determined dogs. I had several dogs that could chew through a leash sighing 10 seconds. They can shred furniture, chew a hold through the door, etc. Best is to use a safe, sturdy crate, reinforced with cable ties.


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## katieliz (Mar 29, 2007)

the only thing you should ever tether a sheppie to you, never to anything solid...doorknob, furniture, crate, fence...anything. never tether inside a car, always crate. to do otherwise is to court disaster. and it can happen in an instant. take care.


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## JeanKBBMMMAAN (May 11, 2005)

As has been said, sometimes rescues offer crates and supplies, other times they don't unless you ask. Vetting, yes, all should as Rebel said - communication is key - finding out who the vetting contact is and getting in touch with them for what the dog needs. We have a checklist of vaccines, de-worming, HW stuff, etc. on it so that people can follow along/have a guideline. Make sure you know what you need to do vetting wise. Making sure you know what vet office, what to do in an emergency, etc. 

Martingale collars - tight enough for the foster dog not to back out of Lupine - GUARANTEED (Even if Chewed) ® will replace chewed through collars and leashes 

Leashing the foster in the yard on a long line initially, until you see fence interest, jumping ability

I do a version of the 2 week shutdown. I'm not all "NOW YOU ARE IN A SHUTDDOWN!" just leave the dog alone enough to decompress, don't get up in their face, keep my dogs away, keep it quiet, spend nice time with them just sitting outside, let them relax and get to know me while I observe them. 

Find out what the requirements for events and activities are - do you have to go to adoption events, when, how long, etc. There may be rules about how long you have to have the foster before attending, timing regarding vaccinations, or after spay/neuter surgery. 

The foster dog should be in your home for a minimum of 3 weeks before any adoption is considered - for the oldies among us, this is standard operating procedure based on the concept of the honeymoon behaviors that start wearing off around 2 weeks. 

You should know before you start fostering for a rescue, but find out what your input is regarding adoption for your foster. Do you have a say in placement and if so how much? Are you able to refuse based on certain things, or certain things for that dog? (like fencing, activity level of home, etc).

Along with that, you want to make sure you know the requirements for adoption and the home visit. No home visit? Red flag. 

Make sure you are familiar with the adoption contract that you will be asking people to sign and ask the rescue anything you may wonder about it yourself. 

Is obedience required for new dogs? Do you have some places with training practices you are comfortable recommending? Is that information up to date? I found out a trainer I recommended had changed up some of their style and my adopters ended up not going back. Proud of them, ashamed of me! 

Can you have a foster mentor? Who do you contact with behavior concerns? 

What do they want to see in the website write up? 

What do they like to see in your responses to interested adopters? 

How can you best assess two species for match - what can you do to read people well - not just what they say but who they really are, and the same for the dog - what is the best home for that dog. 

Finally, make sure you know and understand the take back policy of the rescue and talk to the adopter about it. A lifetime commitment to the dog often includes follow up and let them know that you or someone from the rescue will contact them to check in, and that you are there for that dog no matter what.

THANK YOU all for fostering and participating in rescue!


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## jae (Jul 17, 2012)

Here he is! my first foster, all the way from Kentucky.
Poor guy was 45 pounds, mostly fur and bones ... so frail, and smelly, his ears were all fly-bitten and he's got a little scarring on his muzzle. and no bath since they neutered him right away 

I will say that I was certainly not prepared for keeping a dog in this condition. No one mentioned how awful it is to see dogs like this, neglected. 
Though I do not think he was abused, he is very friendly and mostly aloof, well socialized with other dogs, but just wants his space. He even sits for his meals, even though he is starved!

He's started a crappy habit of barking in his crate when I am not there, the neighbors now hate me even more. When his cone and sutures come off, I hope that some exercise will help that. He's been with me since Friday, so I am giving him another 7 days or so of crate rest.


http://toolkit.rescuegroups.org/javascript/v2.0/template1?animalID=5425984&key=WWWQWkTw


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## JackandMattie (Feb 4, 2013)

RebelGSD said:


> Wow! I would absolutely not leash a German Shepherd to a piece of furniture or a doorknob. It all depends on the dog of course, but a GSD leashed like this can to terrible damage to the house or injure itself. These are powerful and determined dogs. I had several dogs that could chew through a leash sighing 10 seconds. They can shred furniture, chew a hold through the door, etc. Best is to use a safe, sturdy crate, reinforced with cable ties.


LOL! Yeah, I could see my Mattie, powerchewer, laughing out loud...You're going to tether me with What?! A Leash?! That will last all of 2 seconds 

The confinement is a good idea, but use a crate and save yourself some potential $$$$ in damage.


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## JackandMattie (Feb 4, 2013)

doggerel said:


> All great advice! I read this thread eagerly, because we're about to get our first foster TONIGHT! We will be a foster home through our dog Pyrrha's rescue, Southeast German Shepherd Rescue.
> 
> There are a lot of great blogs out there, too, about fostering. I liked the tip from Love and a Six-Foot Leash about the "tie-down." They tether a new foster with a leash to a doorknob or other sturdy piece of furniture, give him/her a bed, and something to keep them occupied (e.g., a stuffed Kong) when they can't be right next to him/her for the first few days.
> 
> ...


Thank you on behalf of your foster dog for your efforts! Wishing you great success


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## JackandMattie (Feb 4, 2013)

jae said:


> Here he is! my first foster, all the way from Kentucky.
> Poor guy was 45 pounds, mostly fur and bones ... so frail, and smelly, his ears were all fly-bitten and he's got a little scarring on his muzzle. and no bath since they neutered him right away
> 
> I will say that I was certainly not prepared for keeping a dog in this condition. No one mentioned how awful it is to see dogs like this, neglected.
> ...


Awww!! He looks like a sweet guy! I totally understand about the condition. Jack came to me with ribs and backbone protruding, half an ear missing, and scared of everything. Heartbreaking. BUT...It is _so_ worth seeing the transformation a few months in a loving home can make.

Thank you for your efforts on behalf of this dog!! I wish you all the best


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## JeanKBBMMMAAN (May 11, 2005)

Hey! That's Bolt! He escaped from the shelter - he's from Hazard, right?


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## jae (Jul 17, 2012)

Wow yeah, you are right, that is him! Bolt is fitting. He's always trying to get out the door in a hurry and def has an agenda somewhere. 

That's certainly something that you know this dog.


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## JeanKBBMMMAAN (May 11, 2005)

Ha! Yes, I just "know" him from emails - and when he got away and was re-captured, from someone in KY who is very kindhearted and tries to help the dogs there. Hazard is a special place, not in a good way, for dogs, but the rescue I volunteer with has gotten very nice dogs out of there (when we can). 

I adopted a Hazard foster of mine last year. Trying to think - my foster had sarcoptic then demodex mange, which was actually good because 3 others got parvo, one has no lymph nodes in her hind leg, a litter came up with mom and mom and one pup survived - they had tons of GI creeping crud...I think 2 other young adults were relatively healthy - from a few pulls done there. 

It's true - you kind of get used to the bad condition they are in. It's why when you see threads questioning rescue placement, you know that the people commenting have not taken in, cared for, brought back into the human world, and then sent on, a dog and don't get the level of trust you need to have in someone to do that. Because you know how far they've come and you want them to continue to make strides forward and never back. Looking forward to seeing some of Bolt as he fills out and gets some new, nicer coat in.


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## Lin (Jul 3, 2007)

They're the hardest to give up, as well as being so hard to see in their current condition. The ones that make the biggest strides are the ones that you'll never forget and remember the best.


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