# We pick our first foster dog this afternoon/evening - Advice



## will_and_jamie (Jul 8, 2006)

I meant to say in the title that we pick up our first foster dog this afternoon. Ah well.

We have two dogs of our own - Hannah a 2.5 year old female GSD with hip dysplasia and Harley - an 18 month old male Golden Retriever. We're fostering a GSD mix named Bear for the Front Range GSD Rescue. Here is the link to the dog we're being given - Adoptable German Shepherd Dog: Big Bear: Petfinder 

I know to introduce them in a neutral setting which we plan to do. Any other information I should know? Do you typically feed foster dogs the same as you feed your own dogs? Ours are fed Taste of the Wild High Prairie. It's probably more rich than what he's used to eating already and I don't want to make him sick. 

Any advice is appreciated.


----------



## Myamom (Oct 10, 2005)

Personally...I do feed my fosters the same as my dogs. If they come with some of the food they are already being fed...that's a bonus and helps me transition. If not...what I have found that helps me is to start them on chicken and rice initially...and transition them to our food gradually...adding a little more of kibble until they are completely transitioned over. Adding some pumpkin never hurts either.


----------



## will_and_jamie (Jul 8, 2006)

Oh, so can I just boil some chicken and mix it in with white rice or use chicken broth? I'll pick up some canned pumpkin as well. Thank you.


----------



## katieliz (Mar 29, 2007)

just wanted to say thank you so much for fostering! the need so so great. big bear is a great looking boy!


----------



## Myamom (Oct 10, 2005)

I've never found the need to add chicken broth  I just cook up chicken breast and mix up with white rice...and if handy throw in a spoonful of pumpkin. 

Yes...THANK YOU for fostering. It is the lifeblood of rescues...without fosters...we can't save lives


----------



## Myamom (Oct 10, 2005)

(fyi-I feed TOTW too...and with this method I had no problems transitioning my foster over ...good luck)


----------



## will_and_jamie (Jul 8, 2006)

Thanks! We're excited. We don't have a backyard so that kinda stinks, but we do go to doggy parks often and take our two out with us often. I sure hope Big Bear is good with our cats. Our cats are kinda aggressive towards dogs. Our Ragdoll cat, Albert, chases our Hannah and Harley around all the time. Hopefully Big Bear is OK with that.


----------



## will_and_jamie (Jul 8, 2006)

Seems like he's OK with the cats. Our Golden is being a little turd guarding their toys and bones. Our GSD Hannah just doesn't care. Maybe it's a male to male thing. Bear is doing well. I've never, ever seen a dog scarf down food as fast as him. He ate three cups of TOTW in like 40 seconds. He was being kept at a doggy day care - Camp Bow Wow so hopefully he'll adjust well here. I'm so glad we're able to help him.


----------

