fostering and having your own dog
nina |
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| I became involved in rescue in June when Beaureguard was seven months old. He had been neutered at six months and had obedience training. He's been very well socialized and loves every person and dog he meets. So, I thought he'd do well with foster siblings....and he has.
I fostered two dogs at once and he did well with both of them. They were with us for a month due to the poor health of the male when we got him. After they were adopted, I adopted a female myself to be a companion for Beau. He and Geneveive were instantly best friends. They are great playmates with very well matched energy levels. Together they have welcomed three other foster siblings into their home. I recently commented to some friends that Beau & Gen were perfect foster siblings. They don't mind sharing their space or their mom and they get along well with all the dogs that have been here. They don't seem to mind the coming and going. It's as if Mom's invited a cousin over to play with them for a couple of weeks. Fostering is a rewarding experience (and it's a good way to gauge if you can handle more than one of your own).  |
| Beau's Mom -- I'm glad you shared your story. That is awesome that Beau and Gen are so friendly and welcoming. I'm curious -- do you do anything that distinguishes your own dogs from the foster dogs? That is, how do your dogs or the foster dogs know that they are in a different, temporary category? Are B&G so nice because somehow you make it clear that their position is not threatened? Or would they welcome the fosters as permanent family just as easily? |
| Thank you, Valerie. I try to treat the foster dogs the same as my own. They're on the same schedule and get the same attention, treats, etc. I don't really do anything different to distinguish them.
When possible, I introduce them on neutral territory, but it isn't always possible. And, although Beau & Gen have always been welcoming, sometimes it takes the new dog a few days to adjust to them. They've just been thrown into a new environment, so it's understandable.  When that happens, I try to give the new dog time alone with Beau first. He's very non-threatening. Then, once they're getting along, I put Gen back in the mix. She's definitley my alpha.
I think Beau & Gen would be happy if we kept them all! They love having a new playmate to join in the fun. I think because they get positive attention all the time that they don't feel threatened by the new kid on the block. It helps that I don't change their routine when the new kid arrives, too.
It's always bittersweet for me when they go home with their new families. I miss them. And, you can usually find Beau or Gen "looking" for them at first. But, within a few hours things go back to "normal". |
| I am fostering an OES right now too. Mallory adores him and he gets along great with our other dogs and cats as well.
Anytime I have a foster dog, they are treated like one of my own. I think Mallory may be a bit depressed when Winchester goes to his new family, they have become such good buddies, but it will be short lived as she has other dog siblings to keep her busy. And I plan on keeping her busy too once he leaves. 
I don't know that there is anyway you could distinguish to make a dog understand that it is a permanent family member versus a foster. Your main thing is you want to treat the foster like one of the family, teach them what it's like to be part of a loving, caring family situation. Many of them have never had that, so it's all new. Sure there will be tears and saddness (people and dogs alike) when the time comes for them to move to their new home, but look at the big picture. You helped to save a life, your own dog got to have fun and hopefully helped teach the new dog how wonderful living with a good family can be. And after all that, your ready to welcome a new foster dog into your home. I really think you and your own dog will benefit from fostering. I know our WHOLE family has! |
| Tammy, I always mean to ask, do you have a pretty big place (home/yard) or a really good set up for extra dogs? That's always something I wonder about foster homes whenever I get it in my head that I'd like to foster too. As much as I hate to admit that James is right, two big dogs take up a lot of space! Not when they're just lying around of course but when they start playing, man, look out! We have a decent size house but it's a two story so play only ensues on the ground floor (Lucy only goes upstairs for emergencies like thunderstorms) so it's like a circus some evenings when we just want to relax! If I didn't have a yard, I don't think I would've ever considered even getting a second dog-- they really need that area to go crazy in! I couldn't imagine what that would turn into with a third full grown dog (especially an OES) smashing around for longer than a day!
The reason I say "a day" is because a couple of months ago we took in a Shepherd/Rottweiler mix for the day that had wandered into our yard. It was just as a bad storm was starting so we brought him in the house. Clyde and Lucy loved him and they were having a great time but we ended up moving the furniture over because between my 2 and that 100+ pound monster, stuff was flying off the tables and furniture was getting knocked over! I guess what I'm getting at is, do you or did you have similar experiences? Does it ever settle down? |
| I've found my own guys vary with fosters. Some have been welcomed, some hated and some just ignored. It depends a lot on the foster and their initial reaction to the dogs. Some have arrived and wanted to immediately play, others were more defensive and others meek.
Most of the time I've been cautious, I've kept the fosters separate from my guys for a week or so waiting for kennel cough signs, fleas, ticks, etc. There have been acceptions where the dog came from a home and not exposed to potential problems. These dogs were allowed with my own dogs but under strict supervision. Mo has been the troublemaker, defending her territory. Now with Jack.........there will no more fosters. I can't trust him. Only Glacier can handle him......one tough small Great Pyr bitch. She about took Jack's ear off the first day and he hasn't forgotten. |
| My house is all one level and only about 1700 sq ft and I have about an acre of yard. Of that acre only about 1/3 of it is fenced in. Actually I was planning on calling the fence company today about completely fencing in the back yard. That way, if I ever did need to separate a foster, I'd have a way to do it.
It's not too difficult really. Beau chose the kitchen as his room when he was little and the only dog. So, I put up a baby gate and he respects it although he could easily get over it or push it down. Gen did not respect it, so she had to be crate trained. I don't have room in the kitchen for a crate, so I put her crate in my office. When I have a foster, I put his/her crate up in the office too. Those are their sleeping arrangements. During the day while I'm away, weather permitting, they stay outside and play in the fenced area of the yard. When I get home, I bring them in, brush them out and they follow me around while I clean house. Yes, it does get quite rowdy sometimes. I try to get them to calm down, but if it gets too out of control, I just put one of them in their "corner" and they have to take turns getting "free run of the house". But, if they've been out most of the day playing and getting their energy out, they're usually pretty good. Last night, Beau & Dudley (the foster) were being very good boys, laying at my feet while I worked at the desk and Gen was doing her best to instigate a rucus. She succeded and they were running around and chasing each other until I stepped in and made them settle down. I think it was Stormi who wrote about her two having a "settle" place that she uses to make them calm down. It works pretty well if you enforce it. So yeah...sometimes it's a bit crazy...but it does settle down. It's funny you should ask, because I've been wondering how it is to have the doggie door so they can come & go on their own. Don't you ever have problems with them tracking inside with muddy feet? I thought about that when you wrote about Clyde going in and out getting sticks. |
| Lol. Funny you should ask! It's such a hot topic around the house, we've just agreed on a solution this morning. Yes, muddy paws are a big problem lately-- the fact that we tore up the yard for the patio does not help since there are places with no grass right now. Add in the rain and it's been a serious mess lately! But, luckily the way the house is set up, the back door opens into a short hallway, where there's vinyl flooring and we have a carpet runner. At the end of the runner, they're still on the vinyl floor so most of the leftover dirt winds up there before they hit the carpet. The few prints that make it to the carpet are easily cleaned up by the Little Green Clean Machine. We spend a lot of time in the living room so they never make it very far dirty without one of us tackling them with a towel (one of the many kept around the house)!
The worst part is the vinyl floor. I know you'll find this hard to believe, but I really hate mopping the floor 7 or 8 times a day-- did I mention that it's white? The solution that we agreed on this morning was to just buy an all new floor that will hide the dirt a lot better. So, I'm going to attempt to do most of this myself (it was part of the deal since it was my idea). The nice part is, all I have to do is mess one thing up and James come blasting in and kicks me out so I don't have to touch it anymore 
I'm going to do vinyl and I'm thinking something like this: Moss Slate Vinyl Tile http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=p ... lpage=none I had tile in my old house that was almost identical to this (except it was ceramic) and you could never see dirt on it. I don't care if the dirt is there as long as I can't see it! Sorry about hijacking the thread! |
| Thank goodness! It's actually a relief to know I'm not the only one wrestling with paw prints all over the floor.
I really like the vinyl you've chosen. It should do a good job masking the paw prints! Let me know if you decide to do it yourself. I've got to do my bathroom. I've never put down floors. Is it hard? Marianne, master of all things domestic, did a good job on hers!
Here's a pic of the boy I'm fostering right now, Dudley. He's a sweetie. That's him in the middle (Beau on the right and Gen on the left).  |
| We have that slate tile in blue and pink. (We didn't pick the colors it just came that way!) It does an excellent job at hiding the dirt and paw prints. I think the natural pattern on it helps a lot! It's definitely one of those things that you don't notice how bad it was until you clean it. That is a great choice and it lasts forever. Really hard to damage too. When they took out our old refridgerator they dropped it, corner down and it didn't even make a mark on the tile. |
| thanks everyone for your input. It gives me an idea of what its like if I do decide to foster later on. seems that everything goes pretty smoothly except for the now and again rucus that insues but thats ok. anyway, thanks for the input and I think its so wonderful that there are so many people out there that are fostering. |
| Jill, that tile will look great in your house, maybe Jil can help, hers turned out nice
Tammy, those 3 look really cute together |
| You know I'd help with Jill's tile . . . we'll have James keep the sheepies (including Bentley, of course) & Lucy out of the kitchen and bring us beers! |
bestdogsx4 wrote: Jill, that tile will look great in your house, maybe Jil can help, hers turned out nice
Tammy, those 3 look really cute together Thanks!
You guys are getting so good with home projects, how do you feel about a road trip to North Carolina?? |
Aw, Rosco feels left out, he wants to help the boys  He thinks his life is boring and Clyde and Bentley have ALL the fun |
| Bentley wants to know when Rosco is coming over to start some trouble again!
And he's up for a road trip as long as he gets to drive.  |
| Didn't he get to drive last time? Although with his long legs he is pretty good Rosco said okay but he gets to choose the music(bring ear plugs, he LOVES rap!) |
floofdog wrote: You know I'd help with Jill's tile . . . we'll have James keep the sheepies (including Bentley, of course) & Lucy out of the kitchen and bring us beers!
That would work! |
| Hi,
Just my bit of experience thrown in...seems that if the mix is Male and Female it's far easier for a bond to occur or puppy and adult dog. Dogs have a code of law which states a male can't attack a female nor can an adult dog attack a pup. Much like the laws of our humans but still saying that: humans exist that break these rules, as exist dogs that don't follow their "code of law". Dogs close in ages or of the same sex may have the dominance issues occuring ...but seems to me that most successful relationships that have been talked about here are male/female/male if three were in the household...or male /female with two. Although Max's boys seem to have done really well so there are exceptions. Sadly, I can't report that with my three boys...Panda whom is sweet and gentle with all dogs is on the outs in my household. Merlin and Blue rough house but Panda is not welcome to join them. :O( Merlin is fine with him but as Blue and he bonded before Panda's arrival , Merlin doesn't initiate play with Panda. Blue had continued to dislike Panda from the moment he arrived and this hasn't changed in 16 months..although at night they all sleep in close proximity to one another. As for my cats...three get along with each other and one doesn't get along with any of them, nor with the dogs. They all steer clear of evil Mama Kat.  With humans however, she is loving and gentle.
Overall, I've adopted aprox 30 animals from shelters and like others mentioned it depends on the personalities..some become instant friends..others for one reason or another dislike each other. Most shelters will highly recommend that if you are thinking of fostering or adopting other dogs/cats...to bring in your own pet and let THEM choose. They will usually give signs that this one is a buddy and meeting them on neutral territory is really good. Alas, with Panda I didn't have the option as he flew in from Hong Kong. Although I feel badly for him not being able to join in with his brothers and I had thought he and Merlin would be best buddies, it still may happen some day as Blue is 15. You just never know. It may be kinda like your husband bringing home a new wife...cause he loved you so much...he wanted another one just like you. Marianne and the boys |
| Me again...lol sorry didn't comment about the floor issue. Have to tell about a commercial that is airing..showing people and their dogs...one guy hugging his dog comments he bought his dog a house. I thought I should be on there with my critters..saying ..I bought them a house...then ripped up carpets to put in new floors more suitable to living in a house full of dogs/cats and other critters.
Oh yeah...fencing, flooring, room to rough house...all that comes into play. When I had my beautiful new windows installed this year I didn't choose sidelights that extended down both sides of my front door..only half way as that would have messed up the cat door. Yup can't forget cat/dog doors...and anything else that makes life easier for our furballs. Took out the old showerhead and replaced it with one with extendable hose which makes washing a dog in a tub easier. LOL Marianne and the boys |
| I work with a GSD rescue and have two labs, a shepherd and now a 4 mo old OESD. I have fostered in the past. GSD's and labs and they are different from OESD, although from this forum I see they can be aggressive sometimes. Since I had a male and two females it was hard to select a dog(couldn't do female vs male) I sometimes had to crate for a while and even let dogs out on seperate schedules. My three always welcomed dogs. Labs think life is for romping and licking and my german shephed had a lot of training. That helped plus patience!! It was very rewarding and sometimes my dogs were happy to see a roudy dog leave and sometimes they seemed sad when a certain dog left. I guess it would be harder with only one dog missing a new friend. Now that I rescued "guinness my sheepy" I will do other things with the rescue other than foster. I think I was the saddest to see the dogs go and have kept in touch with the adopters. Here in Maryland there is no OESD rescue. Once or twice a dog brought kennel cough in to one of my dogs or a virus. That is the chance you take with rescue but it is worth it. Most of the time it was fine. I had my fosters long enough to do basic obedience and house manners It was fun to see them progress. Kind of like your child going off to school!! and good manners help the dog stay in their new home. Good luck in your quest to foster It makes all the difference in a dogs life and yours. |
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