Fostering: q's

[Lou's mom]

As ya'll know I have been fostering for the local DR here, right around a year now.

My 1st foster seized, which tripped me out b/c it reminded me of the 2 sudden cardiac deaths I'd witnessed in my guys. Turned out she had distemper, was rehomed, etc, now in a loving home. Yea.

Another lil foster tried to eat myBella during supervised play. Rehomed, another good outcome.

Took in a blue-juice foster who claimed my heart and occupies most of my bed.

Currently fostering a challenging lil red boy, wherefrom my questions arise.


What is the average time range for fostering?
Do fosterers commit to a critter until it gets placed?
What if the fosterer states the dog needs more attention/training than can be provided?
What if the fosterer has health care recommendations? Backed by vet assessment?

Hoping ya'll can provide some suggestions. Don't want to get into (more)details, as its already been shown that one of the rescue folks monitors this site :rolleyes: But some input would help, since monitoring by one doesn't equal communication by another.

Don't get me wrong, I'm liking the red boy more and more, but how long did I sign up for?

[Athy]

Well, I've been fostering Dobermans for about 13 years so I'll give you my thoughts (plus they're completely free :)

What is the average time range for fostering? - I think you need to plan to foster a dog for at least two weeks, sometimes longer, to get a real feel for the dog's temperament. I've fostered some up to a year - usually these are dogs from bulk breeders, kept outdoors 24x7 their entire lives. That's a LOT of work. I've set my home up so that my fosters are entirely separated from my own dogs. They have their own yard, their own room and they do not interact with my own dogs so I can maintain a long term foster with little to no impact on my own pack.

Do fosterers commit to a critter until it gets placed? - I do personally. When I take a Dobe into my home, I plan that we're in it for the duration until such time as I believe the dog is placeable and I can find the right home. That said, if one of DAR&E's foster parents if having problems with a dog, wrong environment or a personal situation comes up, we will definitely move the foster dog to a different parent as soon as possible.

What if the fosterer states the dog needs more attention/training than can be provided? - We'll work with the foster parent to move the dog to a better environment then. It can't always be done immediately, resources are limited. But if a dog is beyond the foster's abilities to manage, it's in everyone's best interests to move the dog to a person who has the time, the abilities or the facilities.

What if the fosterer has health care recommendations? Backed by vet assessment? - If you have a specific health care recommendation for a foster dog, you should share it with the rescue group's decision makers and ask for a decision. At the end of the day, however, it's the rescue group's dog and their final decision to make. The decision makers resources and experience will make the call. As far as being backed by a vet, that's open to opinion too - sometimes vets are like trainers (get three in a room and the only thing you'll get two to agree on is that the third is an asshole). As a foster parent, you only get to recommend or suggest - you really have to defer to the group's decision makers.

These are my opinions only.

Athy

[Lou's mom]

Athty:

Let me first say that your words of wisdom re: fostering, deserves a sticky, if that is permitted in this purebreed forum.

Apologies for the delay in response: I read it, often, and your wisdom continues to help me move through, and continues to keep me grounded.

[Lou's mom]

I have committed to Rowan, the red foster dog, not just by virtue of feeding, roof over his head and a kennel, but through interaction, training, and love.

He had an opportunity to fully integrate into my (admittedly small) pack, and for the first several weeks was lovely. I bully'd an aquiantance into returning some crates (when will I ever learn to NOT LOAN GEAR OUT?), and R. began sleeping in the bedroom, in a crate, like a Big Dog.