Fostering Advice

amberdyan

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#1
My SO and I have been talking about fostering a dog for several months, and we've finally decided to do it! We've sent in an application and are just waiting on our home visit and we'll be cleared to foster. I've told them we can foster 1 dog of just about any age, and long as they are dog friendly. Hugo has shown zero guarding issues around other dogs and hasn't minded having other dogs playing with his toys in the house. We have several room so we can separate them when they have high value treats and/or when they're eating.

So really, my question is, what advice to you have for a first time foster parent? What is something you wish you would have known or done differently before you started to foster? What sort of behavior beyond general dog-friendliness should I take Hugo to meet potential fosters? What are some things you've done that make your foster dog more adoptable?

Sorry for all of the questions! Feel free to answer as many or as few as you'd like, lol. I know some of you are experienced foster parents.
 

DJEtzel

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#3
Love. That. ^

Honestly, I've fostered over 20 dogs. I don't have much advice beyond agreeing with the above, though.
 

amberdyan

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#4
Thanks so much for that article. I LOVE it and I definitely hadn't thought about it that way. I was more worried about taking precautions so that I didn't fall in love with the dog, not the other way around, but it makes perfect sense.
 

pinkspore

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#5
I'm finding I do best with dogs I don't personally like or enjoy. I know it sounds horrible, but it helps me keep the right mindset and ensures that my fosters think their adoptive homes are AMAZING. I love physically sensitive tortured genius dogs. I'm fostering a derptastic bulldozer. She's getting plenty of love and structure and socialization, but there is zero temptation to keep her.
 

amberdyan

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#6
I'm finding I do best with dogs I don't personally like or enjoy. I know it sounds horrible, but it helps me keep the right mindset and ensures that my fosters think their adoptive homes are AMAZING. I love physically sensitive tortured genius dogs. I'm fostering a derptastic bulldozer. She's getting plenty of love and structure and socialization, but there is zero temptation to keep her.
That's smart, and we have agreed that we will not foster any dogs we're particularly drawn to. We will likely be fostering a bully breed of some sort since the town the shelter is in has BSL banning pits, and my town (20 minutes away) does not.
 

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