Dogs

Life of a Foster Mom

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Briggs, looking for a furever home

Meeting a foster dog is like going on a blind date. I get nervous and sweaty, pace around the house, and wait for the text message “Be there in 30.” Dog rescue is complicated. When I first started fostering, I was naïve, uninformed, and wasn’t familiar with the rescue terminology. I especially didn’t realize how many volunteers are required to have a successful transport from shelter to foster home.

It starts with a volunteer who seeks puppies and dogs, primarily from high kill shelters, that we will rescue. The volunteer and transporter situates dogs from the shelter into his/her vehicle, meets another transporter, who meets another transporter, who meets another transporter, who meets a volunteer from our rescue, who texts all of us, and we all meet like a pack of wolves to come and collect our foster dog. It’s happy (that they are with us and safe at their destination) but sad and anxiety ridden (because they are scared, peeing in our backseat [thank you towels], and we have a lot of work ahead of us) The labor or love begins as soon as they enter our vehicle. Here are some tips I compiled for a successful transition from pick-up through Day 1.

Car Safety

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Briggs behaving in my backseat with the Kurgo Seat Belt Tether

If I get a puppy or small dog, I have a small crate that fits in my backseat. The crate is lined with a towel. If I have a larger dog, a car seat belt is a terrific investment. As you can see pictured, I use the Kurgo Seat Belt Tether. The seat belt makes sure that the dog does not become a projectile while the car is in motion. I also invested in a car sling and put down towels. I also give plenty of treats and have a bone in the backseat to try to keep them distracted. Building a report is paramount, and their safety and well-being is my priority.

Walk it Out

As soon as I get home, I take the foster dog on a walk around the house and front yard. I take note of how the dog walks on a leash, and its mannerisms. Am I being dragged? Is he/she skittish? Is its tail wagging or tucked? How does he/she respond to treats and its name being called? When I feel comfortable, I bring Bailey outside (on a leash) to let them greet on neutral territory. I walk them up the block and watch their interactions to see if it will be a successful match. Then the foster and I head into our fenced in backyard. (Bailey goes inside.) This gives he/she an opportunity to go to the bathroom off leash, investigate all the different scents, and I can see how they interact with the different toys. Some foster dogs take to playing immediately while others have never had a toy. Once the foster gets acclimated, Bailey comes outside for more play and fun. The foster learns quickly that she is top dog. Bailey unfortunately doesn’t have the temperament, or the recall capabilities, to be a rehabilitation dog for humans, but this is where she shines and makes the best foster sibling. Within a few days, Bailey teaches the scared, skittish dogs how to play with and without toys, how to go up and down stairs, how to walk on a leash, where to eat and drink, and basic commands. If a foster is extremely scared and hides in the crate, Bailey will enter the crate, grab he/she by the scruff, and pull them out of the crate to play. She is a great help when it comes to acclimating a shelter dog to my temporary, loving home.

Bath, Crate, Food, Water

Depending on the temperament of the foster and when they received their flea and tick medication, he/she will get a bath. Then we will introduce he/she to its crate with food and water. We always make the crate a safe place, with a nice warm blanket or towel (sometimes I throw it in the dryer on a high for a few minutes), and lots of delicious treats (we love Pupperonis). I want them to know that they are clean, safe in their crate, and they will always have food and water.

The first night, as much as I would love for them to snuggle in bed with me, they go into the crate. I cover the crate with a blanket or sheet to create a warm little cave. Nothing makes me happier than when I go to let them out of their crate in the morning and their tail is wagging, happy to see me. That shows me that they are beginning to trust me and excited for a new day in my home.

When fostering, the first 24 hours are always the most unpredictable and difficult. It is a lot of work to acclimate a foster dog into a new environment with two humans, a high-energy canine, and two felines. I am lucky to volunteer for a rescue that gives me good matches for my family.

If you ever thought about fostering, reach out to your local rescue. Foster parents are always needed and appreciated. (If you live in NJ, check out Caring Canine Connections, www.thecccrescue.com) It will be an unforgettable, rewarding experience.

“The greatness of a nation can be judged by the way its animals are treated.” – Mahatma Gandhi

Be the change.

Namaste.

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Change

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Change, defined, is “to make or become different.” I was deathly afraid of dogs. So afraid that if I saw one loose, I would sprint and hide to wherever I felt like I wasn’t going to be seen. I would pray to God in so many words; please. don’t. bite. me. I don’t remember my first bad experience with dogs but my mother relives the terror with me through her rendition of the situation. There was a black lab, Susie, who got loose from its yard, barked and jumped in my face. My mom picked me up into her arms and apparently, I was inconsolable. I was three years old. That is when my fear of dogs began.

Growing up, my neighbor, Barbara, had two dogs and four cats. I was more of a cat person. I loved brushing them, playing with the dangling feather toys, and laser pointers. I didn’t mind scooping poop out of a box. Her dogs, I was always apprehensive around. I would never pick them up. I wouldn’t want to walk them or be alone with them, just in case they decided to bite me. Fast forward. I’m fourteen years old, playing in my aunt’s backyard, and the neighbors Pit Bull/Rottweiler mix gets loose and charges after my two younger cousins. Without thinking, I picked my cousins up into my arms, turned to head toward the house and the dog bit me in the back of my leg. Better me than my cousins, I thought, trying to ease the bite pain. I officially hate dogs. I will never have a dog. I don’t want to have anything to do with dogs. End of story.

Jason absolutely loves dogs. On our first date, I asked him, “What do you want in your life?” He said, “I want a wife, a house, a truck, and a dog.” I said “Yeah, well that’s not going to work, I’m afraid of dogs.” He asked, and I told. I was sick to my stomach when I met his parents and their 10 lb. Chihuahua/Yorkie mix, Kaylee. I thought I was going to have a panic attack. I felt my heart race and my palms get sweaty. I made it through the night and the occasional family visits with Kaylee. When we got engaged and moved into our home, the “we need a dog” conversations started happening in full force. Knowing this is what he wanted from Day 1, I had my non-negotiable rules prepared for HIS dog.

  1. I want kittens.
  2. I get to pick the dog, and it must be from a rescue.
  3. We must get a fence.
  4. We must take the dog to obedience training.
  5. We must get a pet sitter for the days that we work long shifts.

We got our kittens (Jack and Ace, now almost 3 years old, fat and fabulous). We got a fence. We found Bailey (our now 2 year 3-month-old mutt) from a rescue. We found a pet sitter. We enrolled Bailey into puppy Kindergarten at 12 weeks. The obedience training helped teach me how not only to train our dog, but how to act around dogs. Sometimes, I would stand in the training and a cold sweat would rush over me. Anxiety. Fear. Panic. Thanks for showing up, guys. Deep breath. Positive self-talk. 30 more minutes to go. 20. 10. 5. Done. Another class completed. I remember pulling the instructor aside and saying, “Listen, Bailey is my first dog, I’m actually afraid of dogs!” She put her hand on her hip and said, “Well, ya can’t be that afraid, ya were around 15 of ‘em in class.” Okay, lady, you have a point. I am breaking through my barriers.

Getting a dog of my own, (Bailey was 10 lbs. at 10 weeks old), was the pivotal moment that changed my opinion on dogs. It was putting my fear, anxiety, and apprehension aside, to learn how to change, adapt, and thrive with a new puppy who ultimately wanted my all my love and attention.

It’s always comical, and slightly irritating, when people tease, “Remember when you said, ‘No, we are not getting a dog. I don’t like dogs. I’m afraid of them. It’s either going to be me or a dog.’” they often don’t realize the evolution, hard work, and the vulnerability that I have endured and surpassed to get to the place where I am today. From the moment Bailey came into our lives, I worked on my fear, every single day.

Now, I’m involved with a phenomenal rescue group, Caring Canine Connections. www.thecccrescue.com

I foster dogs in my home. That’s right, I went from being afraid of dogs to taking the helpless, abandoned and abused dog into my home and helping them to becoming adoptable, lovable companions. I help at adoption events, where I am surrounded by ten to twenty dogs of varying personalities. I am so passionate about CCC that I assist in fundraising and donation campaigns. I believe strongly in rescuing dogs from nonprofit organizations and am opposed to breeders.

The rescue coordinator knows my quirks; she doesn’t give me a dog I can’t handle, and whenever I feel like how I’ve felt many years ago, I remind myself, life’s only constant is change. My change has brought me beautiful, heartfelt experiences that will last a lifetime.

Namaste.