Some Fostering Thoughts

[RoughCollies]

I was looking back through some old threads in here and started thinking.

When we took in Sage (keeshond foster for those that don't know) we never intended on keeping her. I fell in love, of course, but was able to keep my head through it all. We found her a good home, though a weird one, lol, they love her to bits. I did get several updates on her for a while and each one was happy. I even got to see her several times. It was a great situation.

Then came Ramone. For those that weren't around then, he was an older, deformed chihuahua that was abandoned at a store with a free dog sign. I took him in and fell in love. He needed me. He let me know how much and saying goodbye to him was painful. I had fully intended on keeping him at one point. He screamed out to me and I loved him so much. But, I knew it wasn't meant to be. I let him go one cold, rainy night. I cryed for days and nearly lost myself in it.

Then we had Kraemer. I can't say that I regret not adopting him. I can say that it was another one of the most painful experiences to go through. Kraemer was a GSD, 14 months old and wild. He was the most annoying dog alive. There was a point where I sat down to call the rescue and tell them we couldn't foster him anymore. Then he looked at me with those big brown eyes and I would break into a billion pieces. He and I finally had it out one day. I was trying to get him into the bedroom where he stayed when we left the house. He didn't want to listen to me. He turned, bit me and I was bleeding everywhere. Bleeding and in pain, I continued to get him into the room then once he was in I dealt with my hand. The next day he was MY dog. Somehow, he understood that I was alpha at that point. He became my loyal boy, never leaving my side. Every night I fell asleep with Kraemers head on my pillow.

The day he was adopted I remember watching him walk away with the volunteer that was taking him to do the meet. He was barking, lunging, crying. He didn't understand why he was leaving us again. Why he had to leave another family again. It was such a painful experience that I tortured my self for months and months about it. I didn't stop until I finally, over a year later got an update on him. Once I saw that he was happy, I finally felt better. I was finally able to let go.

Then came Dixie. You all know how THAT turned out. But, for this threads sake, I'll explain. Jake and I had talked about helping Dixie out. Maybe fostering her, maybe keeping her. We just wanted her to get some one on one attention while she was sick, if nothing else. She was in a very safe place, but was with so many other dogs that she would never have been able to get it all.

She came to us so ill-looking it was painful. I couldn't bear it. One day, she was laying on the couch, looking so miserable that I worried we might lose her. She didn't even want to lift her head. I cried so hard that I couldn't breathe. My heart was in physical pain from it. I held her little head in my lap and knew that I never had a chance in the world at saying goodbye to her. I wasn't willing to feel that pain again. She and I had bonded so strongly from the minute she came out of the car. There have only been three other dogs in the world that I have ever felt that close too. Faith, Piper and Zeus. (Again, for those that don't know Faith is my blue merle Rough Collie, Piper is my deceased tri collie and Zeus was my yellow lab growing up)

Dixie has been a hard dog. Not a single day goes by that she doesn't challenge my patience. It cost a lot to heal her. She went through so much. How many people would honestly have been able to handle that goop on her neck. The infections that made the whole house smell of something so foul that you'd literally wake up sick somedays. Cutting out hair from infectious goop, dealing with day after day after day of this for months on end. Then once she was finally healed to deal with the couch being torn up and all the other behavior issues. So many people would have given up on her, thrown her outside, dumped her at the pound. She was meant to be here. Of that, there is no doubt. Few others in this world would have been willing to even try.

I'm not sure where this is going, just some random thoughts, I suppose. To anyone who has fostered and failed... I understand. I guess that's all I am saying, lol.

[SalemWitchChild]

lol. I guess I'm kinda a failed foster. Though Taz (the cat I foster) wasn't like those who foster here. I don't have any say in who adopts him if that day comes. But I highly doubt it will. I originally said I'd foster for a few months. Just so they wouldn't have to euthanize him. The shelter was screaming at the time to get some into fosters because they were completely full. So I got Taz. Thinking perhaps in a few months he'd get adopted. A year later. not one single person at the shelter has asked about him. Not one person has come to see him. I think they've probably forgot about him. Though last time I looked his petfinder page is still there.

[FairyDogMother]

Been there and got the t-shirt. I have 2 now.

I don't know how much more bouncing Ginger could have taken before she was compltely ruined without a turn around recourse...

Genevieve... love at first moment. I knew, pending she wasn't dog or little kid agressive that she would be mine too.

I have no regrets about keeping my GG Girls! They fit with Phoebe and Oliver well!

In case anyone bothered to peek at our petfinder page, George isn't listed yet....
I don't know how empty my place might be with all the current fosters homed and him gone too as I won't be taking any others in for quite a while.

We have a very special relationship and I don't want him to go too. I just have to make sure I'm doing the best for him first and foremost.....

Ok, so, secrets out and NEVER again will I foster a dog whose name starts with a "G" LOL...

Dixie is a very lucky girl. All are hard, some harder than others to let go of. Somehow, I find they let me know it's OK! Then my heart aches, then my time is full with the next one in and it eases the pain. I still get an achy heart but happy one when I get updates on some of my very special kids!

[mommyof4]

I too am a failed foster and I'm so glad . Syd was the only dog I sought out. The rest just found me. My Aussie was so aggressive, they wanted to put him down. And like so many fosters experience, I knew in my gut he was fixable. It took a lot of time and patience but now he's the most loyal and loving dog. The thought of adopting him out after all we went through just wasn't an option. So I realized when I hit my 4 dog limit that maybe I should stick to small animals for a while. Ask me how that's working out lol.

[AtomicSkies]

the only dog foster i have ever done failed...hence why its the only one lol...and i wouldent change it for anything ever i love my dixie doodle girl so much...gadget is my heart dog and dixie is my soul...i laugh at myself when i think about the fact that i had ever planned to give her up

[AgilityPup]

Bella was 'supposed' to be a foster. I begged mom for a long time to just let me get her out of there, it didn't even have to be to our place... For weeks, the deal was I'd bring her home, train her, rehome her. Ba-da-bing-ba-da-boom. Not hard, right? Pssh! Yeah right.

I know how you feel, and as much as I'd LOVE to foster a dog someday, I couldn't do it. I can't have a dog in the house that I'm not bonded with, and then I don't want to break that bond. Can you imagine what it would have done to Bella to have bonded with me, then to be taken away? You think she's bad now...

[alimel]

I guess techinicaly I am fostering Max right now. No one knows what his crazy owners will do.

[Sheltiemama]

It takes a lot of guts to foster RC. I know how sad, frustrated, happy and emotionally drained a person can get over a dog. Since I've moved to Florida a year ago I have fostered over 30 dogs. Each one has different needs and a different circumstance. Each one comes with their own set of baggage and it's up to us to find out what their needs are and fulfill the portion of their lives that is lacking. All the while attending to their sick or broken bodies. The stench of rotting teeth, infectious sores and explosive diarrhea from these poor souls can be overwhelming. But the love in their eyes for a kind hand and a soft voice can overcome a lot of unpleasantness.

Even the old ones. The ones that only want a quiet place in the corner of the room to live out their lives with dignity and to have someone there to pat them on the head and tell them that the world is a good place.

I won't deny that a piece of my heart goes with each foster I turn over to a new owner but I do it with the knowledge that not only is the new owner getting a good dog, they are getting one of MY dogs! One that I have helped shape and given new life to. One that I have prepared especially for them...

Yes I cry, and I miss them when they go but I'm also very happy for them knowing that as I let one go from the safety of my home there are two more waiting for me to accept them with open arms and I start all over again......

[alimel]

Originally Posted by Sheltiemama

It takes a lot of guts to foster RC. I know how sad, frustrated, happy and emotionally drained a person can get over a dog. Since I've moved to Florida a year ago I have fostered over 30 dogs. Each one has different needs and a different circumstance. Each one comes with their own set of baggage and it's up to us to find out what their needs are and fulfill the portion of their lives that is lacking. All the while attending to their sick or broken bodies. The stench of rotting teeth, infectious sores and explosive diarrhea from these poor souls can be overwhelming. But the love in their eyes for a kind hand and a soft voice can overcome a lot of unpleasantness.

Even the old ones. The ones that only want a quiet place in the corner of the room to live out their lives with dignity and to have someone there to pat them on the head and tell them that the world is a good place.

I won't deny that a piece of my heart goes with each foster I turn over to a new owner but I do it with the knowledge that not only is the new owner getting a good dog, they are getting one of MY dogs! One that I have helped shape and given new life to. One that I have prepared especially for them...

Yes I cry, and I miss them when they go but I'm also very happy for them knowing that as I let one go from the safety of my home there are two more waiting for me to accept them with open arms and I start all over again......

Well said