# Have you ever fostered before?



## MillysMom (Nov 5, 2008)

Just wondering who here has fostered before, and if so how many times. This is my test poll.


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## AquaClaraCanines (Mar 5, 2006)

Yes, tons- at least 100 times, I'd guess, though some of the dogs came in groups of two or more. Recently, not so much- but I usually have one foster here all the time. Some stay for a few hours or days, and others stay for weeks.


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## FishinBuddy (Nov 20, 2008)

Twice.....One we fell in love with and wish we could have kept her. It is kinda hard for me and the wifey...we fall in love with the animals too quick....Especially wifey...I train and train and play and play and then someone else takes'em.


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## AlanK (Jun 28, 2008)

We have never fostered but would like to in the future. Must you give up a foster pup if it becomes part of your family quickly?


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## AquaClaraCanines (Mar 5, 2006)

It depends on the group- most of mine have been private or word of mouth fosters, so I can do whatever I want with them. I almost always want to keep them, or even decide too, then I smack myself and say NO!!!!!!!!!! Let this one go!!!!! To be honest I'd rather only keep real problem dogs (like Sketch) or seniors or others that are not very adoptable. The truly easy, wonderful ones are so easy to find good homes for... which then lets me help another in need. Some are definitely heartbreakers... I have kept a few seniors over the years that I just couldn't handle letting go.


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## Jackson'sMom (Oct 13, 2007)

I fostered three goldens when I lived in Houston and had a big house. Two of the dogs were adopted by people who worked at the same place I did. The third I had to hand off to another foster (he eventually went to live with a professional trainer) due to serious issues with him. Fostering is something I'd like to do after I retire and move to a bigger house.


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## AquaClaraCanines (Mar 5, 2006)

BTW, most groups will let you adopt your fosters... however, they hate to lose a truly good foster home (most people have to stop fostering if they keep their foster, because of dog limits or whatever).


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## hgatesy (Feb 14, 2007)

> BTW, most groups will let you adopt your fosters... however, they hate to lose a truly good foster home (most people have to stop fostering if they keep their foster, because of dog limits or whatever).


We were a failed foster with Tyson (our lab), however decided to continue fostering depite having three dogs of our own. Sometimes our house is a bit crazy (we recently had three fosters at once in addition to our own) but I never mind and DH is always good about it. Finding foster homes is really hard for rescues.... for a number of reasons. Most people say they could never do it because they couldn't give them up and I always get asked how I do it. I love most of the dogs I bring in to my home and sure I've thought about keeping a few, but you can't keep them all, and it's so incredibly rewarding to send them off to a family that's going to love them just as much as me. 

There is always someone else that needs my help... so I just say my goodbyes and throw myself into the next one!


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## Maggies mom (Jan 6, 2006)

I have been fostering for 4 years.... 3 out of my 4(Maggie isnt a rescue) are failed fosters. I still foster with 4 dogs and usually its all puppies. At times it can be 2 or more puppies. Our rescue gives us the first rights to adopted any of our rescues. Even if a family has had there home visit etc done if we change our minds at the last minute and want the dog/puppy we still get the dog.


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## AlanK (Jun 28, 2008)

I know this is getting away from the original question on this thread but many have given me much valuable info on being a foster "Dad" in the future. I have some work to do around my property before I would feel good about having a foster pup. Mostly fencing in a bigger area. Tuff Dog is off leash most of the time but has a 100FT x 50FT pen off of the side our back deck for him to stay in if he wants while we are gone for a few hrs or so. I would like to have at least an acre fenced in for plenty of play room.
I love this breed and would like to help a Golden in need.... I know I would be failed foster though.
Thanks everyone.
Al


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## AquaClaraCanines (Mar 5, 2006)

After failing one or two... you eventually just can't anymore LOL


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## Maggies mom (Jan 6, 2006)

AlanK said:


> I know this is getting away from the original question on this thread but many have given me much valuable info on being a foster "Dad" in the future. I have some work to do around my property before I would feel good about having a foster pup. Mostly fencing in a bigger area. Tuff Dog is off leash most of the time but has a 100FT x 50FT pen off of the side our back deck for him to stay in if he wants while we are gone for a few hrs or so. I would like to have at least an acre fenced in for plenty of play room.
> I love this breed and would like to help a Golden in need.... I know I would be failed foster though.
> Thanks everyone.
> Al


You dont always fail...at my house its a little harder to fail since Maggie has to except them and she doesnt except many.


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## JohnTIZ (Jan 9, 2009)

We only fostered a few times and also fell under the "failure" category. But as new members of the group, we had the crappy dogs dumped on us, not the easy fosters that we wanted to start with until we were acclamated to dealing with really screwed up dogs. And in spite of what rescue groups always say, nary a surrender comes in without some kind of issue great or small that needs to be sorted out. Factor in that we fell in love with our first foster - who was with us for three months and had a physical issue (stray hit by car) - and it ripped my heart out to see that dog go to its forever home. I still miss that guy and wish I asked for an exception to the rule that said we could not adopt our first foster. Bittersweet experience. But mostly bitter.


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## fostermom (Sep 6, 2007)

Wow JohnTIZ, that sounds like a very bad fostering experience! I am so sorry. Our group tends to place the "easy" dogs with the new fosters because we don't want to scare them off from fostering!

I have had somewhere between 35 and 40 fosters. Maybe more, but I honestly lost count at 20 (which was Jasper, who I adopted). I think Danny was #25 or so, and I adopted him, too. But like MaggiesMom, I do puppies mostly, and they usually come in pairs for at least a week before we split them up.

I have three dogs of my own (and 4 cats). I can handle 4 dogs, but I keep that 4th (and, in the case of puppies, sometimes 5th) slot open for a foster.

Our rescue gives the foster home the 1st right to adopt. They also allow the foster home to choose who adopts their foster from the approved adopters that we have, so that eliminates the stress a lot.


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## mylissyk (Feb 25, 2007)

JohnTIZ, I'm sorry your group introduces new foster homes to the worst first! We try to give new foster homes the easy dogs for the first few so they get an idea of what they will experience, then work them into the medical dogs later. Of course that means the new foster homes fall in love with their first foster dog!

I have to laugh, because our foster coordinator is as good as a compass on zeroing in on the foster people who will say yes to anything!


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## telsmith1 (Sep 11, 2006)

I have three 4 weeks old foster puppies right now that are nursing on one of my golden girls. They were dumped at the shelter at 1 day old with no mom. They are most likely pitbull mixes and they are so darn cute! The fawn colored one is our favorite, we are keeping her and the other two already have homes lined up  I am going to be working with a shelter in the area to take in nursing pups when I am able.


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## goldengirls550 (Jun 12, 2008)

I have never fostered before, but if I have time when I get older, I would love to help raise future service dogs (especially goldens )


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## LOVEisGOLDEN (Jan 4, 2008)

we have been waiting for our next foster for 9 weeks. we are in the category to take "young playful females" (like our own, GRRAND is very careful to only give you fosters that match your own pets) and so far the 5 they have set up pick-up dates for us have been adopted before we can get them. we are supposed to hear about one tomorrow...


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## LuckOfTheGold (Aug 1, 2008)

Yes i have i have one now but its not a real foster he has a home but i hope to do more fostering for goldens once he is gone in 3 1/2 wks


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## Bogey's Mom (Dec 23, 2008)

We would love to foster and/or adopt a rescue. We're just waiting for the right one and the right time. Fostering will likely have to wait until we have a bigger space.


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