This post contains everything you need to know about what it's like to foster a dog.
Fostering is both one of the most challenging and rewarding things a dog lover can do. I have had four foster dogs over the last few years, and they were all wonderful experiences. Each dog has found a happy, loving home and fostering is something I will do as long as I'm able.
There is a lot to learn about fostering. Sometimes it is as easy as picking the dog up from the shelter. Other times there's more to consider, like how to find an organization to work with or how to care for a medical and behavioral needs. This post will cover all of that AND what I believe is the hardest part: not keeping your foster dog.
Foster A Dog
Foster a Dog Meaning
First, let's go over what a foster dog home is and why they're so important to our local shelters. Fosters offer a home and care for a dog until their forever person comes to adopt them. This process can vary in length depending on the situation but can last anywhere from a day to months. We'll go over more later about how long you foster a dog for.
Fostering is a win-win-win situation. When the dog goes to a foster home, the shelter can open up space for another needy dog. The foster home helps prepare the foster dog for life in a house or apartment. Plus, the workload of the shelter decreases so the quality of care they can provide to other pets increases.
The foster parents may need to offer medical care, behavioral intervention, or just some space while the dog learns what living in a home is like. Organizations are usually careful when it comes to placing dogs in foster homes. It's important for the foster home to have the right skill set to offer the right care for each dog.
If you don't have any formal training in dog behavior or medical care, no worries! Most shelters are willing to teach you what the dog needs. After all, you are doing them and the dog a huge favor by offering your services as a foster.
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Is fostering a dog a good idea?
It depends! There is no black and white answer to this question because the answer very much depends on your lifestyle, current animals in the house, and what the dog needs.
There are a few reasons dogs need shelter homes. Educating yourself on these reasons will help you and the shelter what kind of dog could be placed in your home.
1. The dog isn't doing well in a shelter environment.
It goes without saying that living in a dog shelter can be one of the most stressful times in a dog's life. Some dogs come in off the streets and are put in loud kennels. Others come from sleeping on the family couch or in a bed and are only given a cot with little human interaction.
While some dogs are more resilient and can manage their time in the shelter, some dogs just don't do well. This can lead to developing OCD behaviors, trying to escape, hurting themselves, not eating and other destructive and harmful behaviors.
Finding them a foster home is the best solution so that they don't have to wait in the shelter.
2. The dog needs medical care
Some dogs aren't ready to go to their forever home because they need to be monitored regularly. This could be due to a recent surgery like significant mass removal, bone repair, enucleation or amputation of a limb; or perhaps the pet needs to gain a significant amount of weight.
Foster organizations should always release a dog to the foster home with a health plan no matter what their current health condition is.
This includes an emergency plan- especially when the dog is a medical foster. It should be the responsibility of the foster organization to take on any health expenses. (We'll cover more on cost later in this post.)
The most common medical reason for fostering a dog is when the dog is pregnant. Momma dogs need a lot of extra love and care, and most importantly a quiet, peaceful place to have their puppies. Foster dog parents who have a pregnant dog should be trained on what to expect as a dog gives birth and newborn puppy care.
Giving birth is not typically something that a veterinarian needs to be present for, but foster parents need to know when medical intervention is needed. This is something the shelter can help train you for.
Foster a Dog Near Me
3. There is a cruelty case pending
When animals are found in neglect or abuse cases, some owners refuse to relinquish ownership of their pet to the shelter. In these cases the pet is removed from the neglectful or abusive environment and receives medical care, but the owner still has a legal right to their pet. When this happens, there is a court date set to contend the owner for possession of the animal before it can be adopted out.
This process can take months. While these animals wait for a court case to settle, they are stuck in a shelter, unable to be adopted. This is a great place for foster homes to help.
In a foster home, the animal can decompress, attend to any medical issues and start learning what it's like to live in a good home! They can learn skills that will make them more adoptable, like house training, basic obedience, crate training and social skills.
4. The shelter is full.
When you open up space in your home for a foster dog, you allow the shelter to open up a kennel for the next dog. This could save a dog from being turned away or euthanized. When you bring a dog out of the shelter, you relieve some of the work load of the shelter employees and volunteers so that they can help others.
Fostering is a win-win-win!
How much does it cost to foster a dog?
This is the most common question people ask when it comes to fostering. This honestly depends on your organization. Sometimes the organization will cover the cost of everything from food, to toys and treats, other times they will only cover the cost of vet care.
The foster organization should have a protocol covering the cost of care for the dog.
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Is it free to foster a dog?
Sometimes! If you do pay for anything for your foster dog, be sure to keep track of it as sometimes you will be reimbursed. If you are not reimbursed, you can usually write any expenses off when you do your taxes.
Be sure to keep track of mileage taking the dog to and from adoption meetings and vet appointments as those can likely be written off as well. Talk to your accountant before making these decisions though.
I've worked with some organizations that provided everything. They sent me home with so many toys, treats, food, bowls, blankets, crates anything I needed! Other organizations were only able to reimburse me for vet care and I wrote off the rest of my expenses.
If you want to help, but cost is a concern, bring it up to your organization (or just find another shelter that does cover everything!) You're doing them a favor, so they should be able to offer something. After all, it's cheaper for the dog to live in a foster home because the price of labor goes down for the shelter.
Depending on legal, medical and behavioral status, the organization will have rules for your dog. Most importantly, no medical or formal training decisions can be made without the organization's awareness.
You'll also want to check with the shelter before posting any pictures on social media of your foster dog. Especially in situations where there is a court case pending.
In cases where you have a foster who is not spayed or neutered, it is so important to keep your dog away from other dogs that may not be spayed or neutered. This usually means you cannot take your foster dog to a dog park or formal training classes. The shelter should be able to go over any restrictions with you, if there are any.
How long do you foster a dog?
The length of time you foster really depends on the shelters needs and the dogs needs. Some foster situations are a few days, others are a few months.
Foster a dog for the weekend
Sometimes dogs are doing well in the shelter but need some time to be a dog and decompress. This is called a "shelter break" and can last anywhere from one day to a week.
Some people worry that the dog will be sad when they go back to the shelter after a break. However, a short overnight break like this can do amazing things and reduce stress levels significantly.
Foster a dog for a day near me
If you are thinking about what to do with your foster dog for a day, be ready to be flexible. Some dogs are ready to share their energy and excitement, other dogs will sleep the whole time. When a dog leaves a shelter there can be up to a two week period where they are adjusting to the new environment and routine.
Should I Foster a Dog?
If you are still reading this far, then YES! The fact that you are here doing your research and learning about the process shows that you could offer a great home for a dog.
Now that you have an understanding of what it's like to foster, the next step is to find an organization you can work with. The best way way to do this is to call or stop by the shelter to find out if they have a foster program and if so, what the requirements are.
Similar to the adoption processes, they'll want to know if you own or rent your home, if you have other pets, a fenced in yard, and what your experience is with fostering. They'll ask about your experience with training dogs and your comfort with administering medical care.
All these questions just help pair you with the right foster. The most important thing is making sure that the dog is fostered in a home that suites their needs.
If you have other pets it's likely they'll want to do an introduction to make sure everyone gets along. If everything goes well, you'll bring your foster home! This process can take anywhere from a day to a couple weeks depending on the size and demand in the shelter.
Keeping Your Foster Dog
Okay, now it's time to tackle the hardest part of fostering: fostering vs. adopting.
Once you've had your foster for more than a few days, the thought about keeping your foster comes across your mind. Especially if they have picked up the routine quick and adjusted easily.
If you ever think of keeping your foster dog, Congratulations! You are a normal, human being who loves dogs! You've bonded with your foster and learned their quirks. You've taken on responsibility for this dog and their happiness.
When we feel responsibility, we feel ownership.
Wanting to keep your foster dog is totally normal, and it's not unusual to become part of the foster fail club and to keep your foster! The first two dogs I fostered I thought I would keep forever. (and I would have if my husband hadn't emphasized sticking to the original plan!)
Ziggy almost made me a "foster fail" because I had never seen my dog love another dog so much. However, if I had kept her I would not have been able to meet the other three fosters that followed, and I definitely wouldn't have met my heart dog.
If you are hesitating because there are certain aspects of your dog that don't fit your lifestyle, remember that there are other fosters who might be a better fit for your lifestyle, and who might be the right dog to foster fail with!
Either way, the decision is tough and unique to each person's individual lifestyle and the dog's needs. There is no right or wrong answer!
Pros and Cons of Fostering a Dog
When I fostered Ziggy, I woke up every day worried that it would be the day someone wanted to adopt her. I believed every day a person didn't come to adopt was a sign that I should keep my foster. I wrestled with letting her go every single day.
Eventually, the adoption meeting happened.
At the adoption meeting you'll see how excited the people are to meet the dog they'd fallen in love with on the internet. You'll become a part of the adoption story they tell their friends for their entire life.
It will be sad. And it doesn't get easier to let your foster go, you just get happier that you have made a difference for that dog, and that now you can make a difference for another dog.
Lastly, remember that you are not the only person in the world who loves dogs and knows how to care for dogs. There are other people in the world who will love your foster just as much as you do.
Adopt a dog
But, you don't have to do what I did! You can absolutely keep your foster dog. One of the shelters I worked with said that we were their first successful foster (and they'd had a foster program for years).
So if you want to keep your foster, keep your foster! Keeping your foster dog is more common than bringing it back for adoption! There's nothing wrong with that.
You won't be the first and you won't be the last to join the foster fail club.
