peppersb

Some time ago, I posted a thread about a momma dog who was 6 years old and has had 5 litters. She was about to be bred for the sixth time, and the last 3 would have been back to back. The good news is that the breeder has agreed to not breed her that one last time, and she is now available to be placed in a pet home! She is living with me as a foster dog until I can find a home for her.

First, is there anyone who lives near Philadelphia and wants a beautiful, sweet, loving small black standard spoo? She is very affectionate and eager to please and would make an excellent pet. Of course, I am going to be pretty fussy about where this sweetie pie goes. PM me if you are interested.

Secondly, any advice from people who have fostered a dog before would be welcome. I think I’m doing a pretty good job of generating inquiries from potential homes and vetting the homes, but the thing I am not doing well is keeping myself from falling totally in love with her. Every day she stays here, I am getting more and more attached. This is really an exceptional girl. I am very tempted to keep her and would do so except that I don’t think it is the best thing for the two spoos that I already have. My two dogs both like to play and this new girl really doesn’t. If/when I get another dog, I want one that will be a playful companion for Cammie. This girl will do best as an only dog, or with another dog who is not very playful. She reminds me so much of my girl Sophie who died last April (and also was a retired puppy producer) that it is almost like having Sophie back in the house with me. How do you keep a foster dog in your house without both you and the dog starting to think that this is a permanent placement? I can’t tell you how much I like this girl...

I have a few people who are interested in her, but nothing certain so far. I am advertising locally to try to find someone right in my neighborhood. Much easier to see if we have a good fit if it is a neighbor. If that doesn’t work, she’ll be posted on petfinder.

plumcrazy

I love to foster - I currently have a 9 year old (retired breeder) cocker spaniel in my home right now. She's also had 5 litters in her lifetime and the previous owners were "selling" her as a 5 year old dog, still "capable of having puppies" UGH!!! The veterinarian who had her records told us her birthdate is 2/1/2003... that would make her NINE, not FIVE, and she should NOT be having any more puppies!

Cricket has been with me since January 3rd. I don't usually keep the fosters so long, but her rescuer and I want to be sure she's spayed before she goes to her new forever home (once we identify one for her) and she came into heat about 4 days after I got her - now we wait until her heat is over before spaying her. She's scheduled to be spayed on February 6th and once her recovery is complete, she'll be able to be placed into a new home.

As far as getting attached, I love her as much as I love MY dogs, but in a different way (if that makes any sense...) Since I brought her into my home as a foster, that thought is always in my mind - she will be moving on. I used to manage a humane society, so placing much loved pets into other people's homes has become easy for me to do. My last foster kid, Waffle - a 4 month old maltese/poodle X, was harder to give up than most, but I keep in touch with the new owners and I know all is well... I love being that "bridge" from an old (sometimes neglectful or abusive) home to a new, loving forever home!!

I know Cricket has become attached to me already. I dropped her off at my friend's gourmet dog food store to spend the day on Saturday (socialization and all...) My friend, also named Barb, is the one who rescued Cricket from a substandard home, and she's going to help me find the right home for Crickie... When I left, Barb said Cricket REALLY wanted to come with me and was a little worried for a short time... because I did not acknowledge her fear & worry, and because Barb made it fun to be there; Cricket soon forgot I had left!! She was very happy to see me when I returned to pick her up, and I know that if she has bonded with ME in just a few weeks, she'll be able to bond with her new family in the same way!!! I never let it get to me!

Good luck with your foster - and you might be surprised that your pack & the foster may start to mesh better with time... There's always an adjustment period with any placement (whether foster or permanent) and if you just give it time, you may decide that she is a keeper, after all!!

Barb

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peppersb

Barb -- Thank you so much for your insights. I am going to commit this to memory and recite it to myself 100 times a day: "I know that if she has bonded with ME in just a few weeks, she'll be able to bond with her new family in the same way!!!" She has bonded to me in just a few days, but I do think that she is very people oriented and will bond easily to anyone who gives her some love and affection.

Really nice family coming to see her this afternoon, but they have lots of uncertainty about what they are looking for. Trying not to get my hopes up.

plumcrazy

EXACTLY!!! Now you've got it!!

The wonderful, lovely thing about dogs is that they love unconditionally. I know my resident dogs love me and part of me wants to think that they could NEVER love someone as much as they do me... but dogs LOVE!! They can't help it - they have a pack mentality that insists that they bond with their pack. I'm sure that the nicer the human (like you and I!!) the tighter that bond can form, but if you're careful about who you place her with, she'll love her new mom just as much!

When I ran the shelter here, and I'd be doing an adoption counsel, the prospective adoptors would watch the dog they were interested in cuddle up to me, or hide behind my legs, or gaze at me adoringly The adoptors would sigh sadly and say, "But he's so attached to YOU - how can I compare??" I'd remind them that none of the dogs in our shelter are there very long - the dog gazing lovingly into my eyes might have only been there a few days to a few weeks - but I was the chief feeder, walker, caretaker and I represented stability in that otherwise tumultuous environment. I explained to the humans that if they should choose to adopt the pet they wanted, within just a short time, the dog would be looking at them every bit as adoringly as they did at me!! It worked every time!!! Well, almost!!

Good luck with the folks coming to visit today - I've found that if I offer a "trial period/slumber party" for my foster kids (and ONLY to people I'd be comfortable adopting to permanently) the people are more willing to take the plunge. I explain that if they decide to adopt the pet and within a few days they decide it's not a great match, I will take the pet back - no questions asked!

It gives them the peace of mind that they're not "stuck" with a pet that won't work, and I really can't remember a time that someone returned a pet after the trial period... I also tell all of my adoptors that I will always and forever be available to take the pet back if their life changes and they can't keep the pet anymore. I think I've only ever had one pup returned in those circumstances and only about 6 months after the adoption - she was a young, smaller mixed breed and was easily rehomed.

You're doing a good thing taking this girl in! Love her, enjoy her and then rejoice when she finds the home she's meant to have!!

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Mallhopper

Awwww...God bless you both.

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Bentley

peppersb

Here is a picture of this gorgeous girl. She is so cute. I get up and go into the kitchen. My two dogs are lying comfortably on the couch and they hardly notice. But this sweet girl jumps up, follows me, and sits perfectly still, observing everything I do.

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PoodlePowerBC

Bless you and good luck!

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Walk with someone who will accompany you willingly, preferably a dog.

liljaker

She looks like a sweetheart. It would be hard to let her go.

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plumcrazy

Sounds like a sensitive soul!! How'd the visit go with the potential adoptors??

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peppersb

Sensitive soul is exactly the right description. I just love this dog!

The good news is that when the potential adopter came and walked the dog to the car, the sweet girl went off happily with tail up and not so much as a glance over her shoulder. I was standing at the window, feeling like a mother looking at her daughter go off on her first date. Butterflies all over my stomach. But the dog's reaction did confirm to me that she will do just fine with someone other than me. I have to remind myself that I am not the only person in the whole world who can provide a nice home for a poodle!!! As Plumcrazy has said, she will be able to bond with someone else and live happily in another home!

Apparently, the sweet girl was very well behaved (no surprise there), but the family is not yet 100% behind the idea of getting a dog right now. The mother of the familiy really likes this dog, but she wisely wants hubby and kids to be enthusiastic about the idea before proceeding. So maybe this is not the one. Sigh.

An ad is running in the local paper this week. So I expect that it will generate more possiblities.