Fostering?
Heya guys 
Something we've been thinking about for a while, & would like to get you all's opinions
We've been thinking about fostering at some point in time. Just as a way to help out some of the poor pups out there. Here in the Kissimmee / Orlando area, we have very few animal shelters, they're tiny & overcrowded. The closest one to us is about 45 minutes away. So fostering is one of the biggest ways you can help out in rescuing.
We were thinking about possibly trying to foster a pup [ once we move into a new house ] however...we're not sure about if we should do this, if we're "ready," or if the timing is even "right."
The first concern is, we are not sure when we'll get our dogs. [ talking about buying our nihon ken pups, not fostering ] It coule be in 3 months, 6 months, a year, 2 years,...you all know how it is with Kai & Shikoku ;p
So...would it be wise to take in a foster when our pup might come at the same time or soon after? Or should we wait until we get our actual dogs, let them "grow up," [ ie: wait two or three or four years ] then take in a foster?
The other thing is....how do you foster & NOT get attached? This is our biggest thing. I really can NOT let myself get attached to the fosters otherwise I WILL end up adopting every one that comes into my home & end up with more dogs than all the forum members combined! LOL
Obviously, we might not foster nihon ken. It might be Akita, Shiba...but, it could just as easily be GSD's, Dobies, Huskies, Malamutes, Rotties, BC's, Collies, Shelties, etc. etc. etc. they might be pups, they might be full grown...we've no idea what we'd end up with.
We don't really care if we do this soon [ ie: this year ] or later [ ie: 2 - 4 years ], but it is something we'd like to do eventually, however, since we're essentially clueless about this I figured I'd come ask my forum family for advice first ~
Something we've been thinking about for a while, & would like to get you all's opinions
We've been thinking about fostering at some point in time. Just as a way to help out some of the poor pups out there. Here in the Kissimmee / Orlando area, we have very few animal shelters, they're tiny & overcrowded. The closest one to us is about 45 minutes away. So fostering is one of the biggest ways you can help out in rescuing.
We were thinking about possibly trying to foster a pup [ once we move into a new house ] however...we're not sure about if we should do this, if we're "ready," or if the timing is even "right."
The first concern is, we are not sure when we'll get our dogs. [ talking about buying our nihon ken pups, not fostering ] It coule be in 3 months, 6 months, a year, 2 years,...you all know how it is with Kai & Shikoku ;p
So...would it be wise to take in a foster when our pup might come at the same time or soon after? Or should we wait until we get our actual dogs, let them "grow up," [ ie: wait two or three or four years ] then take in a foster?
The other thing is....how do you foster & NOT get attached? This is our biggest thing. I really can NOT let myself get attached to the fosters otherwise I WILL end up adopting every one that comes into my home & end up with more dogs than all the forum members combined! LOL
Obviously, we might not foster nihon ken. It might be Akita, Shiba...but, it could just as easily be GSD's, Dobies, Huskies, Malamutes, Rotties, BC's, Collies, Shelties, etc. etc. etc. they might be pups, they might be full grown...we've no idea what we'd end up with.
We don't really care if we do this soon [ ie: this year ] or later [ ie: 2 - 4 years ], but it is something we'd like to do eventually, however, since we're essentially clueless about this I figured I'd come ask my forum family for advice first
~
Comments
I mean, I could drive 45 minutes out to the shelter & help out there, but I'd personally feel better about giving a homeless pup a nice place to stay & help finding his forever home! [ especially if we have the means to do it ]
[ & TBH, I think fostering is a great way to meet a "variety" of dogs, and I'm sure it's a great feeling to help an abandoned dog find an owner who will love him / her for the rest of their life!
Good shelter groups will give you the support to help you through the fostering process. Your best bet is to go through a private rescue. Some people seem to have an easier time letting their fosters go because they know that the homes they are going to are so good.
With regard to the timing issue with your eventual arriving NK. I come from the school of the "the Universe doesn't make mistakes. And it will happen as it should. Not how we WANT but as it SHOULD".
My $.02
Some things you may need to consider is specific rules and expenses associated with the specific rescue/shelter you would be fostering from. Not all rescues/shelters will pay for the major bills associated with the foster pup (such as vet bills), so determine how much you would be willing or capable of spending towards the foster and find a place that best meets your specific needs.
Also, some rescues/shelters may require that you do not add a dog or cat to the family while you are fostering. So, if you feel that you will be getting your nihon ken pup sooner than later, I would wait until after you have had him/her for at least six months before fostering.
Fosters are most certainly needed for the Shibas in FL and other NHK type breeds in nearby areas such as GA. It might be a good idea to see what it's all about first and determine what you will need and if it is something you wish to do.
You could contact Big Dog rescue in FL and see what it's all about and just stick a big toe in first before bringing a dog home. There are things such as transport that can be of big help too.
The first foster is the hardest. Knowing often the adopting family can offer so much more for a particular dog makes it much easier to let go.
Having good mentors is a big factor to success in balancing fostering and personal goals so that one does not get too strung out or become overwhelmed with elements of the process .
Snf
At first, I wasn't even considering any form of a 'second' dog after I became a 'one dog' family. But now, I am doing some passive searches about fostering or even adopting. It's a far-fetched idea for a person in my situation but it's still something I am thinking about.
I don't want to threadjack but I am interested in any opinions or ideas people have about fostering such as general requirements and the 'ideal foster' situation or even any stories about people fostering.
Perhaps instead of fostering, you can still help out with rescues but maybe as a volunteer with walking, feeding, cleaning and medicating the dogs
By the way, you will know when you're ready because you will not question it =p. You will most likey instead "surprise" us with your new foster dog! lol.
It was more of a hypothetical "now or later?" question LOL Like I said, it's definitely something we'd like to do eventually, but we're definitely going to wait until we're settled first
You will most likey instead "surprise" us with your new foster dog! lol.
LMAO! Be prepared!
Be afraid, be very afraid. ;p ~
You're going to be getting puppies. Puppies can be heavily influenced by the older dogs they live with. As many members of this forum can attest, the nihon ken seem to be especially sensitive to negative experiences as young dogs. With a foster dog of unknown or questionable background/socialization it would seem like you are opening yourself up for possible trouble with your puppies. I am by no means saying that all fosters are bad dogs or have social problems. I'm just suggesting that getting and raising your dogs first is probably wiser as the chances of a bad experience in the home with an older dog are eliminated. Once your dogs are a year or two old and you have a good sense of how they'll do with other dogs, then think about fostering.
Just another perspective to consider.
Puppies are easily influenced. It is true. And it can go either way. Miko got a lot from Piglet. And I think her admiration for Piglet laid the groundwork for her extraordinary bond with Ruby.
Truth be told, we can talk hypotheticals until we are blue in the face. You can have the best laid plans known to man, and none of it will prepare you for what actually happens. This is true for everything, not just dogs. If you at least know that what ever you don't expect is what is going to happen than at least you can laugh about it a bit.
So when the time comes, whatever happens, take a deep breath trust your get, and know that their is no such thing as perfect. Even the best dog owners lose their cool. Even the best dog owners will look at that cute fuzzy puppy who they have taken out 11 times standing in the rain that just peed on their shoes and think "I hate puppies". God makes them cute so we don't kill them. I know that I would sell my soul for my dogs. And at least once a day one of them will do something where I shake my head and tell them that they suck. And then they do something stupid cute and I forget all the crap again.
In CASE we do get a foster that perhaps doesn't have the best doggy manners, I would want to devote my time to THAT dog before bringing in a fresh new puppy & all the extra work that comes with it! LOL [ plus, I would like to be able to devote as much time to that first puppy as I can ]
I think, at this point, our plan is if we know for sure, for example, we wont be getting our first pup for a year or so, [ after we're settled ] we'll take in a foster for the time being.
BUT, odds are, right now, we plan on waiting a couple of years until after we get puppy #1. Once we've felt like puppy #1 is "old enough" or "ready" to have a foster sibling, we'll foster a pup. <--- this is our most likely course of action, as it seems the most sensible.
Thanks guys! It's tough when you want to help out but also want a pup of your own! LOL~
It was a blast, though. The dogs loved it and I never had a dog I had any problems with. Except those teeny puppies that Isaac wouldn't stop picking up. I had to send them to a different foster home after only two days because, yeah, they were small enough for Isaac to hurt and apparently, telling a three-year-old not to touch puppies doesn't always work.