fostering

I am thinking about fostering.
If anyone has experience fostering, I would appreciate if you'd share your
experience. I'm looking for the cons as well as the pros.

-Sunny

I would also add on the "cons" list the possibility of exposing your own
pets to a myriad of diseases. Make sure your pets are on every possible
preventative and that you obsessively disinfect and clean up after the
foster dogs. Also, look into your state regulations regarding licensing for
foster homes. It is required in Illinois, don't know about the other
states.
--
Lori in Peoria, IL

"Sunni12" wrote in message
...
I am thinking about fostering.
If anyone has experience fostering, I would appreciate if you'd share your
experience. I'm looking for the cons as well as the pros.

-Sunny

I would also add on the "cons" list the possibility of exposing your own
pets to a myriad of diseases. Make sure your pets are on every possible
preventative and that you obsessively disinfect and clean up after the
foster dogs. Also, look into your state regulations regarding licensing for
foster homes. It is required in Illinois, don't know about the other
states.
--
Lori in Peoria, IL

"Sunni12" wrote in message
...
I am thinking about fostering.
If anyone has experience fostering, I would appreciate if you'd share your
experience. I'm looking for the cons as well as the pros.

-Sunny

I would also add on the "cons" list the possibility of exposing your own
pets to a myriad of diseases. Make sure your pets are on every possible
preventative and that you obsessively disinfect and clean up after the
foster dogs. Also, look into your state regulations regarding licensing for
foster homes. It is required in Illinois, don't know about the other
states.
--
Lori in Peoria, IL

"Sunni12" wrote in message
...
I am thinking about fostering.
If anyone has experience fostering, I would appreciate if you'd share your
experience. I'm looking for the cons as well as the pros.

-Sunny

"Sunni12" wrote in message
...
I am thinking about fostering.
If anyone has experience fostering, I would appreciate if you'd share your
experience. I'm looking for the cons as well as the pros.


On the plus side, there is a deep sense of satisfaction in being able to
help a dog along the way to a loving forever home. There's nothing like the
look on the face of a dog who has never had a toy when she "gets" what a toy
is for. Or watching a fearful dog who has lacked human affection learn to
love and trust. Working really hard with a dog who hasn't got any
housetraining and sending her off to her forever family having learned to go
potty outside instead of in. Gaining confidence in yourself and your
ability to "read" a dog. Giving your own dogs a broad experience of
socialization.

On the down side, there are going to be fosters that you want to keep. You
have to know your own dog limit, once you have adopted too mnay dogs, you
can't foster any more and can therefore help fewer dogs. Falling in love
with a foster you just can't keep is hard. Knowing that they are going to
get a great family who will love them to pieces helps. Organizational
challenges -- how do you feed and exercise three dogs who aren't yet
temperament tested with each other? The first few days of a new foster can
be an experience in growth of your organizing skills. Crate training or
housebreaking a dog who needs these skills to fit in with a family can be
hard sometimes. Your carpet and floors can suffer in the process.
Sometimes your heart will break when you foster a dog with medical
challenges who doesn't make it.

I have found fostering to be personally very rewarding. It feels good to
make a difference, even a small one. I can't help all the dogs in the world
who need homes, but I can help one at a time.

Good luck!

Mary

"Sunni12" wrote in message
...
I am thinking about fostering.
If anyone has experience fostering, I would appreciate if you'd share your
experience. I'm looking for the cons as well as the pros.


On the plus side, there is a deep sense of satisfaction in being able to
help a dog along the way to a loving forever home. There's nothing like the
look on the face of a dog who has never had a toy when she "gets" what a toy
is for. Or watching a fearful dog who has lacked human affection learn to
love and trust. Working really hard with a dog who hasn't got any
housetraining and sending her off to her forever family having learned to go
potty outside instead of in. Gaining confidence in yourself and your
ability to "read" a dog. Giving your own dogs a broad experience of
socialization.

On the down side, there are going to be fosters that you want to keep. You
have to know your own dog limit, once you have adopted too mnay dogs, you
can't foster any more and can therefore help fewer dogs. Falling in love
with a foster you just can't keep is hard. Knowing that they are going to
get a great family who will love them to pieces helps. Organizational
challenges -- how do you feed and exercise three dogs who aren't yet
temperament tested with each other? The first few days of a new foster can
be an experience in growth of your organizing skills. Crate training or
housebreaking a dog who needs these skills to fit in with a family can be
hard sometimes. Your carpet and floors can suffer in the process.
Sometimes your heart will break when you foster a dog with medical
challenges who doesn't make it.

I have found fostering to be personally very rewarding. It feels good to
make a difference, even a small one. I can't help all the dogs in the world
who need homes, but I can help one at a time.

Good luck!

Mary

"Sunni12" wrote in message
...
I am thinking about fostering.
If anyone has experience fostering, I would appreciate if you'd share your
experience. I'm looking for the cons as well as the pros.


On the plus side, there is a deep sense of satisfaction in being able to
help a dog along the way to a loving forever home. There's nothing like the
look on the face of a dog who has never had a toy when she "gets" what a toy
is for. Or watching a fearful dog who has lacked human affection learn to
love and trust. Working really hard with a dog who hasn't got any
housetraining and sending her off to her forever family having learned to go
potty outside instead of in. Gaining confidence in yourself and your
ability to "read" a dog. Giving your own dogs a broad experience of
socialization.

On the down side, there are going to be fosters that you want to keep. You
have to know your own dog limit, once you have adopted too mnay dogs, you
can't foster any more and can therefore help fewer dogs. Falling in love
with a foster you just can't keep is hard. Knowing that they are going to
get a great family who will love them to pieces helps. Organizational
challenges -- how do you feed and exercise three dogs who aren't yet
temperament tested with each other? The first few days of a new foster can
be an experience in growth of your organizing skills. Crate training or
housebreaking a dog who needs these skills to fit in with a family can be
hard sometimes. Your carpet and floors can suffer in the process.
Sometimes your heart will break when you foster a dog with medical
challenges who doesn't make it.

I have found fostering to be personally very rewarding. It feels good to
make a difference, even a small one. I can't help all the dogs in the world
who need homes, but I can help one at a time.

Good luck!

Mary