I know our time will be winding down soon with these guys. We have had the pleasure of fostering five of the nine pups in this litter. Each came with their own demeanor and sweetness and the past few weeks have been busy, tiring, and lots of fun.
I am a school teacher, so I only can commit to fostering puppies in the summer months when my schedule allows. They require lots of time, attention, and frequent bathroom breaks during the night. Giving them what they need has forced me to slow down, which I think we all need sometimes.
But how do you give them away? Don't you get attached? Of course we love these little babies and they have brought us so much laughter and "awwwwww" moments. But we know at this phase in our life, we do not have the time to commit months training and caring for a new puppy. We also know that if we adopt now, our ability to foster more DDR dogs will be limited.
If you are an animal lover and aren't ready to commit to the decade plus long commitment of owning a dog, I strongly encourage you to try to foster. In the case of these puppies, you can get your "puppy fix", breathe all that intoxicating puppy dog breath, and snuggle for hours and hours. Puppies are highly desired and are usually adopted within days to a few weeks. When you foster puppies, be prepared to be very popular. Neighbors, friends, family... we have had so many visitors in the past few weeks. Pro tip: Let your guests tire the puppies out so you can enjoy their sweet snuggles afterwards.
For older dogs, your role as a foster is to get them out of the shelter environment and acclimate them to a home environment. Some may need help with leash walking, potty training, or learning to not be afraid of other people, sounds, or unfamiliar situations.
In either case, your time fostering helps prepare these dogs for their forever home and the information you can share with DDR about their temperament and personality can help the adoption coordinator find the home that would be the best fit. Yes, fostering is work, but DDR will support you with supplies and resources. All you really need is time and attention to give to these dogs.
When we say goodbye, yes, it is sad, but when you know that the joy they brought you will now be experienced by another family, that is a pretty amazing feeling. We know another foster will always be waiting for us to help them on their journey.
If you become a "foster failure" and you end up adopting the dog you just can't say goodbye to, that's ok too. We are so thankful that fostering led us to meeting our sweet Jackie girl. Our lives became better when she arrived.
I am a school teacher, so I only can commit to fostering puppies in the summer months when my schedule allows. They require lots of time, attention, and frequent bathroom breaks during the night. Giving them what they need has forced me to slow down, which I think we all need sometimes.
But how do you give them away? Don't you get attached? Of course we love these little babies and they have brought us so much laughter and "awwwwww" moments. But we know at this phase in our life, we do not have the time to commit months training and caring for a new puppy. We also know that if we adopt now, our ability to foster more DDR dogs will be limited.
If you are an animal lover and aren't ready to commit to the decade plus long commitment of owning a dog, I strongly encourage you to try to foster. In the case of these puppies, you can get your "puppy fix", breathe all that intoxicating puppy dog breath, and snuggle for hours and hours. Puppies are highly desired and are usually adopted within days to a few weeks. When you foster puppies, be prepared to be very popular. Neighbors, friends, family... we have had so many visitors in the past few weeks. Pro tip: Let your guests tire the puppies out so you can enjoy their sweet snuggles afterwards.
For older dogs, your role as a foster is to get them out of the shelter environment and acclimate them to a home environment. Some may need help with leash walking, potty training, or learning to not be afraid of other people, sounds, or unfamiliar situations.
In either case, your time fostering helps prepare these dogs for their forever home and the information you can share with DDR about their temperament and personality can help the adoption coordinator find the home that would be the best fit. Yes, fostering is work, but DDR will support you with supplies and resources. All you really need is time and attention to give to these dogs.
When we say goodbye, yes, it is sad, but when you know that the joy they brought you will now be experienced by another family, that is a pretty amazing feeling. We know another foster will always be waiting for us to help them on their journey.
If you become a "foster failure" and you end up adopting the dog you just can't say goodbye to, that's ok too. We are so thankful that fostering led us to meeting our sweet Jackie girl. Our lives became better when she arrived.