Ideal situation for fosters

[DI_411]

I just had a question in regards to what is the ideal situation for fostering dogs??

My boyfriend and I talked about doing it someday (possibly when my son is older) and we wanted to know what is the best environment for them.
Kids or no kids? Dogs or no other dogs? Do you need to be home with them all day...or does that depend upon the dog??
Like I said...just planning for the future here.

Right now I know my situation is not ideal to be a foster mom but I think I would like to know what some current fosters situations are so we can know what to plan for.

 

[adeinert]

A home with love and common sense. :D

Many of our foster homes have children and 99.9% have dogs. Much like the average adopter. My foster dog has always been the third or fourth boxer in the house. We have single foster parents, single parent homes, big families, retired couples - anyone with love can do a terrific job.

I see the role of a foster parent as a caretaker - providing love, sound health, common sense decisions. When a foster is with me, I treat it like it was my own. I love him/her, I work on basic training, I take him/her as many places as I can, they learn the role of a loved furkid while here.

Every so often there is a boxer who isn't good around tiny children or other dogs. These boxers go to our foster homes where they can be separated if need be with no tiny children. Most boxers thrive in the family environment and since we try to get to know the boxer as well as we can, I try to expose my fosters to children of various ages since I have none living in my home.

As for being home all day - all dogs would love that, but it isn't a reality for most of us. Again, most of our foster homes are full time working people with a heart to save the lives of boxers. I live alone and work full time, own three furkids of my own. Sometimes we find out in the foster home if a boxer needs to live in a home with someone home more, but by going to a typical environment where a boxer is left we can see if he/she can adjust to living with a working family.

lovicon Fostering is all about loving boxers!

Ashlie and the rescued boxertrio
www.flbr.org

 

[DI_411]

Thank you... that's what I was wondering. I didn't know if there was an "ideal" type environment that is required.


We have plenty of Boxer love around our house.
lovicon

 

[flamepoint]

Most of the foster homes in KC have to meet the same criteria as the adoptive homes & home visits are done. Most of our foster homes have full-time jobs - some can come home at lunch & some can't. All of our foster homes have at least one personal dog & some have cats. Some have children but I think most of them are older (school age). We try to dog, cat & kid test them before placing them in a particular foster home since some of our homes are limited to what they can take - I have 2 very dog-friendly cats & can't do dogs that are truly cat aggressive. We crate train, house train & teach them how to be a house dogs. With some dogs, this is easier said than done. It's hard work but very rewarding. You train & love them & then you have to let them go.

I love fostering & can hardly wait to get a new one when a current one goes.....and then during that first week with a new one, I keep asking myself why I thought this was so much fun. :confused: But most of them really want to please & it doesn't take long for them to become a part of the family. I cry everytime one leaves.

 

[Faughtey]

I used to be involved in fostering, but I'm not set up for it right now. I like to have an area where you can separate the foster if need be. During meals, or when being integrated into the household for example. Or when someone needs individual attention. After awhile of course, they are free to mix with the other animals. You have to be certain an older dog is not being bullied by a younger dog, etc.. Once pack order is established, everything falls into place.

 

[jazzzman]

Originally posted by DI_411
I just had a question in regards to what is the ideal situation for fostering dogs??

My boyfriend and I talked about doing it someday (possibly when my son is older) and we wanted to know what is the best environment for them.
Kids or no kids? Dogs or no other dogs? Do you need to be home with them all day...or does that depend upon the dog??
Like I said...just planning for the future here.

Right now I know my situation is not ideal to be a foster mom but I think I would like to know what some current fosters situations are so we can know what to plan for.

I like to see a foster home thats as close to an adoptive home as possible. After all, the foster home is preparing the dog for its forever home!

I don't expect anyone to be home all day; that's not realistic. If there are kids, cats or other dogs, they can help assess the the new foster, though we also try to match dog to foster home, just as we work to match dog to forever home.

We have three boxers of our own, and at the moment, two fosters. Our big white boy Colonel likes to take the fosters under his wing. He teaches them the ropes. Our Sara Bear (she'll be three this weekend) loves to play with the fosters. Even our Sprite, a very skittish puppy mill girl gets excited when new dogs come around.

We have a cat, Johnnie 5 that was found stray on a farm that did rescue. A female boxer took him under her wing so he thinks he's a boxer. He helps us test the dogs, too. We trust his judgement; if we have a foster that he won't come around, we won't place that dog in a home with cats. He's unafraid of both of our current fosters, by the way.

Our children are grown, but we have grandchildren that help us test. They've been around boxers all their lives, and have good instincts. It warms my heart to see our 9 year old grandson hug a scared boxer and tell her its going to be okay- we'll take care of her because... we're boxer rescue!

We have a good setup, with a room we can babygate from the rest of the house, and a yard that can be separated into three sections. LOL Our house is decorated in early crate! Crates everywhere!

But that's us. It takes all kinds!

 

[vasha]

Originally posted by Faughtey
I used to be involved in fostering, but I'm not set up for it right now.

When and IF you are ready, let me know!! We'd be more than happy to get you fostering!

vasha

 

[DI_411]

Re: Re: Ideal situation for fosters

Originally posted by jazzzman
I like to see a foster home thats as close to an adoptive home as possible. After all, the foster home is preparing the dog for its forever home!

I don't expect anyone to be home all day; that's not realistic. If there are kids, cats or other dogs, they can help assess the the new foster, though we also try to match dog to foster home, just as we work to match dog to forever home.

We have three boxers of our own, and at the moment, two fosters. Our big white boy Colonel likes to take the fosters under his wing. He teaches them the ropes. Our Sara Bear (she'll be three this weekend) loves to play with the fosters. Even our Sprite, a very skittish puppy mill girl gets excited when new dogs come around.

We have a cat, Johnnie 5 that was found stray on farm that did rescue. A female boxer took him under her wing, so he thinks he's a boxer. He helps us test the dogs, too. We trust his judgement; if we have a foster that he won't come around, we won't place that dog in a home with cats. He's unafraid of both of our current fosters.

Our children are grown, but we have grandchildren that help us test. They've been around boxers all their lives, and have good instincts.

But that's us. It takes all kinds!

Johnnie 5... I love that name!!!

Thanks to everyone. I know it's something we want to do. I know that it would be hard for me to let them go but to know we made a difference in their lives would be worth the tears. I would only worry about my son's attachment right now. He's 7 and very sensitive to things like that, and I think it would be a bit much for him right now. It's a goal now.

 

[adeinert]

In this previous thread
http://www.boxerworld.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=44510
I shared about a family and how two sons have been impacted by fostering, they are the neatest boys and so wise beyond their years from the experience!
We have a new foster home in my area - mom, boxer, 2 cats, and a 1st or 2nd grade little boy. They are on their second foster - both of which were emaciated to a VERY scary point.

I talk about it all the time with my second graders. The way to foster empathy in children is through pets. I think it would be terrific for your son. My class hears the good, the bad, and the ugly. They see the pics of when a foster comes in mistreated and sickly and then we all triumph when I show the pics of the day the boxer got his/her very own family. For a special treat, one year my class got to meet Tulley, my furkid who was left for dead in a box at four days. When he was strong enough, around 8-9 weeks, he came to school.


Ashlie and the rescued boxertrio

 

[jazzzman]

Re: Re: Re: Ideal situation for fosters

Originally posted by DI_411
Johnnie 5... I love that name!!!

My wife Chris was coming home from the rescue farm, and the owner posted something about Chris and a surprise for "Johnnie." I asked, "Who's Johnnie?"

Michael