Room For One More: The ABCs of Fostering

In order of appearance: Missy, Moppet, Morgan, Hundi, and Rex. photos by Kelly Gorman Dunbar

I have a lot of dogs. Seven to be exact. This number is more than my ideal, as well as more than I ever planned to have simultaneously. But I have the space, the skills, the means, the accommodations, and most importantly, I have the time to meet each dog’s needs daily. 

I’m a dog trainer. My life revolves around dogs: work days, weekends, and holidays. But while I’ll always have a dog as long as I’m able, I likely will not have this many for the rest of my life. Seven is a handful. But, hey, they keep me young - or at least very active.

By the way, do you know what goes perfectly with seven personal dogs? A foster dog! Seriously. Next weekend I’m picking up my latest foster dog, an adolescent German Shepherd.

It’s not like I don’t know what I’m getting into. Last year, I fostered an adolescent Airedale Terrier and Doberman at the same time. The year before that, I had three foster Malinois puppies, and the year before that I had two Malinois puppies, as well as an adolescent Belgian Tervuren, plus my very first fospice (foster-hospice) dog who literally became one of the great loves of my life. That was Missy, whom I’ve written about before.

It may seem crazy to add another energetic young dog to my canine crew, even temporarily. Perhaps it is, but it’s one of the ways I choose to give back to the community and also to the canis familiaris, the noble species that has enhanced my life, and humankind overall, for thousands of years. Dogs have given us their hearts and souls for centuries. One way we can show our gratitude is by taking them in when they’re down on their luck.

The majority of dogs in shelters are large, exuberant adolescents. Often their only crime is lack of training and appropriate outlets for their natural propensities. As a foster volunteer, I help polish them to reach their full potential. I build up their focus, confidence, and good habits so that transferring to a new home will be a smooth process. It’s all in a day’s work for me, and it’s the least I can do.

But even if you aren’t a professional trainer, becoming a foster volunteer can make a life-changing difference for a homeless pup. Foster families help dogs prepare for their forever homes and keep them happy and healthy while they patiently wait for the right match.

I mean no disrespect to animal shelters. Many are doing an excellent job with the resources they’ve got, but even the best shelter is still an institution. Removing a dog from a sterile, noisy facility rife with strong odors that assault their highly sensitive noses and placing them instead in a cozy, real home is nearly always a more desirable situation, one that better facilitates decompression, and helps build good habits and maintain sociability.

The benefits of a good foster placement are clear. In a foster home, dogs are much better able to practice life skills that will help them succeed in a new, permanent home. With less distraction and stress, it’s an environment far more conducive to learning new skills and behaviors. Additionally, the layout and energy of most shelters may unintentionally cause dogs’ good behaviors to deteriorate, while encouraging undesirable behaviors such as barking, lunging, pacing, jumping, and kennel soiling.

Fostering also provides an ongoing real-life assessment of a dog’s behavior and temperament. This is pure gold! Every single interaction tells you more about your canine charge, which, in turn, allows you to share this information with any potential adopters. And the more you know, the greater the odds of finding the perfect permanent placement for your furry friend.

Fostering is suitable for nearly any dog who is deemed behaviorally sound enough for adoption, but it is especially important for young puppies, pregnant moms-to-be, and elderly dogs.  Even dogs with minor behavioral issues that can easily be addressed with some dedication and focused attention are great candidates for fostering.

Fospice is a little bit different because generally you are committing to housing and caring for an elderly or chronically ill dog for the rest of their days, with the organization you foster through footing the bill for supplies, medical care, and other incidentals. It takes a particularly brave soul to embrace such an honor, but I promise you it’s worth it. Elderly dogs always seem extra grateful to have a soft place to land after falling on hard times late in life.

In fact, the most common pitfall in fostering is becoming foster failure. This happens when a person falls so in love with their foster dog that they simply cannot let him go and formally adopt the dog themselves. In some ways, fostering is like dating. You get to spend time with different dogs of various breed types, ages, and personalities. You get to know each other slowly, organically, and discover what you’re really looking for in a canine companion. Foster failure is really finding true love. 

I have fostered well over a dozen dogs over the last 30-plus years and only twice have I made the relationship official. When that happened, I felt as though fate had stepped in, leading me to my destiny. I have absolutely no regrets. 

So on behalf of my dearly departed former fosters, Missy and Hundi, I hope you’ll consider contacting your local animal shelter and opening up your home to a dog in need if you are able. I promise it will be an enriching and unforgettable experience. 

In the end, you’ll likely get more than you give. Because that’s always how it seems to work when you open up your heart to a dog.