Fostering

[BandM]

Exciting, but apprehensive (in a good way!) times ahead.

One of our two Grey's passed in March, we still and suspect will always miss her, but before rescuing another, we have made the decision to foster one. The rescue centre from where our two came are crying out for fosters, as the kennels are becoming too full. This feels like a good opportunity to give a little something back, without going straight in to adopting another... We meet and collect her (we mutually agreed with the centre a female would be best, initially at least) in a couple of weeks.

This will be the first time taking another dog in to our home, Bennie will have been a lone dog for six weeks or so. Any general advice/guidance for those that may "own" one dog, but foster another? Behavioural traits are unknown so far, so I expect to be kept on my toes, much in the same way we took our two in.

As a nervous dog, Bennie is quite content following another dogs lead on group walks and was always number two before Minx passed, but this is very much his territory now.

[MP_the4pack]

I've never foster failed, but have owned and fostered many. Never had an issue. But I did take precautions like muzzling and/or crating when needed,

Feeding separately until I knew the Foster's personality. And the fosters generally had to be taught manners, maybe housebreaking,  stairs, glass doors.

 

Congrats on fostering. Are you in the UK or Australia? Curious since your group is overflowing with greys.  Not something you hear nowadays in the US.

[greysmom]

Introduce them on mostly neutral ground - outside in the street or front yard - and go for a short walk afterward.  Walking together promotes bonding and is a great way to get your dog and foster comfortable with each other.  Use the time to also teach the foster leash manners.

Keep them muzzled longer than you think you need to (ask me how I know this  ).

Monitor all interactions surrounding food/treats.

Remember that the foster is there to learn how to live in a home, and you are there to teach them.  They aren't there to settle into your routine and become *your* dog (again, ask me how I know!).

I always kept a foster dog diary, documenting their progress learning new behaviors and aspects of their personality a new family would like to know, including pictures.

Follow all the adoption group rules for fostering.

Fostering can be a fun time for all involved.

Just FYI, we thought much the same as you after we adopted our first greyhound - we could definitely handle more then one one dog and thought fostering would be a good way to help our group out.  Well, we ended up foster failing so many times it became a universal joke!!  The foster coordinator actually chose more of our dogs than *we* did!!  My DH just could NOT let them go once they walked through the door!!   

[ShebasMom]

3 hours ago, MP_the4pack said:

I've never foster failed, but have owned and fostered many. Never had an issue. But I did take precautions like muzzling and/or crating when needed,

Feeding separately until I knew the Foster's personality. And the fosters generally had to be taught manners, maybe housebreaking,  stairs, glass doors.

 

Congrats on fostering. Are you in the UK or Australia? Curious since your group is overflowing with greys.  Not something you hear nowadays in the US.

Yes, where are you located that the shelter kennels are full and fosters are needed? More difficult to foster or adopt in the U.S. with most of the racetracks closed.

[MerseyGrey]

I think BandM has posted before that they are UK based.

There is a lady who blogs about her owner/foster experiences, who fosters from Romford greyhound kennels that you might find interesting

https://berryswonderhounds.com/blog/

[Time4ANap]

Around here, "foster" is just code for "this dog's not leaving. 

We always have a crate setup when we get a foster. We leave it open and they can go in and have their own space if they want. We also crate fosters if we have to leave the dogs alone together. I will not leave a foster dog unattended with our own dogs unless the foster is crated. There are too many unknowns with a new dog in the house. 

We had one foster that didn't work out here. She turned out to be deaf which no one knew or picked up on while she was in transit to the group. We figured it out in a day or two, but she was very good at following cues and it appeared that she was responding to commands. What she was actually doing was watching Petunia and following her if we were going outside or called the dogs to eat, etc.  After a week or so here, she attacked Petunia in an unprovoked attack when I was in the next room. It took quite a bit of effort, but I got her in the crate and away from Petunia. I was really glad that we had setup the crate. She ended up being the only foster that didn't stay here permanently. 

That experience was the exception to how things normally go, but you need to take those precautions in case there is some reason that the foster just doesn't get along with your dog. 99% of the time, they wag tails and get along fine. All of the other dogs we fostered got along well and ended up living out their days with us. 

Good luck! 

[BandM]

Thank you for the responses, some great suggestions and reaffirmed some of my own thoughts too, namely meeting on neutral ground and muzzling. I think the biggest challenge will be finding that balance of house rules and teaching them to live in one, without necessarily falling in to the routine that Bennie has, ie she is a dog but not "my" dog (at least that isn't the intention, but I'm well aware I could find it hard to let her go ). I remember the introduction to stairs, was quite an entertaining evening!

I like the sound of the crate idea to keep them separated if left alone. These occasions would be rare as my partner works from home, which is a blessing for us. They are still dogs and strangers to each other, I wouldn't want to take any chances. The journal is a great idea also, as I know the centre require some form of feedback and it will be interesting to read back on, especially for any progress being made.

I'll take a read of the blog, thank you. And yes, I'm UK based. I believe the racing industry is in decline the last ten or so years, but quite a number come in from Ireland, where the gambling industry in racing (namely horses) is massive. Minx, the Grey we recently lost came from Ireland with a strong racing background (which I think she ultimately paid the price for, but I appreciate this isn't the place to discuss it) and had a successful trainer who documentated a lot of their training on You Tube. Anyway, I'm rambling now, keep eyes peeled on the introductions thread in two weeks 

[HeyRunDog]

You hear so many horror stories of what happens when you introduce another dog into a household I thought I'd tell you of my recent experience. I know you "intend" to foster without adopting but I thought I would tell you how I introduced Guinness to my existing greyhound Grace, who is a nervous girl, as I have just done the foster to adopt process in the UK through the Greyhound Trust to get her a toy boy 

They insisted that I took Grace with me when I went to look at Guinness so the dogs could meet and have a walk around their paddock just to check they could tolerate each other. They walked together side by side totally ignoring the other one apart from an initial sniff. I picked Guinness up on my own a week later as I had no idea how he would behave in a strange car and didn't want to have Grace complicate things if there was a problem. I needn't have worried he slept most of the way.

Once home I walked Guinness on the lead around the garden so he could wee if he wanted then introduced him into his new home. He went straight into the crate before coming back out for a sniff round. Grace watched him from the sofa with disinterest. The rest of the day Guinness either lay in his crate or on the bed under the window, the two dogs ignoring each other. As neither dog had reacted to the other I decided to leave the crate door open that night. Grace slept on the sofa and Guinness in his crate while I kept an eye on them with a webcam. 

Five weeks later and they still mostly ignore each other. Guinness is only using his crate if I'm at that end of the room and sleeping at night on the bed next to Grace's/my sofa so this morning the crate is being put away and a dog bed put in it's place.

Good luck and I hope the fostering goes as painlessly as mine.

[Fostr_Mom]

I started out fostering for my greyhound group before actually adopting.  (haha we adopted our first foster 2 weeks in!) I've been fostering for many years now.  It has been an awesome, rewarding experience for us.  I've learned to sit down with each foster and explain that I am just a step in the journey to their forever home. (it helps me to not feel broken hearted when they leave)   You've received good info in the other posts.  Make sure you follow your adoption group's rules.  I introduce my dogs one at a time in the yard after the foster has had a chance to potty and explore.  Muzzles always!  Then the resident dogs come inside first followed by the foster on leash.  We explore for awhile then I put the foster in the kennel he/she will be using for a short rest.  My group requires kenneling (I'm fine with that!), just in case the new owner will need to kennel.  I start right away with house rules.  It has been easier in my experience having a resident dog.  The foster follows along and learns quickly.   Even if you don't adopt that dog, know you are helping it to find it's happy new home.  I've learned so much from each and every dog who has come through my doors and I've made some good friends with some of my foster's adopters.  Good luck and have fun!

Edited April 8, 2022 by Fostr_Mom

[BandM]

HeyRunDog, that's a lovely story. I am hoping this follows a similar pattern, Bennie is a nervous dog like your Grace. He and Minx just coexisted, you would never know to meet them that they lived under the same roof. She was definitely the alpha and he was content with that. To be honest, if we only had Minx, I would think twice about fostering as she was a fiery character, Bennie being the docile soul he is made for the ideal pairing.

FostrMom, we will do our best not to give in after two weeks  I think, besides being a rewarding experience for us, it will help our resident dog, too. His behaviour has been a little off the last couple of weeks, he's an awkward one socialising with other dogs, though the recent introduction to group walks with other sighthounds has been good for him. We get the best of both worlds- help the foster and give our resident dog some four legged company, and satisfy ourselves with having another dog. It's double the fun (and no doubt double the work initially!). I'm due to speak to the trust beginning of next week to arrange a meet and collection, so can get a better idea of their rules and guidance, all I've seen so far is a contract/disclaimer.

[Remolacha]

You have gotten some great advice here so I won’t add anything except to say, don’t feel guilty if you fail, it is so common, but also don’t feel bad if you decide that your foster is a great dog, but not your  dog. I mostly failed, to the point that the group just rolled their eyes when I said “foster”, but there were a few that I was able to pass on to their new families. They were lovely dogs and I missed them, but they just weren’t right for my household.