For months now, we’ve known the time would come when we had to stop fostering for a while. We have dreaded it for a few reasons, the biggest of which is that it has become one of the truest sources of beauty and satisfaction in our lives, and it nourishes our spirits daily.
Over the past year, six foster dogs have hung up their hats and rested their weary heads in our home for a while, taking time to relax, rebuild, learn to trust, and find the strength to carry on. We have loved each one. And when the time has come, we have sent each one off to its very own new life. We hate to see this journey end, even for a short while.
But, the time has come. We left a big piece of our hearts in Austin a few years back, and we’re heading back to retrieve it. In a few weeks, we will be making Texas our home again.
Chick is already hard at work packing up his pearl snap shirts and cowdog boots. He loves the endless supply of sunshine and year-round swimming opportunities down in Central Texas. He doesn’t like to admit it lest you think less of him, but he is even happy to have a temporary reprieve from his foster brothering duties.
Inevitably, there will be some fostering downtime while we pack, move, take a little time to travel, and get set up in our new community. But we can’t imagine letting our blog world go. We may cut back on posts to a few per week until we’re ready to ramp back up again, but we don’t plan to stray far from this blog community that we have grown to love so much.
Some of you might have thoughts about topics we could write about during our fostering sabbatical. If you do, please let us know in the comments or in an email (DCpetographer [at] gmail [dot] com). Â We would love to hear your ideas. Will you share them?
So as you can imagine, saying goodbye to Zee was extra emotional for us. At just three weeks until our move, we were not only sending a dear dog love off to a new home, but we were also closing the fostering book for a while.
Even we are not so crazy that we’d pull another dog with our move looming so close.
Or are we?
Love and a Six-Foot Leash 
The whole time I was reading your post, I was thinking, well of course you need to take a break from fostering if you’re in the process of relocating. Relocating is chaotic enough as it is. And then I got to the end of the post and see this beautiful face (part of a face anyway) staring at me and I can’t help but wonder…
You had me there! The suspense is going to kill me. I can’t wait to hear more!
BTW – I received the lovely photo of Zee and Sir Chick. Reggie was especially taken with the photo of Zee, but who wouldn’t be? He also tried to measure his paw print against Chick’s. 🙂
what!?! i was not expecting that little photo to pop up!
as far as topics go, maybe things to expect when you foster? your routine when you bring a new dog into the house? (i know this is tough since every dog is so different) basically anything i can use to convince my husband that we can foster 🙂
chick and zee are on our fridge now, love the photos!!
I think you both might just be CRAZY enough to take in another pup – and I mean that in the nicest way!! Can’t wait to learn more. I also received the card with Chick’s beautiful mug on it (and his pawtograph)….and the pic of Zee warms my heart. What you do is amazing….and if you do need to take a break from fostering while you get through your move, no one would think any less of you.
Tease!
Seriously, though, maybe you could do a series of ‘interview’ type posts from other fosters. You have had remarkably quick foster turnovers, I would be curious to hear from peeps who might have had their fosters for longer periods. My little dude was in a foster home for 2 years before I was lucky enough to find him. Just a thought….
Oh boy!
Maybe during your hiatus, you could start a weekly guest post? Maybe even about people who have moved with dogs before … have them write about their experiences and feature it on your blog. Just an idea 🙂
Well I did not receive my pawtographed card in the mail….maybe today?!
And who is that dog with the Halloween eyes at the bottom of that post….is it a new foster that you kept a secret from me???? You have some ‘splaining to do! 🙂
Perhaps you can use the downtime from fostering to highlight other dogs in foster situations? You do such an amazing job at showcasing the beauty and spirit of the dogs in your own home, maybe you can sprinkle some of that adoption mojo for dogs in other foster homes? Just a thought…
I second this suggestion! I truly think you have the magic touch and it needs to be shared! Wanda the Wonderdog from Project Rescue Chicago was just adopted… and you gave her a great shout-out not too long ago. This is proof!
eeeee!! you’re so sneaky 🙂
O my goodness the suspense is killing me! That eye and ear look somewhat familiar to me though….. hmmmmmm
Hope the relocate goes well. Keep in touch xx
I’m going to miss Chick!
We couldn’t imagine having to say goodbye to fosters especially a pup like Zee. You should pat yourself on the back for all the good you have done
Benny & Lily
We are happy to hear yall are headed back to texas!! Texas rocks 🙂
Oh my. I am going to fall for that sweet pup in your picture. I have wanted to adopt a black pitbull-type dog for quite some time.
GASP why you sneaky little….Well my two cents, I think during your time off from fostering you should do a post or two talking about how to get into fostering, or answering questions from people who want to get into it but don’t know where to start. I know you put my mind as ease when I had questions for you! 🙂
You’ve talked a little about your foster-friends like Handsome Dan, but how about a few guest posts from these foster-peers around the country talking about their path to foster-hood and some of their cute little pups?
The DC area is sad to loose you, but I am sure that Austin pups are excited to have Chick coming (back) their way as a foster brother.
Suspense! I was just thinking how you could also do posts about photography and how to increase adoption chances (especially in the shelter) by getting certain types of photos.
ACK! Yep…I think you are JUST that crazy. Heehee!
I’m so super excited for you all abouts your move. Now, I know there are things that might be skeery about moving but just do what I do and eat plenty of CHEESE. Cheese is Most Terrific for making you feel betters about stuff that skeers you.
Wiggles & Wags,
Mayzie
I was just wondering what you were going to do now that Zee is in her forever home.
Best of luck with your move & resettlement in Austin.
Hope that peek-a-boo picture leads to another phenomenal series of stories on this blog.
My husband and I are planning to take in our first foster dog in about three weeks, once I will be done with my travel assignment at work. Anyways, I am really interested in learning about your routine. Do you introduce your dog to a potential foster before agreeing to pull a dog out of a shelter? Do you separate your dogs during the daytime? Do you crate them? How many hours a day do they spend by themselves?
TEASE!!!
Oh we cant wait to hear the rest
Kari
dogisgodinreverse.com
I think you should feel grateful that Lady Z found a home BEFORE you all lit out for the territories. Taking on another foster right now wouldn’t be fair to either of you: too much pressure for you (getting him/her adopted in a very short time frame), and too stressful an environment for the dog. (Moving is right up there with death and divorce in stressful life experiences.) Just give us all our Chix-a-Lot Fridays and some pictures from time to time, and your loyal audience will hang on until you find your first foster with a Texan drawl. 🙂
Uh oh!
Maybe your blog break can have guest posts from past fosters.. updates with how they’re doing, what they’re up to. Maybe tips on fostering. Maybe Chicks a Lot Fridays can expand to other days.
Is that a black pit bull? Because they are, in my opinion, so awesome!!!
Sometimes, the timing isn’t up to us. A dog in need is a dog in need. But having said that, I do think you’re a little bit “tetched”!
I think that shining eye says it all 🙂
I think that tantalizing snippet of an eye and ear belongs to….Baxter?
Oh! What a cliff hanger! Only you guys could actually pull off finding this pooch a home just moments before you’re set to depart. You guys are magical.
Oh my…you might be crazy enough to take in a temporary foster. Maybe. Probably. Likely yes. OK, so when do we get to meet them?
I love more posts about Sir Chick and his adorable little mug! One post I would love to see (and I question we get asked at our shelter all the time) is how does one get into fostering? I mean, other than calling up a rescue and saying let’s do it it! What goes into it? You could talk about the application, screening process, vet bills and food etc. An indepth post about how exactly you know when the adoption application you have is The One. Or maybe a post on how to complete a better adoption application – LOL, or the questions that you WISH the applications asked.
Good luck with your move!!!
I’d love to hear more about your early days with mister Chick. I loved how he felt the need to protect you on the leash – something my sweet Kylie does too! A lot of what you described sounded exactly like the struggles we’ve had with her training.
I know in the past your blogs have showcased the fosters (& I’m REALLY hoping that precious picture is a new one!) but any training advice would be great. You’ve seen so many different personality traits in the breed, I’d love to hear how you’ve trained through some of the traits. Miss Stevie Wonder was a different colored version of our Kylie.