Dear fostering,

Oh, how we have missed you. We thought it would be easy to quit you. We thought that with everything going on, we’d forget about you for a little while. We moved, after all. To a new state. Halfway across the country. We took a two-week road trip in California. Moved into a house full of boxes. We had Big Things on our minds. You should have been pushed out of our brains.

And yet. I couldn’t get you out of my mind. We bid our Curious Georgia farewell in DC just days before we took off for our road trip, and got our pit bull fix at BAD RAP and Hikeabull just days after we arrived in California. And as our return — and subsequent drive to our new home base in Austin — drew near, I got the fever. The foster fever.

So we got here, found the essentials in a mountain of boxes (coffee maker, underwear, cell phone chargers, dog treats . . .), and immediately started to get restless. I would think about sweet little pit bull noses, and my leg would start to twitch. I would think about warm little pit bull bellies, and my fingers would itch. I would see a pit bull riding in the back of a car, and my face would break out into a big grin. I would clear a spot for our foster crate in the guest bedroom, and my heart would flutter. Fostering, we missed you so. When could we start anew?

We got home from a Thanksgiving trip last night, and this marks our first full week in Austin since our move — seems like a good time to start a new adventure. So fostering, we’re finally reunited. And it feels so good.

A craigslist furniture hunt this week led me to the doorstep of a remarkable woman. She is an artist, an eccentric, a carpenter, and a collector of antique and vintage furniture and architectural goodies — the types of things that others may cast aside as junk. She sees the beauty in these pieces, lovingly restores them or repurposes them as something new, and decorates her property with the ones that she doesn’t sell on craigslist or at flea markets. Walking through her yard feels like stepping into the secret garden.

A. lives on 10 acres in a rural county southeast of Austin. On her property she has created a beautiful, fanciful sanctuary for herself, her family, and a few dozen animals. Aside from being an artist, A. is an animal rescuer. Her work with animals is loving and true, but it’s pretty different from the type of animal rescue that most city folks are accustomed to.

She travels all around Central Texas collecting furniture and salvaged goods from demolition sites, general stores, and industrial warehouses. Everywhere she goes, she meets animals in bad shape — half-dead geese, abandoned cats with broken legs, lonely dogs chained to rusted trucks, and litters of puppies dumped in a ditch.

Pretty often, she arrives home with her salvaged treasure of the day in the bed of her truck, and an animal or two in the cab. She takes them to the vet when they need it, and finds them new, better homes when she can. All dogs and cats that pass through her home are spayed or neutered — at A.’s expense. Her rural county does not have any free or low-cost spay/neuter clinics for homeless animals, so she has to cough up the costs. She has never paid for an animal, and doesn’t want to make money off them either. She lists the animals on craigslist for free, and then carefully interviews any interested parties to make sure the homes are good ones. She can’t be as meticulous as an official rescue, but she does what she can.

Some of the work she takes on is even harder than this. She tries to forge trusting relationships with families whose pets are not being cared for properly, to encourage them to do better. Her corner of Central Texas is fairly poor, and a lot of families keep dogs and cats loose on their unfenced property or chained to their porches or sheds. Many of these animals have no shelter and little food. Most are not fixed, and when a new litter of puppies or kittens shows up, a family member rounds them up into a box, drives them a few miles away, and tosses them in a ditch. According to A., this is not uncommon. She found a few of her own dogs and cats as ditch puppies and kittens.

When she can, she convinces families to let her pay for a spay/neuter for their pets. She offers flea and heartworm meds when she can afford it. When the families seem uncommitted to their animals, she offers to take them away and find them new homes. Sometimes she’s successful, but it often takes her months to break through. Just after my visit, A. was on her way to visit a man who has a friendly young pit bull permanently shackled to a four-foot heavy rusted chain. She thought that maybe today would be the day that she convinces him to give the dog up. This was not her first visit to his property, 8 miles away on a dirt country road.

On the way home, my eyes scanned the highway’s edge, looking for ditch puppies or injured cats on the side of the road. As I drove along, I wondered: how many brave-hearted individuals are out there, engaged in this independent, unofficial sort of animal rescue, flying under the radar of so many of us? And what can be done to help individuals like A. work even more effectively to touch more lives?

Another highlight of our trip to California was dropping in on the weekly HikeaBull hike in San Jose. We had corresponded with founder and organizer Lark over email in the past, but had never met in person. We were excited to go for a beautiful five-mile hike in the sunny hills of San Jose, observe the group in action, and meet some of our e-friends and blog readers.

We rarely pass up a good hike with friends, but what we were really after was the structure, policies, and techniques that make Lark’s group so successful. We dream of starting up something similar in Austin someday — just as Two Pitties in the City have done in Chicago with their new SocialBulls club. But we were so curious — are all of the dogs dog-social, or do some less socialized dogs do well also? How do they ensure that everybody is safe and happy? How do they spread the word? How many dogs come on an average hike, and do they limit the available slots? How do they determine which dogs walk where? We got all we had hoped for out of the hike, and little sunburns on our noses to boot!

The HikeaBull group meets at the trailhead each week to introduce themselves to new group members and dogs. Everybody quickly mentions whether their dog has any issues — whether it be leash reactivity, fear of strangers, a tendency to vocalize a lot, etc. This way, everybody knows what to look for and how to manage the group well. Group leaders carry special colored bandanas for any dogs who need extra space around dogs or people, which is a visual signal to other participants to respect that dog’s boundaries. Designated individuals lead the group from the front and the back to make sure everybody stays together, and communicate with walkie-talkies about any pertinent info — off leash dogs, injuries, strange turns in the trail. Whenever possible, the steadiest, most dog-social dogs lead the group, in case of wildlife, off-leash friends, or dogs on retractable leashes.

When new dogs join the group, they tend to walk wherever they feel most comfortable. But Lark said that dogs who are more nervous around big groups or are not very well socialized tend to be happiest up front. These dogs often lead at the start of their first hike, and eventually drop back into the pack over the course of the hike — or a series of hikes. This gradual integration allows dogs to socialize at their own pace, and has been hugely helpful to a number of dogs who had never been able to calmly and happily interact with dogs they don’t know. On the Sunday we attended, about 20 dogs hiked with us. During one water break, Lark counted up five or six dogs who are normally considered reactive — but all 20 dogs behaved splendidly and comfortably.

Some dogs in the group have even made friends by walking together, and now spend time playing together outside of the weekly hike!

We got to meet some real beauties on our hike, including one devastatingly handsome foster dog, one sweetie with the cutest underbite, one lovely with the most golden sunny fur, and one Lollie Wonderdog look-alike!

As a sweet bonus, we got to spend a good bit of our hike catching up with our friend Jennifer, the mastermind behind everybody’s favorite Sirius Republic collars — and her celebrity elderbelle, Chilly!

A thousand warm thank-yous to Lark, Jen, and the whole HikeaBull crew. You were so welcoming and fun that we felt like we’d been friends with each of you our whole lives. We had a blast spending our Sunday with you!

We are honored to include Laurie among our guest bloggers. As far as dog fostering goes, Laurie is a true superstar. Her credentials need little explanation — she has fostered 134 dogs and 81 cats, and counting. Many of you are probably already familiar with her most memorable, entertaining, and longest-lasting foster, Ziggy, a gorgeous deaf white pit bull who has been with her for almost two years.

Why did you begin fostering dogs?

 When I first learned about fostering, it sounded perfect for me.  I would get to take home a foster dog to be a friend for my Great Dane, and I wouldn’t have to worry about the expenses of a second dog since all vet care and food would be provided.  I’d get to play with a new dog, and help him or her find a permanent home.  I brought home Dolly, my first foster dog, and had her for three months until she was adopted.  Then I immediately brought home another.  I realized that I really loved fostering.  It was so rewarding to go to a shelter and pick out a dog that was living in a cage and take them home with me.  Seeing their joy at being in a home, sometimes for the very first time in their life, made me feel really good.

Dogs like Bunny come from puppy mills and foster homes are their first chance to be loved.

What have you learned from fostering?

I’ve learned a lot about fostering in the past four years.  I foster all breeds and mixes of dogs.  I’ve learned that the ones that used to scare me the most – pit bulls – are actually my favorite breed.  I’ve learned that small breeds and puppies are always adopted much more quickly than larger breeds. I’ve learned that most dogs are turned into shelters at around one year of age because their owners didn’t train them and can no longer deal with their untrained puppy behavior.  I’ve learned firsthand that untrained puppies and dogs can destroy computer cords, window blinds, cell phones, and many other things in the blink of an eye.  I’ve learned that the bond that develops between a person and a dog during training and shared events is very strong.  And I’ve learned that taking a dog home, giving him love and affection, teaching him manners, and preparing him for a new home can be a lot of fun.  And watching that dog be adopted and go to a new home can be sad, but so rewarding.  Fostering really does make a difference – it can be the difference between a dog who is euthanized because he’s out of time in a shelter, or because he has behavior issues that can’t be worked with in a shelter, and a dog who goes confidently into a new home where he will be cared for and loved for the rest of his life.

Sometimes foster dogs come with bad habits.

What is the hardest part?

Letting go of a foster pet is not always easy.  Sometimes people don’t understand how I can let a foster pet go after getting so attached to them. My fosters are treated just like my own pets – they have free run of the house, sleep in my bed, and I actually spend more time training them than I do my own pets usually!  But from the time they come home with me, I know that they will someday be leaving. If they didn’t, I wouldn’t have the space or time to take in more fosters.  So although they might not realize that I’m just a temporary stop on their journey, they eventually end up in a permanent home that is just right for them.  And I celebrate each time one of my fosters is adopted, because it means that I can then say “yes” to one of the dozens of pleas for help that we receive each day.

Dolly was my first foster dog.

What advice do you have for individuals considering fostering for the first time?

You do not have to be a dog trainer to foster.  You don’t have to be an expert in dog behavior, or have years of experience owning dogs.  You just have to want to make a difference in the life of a homeless pet.  Do some research to find a rescue group or shelter that will be a good fit for you.  Some rescue groups will give you a mentor to help you through any questions. They’ll match you up with the best dog or cat for your home, and they’ll provide training and support as needed.  They’ll take care of the vet bills and the food and other supplies, and they’ll do all the work to get your foster pet on the various websites and then screen to find them the best home.  Unfortunately there are other rescue groups who will give you a dog and say “good luck” and then you’ll never hear from them again.  So make sure you ask questions, attend some of their adoption events, and fully understand what is expected of you before signing up.  Don’t worry if you try it and find that fostering is not for you.  Some people have a hard time letting the pet go and end up adopting their foster.  Others just realize it is more of a commitment than they are ready for, which is okay too.  There are a lot of ways to help, so don’t be afraid to try fostering, but if it’s not for you, see if you can find another way to help, whether by transporting pets to events, taking pictures for websites, conducting a fundraiser or supply drive, or going to your local shelter to walk dogs.

Fostering puppies is a lot of work, but a lot of fun.

Who was your most memorable foster and why?

Ziggy, the deaf American Pit Bull Terrier, is my most memorable foster, and my longest-term foster.  I’ve fostered several other deaf dogs, and several other pit bulls, but Ziggy is in a class of his own.  I took him in two years ago, when he was just a four month old puppy, and I’ve been trying to find him a home since then. I’ve learned more from Ziggy than any other dog, including my own dogs.  He’s taught me how to be a better trainer, how to be more patient, how to enjoy every moment of life, and how to find the funny side of just about anything.  People often ask why I don’t just adopt him myself, and I sometimes wish I could.  How do I give up a dog who has been a part of my life for years, who I’ve spent countless hours and dollars on training, who has been through several agility classes with me, who has developed a following on my blog and on Facebook?  A dog who loves to go on walks, loves car rides and stuffy toys, thinks rolling on his back in the grass is the best thing ever, and is pretty sure that he’s entitled to chew on absolutely anything he can get his mouth on?  I adore Ziggy and he always makes me laugh, but I am constantly trying to find someone to adopt him. I’ve ordered him his own business cards which are now in several area businesses – he has his own website and his own Facebook page – I have done everything I can to find him a new home, or even a new foster home.  Not because I don’t want him here, but because he isn’t great with other dogs, and he needs a home where he can be the only dog so he can get all the love and attention that he deserves.  But even when that finally happens, Ziggy will always be my most memorable foster dog.

Ziggy has earned his CGC certification and learned agility while waiting in foster care.

Laurie fosters through All Paws Rescue near St Louis, Missouri. You can follow her amazing fostering career on her always-entertaining blog, Dog Foster Mom. If you or somebody you know might be the perfect family for Ziggy, check out his very own website here. 

This post is very special to me. I met Chris in 2005, and he and his wife Colleen were my first exposure to fostering, and my first exposure to multi-pit bull households. Chris and I emailed extensively about dog-dog intros and about the ins and outs of fostering. I told him that Ben and I hoped to foster someday, but didn’t know if or when we could do it. His gorgeous photographs really got us. Years later, I can say with certainty that their work with the Animal Compassion Network in Asheville, NC was our #1 inspiration for taking in our first foster, Lollie Wonderdog. Thank you Chris and Colleen — from us, Chick, and all of our fosters, past and future.

Tale of a reformed failed fosterer

Chris and Colleen's current pack

Colleen and I got introduced to fostering when we moved to Asheville and a local organization, Animal Compassion Network (ACN), was appealing for funds to temporarily house animals from a no-kill shelter that had flooded.  We donated and eventually started volunteering for ACN.

But, it wasn’t until our third attempt at fostering that we actually went through with it and didn’t adopt.

Our first two failures

Our first foster failure, Freckles, was a stray that was running the mountain road up to our neighborhood for about a week.  She had this jaunty one-up and one-down ear pose and the biggest pit bull smile.   We asked about her with the folks at the bottom of the mountain and got the response that they were going to call animal control to pick her up.  That is when I tried to entice her into my truck but she just barked and ran.   However, when Colleen opened the door to her car, she jumped right in.  We did due diligence on finding her original home and didn’t find anyone that knew anything about her.  We checked with the shelter and had her scanned for a chip.  When nobody stepped up to claim her she was spayed and stayed.  Bailey who is also a pit bull was in another foster home and we were a bit conned into taking her in.  In Freckles’ case I just couldn’t part with her and in Bailey’s case she was heartworm positive and covered in mange.  By the time she was clear of both I couldn’t part with her either.

Freckles helping Bailey recover from mange

Our first fostering success was Jason who later was renamed Henry.  He was a brindle pup who I think was a Plott Hound/Dachshund mix.  He assimilated into our pack very quickly.  He and Happy, our dominant male, loved playing together. Being ultra cute and young, he was adopted very quickly.  That is really the hard part.  Seeing them go.  But, it sure helps when you know they are going to a great new family.

Our fostering Pit bulls

The next two dogs we fostered were pit bulls or pit bull mixes.  I have been living with at least one pit bull since 1984.  Due to this experience and the fact that we had four pit bulls; we were often the first people asked to foster the breed.  On one hand this gives us an advantage due to our familiarity of the breed but it also involves four introductions and four chances of personality conflicts.   Our first pit bull foster was Humphrey.  I absolutely fell in love with him and would have become another foster failure if Colleen had let me.  He was a big goof who loved everybody.

Bailey, Humphrey, and Happy

It didn’t take long for him to break someone’s heart and he was adopted.  He now lives the good life as a lake dog.  Two days after he was adopted we were called to foster another dog.  The shelter we originally gave money to house animals due to flooding was being closed by the state.  It was a case of a no-kill shelter gone bad.  We were called in to foster Saki who is a border collie/pit bull mix.  He was not only obese and had a bum knee but was heart worm positive.  Saki was apparently the dominant male in a ten-foot by ten-foot run.  This meant that he ate most of the food.  Unfortunately, he brought this alpha mentality home with him.  He and Happy did not hit it off.   They did have an altercation which forced us to separate them when we weren’t there to supervise.

Saki was successfully treated for heartworm and lost almost twenty pounds with us.  He had his knee rebuilt and is a gorgeous devil…but after a year went by, he still was living with us.  I don’t know if it was his long term stay at the shelter or some other experience that made Saki absolutely hate confinement.  He would literally tear a metal crate apart to get out.  This behavior did not make for good impressions at adoption events.  Knowing what a great dog he was, I talked my parents who had just lost their rescued dog Pinot to adopt him.  So, now he is the golden child of my parents and can do no wrong.  He spends his time between Breckenridge, Colorado and Asheville, North Carolina.  Not too shabby.  And…I get to see him often.

Saki

Why foster?

With every foster you have the chance to not only save one but two animals.   You are opening a spot at a shelter for another dog who might be short on time.  Fostering is to me just one element of achieving a zero kill community.  Successful and enforced spay and neuter laws are the foundation to this.  Educating people on the problem of pet overpopulation is another important part of this.   But, I think that there will always be a place for fostering especially bully breeds.  They often have the shortest time in the shelter and usually are not included on transports to where there is a demand for adoptable animals.  There is also a need to foster older dogs and Elderbulls.

For anyone who is considering fostering for the first time, I would recommend asking these three questions.

#1.  Do you have the time to care for your foster?  Younger dogs especially need lots of exercise and play.

#2.  If you already have pets: What type of temperament would work with my dog or pack?  If you have a dominant male you might want to consider a submissive female.  We have found that very young males work best in our house.

#3. Are you willing to stay the course?  Sometimes you will have a temporary family member for longer than you expected.

Daisy

Oscar

I keep saying that we will take an extended break from fostering…But the fosters end up finding you.  Since Saki we have fostered Daisy (a senior chocolate lab), Oscar (pit bull), and now Petey (pit bull) and adopted Trevor (pit bull/part cat).  Only I thought Trevor was going to be a foster…

Trevor the cat

Two dogs ain't nothing.

Fosters or not, Happy still has plenty of fun

Needless to say, we are not alone in fostering dogs — not in our community, and not in the blogosphere. While we are away traveling and making our transition to our new home in Austin, we thought it would be fun to bring you some other fostering perspectives and reflections — from foster families we admire and respect.

For our first post, we are excited to bring you this interview with our friend Jenn, mama to the world-famous pit bull, Corbin. We think Corbin is just about the most handsome guy around — he easily gives Sir Chick a run for his money, anyway. Jenn and Corbin foster dogs in the Albany area of New York, and they do it with great success, grace, and humor. Read on.

1. Why did you begin fostering dogs?

I’ve always had a love for animals, ever since I could walk and talk! Which is why everyone I knew thought it was crazy when I fell in love with a guy who had never had a pet. Not a cat, not a dog… not even a fish! I could not wrap my brain around it, but I knew there was hope for him yet. We bought a house and moved in together and I knew it wouldn’t be long before I went stir crazy without an animal in the house. I lasted two months and decided it was time to start exploring our options. Adam’s allergic to cats, so that was out of the question. I didn’t know much about dog rescue at this point, but I knew I wanted to save a dog. For the two months I was dogless (and making frequent trips to my parents house to get my fix), I was searching local humane societies and rescues. I wasn’t sure how a dog was going to fit into our life, especially since I knew Adam wasn’t aware or used to the type of commitment a dog brings. That’s when I
decided to foster. This would give us the experience of having a dog in the house, I could see how Adam reacted and whether or not this relationship would work with a dog –and, I’m pretty sure Adam knew if the dog didn’t fit, neither did I! I saw a cute, cuddly Border Collie mix puppy on a rescue website and decided to put in an application. A day or two later, I received a phone call and explained that I thought that puppy was cute, but really wasn’t home enough for a puppy. I also told her that I’d be interested in fostering. She told me to stop by clinic the following Saturday, and that they’d have more dogs coming in mid January for fostering. And, as the story goes… I went in to talk to someone, swearing to Adam I wouldn’t be coming home with a dog. Half hour after I left the house, I’m calling Adam to tell him that Corbin, our new foster dog, was heading home to meet him.

2. Tell us about your first fostering experience. 

Corbin was our first foster dog. My mom even bet me $25 that I wouldn’t be able to give him up, but I was determined to just foster. I didn’t want to adopt my first foster dog because I knew there were so many out there, and I wanted to “test drive” a few dogs before we decided on adopting. I knew nothing about pit bulls at this point in my life. I wasn’t scared of them but a little hesitant because I was uneducated. Corbin taught me a lot about their love, their affection, their strength and their smarts. He was a wild and crazy, completely out of control, spastic 6 month old pup when he came to our house.
We worked hours on basic obedience, sit, down, high five, stay, wait, etc. He loved anyone and everyone and always attracted a lot of attention at clinics because of his handsome looks. Although, as soon as you mentioned the word “pit bull” people were suddenly interested in other dogs. Corbin also had a few leg issues and had the potential to have some more serious issues down the road. We fostered him for 2 months before we decided there was no way we could let him go. I learned so much for him and he learned so much from us. He knew he was home and I didn’t have the heart to tell him he wasn’t. Corbin became our first (and only, so far!) foster failure.

3. What has kept you going?

We waited a few months after adopting Corbin to take in another foster dog. Corb needed some serious training about a month after we adopted him. We hired a behaviorist who worked with us and taught us how to work and relate to Corbin. This has proved to be one of the most powerful assets I have had when taking in foster dogs. I have been able to use the training I received on all of our foster dogs, which is so helpful to make them more adoptable. Our first (well, second technically) foster dog was Belle, a GSD/Beagle mix. Corbin LOVES his ladies. It was so nice to have another dog for Corbin to play with and get out all of his excess energy. After that, it just became addicting. As much as we have loved and wanted to adopted just about all of our fosters… we know the bigger picture and know how many more we could save as long as we continue adopting out our foster babies.

I love my fosters, even the squirrel-sized ones.

4. Why do you think fostering is important?

Rescues wouldn’t be available if people didn’t open their homes to foster dogs. Foster homes allow dogs to get out of the shelter and into a home environment, which some of those dogs have never experienced before in their lives. You learn things about your foster dog to tell potential adopters so you can make sure they go to the right home that can understand and help any issues or quirks they may have. You help teach and train them and every morning they thank you with their big loving eyes. Nothing is more rewarding. Every dog adopted is another shelter dog that can go into foster care, so when you adopt, you’re really saving two lives – a lot of people don’t understand this.

In November of 2010 I took over the import for my rescue. I had been volunteering with my rescue for a year prior, but never understood the bulk of the work. I spend close to 30 volunteer hours a week working on rescue related stuff. Every day, I look at the shelters we work with and see all these dogs… knowing that I can’t save them all. I try to stress this to people when asking for foster homes. Each and every one of these dogs deserves a second chance. It’s not their fault they’re in this situation and the only way out if it is through our help.

"Sitting on my foster siblings is pretty rewarding for me"

5. What is the most rewarding part of fostering to you?

Adoption. Nothing is more rewarding than watching a dog that you have cared for, you have saved and you have helped, walk into their new home, kiss their new family or wag their tail and smile for their new life. As hard as it is, there is nothing in my life that is more rewarding.

6. What is the hardest part?

Returns. Although you like to believe people when they tell you they’re the perfect home and they’re going to do anything need for their dog… people lie. Not all people… but more people than I would like. Although, every time there is a return, I’m thankful that the dog is back in our hands and not living another horrible life, I hate that I trusted these people with my dog.

Oreo was returned, and Corbin welcomed him back with a warm lick and a good wrestle.

7. Have you experienced any benefits that you hadn’t expected before you began?

I don’t think I really had any expectations when I began. I’ve learned a lot about dog socialization and training and I’ve gained a lot of great friendships and dog walking buddies. I also didn’t really expect to be the owner of a pit bull, which is probably the biggest benefit of them all :o)

8. Any advice do you have for individuals considering fostering for the first time?

Do it. Research rescues and find one you like and just do it. Make the commitment. It’ll be something you’ll never regret.

9. Who was your most memorable foster and why?

Oh, my Bethany… Bethany and her sister, Avery, were born in a shelter and didn’t leave until they came to us when they were 5 months old. Avery went to another foster home, adjusted very quickly and was adopted just as fast. Bethany was a pancake, flattened to the floor of our home, afraid of stairs, doorways and hallways. She flinched at every loud noise and had this awful look of fear in her eyes. It took Bethany 4 days until she walked upright inside the house… Corbin was very gentle with her and helped her every day. Helping her learn that the world was not such a scary place made it very hard to adopt her out – I felt so close to her, I couldn’t bear the thought of her going to another home. I brought her over to Adam’s dad’s house, and she was adopted by them shortly after. If you met Bethany today, you wouldn’t be able to imagine that shy, scared little girl we first met. Her sister, Avery, was returned a few months later because the family didn’t have the time for her and without the TLC, Avery’s progress was declining fast. Avery was far worse than she was when she was adopted. She now lives with Bethany and they complement each other and help each other out more than I’ve ever seen with two dogs. Since Avery came along, Beth is no longer afraid of stairs, her biggest fear, and they have both conquered being boatin’ dogs together!

Corbin yachting with Bethany and Avery

10. What is your favorite foster adoption story?

Corbin’s, of course :o) But, seriously, I love all of the families that my foster dogs have adopted. I keep in touch with them every so often to check on my pups. They each have their own space in my heart and I will consider them “my” pups forever.

Corbin, Dutchess, and Donnie

Corbin is currently on his 16th foster sibling through the rescue that saved his life, Homeward Bound Dog Rescue in Albany, NY. Hopefully by the time this story is published, that number will be 17 or 18! Jenn would also like to thank Corbin for allowing her to do this interview from her own point of view instead of his. You can follow Corbin’s adventures and his fantastic fostering work at Oh, Corbin.

In the mood to fall in love again? I’ve got just the fellow for you.

Meet adoptable Ivan, one of Animal Farm Foundation’s elite crew of dogs. During my visit to AFF a few weeks back, I was lucky to be assigned Ivan as my doggie roommate. We spent four great days having fun together all day and snuggling together at night. He’s the kind of dog who throws a great party and makes you feel like the guest of honor. He’s an impossible dog to forget.

He may already be unforgettable to some DC area folks, who may have seen him on the local news last December. Poor four-month-old Ivan was stolen from the Washington Humane Society kennel where he was living, and then returned after the story broke in the media, and the video of suspects snatching him was all over the news.

stillframe from Fox local news video

During his escapades with his thieves, Ivan acquired some scratches that required him to go into quarantine — for six months. After that grand adventure, near full-grown Ivan came to live at AFF where he could receive some expert care, training, and enrichment to help him become the wonderful dog he is today.  And wonderful he is. This boy is so exuberant and such a ham, that you can’t help but smile and play when he’s around.

Ivan is getting plenty of TLC at Animal Farm Foundation, but he is ready for a family to call his own. Having lived with him for four days and nights, I can attest to his suitability as a running companion, an adventure partner, a playmate, a snuggle bunny, and a mood lifter.

photo courtesy Caitlinn Quinn @ AFF

photo courtesy Caitlinn Quinn @ AFF

And he’s so stinkin’ handsome, you can’t help but fall in love.

Come hither and nap with me. I will lure you with my bedroom eyes.

Nap time's over, ready to party?

Ivan is available through Animal Farm Foundation. He currently lives in Dutchess County, New York, but for the right adopter, he is willing to travel!

Over these last few days of reflection on our first year fostering and blogging, we have become acutely aware of how lucky we have been with regard to fast adoptions, wonderful support, and great health of our fosters. I think our experience is the norm. But many foster families find themselves with a foster who needs a little extra help.

Meet SuperLevi:

SuperLevi is being fostered by our friends A and E in Chicago. He’s a fantastic young adult dog who could scarcely be more charming. However, even superheroes are not invincible. Levi has been diagnosed with a congenital eye condition that will cause him to lose his vision over time — unless he has surgery. The surgery Levi needs can fix his condition and make his super-vision as good as new. But it costs more than $2,000.

Levi’s rescue will step up and help save Levi’s eyes, but the price tag is more than they are prepared for. So Levi’s superhero foster parents A and E have decided to launch a monumental effort to raise the money needed for Levi’s surgery. They have organized a superhero walk for people and dogs in Chicago to raise awareness and money for Levi, and have even had these adorable SuperLevi t-shirts and bandanas designed for the event:

The goodies are available to those living outside the Chicago area too — and if that weren’t already enough to get excited about, they have thrown in some very cool dog-related gear as raffle prizes — hop over to A & E’s blog for details!

I think I just had one of the best weekends ever.  I really cannot believe what a great dog she is, or that she hasn’t been with us for more than 48 hours, it feels like she’s always been here somehow.  We’re sticking to our plan of keeping the lower floor divided, with the cats having the back half and basement, and G in the front half and upstairs.  The cats stare at her through the glass a lot, but they’re not getting puffy anymore and are comfortable enough to go off and do other things or curl up and go to sleep by the door.  Most of the time it seems like Georgia doesn’t even seem to know they’re there. 

Saturday went just as I imagined it, she was glued to my hip the whole day and wouldn’t let me out of her sight.  We went on a few walks and explored the neighborhood, which I haven’t gotten to do at all until now.  I’m trying to work out a route with plenty of grass on the same side of the street to get her used to sticking to one side or the other.  When she pulls I stop and wait for her to come back to me before continuing, and I think she’s getting the hang of it.  She’s met a bunch of the neighbors and one neighbor dog when we were out on a walk, and she’s a huge hit with everyone.  No surprise there.  She put herself to bed around 10ish, and very grudgingly left her cozy spot to come upstairs with us so we could let the cats check out her space for the night.  

Sunday morning started early, maybe too early for little G.  We went outside to do her business and I thought we’d go around the block.  We got about half way and she planted herself and gave me a “Hells nah” look.  I’m trying to avoid tugging on the leash, and I didn’t have any treats (rookie mistake I guess), so she won that round.  We spent a lot of the day working on “sit” and “stay”, which she seems to be picking up pretty quickly, and teaching her which couch can be hers.  She seemed to have that down, but did her best to convince me she had forgotten this morning when she tried to climb up next to me.  A quick “no” was all it took to send her back to her own couch.  We had zero problems getting her to eat, she’s practically the president of the clean bowl club.

I put the cats’ favorite stuff down in the basement yesterday and kept them there for a bit so G could explore their half of the house, which she was very thorough about.  At about 1 or 2 she decided it was ok if I left her direct field of view, which freed me up to do some chores around the house.  She was still following me up and down the stairs, and if she heard me go out the door and come back in she popped by to check on me, but she seems to be getting more and more comfortable with doing her own thing.  We’re also working on sitting and waiting before going in and out of doors, and she’s such a champ with that.  I am in constant awe of how good she is.  We had a few friends over last night, all of them dog owners, and they were equally impressed and charmed by her.  Someone actually said “I’m jealous”.

She’s already such a great companion, and getting better every minute.  We owe much of that to the loving home you and Ben gave her.  To hear that she lost 9 lbs in just a few months and wouldn’t eat a few weeks ago speaks volumes to how important her time as a foster was.  I really believe she is the perfect dog for us, and we would never have known if it weren’t for you, and “thank you” just doesn’t seem to say it all.  Just know that we are tremendously grateful for the time you’ve taken to get to know us, and your patience in helping us find our dream dog.

Good luck with the move, and we’ll certainly be in touch!

-R