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GAL Website -> GAL Forum -> Fostering Stories and Foster Dog Updates -> Foster Pups!!
Post Info TOPIC: Foster Pups!!
dannyboy


Graduate

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Foster Pups!!
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Thought I might as well get this topic started!!


Call me mad but I thought it would be a good idea to offer help to GAL by fostering pups That was around two years ago and I can honestly say it was one of best things to date that I have done!  In that time we have fostered around thirteen pups and every one has brought a lot of love and a lot of fun into our house.  They have also brought garden digging, blind chewing, house pooing and peeing! the list is actually endless but do you know what I can't honestly remember the most of it, yes it has been hard work at times, and you really need to know what you are letting yourself in for before you commit yourself but what you get back really makes up for the work you put in.  We have even had one of the foster pups camping with us, can you imagine three dogs, two adults and a four year old in the one tent  One of the most obvious downsides to fostering is of course letting them go, the pups if with you for long enough become part of the family and fall into the routine of the house (and you do have to have routine!!)  I have cried for every pup that has left my house, some do get to you more than others, it doesn't matter if they have been with you a week or two months, I found that I loved everyone of them for different reasons and couldn't switch off even though I knew it would save me a lot of grief!  The plus side to that is GAL always find great homes for every one of them  We have finally given in to the pull of the heart strings and have offered a home to Mallaig a six month old lurcher with blue eyes and the most lovely nature I would say to anyone who is thinking of fostering, talk to GAL, talk to other foster carers, it is hard work you do need a lot of patience,time and a sense of humour but it really does make a difference



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Christine Young


GAL Newsletter Editor

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Dannyboy - I think you're doing a marvellous job of looking after the many pups for GAL (particularly at Christmas times) over the past couple of years. I can understand how upset you must be when a pup gets a new home - after all you've been that pup's Dad for its short life so far and what a hard job that is but very rewarding! But it also must be great to see your pups now and again at events and find out how they're getting on.


You mentioned that you gave a home to the lovely Mallaig - is she the very cute Mallaig in "See the Success Stories"?


Christine



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greyflintstone


Master

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Can I ask you a couple of questions?


What made you decide to get into fostering in the first place?


How long, on average, do you have the dogs for?


Do you get emotionally attached to the dogs? How do you cope with that saying goodbye?


Are there any downsides to fostering?


 


Sharon



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Dave


Enlightened One

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Hi Sharon, I'l take the liberty of answering your questions from my point of view as a foster parent, I'm sure Tracey (dannyboy) will answer from hers!


What made us decide to foster? - I'll be honest and say years ago before our lives were completely ruled by GAL and we only had 2 dogs Denise called us one day out of the blue and said can you help us and take this poor lurcher girl for a couple of day?..We had the time and space so said yes, simple as that! (the poor lurcher girl became our 3rd permanent dog after about a month!)


How long on average do you have the dogs for? - Depends on the dog, you get a nice quiet wee Greyhound bitch who loves everyone and is dead laid back and placid then chances are she'll be there for a couple of days, you get a huge male dog who's not to clever with small furries and pulls on lead then he's going to be harder for GAL to rehome so you'd have him longer. It's really the luck of the draw with the applications that arrive at GAL's doorstep each day..


Do you get emotionally attached to the dogs? How do you cope with that saying goodbye? - Sharon, we have 7 permanent dogs now, 2 were chosen by me and Glenda, the other 5 were foster dogs that just stayed, that said we kept the nutty ones, I often think back to the well rounded well behaved fosters that we had in the past and wonder why on earth they didn't stay. Of course you get emotionally involved, you can't help it there's a few foster dogs that I had a real soft spot for, the only thing I can do is rest happy in the knowledge that GAL have found GREAT homes for them and with that foster dog going I can take another one, one thats possibly in danger of being PTS or mis-treated..Saying goodbye is tough, I won't pretend it isn't but again I try to focus on the next foster dog...


Are there any downsides to fostering? - It can be tough, if the dog is taking a few days to settle and your own dogs are a bit upset with it you'll often wonder exactly what you got yourself into, a stiff drink often helps. There can be lows but you've got to think that eventually that dog is going to get a great home and thanks to your fostering efforts it's making GAL's job a lot easier to home him or her. When you take a frightened dirty miserable dog from a kennels and see it transform into a well behaved, clean, happy dog you forget the downsides....



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greyflintstone


Master

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Thanks Dave for answering my questions!


We are now looking at whether we should foster or adopt! What would be better for GAL - in both the short and long term?



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Dave


Enlightened One

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Hi Sharon, from a totally selfish GAL point of view then in the short term fostering will help us out considerably, as of tonight the homeless dog count is 58, this includes 14 dogs still with trainers that all need moved into our care so we can assess them and find homes for them and as ever a number of those 14 dogs are tagged as 'urgently needing moved'..I guess the same applies in the long term also. However you shouldn't worry about GAL, it always works out......whats most important is that you are happy to foster, I know you've been considering a third dog and I can guarantee that if you do go down the foster route at one point one of them will 'stick' and become your third..

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skinnydugs


Master

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Hiya, Ive had a few foster pups in my time with Gal and although hard work its also very rewarding. The pups housetrain quickly if living with adult dogs. They learn respect also from adult dogs. Its really like having a baby in the house, only you can put the pup in its crate when getting boisterous.


A few pups are hard work but as soon as they come in you know what their personality is like. Ive had 3 at one time, and when I meet the prospective owners and like them, Im quite happy to let them go, not without a few tears, but you have to think of the next one waiting to come in.


I think good foster people are precious and if you can let the first pup or dog away then your on a winning streak, after all I keep in touch with nearly all my foster dogs and folks. Ive made loads of new friends through doing this and when they see you again,the dogs that is, if they remember you its worth the tears.


Esther



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greyflintstone


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"Its really like having a baby in the house, only you can put the pup in its crate when getting boisterous."


You mean I shouldn't have done this with the kids ...........

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anna


Old Hand

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we would consider fostering a pup or older dog but we r awaiting taylor to go in to have her teeth done as we have only had her bout 6 weeks.so we would like that over and done with before we foster or except another greyhound.we hit the jackpot when we got her shes filled out,loving,caring and gentle.so we will keep it in mind.....

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anna t
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