Confessions of a First Time Foster

You might wonder, what exactly are the duties of a Foster Parent for a dog? It all depends on the dog, and the Foster’s abilities. Some dogs come in from very adverse conditions and need special care. I feel lucky, because

Hang on a second, Jackson just pooed in the hall.

Anyway, I feel lucky, because my list is well-defined. I need to teach Jackson to be a good family member with humans, while Brother and Sister teach him the pack skills he’ll need with other dogs (he’s already lived with a cat). I need to make certain he feels loved, comfortable and cared for. Since I also want to make certain that I send him to his new family with as many skills as possible, I’ll also see that he understands basic obedience. I must also ensure that he has

Be right back. Little accident to clean up.

Where was I? Oh yeah. I must also ensure that he has proper Vet care, that he gets his puppy shots and is neutered when the time comes. I’m told he’s still a little young for that. The BFCA-CT covers his Vet expenses, so that helps; I cover his food and grooming. I’ll also probably buy him a harness, since trying to find the tiny ring on his tiny collar results in a lot of accidents.

Speaking of which…

Like I said, I feel lucky. Jackson’s a happy boy with a peaceful puppy spirit. There are other Fosters dealing with dogs who have suffered, who are locked within themselves. They do everything they can to bring these sweet souls out of their shells, and you’ll read some of those stories here. There are Fosters who take in dogs with medical problems and nurse them back to health…when that’s possible. Sometimes it isn’t. And then their role is to offer loving arms for that final journey. But I’m a new foster, and I’m one of the lucky ones.

All I have to do is clean up a lot of poo.

Lynn, who is the current Director of Bichon Rescue (or in the longer version, the Bichon Frise Club of America Charitable Trust), has been my friend for over a decade. Our online group of DogMoms teases her constantly about her alleged mission to place a Fluff* in every home. Resistance is futile. You will be assimilated.

Others fell before me, either through adoption or fostering. I thought I could remain Fluff-free. Little did I know the wheels had been set in motion already.

When Lynn asked me to take on the bichonrescue.org web site, she also began introductions to the members of the affiliated rescue groups. One by one, they began to share their stories. There were older dogs surrendered by owners who could not pay their vet bills…fluffs of all ages coming from families who were losing their homes, forced to move to apartments…and dogs from Puppy Mills.

There are rescuers who work with shelters to ease their burden and bring dogs into foster care. There are rescuers who are accustomed to taking calls at all hours from emergency vets, to assume custodial care of injured dogs. There are rescuers who have created devices and methods to help with behavioral difficulties…necessity is the Foster Mother of invention.

There is open and freewheeling discussion of stones, foods, blitzing and bellybands. There is sorrow when a rescue comes in that is too sick to help. There is understanding when a rescue is returned. There is great joy when one is sent to a loving forever home, and even greater joy when that home decides it’s time to add another.

As cliched as it may sound, I didn’t choose to Foster — Fostering chose me. The more stories I heard, the more determined I was to help. Taking in Jackson was part of that help, and this blog is another. I’m hoping, in fact we all are, that the stories you read here will inspire you to think about becoming a Foster Parent to a dog in need.

We’ll discuss the details in later posts. For now, just think about it.

*For the un-assimilated, Bichon owners often refer to the breed with the nickname Fluffs or Chons. Bichon Owners are a breed unto themselves. We’ll be exploring that phenomenon here as well.