Some of the dogs cope very well with the journey, others find the experience very distressing and although we often get an update mid-journey it is not until arrival, when we see the dog come off the transport that we can assess how well they have coped. Those that find the journey very distressing can often arrive extremely scared and overwhelmed which is why sometimes it is necessary to change fosterers of some dogs so that the more experienced fosterers take the scared dogs. This is because our more experienced fosterers have the knowledge needed to cope with the challenges of the first few days or weeks of a scared dog, the behaviours they may display and the best ways of keeping the dog safe.
We are always looking for additional fosters to open their doors and their hearts to our newly arrived dogs, to give them a nice soft bed, give them some good food, socialisation and assess their needs for any future adopter.
Many of our dogs will not have had the luxury of living in a home so as well as enduring a long journey; meeting new people they have never met; they are then taken to a home that is full of strange smells and noises; usually with a garden with more strange smells, the smell of flowers, other animal scents, and things like grass to roll on and mud to dig in; where they need to learn where to go to alleviate themselves outside and learn distraction techniques so you know they are asking; start to learn boundaries and commands; have to wear a collar and get used to what a lead is.
We need fosterers that have the time and patience to help our dogs adjust to living indoors in a home in their time, and to be able to commit to seeing the dogs journey through to adoption. This could be anything from a few days to a few weeks depending on the dog, how quickly and well it adjusts to family life and on the right family applying when the time comes for a foster dog to go up for adoption.
Sometimes we need foster spaces for dogs that may have been returned or who need to be moved foster because they are not fitting in with resident dogs or other animals; or children. Sometimes we have dogs that have arrived with health issues that may need a foster who can support them with vet visits or treatment plans. and there are always emergencies! Dog Free Foster spaces are especially helpful.
Fostering a dog for A New Leash for Life can be hard work at times but is is very rewarding; seeing your foster dog settle; seeing it gain confidence and learn to trust and then seeing it go off to it's forever home; gives you such joy. To know that you have helped your foster dog to learn the skills needed to move to a forever home; capture a family's heart and give them a chance to have a fulfilled life as a much loved happy dog is heart warming.
