Friday 5: Thoughts on Fostering

Happy Friday!  This weekend seemed like it was a long time coming.  While I have a busy weekend ahead, I'm really looking forward to it!  I'm linking up with Mar, Cynthia, and Courtney for the Friday Five today.  Make sure to stop by!

So, my nice friend has been pretty stressed at work lately and when he was looking at the Lucky Dog website (he was going to help me drop off some donations and was checking the address....he doesn't just peruse the site for dogs like I do ha!) he came across this puppy and it was love.  Neither one of us has time for a puppy full time right now, but I figured we could at least over night foster so we can get a bit of a puppy fix.  I haven't fostered in so long, and I started thinking about the process and how it has changed for me over time.  If any of you have fostered before, feel free to comment below!  I would love to hear about your experiences!

1. I have to remember they aren't my dogs.  Maddux is the most spoiled pup in the world and I'm pretty sure the older he gets, the more I give him whatever he wants.  You never know what the foster pup's future family will want from them, so you have to give them more boundaries than you might give your pup.  Not always easy!

Bless her heart, Cream knew nothing about boundaries.

2.  It gets easier.  I used to be one of those people who said they could never foster because they would want to keep every dog.  (I actually almost did!  I feel in love with my first pup, and basically the only reason I didn't fill out paperwork to adopt her was because I wanted to prove to all the doubters that I could be a successful foster haha!)  I have mostly stuck to the over night fosters, so it is a little easier to say goodbye, but I have to admit there have been some tears!  I cried like a baby when I said goodbye to my first foster, and then I had a couple of other pups who were so scared and shy that I hated the thought of leaving them in boarding.  I was positive that there would always be water works, but surprisingly enough, I have gotten much better as time has gone on!

3. You are doing something great for these dogs.  Sometimes I have a hard time with fostering, because you are bringing a dog into your home for a short time, yet in that short time many of them get insanely comfortable.  They don't understand why they don't get to stay with you, and often they bond pretty quickly.  This is where I have to keep reminding myself that it is so much better than the alternative.  If I didn't offer them a place to crash for the night then they would be stuck in a scary shelter with an unpredictable future.  In the long run, they find their forever homes and can live the life that they deserve.  At this time, I know it wouldn't be fair for me to keep any of them on a permanent basis and if I did decide to adopt I wouldn't have room in my home to foster any others.

4. Adoption updates are the BEST.  Lucky Dog is really great at posting adoption updates, and I always get so excited when I see one of my former fosters loving their new homes.

5. Meet my new foster!  I'm so excited to hang out with this cutie and know he won't have any trouble finding a home.  Look at that face!  I'll be sure to post updates for you guys, but if you are interested in meeting him click here for more information.

Thanks to Lucky Dog for the picture!

Have a great weekend!