My First Mistake as a Foster

AUGUST 22, 2014

Foster “failures” are not failures at all, really.  They occur when a foster family chooses to adopt their temporary houseguest and make it a forever home.  They are perfectly acceptable and encouraged!  Fostering to adopt is a great way to "test-drive" a dog in your life and ensure the commitment you are making is one you can keep forever. For those wANTING to foster for the foreseeable future without becoming “that crazy dog lady”, please heed my warning.

I chose a dog I loved. Yes, I love all of the dogs I meet...but this was the type of dog I had been dreaming of for years. At some point I developed a fascination with larger breeds, the bigger the better. Thundora fit the bill. Being a 70lb Cane Corso Italian mastiff with jowls to fit, she was underweight, patchy and wobbly... but she was beautiful. I had waited years to become a foster mom and relished in the instantaneous special bond we shared. I had waited so long for a dog like her and she had waited even longer for someone to love her.

The transition wasn't easy. From a free and single 25 year old with one independent feline, to a full-time mommy and caretaker of a dog with severe separation anxiety. But just as any mother will tell you - it's worth every drop of blood, sweat and tears in the process. Fostering has an upside over raising children though; [relatively] instant gratification. Don't wait 18 years, no, no, no.  Watch your fur-children mature in just days, weeks or months. The incredible strength in your foster animal will inspire you.

Shortly after taking in Thundora, I took her to the beach for an evening stroll. I wanted her to feel the same calmness and serenity I feel when I sit and watch the waves roll in and out, a little bit of a breeze to whisk away the heat of the day. But she couldn’t even climb the few stairs it would take us to get down to the shore.  She was a senior, severely underweight and suffering from arthritis.

When doing a home visit for her four weeks later, I prepared the potential adopters that she may not be able to make it up to their bedroom on the second floor. Before I could finish my sentence, Thundora flew up the flight of stairs and checked out all of the accommodations they had to offer before flying back down.

I like to call those moments small victories, and they keep me motivated to continue reviving and rehoming animals.

So how did I recover from my first foster mistake? Well knowing that Thundora is now in an amazing home where she will be spoiled rotten until the end of her time, that helps.  I also over (or under) compensated my next time around by taking in two bonded brothers, who can't weigh 10 lbs combined.

I’ve never known anyone else in my life to foster dogs, so I was emotionally unprepared. Fortunately, I cried my eyes out, ate a tub of Ben & Jerry’s and tore through a box of Kleenex so that you don’t have to.  I’ll save those tips for another time.