Why Should I Adopt a "Fostered Rescue Dog"?

Former foster Clare and current foster Emma frolicking in Tahoe

Because I'd really like to see little Miss Emma in her 'forever' home for the holidays, I've been stepping up my efforts to get more people to meet her. I posted her on Craig's List late last week and got a few emails about her, which was nice. However, some people were put off by her adoption fee ($350) , which is set by CARE (the rescue organization) not by me (a volunteer). The fee includes spay, all vaccinations, microchipping and a first vet visit, which is actually a great deal.

More importantly, what it also includes that a shelter does not is the benefit of FOSTERING. Don't get me wrong, if you want to adopt from a shelter you will find many wonderful dogs who really need a home. But fostering is so much more!

SO WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE A FOSTERED DOG? First of all, fostered dogs live in private homes, not in shelters. We usually have our own 'forever' dog(s), plus a varying quantity of foster dogs who stay with us anywhere from a week to over a year. I have one forever dog, Brogan and one foster dog, Emma, so she gets a LOT of attention.

SOME OF THE BENEFITS OF ADOPTING A FOSTERED DOG:

1) They are well socialized: Emma goes everywhere dogs are allowed to go. She has been on trains, in stores, beaches, parks, dog-friendly restaurants, dog parks and is a great car rider. When I first got her she was terrified of new situations and threw up every time she went in the car... now she's a pro!

2) A foster volunteer can really tell you about the personality of the dog in a home environment. While shelters do their best and some are better than others, usually it is a very stressful environment for any dog and you won't see the true temperament come out until the dogs settles into its new home (2-4 weeks).

3) One-on-one training: Emma gets daily practice in 'real life' obedience. That's what I call all the stuff that makes a dog fun and easy to live with. House training (though Emma came that way!), crate training, sit, down, stay, off (as in off the bed), up (as in jump into the car) and basic safety commands such as 'don't touch' and 'come'.

4) And probably the most important: LOVE AND SECURITY. For the time Emma is with me, she IS my dog and it's my job to give her all the love and self-confidence I can to help her be the best dog she can be.

The other question I keep getting (because I obviously love the little thing so much), is "Why don't you keep her?". First of all, that's not our goal as foster volunteers. As hard as it is, our 'job' is to love our fosters enough to get them to their 'real' homes. If we kept them all, we couldn't help any more dogs.

Emma is my 17th foster. I did end up keeping #16 (my beautiful pitbull Mama Jodhi who just passed last Christmas), but the others have gone on to have wonderful lives with the people they were meant to be with. I've already written about my friends in Lake Tahoe who 'time share' Brogan when I'm traveling: 9 years ago they adopted the lovely 3 legged Clare, my foster for about four months. Audrey, a pit bull-boxer mix and former foster, has just become an official medical alert service dog for her person, Johanna (yeah, Audrey!!).

In case you are new to the blog, this is NOT EMMA!! This is service dog Audrey.

And the other question I get about Emma is "If she's so great, why have you had her so long?". Good question, complicated answer! Here goes:

1) There are a billion chihuahuas out there for adoption. Along with pitbulls they are the most common breed in shelters. Emma has a LOT of competition and most people want tiny 'purse' dogs. At 12 pounds, Emma is neither a purse dog in size or temperament. She is not tiny and shaky... she has the spirit of a terrier, the heart of a lion and the playfulness of a court jester.

2) Emma is too smart for her own good. She knows she's got a sweet situation right here with Brogan and me. She figures out quite quickly when she's being 'shown off' to a potential adopter and puts on her "I'm a timid little stoney-faced boring dog' act. It's really quite amazing to watch. The Emma you meet as a potential adopter is NOT the Emma I get to enjoy every day, which is one reason I started this blog, where I can talk about the REAL Emma.

3) She needs exercise and does not like tiny children (toddlers). Many people attracted to chihuahuas think they are purse dogs whose feet never need to touch the ground. This is why I stress that Emma has a terrier personality and is really a big dog in a little body. As for the toddler thing, it's just not a good fit. I can only guess that there is some history of bad experiences that she may or may not overcome as she gets older.

4) Finally, I'M PICKY. This is an awesome dog, certainly one of the best fosters I've had, and I'm going to make darn sure she goes to an excellent home where she gets cuddles, walks and trips to the beach!

OK, that's it for my primer on why you should adopt a foster dog. I leave you with my favorite picture of my beloved pit bull, Mama Jodhi. Jodhi came to me as a foster for 'just a week' as her time had run out at the shelter and she was scheduled to be euthanized. She was in the shelter because her own very loving owner had recently passed away. When I first saw her, I thought "That is the most boring dog I've ever seen... the oatmeal of dogs!". Within one week of being out of 'prison', she was the most expressive dog I'd ever seen. Within a few months I knew she was a 'foster dog' in name only. I adopted her at 8 years and she passed at 15. She was the kindest, gentlest soul I've known and a credit to pretty pitties everywhere.

NO MATTER WHAT DOG YOU CHOOSE, PLEASE ADOPT FROM A RESCUE GROUP OR SHELTER AND DON'T BUY FROM DISREPUTABLE 'BREEDERS'.