7 Most Important Things to Consider Before You Foster a Dog

If you are considering fostering a dog for the first time, there are a few things you should consider. Not only must you make sure that the foster dog fits in with your family and is comfortable in your home, but you also must attend to any special needs the foster dog may have. You must also be prepared to give the time and attention needed. Finally, and this is often overlooked, you must prepare for the emotional aspects of bringing a foster dog into your home, and eventually letting it go to its forever home. In all, you will find that fostering a dog is a challenging but richly rewarding experience that will create lasting memories for your whole family. The following 7 tips will help you to prepare to foster a dog.

1. Become familiar with the procedures and policies of the agency you are working with. Be sure to ask a lot of questions to learn what is expected of you as a foster as well as what you can expect. For example, how long might you keep the dog? What if it takes longer than expected to find an adopter? Who is responsible for regular veterinary visits and health care? Are there any things you aren’t allowed to do with your dog? Some rescues do not allow you to change your pet’s hairstyle, for example, without permission.
2. The dog’s health: The health of the animal you are fostering is a very important component that is not considered by many. Before bringing a dog into your home, make sure it is cleared by a veterinarian so that it will not negatively affect you or any other members of your household. Also, it is important to know if the dog will need any special medical care such as regular medications or follow up visits to the vet. Another thing to consider is who will be responsible for medical expenses if the dog gets injured or sick. Make sure you discuss this with the rescue or shelter you are working with.
3. Prepare your home: Home preparation is a vital aspect when boarding a dog. Before you begin to prepare your home, some things to consider are the dog’s size, habits, and behavior. For example, if you are living in an apartment, it would not be advisable to board a large dog that needs lots of outdoor time. When it comes to your home it is necessary to “dog proof” your home by removing dangerous and valuable items from the dogs reach and covering furniture you do not want the pet to come in contact with.
4. Make sure you have the time: Fostering a dog takes more time than most people think. It isn’t as simple as feeding the dog daily. Meeting your dog’s exercise and activity needs requires time, and attention, so be sure you are willing to get out and walk or play with your dog. You will also need to devote some time to cleaning up after your dog. Not only will you need to pick up poop, but you will need to plan to bathe your dog regularly as well as do a little additional house cleaning to remove pet hair and stains.
5. Be prepared for accidents: In some situations, you may have to completely house train the dog you are fostering if it has not been already. In any case, you will have to be patient as it may take the dog some time to become comfortable with its new environment.
6. Emotional Attachment: A certain struggle with those who foster is attachment, in some scenarios the person fostering will decide that they want to keep the dog. This is known as a “Failed Foster”. While this can be a happy ending for both you and the dog, this may limit your ability to foster additional animals in the future and may represent a lost resource for the rescue agency you are working with. Be sure to take these things into consideration as you make choices about your relationship with your foster dog
7. Don’t forget all of the advantages of fostering: Fostering can be very fun and rewarding. Fostering a dog can give you the opportunity to make a real difference in an animal’s life by giving them a warm and loving environment until they find a lifelong owner. Fostering a dog is very worth it, when fostering a dog you will create precious memories and experiences that will last a lifetime.

In conclusion, there are many advantages and potential disadvantages to fostering. So before you foster make sure you take all of these details into consideration so you can be fully prepared to accept the challenges and the rewards of becoming a dog foster.