I’ve been fostering for about a year and a half now and have to say, aside from the emotions that are involved, the meet and greet has to be my least favourite part.  Some times they are lovely, I meet amazing people and my dogs are respected and understood and then there’s the other times, when the energy of the people and the dog just don’t work.

I saw it with Lucy and now with Ben.  While I admire and respect those who wish to rescue, obviously I’m an advocate for it, unless you understand dogs, stick with puppies (and yes you can rescue puppies).

Ben, my adorable lab-x foster, as playful as he is cute and so snugly.  When he’s not playing Ben is curled up next to me.  Ben is young, still a puppy, he still mouths and chews and explores everything. Ben will also bark and/or growl if he’s unsure of someone and they approach him too quickly.

Ben had his first meet & greet and everyone was so excited to meet him.  The family started calling Ben all at once and approaching him in a way he felt threatened.  Ben immediately barked and I explained he is a bit unsure with meeting new people.  The family then started to respect Ben’s boundaries but one member of the family remained nervous of Ben. Despite the fact Ben happily lazed around me during the meet and greet and would let calm family members pet him, Ben was still extremely aware of the energy in the room from the person who feared him.

He would growl at this person whenever they came near him, he sensed the fear and it freaked him out.  In the end the family LOVED Ben and saw his potential to be a wonderful pet but the fear of the one the family member, we all agreed, was not worth the risk.

When meeting a dog for the first time, regardless of your excitement or fear try to remain calm!  I myself am awful at this as I love dogs and have zero fear, which resulted in me getting bit in the face by a friends dog at work one day.  Dogs feed off our energy and whether we mean to scare them or not, they can be startled easily if not approached properly.

 

 

 

 

I have been asked to assist in trying to re-home this sweet dog.  Please share and if anyone is interested reach me at:  fosterdogmomblog@gmail.com

Meet Leroy!  Leroy is a Malamute mix who is very affectionate with his human.  Leroy is 6 years old, neutered and up to date with his shots.  He is due for his next round of shots in June, and his current caretaker has offered to take care of those for his new family.  Leroy has not been around small children or been cat tested, he does get nervous when around other dogs, so an experienced owner who can help Leroy work through this fear would be preferred.

Leroy’s current owner was unable to take care of him due to medical reason and left Leroy with his mom, who is not in a position to take care of Leroy long term.

Leroy is approximately 65lbs and has medium energy so we are looking for a home willing to give him the exercise he requires.

RESCUES:  Owner does not wish to receive money for Leroy, if you’re able to help foster him and/or adopt him out, your regular adoption fees would be yours.

If anyone is interested in adopting him privately through me, I will be charging $100 and donating it to rescue.  Leroy’s “Grandma” just wants him to find a loving home that can take care of him.

I know I fall for all my fosters (and every dog in general), that’s why I am compelled to do what I do with rescue.  Helping animals is what fuels me.  It’s always exciting (and stressful) when a new foster comes.

Ben’s transition went as well as most of the male fosters transitions do.  It took some time for Flipflop to warm up and now they are brothers.  And I have gotten to know Ben’s adorable personality.

As a foster parent, Ben is a dream, as he has no major trauma from his past.  He is playful, fearless and just a pup (around 16-17 months).  He still has the soft velvety puppy fur that is a dream to snuggle into. And snuggle he does.

From what I know of Ben’s past, his mom gave birth to him under a trailer on a farm in Florida.  The owner of the farm called the rescue to come and get Ben’s litter and his mom as he didn’t want them.  Before the rescue arrived, one of the farm hands took Ben.  I don’t know why, but for whatever reason, this person kept Ben for 14 months and then decided he no longer wanted him so called the rescue.

Ben loves to play, he loves toys and chewing on an antler.  Outside he loves to run and explore, and Flipflop is teaching him to play fetch.  Ben is learning quite quickly. He is mimicking everything and anything Flipflop does (the good and the bad!).

Ben is a very social dog as well, he loves the dog park and daycare, where he can engage with other dogs.  He loves to play chase and wrestle and there hasn’t been a dog Ben hasn’t liked yet!

Ben does get startled easily by people and when he does he will growl or bark, but I’m finding that happens very little.  He has warmed up very quickly to those in my inner circle and has quickly won a place in our hearts.

Whoever adopts Ben is in for a lifetime of fun, with this young dog!

Ben is available for adoption through Royal Canadian Pooch.

 

Adorable, there’s no other words to describe Ben, he’s about 35 lbs, has the head of a lab on a short, long body!  He’s so cute!  When he got out of the van and I saw him for the first time, I was instantly smitten.  His photos made him look like a large breed dog.

Ben is a lab mix, from his mom’s looks and his, there is likely some boxer in there and I think he gets his body from Basset Hound but a friend thinks he has Corgi in him.  Either way he has a whole lot of cute in him!

When he arrived my good friend and neighbour met me outside with Flipflop, Dahlia, their best friend Miss Ellie.  We took the four dogs for a walk in the park.  Flipflop would have nothing to do with me, as long as I was holding Ben’s leash.  My friend offered to take Ben’s leash and as soon as she did, Flipflop was instantly my baby again.

The introductions went as expected, and exactly as I described in my previous blog!  And as predicted on the fourth day (today), Flipflop completely warmed up to Ben.

I’m still learning about Ben but so far I can tell he’s wonderful with other dogs, he’s been to the dog park to play and to daycare with Flipflop and he LOVES the socialization and doesn’t make shy at all with other canines.

Ben seems to be nervous around people at times, I’m still working on what triggers him to be nervous with some people and not others.  Receiving him during the work week has made our “testing” time limited but I’ll work with him as much as possible on his people socialization since I know he’s got no issues with dogs! 🙂

His first night he barked at the cats, I think they startled him more than anything, but now he’s very calm with them.

Ben is likely getting posted on the adoption site this weekend, I don’t expect him to be with me long once he is, as long as I can figure out his people issues.  He gives a little growl when feeling uncomfortable and while I know that’s all he does, I still want to work with him to correct it to give him the best chances of being adopted.

I got the message yesterday, “Are you up to taking in a foster?”  Lucy was adopted weeks ago and doing well with her family, Flipflop is getting restless and board with his “senior” sister, and we have the space in our home and hearts, so “yes” I said and the arrangements start.

I put out clues for my dogs that company is coming, an extra bowl goes out, a dog bed is pulled from storage, Dahlia and Flipflop sniff and are curious.  But it’s not until the new dog arrives that my job really begins.

Ben is a 1-1/2 year old lab mix who is being dropped off after work today.  I have already arranged for a neighbour to take my dogs out to meet Ben and I.  I never introduce a new dog into my home in my home.  We always introduce the dogs outside, this ensures Flipflop (and Dahlia, but it’s usually Flipflop) doesn’t get territorial and try and challenge the new dog, especially when it’s a male dog.

I already know when we get in from our walk, Flipflop will be upset that this dog has come to live with him.  Flipflop will require extra snuggles and reassurance from me that he is the baby.  He will watch the new dog carefully making sure the new dog doesn’t hurt Dahlia or the cats.

Once we go to bed, Flipflop will again get territorial, over me this time. I will need to remind him I am the boss in the house and he needn’t worry.  He will then calm down and sleep beside me, I know likely to show the new dog I am his, which I shouldn’t encourage but I allow Flip to snuggle into me for the night anyway.

In the morning everyone will go for a walk, Flipflop may or may not like the new dog yet. Dahlia really won’t care as long as she gets her attention and morning hugs from me. And then Flipflop and the new dog will go to daycare, where they will spend the day together and start to bond.

Flipflop will start thinking his foster sibling is ok, and start being more welcoming in our home to the new arrival.  He’ll start showing the new dog his toys and seeing if he can engage his foster sibling in play.  Once and awhile he’ll still get upset and give the new dog a warning which I will continue to correct.

By day 4 or 5, Flipflop and his foster sibling will be the best of buds, wrestling and chasing each other.  The first few days of uncertainty and stress will seem like a distant memory as Flipflop takes his sibling under his paw and teaches the dog to play, trust and of course be a dog!

 

There are so many moments of our lives where animals show us lessons in compassion and love.  I’m sure we’ve all seen videos of heroic animals, read their stories, or seen cases where one species nurtures another in need of care.  Their instincts are both beautiful and majestic.

My 3-1/2 year Bahamian Potcake, Flipflop, saved as a young pup, but still bares his street dog instincts.  He’s fast and always on guard, protecting his pack, yet so youthful and playful, and such a snuggle pup with me!

Flipflop’s instincts give him confidence like I’ve never seen in a dog, and also makes him a bit a jerk at times too, which of course, I correct him on.  I believe his confidence and his fearlessness is what makes him such an amazing dog with my fosters.  Flipflop teaches them more than I do about trust and play.

At Flipflop’s daycare, I’m told he always spends time with the new dogs who are a little unsure, until they get their confidence and then he will return to play with his own friends.  And sometimes he just likes to sit in the middle of the room and watch all the dogs interact.

He’s the protector.

My senior girl, Dahlia, who’s been in my life for only a year,  and yet in that year I have seen this broken dog turn into a younger, playful, confident girl.  Dahlia is my canine hero.

A broken dog, literally broken bones and spirt when saved in a joint effort by Eddy’s Dogs and Royal Canadian Pooch, she came to me a few months after surgery. She was scared of me, but loved Flipflop and it didn’t take her long to warm up to me.

And now, no one would even guess that this girl is a senior rescue.  She is confident, mobile and so playful.  I send video’s to her saviours because I know it brings them joy to see how far this amazing dog has come in a year.

No matter what was thrown at Dahlia in her first 8 years of her life, she has overcome it all and has let go of all her fears and anxiety.  The only issue Dahlia has now is her assertive Catahoula personality that makes her larger than life and animated. She dances around like she’s a toy poodle and not an 80 lbs hunting dog, which makes her quite clumsy but so cute.

And then there is Dupont, my amazing collie/shepherd and first dog I owned as an adult.  Dupont was diagnosed with arthritis at 3 years old, along with that, he had ultra sensitive skin and environmental allergies.  All these minor elements made me an expert at dog care and put me in a great position of knowledge with helping Flipflop with his seasonal allergies and enabled me to nurse a recovering Dahlia to health when she moved in with me.

Dupont loved to hike, he and I would go for hours every weekend and it wasn’t until his last few years of life that he couldn’t do his long walks anymore.  Instead, Dupont would enjoy spending countless hours laying in the grass under the shade of a tree.  When Dupont first started laying down and not wanting to walk, I would worry about him a great deal, and then I realized this is how he wanted to spend his senior years.  So, I would bring a book and some water for us both and oblige him.

When I think of these three very different dogs and the joy they have brought and continue to bring into my life, I reflect on some of lessons each of them have taught me.

Dupont taught me to slow down – that sometimes in life it’s nice to just sit still and watch the world go by.  There is never a hurry to get anywhere.

Flipflop taught me patience, he is far from a perfect dog, and there are days he drives me crazy!  But when I see him interact with the new dogs who enter our home, he takes his time to work with each dog.  I see him time and time again showing the foster his toys and how to play with them, until they learn.

And Dahlia, Dahlia has taught me resilience, no matter what life throws at you, you just have to keep trusting humanity and not let anyone break your spirit.

 

 

 

My little foster Lucy, so sweet but so shy had such a hard time finding the right home.

Rescued as a pup from Mexico and then surrendered back to the rescue by 2 years old, she had no trust.  At the time of her surrender, there were no available foster homes, so Lucy was placed in a pet centre where she was well taken care of but the environment was not suited for her nervous personality.    Lucy started shutting down and showing signs of depression.

When I was available to foster again, I couldn’t refuse to help Lucy.  I went to pick her up, she was so scared she crawled to me on her belly.  It was heartbreaking.  Once outside, I got down on her level to introduce myself  to her.

It wasn’t until we got to my place and my trusted friend and neighbour came outside with my dogs to meet Lucy that Lucy started to relax. She instantly bonded with Flipflop, I called it the “terrier connection”!  I had never seen Flipflop warm up to a foster as quickly as he did Lucy.

For months Lucy lived with us, as part of our pack.  Going through meet and greet after meet and greet, each one resulting in Lucy not being the “right” dog.  Lucy must have been waiting for her people to come.  Because when they did, there was NO doubt in my mind that they were Lucy’s match.

Lucy bonded very quickly with her new mom and has made great progress with her dad in just a few days.  She is enjoying her walks and making new friends in her neighbourhood.

I’m so proud of her and how far she’s come with her insecurities, and even though I worried that when Lucy left her insecurities would get the best of her, instead she is flourishing.  Proving once again what an amazing dog she is.

 

 

No, this blog is not about beach footwear, it’s about my Bahamian Potcake, Flipflop.  A potcake is a mixed breed dog found on Caribbean Islands. The name comes from the congealed rice and pea mixture that local residents traditionally fed dogs.

As soon as I saw Flipflop’s photo I instantly wanted to meet him, so I messaged my good friend, who was set to be his foster mom once he arrived in Canada.  He and I were meant to be.

Although I haven’t done a DNA test on him, I swear he’s 80% Jack Russell Terrier and 10% Rottweiler and 10% mystery!  I could be completely off with that guess as well but I really don’t care what he is, he’s my baby.

Flipflop is not what I would describe as a perfect dog, he’s got some street instincts which I have to keep an eye on, but he’s very well socialized, friendly, and high energy!  He’s cuddly, loves his momma and is actually very sensitive.

Obviously I love this dog, but where he really shines the most is as a foster brother.  Flipflop is 3-1/2 now, I started fostering when he was 2, and regardless of the dog, he’s excelled at being a good foster sibling to them.

With any introduction of a new animal into a home, there is always an adjustment period.  Flipflop takes a few days to decide how he feels about his new foster sibling, but it always turns out he likes them.  And when that moment happens, the rest of the foster’s stay with us is magic.

Flipflop’s friendliness, confidence and playful personality lures the fosters out of their shell.  No matter their history, their fears and insecurities Flipflop teaches them to play, trust and love.  He essentially makes them dogs again.

As a foster parent I get a lot of credit from people for helping these dogs heal, but the truth is, I’m just one part of the equation, I  couldn’t do what I do without my amazing sidekick, Flipflop.

Instant gratification when one adopts a dog is something, I am learning, that is an expectation many have.  It reminds me of the commercial, I can’t remember the product, but the ad stuck with me.  A lady adopted a dog and she’s trying to get it to play and it’s just laying there, and then after several attempts the lady gives up. And then you see the dog going up to her with the ball to play.   It’s an awesome commercial, but what the commercial can’t show you is that moment when the dog comes to you can take days, even weeks to happen.

I’m sure it does happen immediately to some, I haven’t experienced but that doesn’t mean it can’t happen.  But when you adopt a pet, your expectation should be it’ll take time.

My poor sweet foster lady Lucy is reminding me of this with every meet and greet.  Lucy is insecure, she’s got a nervous energy and needs calmness and stability.  She also needs a home where people are willing to let her adapt and not expect an instant connection from her.

Every rescue dog a has a story that has led them to rescue.  It’s rarely a happy journey, and it’s our job when we adopt to help the dog get to their healthier path.

When you decide to adopt, you’re a hero, at least me!  But you also need to be aware, that your new family member is going to need time to adjust and get comfortable in their new surroundings.

Every meet and greet I’ve had with Lucy has not ended in success as each family was expecting something from her.  Something that she needs time to give, trust.  Lucy has shown her kindness, how sweet she is, and her fun personality at her past couple meet and greets, however; she has also shown her insecurity.

Don’t get me wrong, I am glad that the potential adopters decide Lucy isn’t right for them, rather than adopting her and surrendering her back to the rescue.  But I also feel that if you’re going to adopt you need to be aware that RESCUE means the dogs have been RESCUED from situations.

Even with a puppy, there isn’t always an instant bond, however; it usually comes easier as the pup has less baggage (and yes, you can get puppies through rescues).

It’s not common, but some lucky people work at dog friendly organizations.  I am fortunate enough to work at one of them, and I love it.

I suffer from anxiety and depression, and  while I diligently workout every day and take my medication faithfully, some days just suck.  These are the days I take one of my four legged kids to work.

I often bring Dahlia, as she’s older and calmer than Flipflop, although he’s quite popular at the office for his antics and playfulness.

Dahlia is my “zen” dog, she is just happy to be around people who want to love her, and she adores her momma.  When Dahlia comes to work with me, she happily lays on the dog blanket I keep in my office, getting up only to greet visitors and to receive some scratches behind her ears.

When Dahlia first came to work with me, I was fostering her and wanted to socialize her.  She sadly walked around the office following me, freezing while people came around to meet her. One of my close friends and colleagues cried while she witnessed Dahlia sitting my office facing the wall, my colleague had never seen such a sad dog before.

A couple weeks later I brought Dahlia back, while she still was unsure she was much more relaxed and rather than freeze while people came around her, she contently received pets and no longer sat facing a wall.  Many saw huge progress in her.

I kept bring Dahlia to work every few weeks and every time she was unrecognizable to people, as she became more and more confident.  I even got asked if she grew, as she looked bigger, but of course she hadn’t grown, she was standing taller and prouder.

Dahlia continues to awe my co-workers and  now  when she comes to work she  runs into the office, tail wagging and ready for love and attention from anyone willing to get it from her.

Bringing my dogs to work not only helps me on my hard days, it provides great stress relief to those I work with.  I also bring my fosters in to socialize them with people.

Yesterday I brought my foster Lucy in for the first time. Lucy has done so well with her insecurities, I felt she was ready for the office.  She didn’t disappoint, she was a very good girl and while she still shied away from the men, she was full of kisses and cuddles for the ladies.

After a couple of hours however; Lucy started finding her way to some of the guys, on her terms and was happy to cautiously give them a kiss and play fetch with them.