Pam Culver
March 18, 2019

Preparing your Home to Foster a Dog

Foster Dog by Home

You have decided that you would like to foster a dog! Great! There are so many rewarding benefits to fostering a dog! Now its time to start preparing for your foster dog to arrive that includes getting fit to the right dog. What do you need to consider on your list of what you are not comfortable dealing with in your foster dog. Also, how to prepare your home and your personal pets!

Fitting to the Right Foster Dog

There are a few things that you must consider when being fit to the right dog for you and your family. First and foremost, how much time do you have to devote to this dog? If you are gone many hours of the day it is important to be fit with a dog that does not require as much attention. Also, some dogs need a foster parent to be home more hours of the day to provide medical care for any possible health issues. Finally, are there any behavioral problems that you are not comfortable dealing with? If you have children, you would not be comfortable having a dog that is aggressive towards children.

Preparing your Own Dogs

Before bringing a foster dog into your home with your current pets there are a few things that you need to do. One of those things is to make sure that your dogs are up to date on their vaccinations. You never know what the foster dog has been exposed to including upper respiratory infections, parasites, and infections.

Preparing your Home for a Foster Dog

When your foster dog arrives, you will want to have your home ready. Never underestimate what a foster dog is capable of getting ahold of or what they can get into. If you don’t want to lose it, put it away. The foster dog also needs its own designated area where it can feel comfortable and at ease. Make sure that this area is a space that is easy to clean up and has nothing that you do not want to lose in it.

Tips

Keep these items away from pets
- Electrical cords
- Toxic plants
- Toxic chemicals
- Medications
- Cosmetics
- Lotions
- Trash cans
Keep washer and dryer unit lids closed
Keep toilet lids closed
Block any spaces where your vacuum cannot fit but your foster dog could
Use child proofing latches to secure cabinets and doors

Now that you have know a little more about preparing for your foster pet you are almost ready to begin your rewarding journey.

For more information on fostering a dog for New Leash on Life, please visit our Foster page and complete an application.

For more information on preparing to foster a dog visit:

https://www.petfinder.com/animal-shelters-and-rescues/fostering-dogs/best-dog-foster-care/

https://www.petfinder.com/animal-shelters-and-rescues/fostering-dogs/preparing-to-foster-a-pet/

Finding the perfect dog for you!

When it comes to finding the right dog, you must think if you can even handle a dog in your current situation. For instance; what home you have like an apartment, small home, or a large home. Then, do you have a yard or where is your home located like downtown or suburb or even rural. Secondly, it comes to people at home, how long will the dog be alone each week to even the average age group in your home. Then, even how active you are to how energetic your dog should be. All of these you really need to take into thought when it comes to finding the perfect dog.

Another thing to take into consideration is the type of dog. Are you looking for a small to large and even giant dog? How much you are willing to spend on the dog each week to keep them happy throughout the week. Another thing to consider is how often will your dog be groomed each week, whether this is once a week to 2-3 times a week.

https://www.akc.org/dog-breed-selector/

There are many quizzes that go over what dog is best for you. This site here I found to be the best as it has you select your lifestyle and your situation. A plus side is that it gives pictures unlike the others, so you can get a visual of what it is asking if you’re not to for sure.

Taking care of a dog takes a lot of time and effort but it’s a friendship that will last a lifetime.

Should I Foster a Pet?

When thinking about fostering a dog there are many things that you must take into consideration. Preparing your home for a pet can be a lot of work as well as ensuring that the health of the pet fits with your best interests. Another aspect to think about is that most dog fostering programs are short term. Be sure that you will be prepared to let go of the pet when the time comes.

Preparing your Home for your Foster Dog

When preparing your home for a foster dog you need to have space to separate your personal dogs from foster dogs. A space without carpet is preferable. You will also need to prepare for cleanup and damages. The more that you can prepare, the more that you can prevent damages.

Your foster dog will likely need to see a veterinarian at some point in their stay with you. Check with the rescue to learn which veterinarian that they work with, most rescues work solely with one veterinary office that work with them at a reduced or no cost. With that being said, you must be able to get to the veterinary office quickly in the case of an emergency. Knowing the signs of illness in dogs is very important. Catching any sicknesses early and making an appointment to see the vet can be vital in preventing serious illnesses.

Foster Dog Running in Snow

Emotional attachment to a foster dog can be a difficult thing to deal with. Sometimes foster dogs may be with you for months, but you need to remember that the pet is with you temporarily. You must also be able to remind friends that this dog is not your dog to adopt out. Although, they can go through the rescue organization to submit an application for adoption.

Questions to Ask

Some things that you may want to know

Length of adoption
Who pays for medical bills
Who pays for supplies (food, leash, collar)
Attendance requirements at adoption events
Can you adopt the dog if you choose

The decision to foster can often be a difficult one, but it can be a very rewarding experience knowing that you did your part in rescuing a dog. When making the decision it is a good idea to take into consideration all aspects of protecting your current dogs, your home and being able to protect the foster dog from illnesses or injuries, as well as knowing what to do in those instances if or when they happen.