# Need advice on adding a foster..



## mom2kdg (Jan 12, 2007)

I am a foster with labs4rescue, or should I say foster failure. I adopted Rambo, my first and only foster. I want to jump back in and help with fostering. I have asked the organization for advice, etc with adding another dog but I really want the advice from your experience on this forum. You guys are alway upfront and honest and I value any and all advice/comments.

Anyway here goes. I want to take a foster dog this week for a local upcoming event to show the dog, etc. Background, I have Rambo who love the company of other dogs and I have a cat and three children 5, 6, and 11. Rambo is a male around 1 1/2 to 2 years old. What would be a good dog to bring into the house with him. He is on the submissive side but very playful when we meet other dogs on walks. Should I get an older/younger dog, male/female, puppy? I just want to make this a somewhat smooth transition.


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## Shastar (Nov 29, 2007)

When we fostered larger dogs I would first take everyone to go meet the dog. Didnt matter to me if it was male or female or what breed. I would take our 2 dogs, the 3 kids and hubby (didnt take the cats). We would take it very slow at first we would meet through the fence while keeping our dogs back till I could see how the dog would react to my kids. Then while still on the opposite side of the fence I would bring up one of my dogs at a time and see how that went. If all went well I would then slip into the fence and see how the dog reacted to me, then I would let the kids come in one at a time starting with the oldest giving at least 10 mins before letting another one come in. Last would be hubby.

If all went well then everyone but me would leave the fence and I would start with the bigger of our dogs, first again opposite side of the fence and if all went well I would bring her in the fence with the other dog and see how they reacted. If that went ok then I would take her out and let our little dog in and see how that went. If that went ok then both dogs were in the fence with the foster. If all went well then all the family would came back into the fence and just play with all the dogs. Now if everything was going great we would take them home and foster them. Again repeating the process at home.

I would keep the foster in the crate to let the cats check them out and as long as they were ok with that cats I would let them out for only a few minutes at a time till I could see if they were ok with the cats.

Time at the shelter usually over an hour but under 2 hours. Time to test them with the cats around a week until I was comfortable to trust them to have the run of the house.

Only ever had one dog fail the tests and that didnt happen till we brought her home. 

We have fostered around 20 dogs in just about 5 years.

Hope that helps.


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