# Foster Pups & Morale differences.



## goonmom (Mar 28, 2013)

I started fostering for the first time 2 weeks ago with the two little puppies we have. They were in a litter of 12, but some people "reserved" certain puppies (maybe they were fostering to adopt?), and I didn't think my husband would give in to let me have another dog-- so I said "Gimme whoever needs some love." The lady grabbed two little puppies and off we went! 

I'm in love. How do you not love these dogs when they stay with you and they cheer you up, keep you busy, listen and don't listen, and steal your heart?! 

I believe I have my hubby convinced to let us keep one. We need a big dog. We live in Phoenix area (Arizona), so it's only natural to need a big dog.. amiright?

I have no idea how I'm gonna choose between these girls. They are both so different and both so sweet and smart. Both decently good with the kids (for puppies, that is!), and both love me. Even harder! I'm desperate to find someone who wants the other puppy, but I kind of doubt that will happen. Waaaahhh.. 

Anywho. They're Pitbulls. (I'm sure they're mixed).

Here's a few pics that shows how much we've enjoyed them both these past two weeks!








She just couldn't make it to bed!








Lyla, laying on my lap as I feed my human baby a bottle. Her head is resting on him-- she looks like she's smiling to me. 








Sisters! I painted their nails before their last adoption event. (I hadn't decided to keep one then.. luckily neither of them got adopted!) 








My daughter "feeding the baby" a bottle.. (fake doll bottle). Little Momma!








Puppy bath! One of my favorite pictures. "I got you Sis!"








Lyla likes to hang out on my dishwasher, while I wash dishes of course. Probably not the best thing to encourage a large breed dog to do, but hey, ya gotta live yo life! Hehehe.








My son and Lyla. Darling!









Can't get enough of this picture! 



So there they are! We adore them! Second adoption event is tomorrow. I'm freaking out because I still can't decide which one I want to keep!

EDIT: Ignore the "morale differences" part.. I decided not to write about it because I don't want to bad-mouth. (It's the rescue that I have some difference of opinions with).


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## BernerMax (Mar 15, 2013)

goonmom said:


> I started fostering for the first time 2 weeks ago with the two little puppies we have. They were in a litter of 12, but some people "reserved" certain puppies (maybe they were fostering to adopt?), and I didn't think my husband would give in to let me have another dog-- so I said "Gimme whoever needs some love." The lady grabbed two little puppies and off we went!
> 
> I'm in love. How do you not love these dogs when they stay with you and they cheer you up, keep you busy, listen and don't listen, and steal your heart?!
> 
> ...


Adorable, just keep the one that doesnt get adopted (the parti coloring on that one makes me think hound mixes of some sort, and if they dont get that big, beagle or terrier).... Or both if neither gets taken (doubt that they are soooooo cute.....).......


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## goonmom (Mar 28, 2013)

BernerMax said:


> Adorable, just keep the one that doesnt get adopted (the parti coloring on that one makes me think hound mixes of some sort, and if they dont get that big, beagle or terrier).... Or both if neither gets taken (doubt that they are soooooo cute.....).......


It definitely reminds me of a beagle! If I look at her from the side, I'm like "beagle!" Then I see her half white face and it does look a little more pit. They had the Momma pit, so they're definitely at least half pit (but the rescue lists these puppies as "Pitbull" not "Pitbull Mix", so.. not sure.) And that's one of the "morale" things.. you can't adopt two of the same gender. Not even puppies. :/ I couldn't afford two anyway, but I feel bad for one of the other foster moms who fostered two boys and didn't know that rule either. She really wanted to keep them both and they would not let her!


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## taquitos (Oct 18, 2012)

Oh... my heart just stopped!! THEY'RE SO ADORABLE HOW DO YOU DEAL OMFG...

And the first time is always hard... but you'll see that it will get easier, especially if you get to meet the adoptive home and you are sure that they are a good match  My first foster broke my heart when she left. I wonder everyday how she is doing (luckily the owner still writes to us from time to time to keep us updated ). Just remember that if they find forever homes, you can help even more dogs by fostering more 

Also, I love pits/pit-xs sooooo cuute!


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## Vicky88 (Jan 29, 2012)

They are so cute!. I was leaning towards Layla but not anymore, i see why you are having trouble picking so badly. I hope they both find homes, either with you or with someone else.


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## packetsmom (Mar 21, 2013)

Sooooo cute! . I don't know how I'd pick, either.


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## goonmom (Mar 28, 2013)

taquitos- That's what I'm saying! I don't know how to deal! I'd really like to keep one (I'm thinking Lyla.. for now), but I honestly am not sure we will. (So hard!) :/ I guess we'll see how it plays out & what happens. I hope it does get easier. I won't be fostering through this rescue again, but I would like to continue fostering. It's wonderful! 

vicky- Thank you! I don't think they'll have a problem finding homes. They're so cute and doing awesome with their "potty training"! (It helps to have other dogs that are potty trained, I think.  ) 

packetsmom- Thank you!


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## taquitos (Oct 18, 2012)

goonmom said:


> taquitos- That's what I'm saying! I don't know how to deal! I'd really like to keep one (I'm thinking Lyla.. for now), but I honestly am not sure we will. (So hard!) :/ I guess we'll see how it plays out & what happens. I hope it does get easier. I won't be fostering through this rescue again, but I would like to continue fostering. It's wonderful!


Haha it can be so hard. I get attached to every foster we have (You just get so used to having them around the house... you can't imagine life without them). I started out just fostering (didn't have a dog of my own), but my heart started aching every time the dog had to leave, so now I have my own to help me through the heartbreak. He makes things easier... and it is also good for him since he is not socialized properly since he is a rescue from a puppy mill.


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## goonmom (Mar 28, 2013)

taquitos said:


> Haha it can be so hard. I get attached to every foster we have (You just get so used to having them around the house... you can't imagine life without them). I started out just fostering (didn't have a dog of my own), but my heart started aching every time the dog had to leave, so now I have my own to help me through the heartbreak. He makes things easier... and it is also good for him since he is not socialized properly since he is a rescue from a puppy mill.


I know I will get attached to each and every one too. I just can't help myself! I'm glad I have my dogs as well, to help me through it. And yes! I didn't do a good job of socializing my two, and I can already see that it's helping them. Such a good benefit!


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## Shell (Oct 19, 2009)

They are both adorable. 

As far as giving up the fosters, I just like to think about the fun homes the fosters go to (I meet the new owners and do the home visits and sometimes get to see them later and get updates via FB) and the excitement of helping another foster and the wide variety of personalities that make life with fosters fun and challenging. 

I would suggest trying to make the choice BEFORE an adoption event and don't drag out the choice. If you hem and haw, your foster pup might miss out on a good home and linger in the "system"

While you may disagree on it being a blanket policy, I think not adopting two of the same gender ESPECIALLY puppies when dealing with bully breeds is a very good idea. On a case-by-case for adult dogs, it can work out, but adopting 2 puppies at the same time is generally a bad idea (littermate syndrome) and adopting 2 of the same age and sex in a breed type with a higher chance of dog aggression (which may not show until maturity at age 2-3 years) is generally a very bad idea.


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## nickjordan11 (Apr 2, 2013)

That last picture is beyond adorable!


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## goonmom (Mar 28, 2013)

Shell said:


> They are both adorable.
> 
> As far as giving up the fosters, I just like to think about the fun homes the fosters go to (I meet the new owners and do the home visits and sometimes get to see them later and get updates via FB) and the excitement of helping another foster and the wide variety of personalities that make life with fosters fun and challenging.
> 
> ...


Thank you!

The tough thing about this rescue is that I'm not sure they actually do home checks. The event I went to a few weeks ago (my first one), they had 4 dogs adopted on-site, and just by watching the process I don't think they do. :/ So that will definitely make it 10x harder to give them up. I'm excited to find them homes and for them to live great lives with their new families, but it will be hard not to have them around, for sure. 

A very good point in regards to the "system lingering"-- I have brought them both to the events I've attended even with questioning whether I was going to adopt one or not. Unless I made a definite decision, I wouldn't keep them at home and have them miss their chance or get too big for someone who wants a "little puppy", etc. 

I would have to disagree with the same gender adoption, though I do see why someone might feel that way. I just disagree with "bully breeds" being the only types that need special rules-- if they feel that way about those breeds, then that should be their policy for all the dogs- it bothers me more because they specialize in "high risk breeds" (being pitbulls in our area), and are trying to show that Pitbulls aren't any different from other dogs-- only they have special rules for those breeds only. Doesn't add up to me. JMO. 

Thank you for your input and for your view on the subject!  





nickjordan11 said:


> That last picture is beyond adorable!


Thank you! She's so funny!


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## CptJack (Jun 3, 2012)

goonmom said:


> \
> I would have to disagree with the same gender adoption, though I do see why someone might feel that way. I just disagree with "bully breeds" being the only types that need special rules-- if they feel that way about those breeds, then that should be their policy for all the dogs- it bothers me more because they specialize in "high risk breeds" (being pitbulls in our area), and are trying to show that Pitbulls aren't any different from other dogs-- only they have special rules for those breeds only. Doesn't add up to me. JMO.


Most repsonsible pitbull owners will tell you that while they are just dogs and very human safe they DO have special rules. Denying their tendency to be dog aggressive doesn't do anyone any favors. They advocate things like opposite sex homes, and 100% supervision or separation when unsupervised because there is NOTHING wrong with being dog aggressive, doesn't make the dog defective, but it DOES have to be managed and acknowledged. Not all pits are DA, not by a long shot, but until that dog's several years old, you're just not going to know. And even a pit who won't start a fight will finish one. NONE OF THESE mean there's anything wrong with the dog or the breed, but ignoring it is a set up for more backlash against the breed as a whole. And the breed is already in a pressure-cooker and under a microscope.


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## goonmom (Mar 28, 2013)

CptJack said:


> Most repsonsible pitbull owners will tell you that while they are just dogs and very human safe they DO have special rules. Denying their tendency to be dog aggressive doesn't do anyone any favors. They advocate things like opposite sex homes, and 100% supervision or separation when unsupervised because there is NOTHING wrong with being dog aggressive, doesn't make the dog defective, but it DOES have to be managed and acknowledged. Not all pits are DA, not by a long shot, but until that dog's several years old, you're just not going to know. And even a pit who won't start a fight will finish one. NONE OF THESE mean there's anything wrong with the dog or the breed, but ignoring it is a set up for more backlash against the breed as a whole. And the breed is already in a pressure-cooker and under a microscope.


Perhaps it's because I've never been a Pitbull or bully breed owner, but I haven't met many dog-aggressive "bullies". I have been a Veterinary Nurse for 7 years, so I have met many dog aggressive dogs, but they were many different breeds (yes, some of them being pitbulls or other "bully breeds", but not any more of them than other breeds). I'm not trying to "deny" anything, I just plainly don't agree-- based on what I've personally seen. The rescue isn't advocating 100% supervision or separation, they don't do home checks and they spay/neuter far too young. I think their policies are kind of silly since they aren't as thorough as they should be if they're advocating such a rule. 

My apologies if I've offended anyone, these are my own opinions and I'm not trying to change anyone's opinion on the matter- yours is yours and mine is mine.

Maybe my opinion will be changed the more I work with and become more familiar with the breed, but for now, this is how I feel on the subject.


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## CptJack (Jun 3, 2012)

Sure. I've quit working with rescue groups I don't agree with, based on philosophy differences. I'm not trying to convince you about yours. I am just saying that theirs (in that regard) is fairly common among bully breed rescues, owners, and breeders, so there's something behind THAT part of it. And of course the rest, with the s/n. I have no idea what their reasoning in not doing homechecks is. 

But if you're not comfortable with them, I'd definitely be looking to get out and hook up with a group you have a better philosophical match with.


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## goonmom (Mar 28, 2013)

CptJack said:


> Sure. I've quit working with rescue groups I don't agree with, based on philosophy differences. I'm not trying to convince you about yours. I am just saying that theirs (in that regard) is fairly common among bully breed rescues, owners, and breeders, so there's something behind THAT part of it. And of course the rest, with the s/n. I have no idea what their reasoning in not doing homechecks is.
> 
> But if you're not comfortable with them, I'd definitely be looking to get out and hook up with a group you have a better philosophical match with.


I understand, and like you said-- perhaps it's for a reason. I'm still learning. I honestly don't know about the home checks, but I think maybe it's because they do so many rescues from the "kill" shelters and take in so many and they don't currently have a space of their own-- they only use fosters. They didn't even check MY home.. should've known to walk away right then! 

I'm going to look into a different group as soon as the puppies get adopted. I'm just afraid they won't let me foster them if they should get returned (hopefully they won't), which of course I would do no doubt.. blah. :/

There is this AMAZING rescue here but I'm afraid I won't meet their standards for a foster home (small children, little time to devote outside of the home). They're called Mayday Pitbull Rescue and Advocacy. They just finished visiting a juvenile correction facility and educating the people there about pitbulls and dog fighting, etc.! So amazing. They take in ALL KINDS of severe cases of trauma and do some amazing rehabilitation. I'd love to work with them, but I may need to wait until I have the time I need for that sort of fostering.  <3 

I'll be researching rescue groups until then!


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## Shell (Oct 19, 2009)

goonmom said:


> The tough thing about this rescue is that I'm not sure they actually do home checks. The event I went to a few weeks ago (my first one), they had 4 dogs adopted on-site, and just by watching the process I don't think they do. :/ So that will definitely make it 10x harder to give them up. I'm excited to find them homes and for them to live great lives with their new families, but it will be hard not to have them around, for sure.


Sometimes we do what appears to be on-site adoptions whereas in reality, it is either to someone known personally or someone that has already had a home check for maybe another dog (example- we did one where it turned out the dog wasn't cat safe, but if we had a cat safe dog, we wouldn't need to do a second check) or just planned ahead before they came to meet a handful of dogs at one event to choose one.
It would be very good to know for sure if they do home checks or not if you end up fostering with them again (or just in general so you can answer questions about them if someone is interested in adopting from them) but not all rescues do or some do a "check-in" visit during the first week etc, others just require a pre-approved application and reserve the right to check up on the dog.




goonmom said:


> Perhaps it's because I've never been a Pitbull or bully breed owner, but I haven't met many dog-aggressive "bullies". I have been a Veterinary Nurse for 7 years, so I have met many dog aggressive dogs, but they were many different breeds (yes, some of them being pitbulls or other "bully breeds", but not any more of them than other breeds). I'm not trying to "deny" anything, I just plainly don't agree-- based on what I've personally seen. The rescue isn't advocating 100% supervision or separation, they don't do home checks and they spay/neuter far too young. I think their policies are kind of silly since they aren't as thorough as they should be if they're advocating such a rule.
> 
> My apologies if I've offended anyone, these are my own opinions and I'm not trying to change anyone's opinion on the matter- yours is yours and mine is mine.
> 
> Maybe my opinion will be changed the more I work with and become more familiar with the breed, but for now, this is how I feel on the subject.


Unfortunately given the situation for pit types, early spay/neuter is generally considered the best choice before adopting dogs out. It simply isn't possible to police every adopter to make sure they don't breed the dog accidentally or on purpose and given the huge percentage of shelter dogs that pit types make up, early S/N becomes a better trade-off. In some areas, the temptation for the money and the ease of arranging a breeding makes it a big risk. The last 2 female pit bulls who looked pure APBT that I fostered I got asked at LEAST once per week by a stranger if I was interested in breeding the female with the stranger's male dog. Here, pit bulls and mixes in many parts of the city are eligible for FREE S/N which indicates how over-represented the breed type is in shelters.

If you don't agree with the rescues policies, that's just fine since there are so many different rescues and options for people to help out, but there can also be some good reasons behind what they do. I would like to see them encouraging separation when unattended though. 

I do agree with CptJack about being a responsible bully breed owner and considering that they DO have special rules when it comes to other dogs and when it comes to being good breed ambassadors. Ignoring those dog-dog needs is where a lot of people get into trouble. 2 of my last 6 bully breed fosters were selectively dog aggressive and had leash/barrier aggression. So even while they attended training classes, group walks with a variety of dogs (mainly bully breeds) and played with my dog, they were also highly managed and supervised.


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## goonmom (Mar 28, 2013)

Shell said:


> Sometimes we do what appears to be on-site adoptions whereas in reality, it is either to someone known personally or someone that has already had a home check for maybe another dog (example- we did one where it turned out the dog wasn't cat safe, but if we had a cat safe dog, we wouldn't need to do a second check) or just planned ahead before they came to meet a handful of dogs at one event to choose one.
> It would be very good to know for sure if they do home checks or not if you end up fostering with them again (or just in general so you can answer questions about them if someone is interested in adopting from them) but not all rescues do or some do a "check-in" visit during the first week etc, others just require a pre-approved application and reserve the right to check up on the dog.
> 
> 
> ...


Good point-- there very well may have been previous adoptions or had already done a home check. I guess I'm just going off of the vibe I got from the people adopting at the time and the things they said sounded like they hadn't met before and had just become interested in the dog when they showed up and saw them. Again, I could be wrong. Regardless, there are some other things that just don't sit right with me at this rescue and I think I'd be better suited elsewhere. 

I should have mentioned that I'd considered that a possibility- that not everyone is as responsible as I am in ensuring spay/neuter (at an appropriate age), etc, but I was hoping that since I was a foster/volunteer that they would give me the benefit of the doubt and allow me to hold off for a few weeks (Or let me unofficially adopt her, and in a few weeks when I felt more comfortable to spay her then "officially" adopt her and get her spayed at that time). I can see WHY they would want to get it done before rehoming most dogs to the general public, but I still feel more comfortable waiting AT LEAST until they're 12-16 weeks at the EARLIEST to spay/neuter-- if we lived in a perfect world. I've seen rescue groups that do a contract and have to have the spay or neuter certificate sent to the rescue group by a certain date. Again, not everyone is responsible and I know they don't want to risk more breeding, etc. 

I will take what you both have said regarding "good breed ambassadors" about bully breeds to heart and do more research on the topic and helping my fosters to become well rounded individuals, and be sure to be more careful with my dogs and bully breeds (I wasn't NOT careful with them before, but these puppies are sure growing fast!  )

Thanks again!


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## CptJack (Jun 3, 2012)

Shell said:


> they DO have special rules when it comes to other dogs and when it comes to being good breed ambassadors. Ignoring those dog-dog needs is where a lot of people get into trouble. 2 of my last 6 bully breed fosters were selectively dog aggressive and had leash/barrier aggression. So even while they attended training classes, group walks with a variety of dogs (mainly bully breeds) and played with my dog, they were also highly managed and supervised.


And this is why I will probably never own a pit, in spite of loving them. I know I am not the owner they need and that I would do more damage to a breed I love than help. The ONLY exception would be a 5+ year old dog, who had shown no signs of animal aggression. I'd still keep on a leash and crate and rotate, but there's a level of stress I can't handle. An older dog, I figure, is at least more likely to get me what I am looking for. And even then, there are better fits out there for me.


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## goonmom (Mar 28, 2013)

CptJack said:


> And this is why I will probably never own a pit, in spite of loving them. I know I am not the owner they need and that I would do more damage to a breed I love than help. The ONLY exception would be a 5+ year old dog, who had shown no signs of animal aggression. I'd still keep on a leash and crate and rotate, but there's a level of stress I can't handle. An older dog, I figure, is at least more likely to get me what I am looking for. And even then, there are better fits out there for me.


There are lots of breeds out there and not every breed is right for everyone.  

Still, I'm dying to keep Lyla. Someone please come take her from me!


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## Abbylynn (Jul 7, 2011)

Oh my ..... Lyla would be my pick too.  Something very inquisitive in her eyes.


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## goonmom (Mar 28, 2013)

Abbylynn said:


> Oh my ..... Lyla would be my pick too.  Something very inquisitive in her eyes.


She's a hoot. And she LOVES my baby son.. too much.  She heads straight for him every time she comes back in the house and he's crawling around just to lick-attack his face. I try to prevent it, but when the 2.5 year old opens the door and lets them in before I'm ready.. well, you get the idea. Hehe!


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