# Our first Foster Dog!



## Squeeker (Dec 15, 2007)

The DH and I decided to foster a while back and our first dog has come to live with us - meet Chelsea!

She's a mutt of unknown mixture (we are thinking lab for sure, maybe rottie as well?) that we estimate to be about a year or a little younger. She isn't very big, maybe 20" at the shoulder, and less than 50 lbs. She is a very gentle, polite girl, but has very little formal obedience training, so we are starting with the basics of sit, down, stay, leave it, and loose leash walking.

Though she is a bit timid, she loves every animal and human she has met. She and Libby have been getting along quite well! I have no doubt that she will be adopted quickly!


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## Mdawn (Mar 3, 2007)

She has such a sweet face! I love her!


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## Mac'N'Roe (Feb 15, 2008)

awww, she's so sweet! thank you for fostering


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## Thracian (Dec 24, 2008)

Oh, terrific photos.

And thanks for fostering! I admire anyone with the time and ability to do it.


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## digits mama (Jun 13, 2007)

She is beautiful! good of you to foster..Thank you.


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## MissMutt (Aug 8, 2008)

How nice of you to open up your home to a dog who needs it.

She is very pretty. Her facial expression and eyes reminds me a lot of Marge in the third picture. Must be that common Lab ancestry.


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## rosemaryninja (Sep 28, 2007)

What a pretty girl. I think Rottie/Lab is a good guess. I love those black & tan markings.


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## jcd (Nov 20, 2007)

is there a little gsd in her? something reminds me of a gsd. maybe the snout a bit or ears? really pretty girl!! good for you and your 1st time foster


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## LuvmyRotti (Oct 26, 2007)

Squeeker said:


>


I see Rottie, and GSD in her face in this picture. She is cute!


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## Jen D (Apr 23, 2007)

That's great you are fostering! She looks like such a sweet dog she would make someone a great pet.


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## Stitch (Nov 1, 2007)

Kudos for fostering! She's a beaut!!!


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## meg&bernie (Mar 24, 2008)

What a cutie!!!!!!


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## TeddieXRuxpin (Sep 11, 2007)

What a little cutie pie! She looks like she's adjusting very well. 

It's so great of you to take her in and let her have a chance to start over.


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## Squeeker (Dec 15, 2007)

Thanks for all the compliments!

She is a very sweet dog, and is settling in well. She still whines a bit at first right when crated, but she is quickly figuring out the routine.

We trimmed her nails tonight as they were quite long, and she didn't even bat an eyelash! I was able to do all 4 feet.

Next thing will be a bath... one step at a time.

I am not sure that I see any GSD in her at all... I just took a standing picture to give you a better idea, and for size. She must have a smaller breed mixed in...?


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## [YouKnowIt] (Jan 11, 2009)

She is beautiful. Her eyes get me  How wonderful of you to take her in.


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## Squeeker (Dec 15, 2007)

> She is beautiful. Her eyes get me


How funny of you to say that... she has an eye infection in both eyes as of this morning


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## [YouKnowIt] (Jan 11, 2009)

Aww, she does? I'm sorry. Poor thing. 
They're gorgeous anyway


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## Squeeker (Dec 15, 2007)

Don''t worry, we're getting her all fixed up. They are already looking better


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## Squeeker (Dec 15, 2007)

Just in case anyone is interested... here's Chelsea's Petfinder thread!

She is really doing well here!

http://www.petfinder.com/petnote/displaypet.cgi?petid=12470803


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## Squeeker (Dec 15, 2007)

Update!

We took Chelsea for her first car ride since the day we picked her up. She didn't want to get in... but we took her to the local dog park, so I am sure she will associate it with positive things! Now that she's settled in, we will be taking her for more car rides to exciting places to get her more comfortable in the car.

She did great at the dog park! She was a hit with the dogs AND the humans.

We also bathed her this afternoon. She wasn't too keen, but once in the tub she stood still for her scrubbing. She smells and feels MUCH better now!

She and Libby are pooped now! 

Here is a photo of the tired dogs on the couch, as well as a video of Chelsea's progress!


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## Renoman (Mar 20, 2007)

I just found this thread... sorry I missed it.

Chelsea is adorable and she and Libby look like they've become good friends already.


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## Squeeker (Dec 15, 2007)

Chelsea has a new home!

We did the home visit yesterday, and her new family was approved... 200 acres, out in the country on the lake, a small farm with two horses and another dog to play with... certainly a dog's life!

They will be picking her up this week, so we have a few more days to say goodbye.

We are so happy for her... but she will be missed!


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## Renoman (Mar 20, 2007)

That's great news!!! 

Sounds like Chelsea will have a wonderful time with her new family.

Does Libby get to go visit?


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## MoonStr80 (Oct 9, 2006)

She does not have a body build for a Rottie nor a GSD. I think she could have a hound in her? But she's a pretty dog


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## Thracian (Dec 24, 2008)

How wonderful that you've found a new home for Chelsea. She's a beauty, and it sounds like her new home is perfect for her.


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## Squeeker (Dec 15, 2007)

Update:

Chelsea is going to be staying with us a while longer. The previously mentioned home refuses to sign the rescue adoption contract as they do not wish to vaccinate or give heartworm preventative to her, even though they do this for their other dog. 

We're glad we get more time with her, but wish she could find that forever home...


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## Bonn1997 (Dec 17, 2008)

beautiful! Is that a Spaniel mix in the background?


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## Thracian (Dec 24, 2008)

> The previously mentioned home refuses to sign the rescue adoption contract as they do not wish to vaccinate or give heartworm preventative to her, even though they do this for their other dog.


That's crazy! Well, she definitely deserves to have a home that will take proper care of her. Enjoy the additional time with her.


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## Squeeker (Dec 15, 2007)

> beautiful! Is that a Spaniel mix in the background?


That is my Brittany, Libby. 



> That's crazy! Well, she definitely deserves to have a home that will take proper care of her. Enjoy the additional time with her.


I know. I was disappointed at first, but then I realized that it's for the better. We have more applications for her, so I imagine she will be going to a new home shortly.


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## Squeeker (Dec 15, 2007)

Chelsea was adoped tonight  It was love at first sight, as soon as they saw her puppy eyes:










She went to the perfect home - she will be loved and adored by a really nice family with 2 boys, aged 8 and 11. 

The house is so quiet without her wiggly butt around!

It was a great 3 months... we were both sad and happy to see her go. Good luck, Chelsea!


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## Thracian (Dec 24, 2008)

Hooray for Chelsea! I'm glad she found her home and that you were patient enough to find her the right one.

Are you planning to foster again? If so, I hope you'll post again about the experience.


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## Squeeker (Dec 15, 2007)

We do, but not right away. We have a lot of life changes happening this year - DH will be getting a new job once he graduates, we will be moving to a house... so we will wait until we are settled again.

It was a great experience, though, and it was so rewarding to see her happily trot out the door with her new family


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## Bonn1997 (Dec 17, 2008)

How many dogs do you have? Is it just the Brittany? Will it be an adjustment for her to lose her buddy? The adjustment for my dog to gettting and then losing a buddy is something that I'd be a little concerned about if I were to foster.


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## Jacafamala (Apr 6, 2009)

My new pup looks a bit like you foster pup, and with a similar personality! Here.  They told me he's a Shepherd/Husky mix...I guess rescue mutts are always a bit mysterious in terms of their "pedigree".


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## rosemaryninja (Sep 28, 2007)

Aw no!! I was going to, uh, gently encourage you to keep Chelsea... she's such a pretty girl and it looked like she hit it off so well with Libby. In any case, I'm glad she found her forever home... be sure to keep in touch with her new family so you can see how she grows!


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## Squeeker (Dec 15, 2007)

> How many dogs do you have? Is it just the Brittany? Will it be an adjustment for her to lose her buddy? The adjustment for my dog to gettting and then losing a buddy is something that I'd be a little concerned about if I were to foster.


Yes, we just have Libby. I was actually a bit worried about just that, but so far today Libby has been acting completely normal. I am sure she misses the playmate, but I think she also enjoys her uninterrupted relaxation, as well as 100% of our attention. I am sure it depends on the individual dog, though.



> My new pup looks a bit like you foster pup, and with a similar personality! Here. They told me he's a Shepherd/Husky mix...I guess rescue mutts are always a bit mysterious in terms of their "pedigree".


Aww, what a cutie! I can really see the husky in Cassidy. I would have loved to do a DNA test on Chelsea... our most recent breed guess was Lab x black and tan coonhound. So many people thought Rottie, but she just didn't have the size... she's half the size of a Rott, and has none of the bulk. While she doesn't have the snout or ears of the coonhound, she does have the floppy neck folds 




> Aw no!! I was going to, uh, gently encourage you to keep Chelsea... she's such a pretty girl and it looked like she hit it off so well with Libby. In any case, I'm glad she found her forever home... be sure to keep in touch with her new family so you can see how she grows!


 I was actually super proud of myself, as I am usually the type of person that instantly bonds with living things... I managed to keep my heart at a distance for this and, though it was harder to let her go than I thought it would be, I did OK. I was a wreck last night, though... I kept dreaming that she tore up their house, puked on their couch, pooped everywhere... but this morning I had an email update from Chelsea's new family, and I guess she is settling in great! Had a great first night, and slept all night on her new dog bed (she was crated here), and they are absolutely smitten with her! I feel so much better!


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