# Not fond of my foster dog. Help!!



## GGreleased (Aug 14, 2013)

I'm not sure what to do. I began fostering for a local rescue about 2 months ago. I'm on my second foster dog, a 35 pound 8 month old Shepard/beagle mix. The first was a hound. My dog is a 100 pound bullmastiff mix. I was raised with dobes. I've owned dobes and pit mixes. My fiancé was raised with and owned Great Dane mixes. We both really love the big, short coated, working breeds. My issue is that I don't really like my foster or the previous one. Many rescues in the DC area avoid large or "scary" (words of the puller I work with) dogs when pulling from high kill shelters in the south. I have requested, several times, and been denied these dogs to foster. I wanted to foster for a few reasons. The obvious reason is to save at least what I could of the million a year that are destroyed, but also because I personally wanted a second dog. I thought eventually I'd find a foster I couldn't part with. 

Here's my moral dilemma. I'm not going to get a dog I like as a foster. I'm getting the cute medium size commercial type dogs. That is not what I love. I'm beginning to resent the rescue for not wanting to save what they call the "scary" dogs. I've begun looking on my own for the second dog I really want. I'm not sure how long I want to help the rescue. I have a moral issue with not saving a dog based on what it looks like. We rent. I've checked with other rescues. Not all will let a renter or someone with a job foster. What should I do??


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## Nuclear_Glitter (Jun 20, 2012)

Personally, I don't think you should have got into fostering JUST to find a second dog. A lot of people foster to see if they can handle a second dog, and some "foster fail", sure. 

I think you need to realize you're still saving dogs lives. I foster as well, and I don't really get breeds I would personally choose, either. However, it's not MY dog and I won't have it forever. Just because I don't personally like the breed doesn't mean it doesn't deserve a chance at life and a forever home. Fostering is very helpful and many places need it. The fact is, it IS harder to adopt the "scary" breeds out a lot of the time. I personally love a lot of the "scary" breeds, but a large majority of places can't get them adopted out. 

If you want a second dog of a specific breed, why not just find the dog you want? 

I am not trying to make you feel bad, at all, I promise. I just think that fostering isn't exactly right for you at this moment. If you want a second dog, just go to a shelter, or find someone rehoming theirs. There are plenty of adoptable dogs of the breeds you're looking for.

Best of luck =]


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## GGreleased (Aug 14, 2013)

I do understand that it's not my dog. And I didn't go into it with the sole purpose of finding another dog, but I figured it may happen eventually. There's many fosters who haven't been able to part with a foster dog.

I get the email of the shelter list sent to me from my puller. There for weeks and months set the same dogs because they aren't cute enough. I get that I'm saving lives, it just seems predigest. 

I am absolutely disgusted at how people treat dogs like a new piece of furniture or electronics and then throw them away when they're no longer wanted. I firmly and passionately believe that more people need to recognize the problem of the millions of pets being destroyed a year and help out. My issue is that only certain kinds of dogs are being saved.


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## Nuclear_Glitter (Jun 20, 2012)

I can really agree with you on what you're saying. Pitbulls can't even be pulled from shelters around here unless they're going out-of-state. It's very sad. 

You can try to keep talking with the rescue you're fostering under, or call around to other rescues and see if they save the "scary/bad" breeds. Explaining to your rescue that you have experience with these breeds also may help. 

I hope that you didn't take offense to what I said. I think I was just mislead by your initial post. Being realistic about the fact you could "foster fail" one day is a good thing.


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## GGreleased (Aug 14, 2013)

I did not take offense at all. I'm not young, 43 this month. I have three teens. Over the years I've rescued and adopted hamsters, guinean pigs, cats, dogs, and chickens. I've leaned that most people in this area are impassioned and working hard. They're bound to have strong opinions. It goes with the territory. 

They do know I have experience with these dogs and their occasionally tough personalities. I'm just going to continue looking on my own and try to be more firm with the puller in the future. The current foster is out of a shelter in NC. They were over run and put out a plee for fosters. I, nor my dog or our fencing, is really cut out for a 35 pound dog, but few people had room so I said yes.


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## beardiedawg (Apr 16, 2012)

You may also look to see if there are any breed specific rescues in your area and foster through them. I'm sure there are local "scary" breeds that are being pulled from shelters and need fostering.


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## Shell (Oct 19, 2009)

One advantage to fostering the "cute" dogs is they tend to get adopted quickly. So you can help a lot more of them in a given time frame and getting them out of shelters does help the crowding issues. 

Can you pull and foster directly from the shelter? Hook up with an out of town bully breed rescue? You have verified that there are no breed restrictions at your rental location and that your renters insurance covers all breeds, right?

But for the most part, if you want a second dog, go get a second dog. 

If you want to foster, then in many ways be thankful that you don't prefer the type of dog you are fostering so you can more easily give them up and get new ones repeatedly.


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## SaffronTea (Jun 4, 2013)

43 isn't that old! Also, it's a shame you're not near me, there is a Great Dane rescue desperatly seeking foster homes, and a number of bully rescues.


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