Foster home for the dog

Table of contents

What is a Foster Home?
Why Should I Become a Foster Home?
Challenges
1. The Biggest Challenge
How to Become a Foster Home
The Responsibilities of a Foster Home

The term foster home is often mentioned in the context of animal welfare. Many people cannot quite grasp what it entails, except that foster homes usually take in a dog for an uncertain period and provide a home until the dog finds its "forever home." If you want to learn more about fostering dogs, then you are in the right place!

What is a Foster Home?

A foster home takes in a dog from an organization for an indefinite period to provide the dog with a better chance of finding a suitable "forever home."

The foster home can often assess the dog's character better than the associated organization because they do not have to manage an entire animal shelter or rescue station. Additionally, a foster home can start teaching the dog basic commands, such as walking on a leash and housebreaking, and help acclimate the dog to life in Germany. This adjustment is particularly challenging for dogs from international rescues at the beginning.

Moreover, better photos of the dog can be taken, which are very important for increasing the dog's chances of adoption. There is often not enough time for this in foreign shelters.

Why Should I Become a Foster Home?

Many people, especially those who already have dogs or children, are reluctant to adopt a dog based solely on a photo and a brief description from an organization. They prefer to first see if the dog suits their needs, such as whether the dog is really good with children or if the combination would be too stressful.

As a foster home, you also benefit: you learn new behaviors with each dog, expand your knowledge of handling different dogs, and much more.

Additionally, it’s a wonderful feeling when the dog finds a beautiful new home.

Challenges

A dog may not have any training when it first arrives at your home. This means it will likely not be house-trained and might not be able to stay alone. These skills need to be practiced, which requires time.

If you already have dogs, the foster dog may not get along with them initially. Sometimes it takes a few days for things to work out. In such cases, you'll need to manage the situation and be able to separate the dogs if necessary.

The Biggest Challenge

The longer the dog stays, the harder it is to say goodbye. This is especially true when dogs stay for a longer period, increasing the risk of "foster failure"—where the dog ends up finding its "forever home" with the foster family. However, this isn’t really a problem; it’s something wonderful!

How to Become a Foster Home

If you decide to become a foster home, you should look for a reputable organization and get in touch with them. Then, you should find out if they are looking for foster homes and what requirements they have for foster families. Together with the organization, you will determine which dog suits you, and then the arrival of the dog will be planned.

The Responsibilities of a Foster Home

First and foremost, I need to pick up the dog from the airport or transport vehicle. Upon picking up the dog, double securing is crucial. Everything is new to the dog, and it may be insecure, so it should only go outside double secured for the first few weeks and be on a leash even in the garden.

Once the dog is at home, I should treat it as my own. This means teaching it things like house-training and walking on a leash.

The foster dog should also be exposed to various external stimuli and, with the help and support of the foster home, get accustomed to life in Germany.

It is also important to assess the dog's character after the adjustment period and take good pictures so the organization can share them and list the dog on adoption portals. Additionally, I can assist by listing the dog on adoption portals myself or hanging a flyer at the local pet store.

As a foster home, I should have the time and motivation to care for the dog. Patience and empathy are also necessary, as the dog may not understand everything immediately and may initially be insecure and need some time to settle in. While experience with dogs is beneficial, the organization usually finds a suitable dog even for those without it.