foster dogs, fostering, hound dogs, Humane Society of Shenandoah County

Get the Foster Party Started

Cara Sue Achterberg

It’s quite the dog party at my foster cottage. The last month with the hound dogs has been relatively quiet. Other than the occasional concert, they are a pretty quiet pair. Lots of sleeping, casing the joint for treats, and counter-surfing, but no real rough-housing.

Enter Gina, our party girl. She has definitely upped the energy level here.

Rufus is thrilled to have a playmate. The two have regular play sessions all day long – chasing, wrestling, rolling, and lots of keep away with a toy (but no tug, Gina doesn’t seem to understand tug, she just gives the toy up). For a dog who is supposed to be seven, Rufus has some serious game.

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barn cats, dog rescue, foster dogs, heartworms, Humane Society of Shenandoah County

Fostering Dogs, Cats, and Possums?

Cara Sue Achterberg

For those who don’t have a program:

We are currently fostering Ladybug and Rufus, two sweet hound dogs who were abandoned on a farm and ultimately rescued by the Humane Society of Shenandoah County.

Rufus Goofus and Ladybug are an adorable pair together but available to be adopted separately.

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barn cats, cats, former foster dogs, fostering, fostering dogs, Humane Society of Shenandoah County

Moles Plus Dogs Equal Cats

Cara Sue Achterberg

Our yard looks like a five-year-old was turned loose with one of those mini back-end loaders you see in public park sandboxes.

Only there are no children here, just moles.

And dogs attempting to find the moles.

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dog rescue, Ehrlichia, foster dogs, foster-to-adopt, fostering, heartworms, Humane Society of Shenandoah County

Ain’t Nothing But Two Hound Dogs

Cara Sue Achterberg

I’m pretty sure my neighbors know what kind of dogs we have squirreled away in our foster cottage.

Rufus and Bug sing lovely songs periodically that make me smile. I’m not even sure what gets them started or what they are singing about. The serenades rarely last long and sometimes happen shortly after I’ve left them, but sometimes two hours later.

Continue reading “Ain’t Nothing But Two Hound Dogs” →
adopters, dog rescue, Ehrlichia, foster dogs, heartworms, Humane Society of Shenandoah County, owner responsibility

When the Rescuer Needs Rescue

Cara Sue Achterberg

Rescuing animals can be is overwhelming.

I know that first hand, as does anyone in the rescue world. It’s part and parcel to the whole rescue mentality – you want to help and you can easily over-extend. You can’t bear for animals to suffer.

And sadly, lately, that proclivity to take on more and more has led to rescues turning into hoarding cases.

Two different situations came through my world this weekend that I could do nothing about, but a local wannabe rescuer’s overwhelm did spill into my world, or to be exact, my not-quite-finished foster cottage.

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adopters, foster dogs, fostering

Happy Endings Never Get Old

Cara Sue Achterberg

I’ve put off this post, not because I didn’t think it was going to work, but because I didn’t want to put undue pressure on anyone. This one really felt meant to be, but until I got first reports, I thought it best to stay mum.

Moose was adopted! I’m super excited that this special boy is going to get the life he deserves.

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dog rescue, fostering dogs

The Foster Dog I Hope to Never Meet

Cara Sue Achterberg

Let me explain.

I’ve been watching Gina’s journey from a distance since I met her back in August at Saving Webster Dogs.

I actually must have met her back in June when I traveled there with Who Will Let the Dogs Out on a shelter tour, but at the time there were over 100 dogs and somehow, this large, muddy, sweet dog didn’t catch my eye.

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canine health, feeding dogs, foster dogs

Low Calorie Doggie Snacks

Cara Sue Achterberg

Our latest foster, Moose, is on a diet. I can’t remember ever having a foster dog who seriously needed to lose weight. Moose needs to lose about 20% of his weight. He arrived weighing close to 95 pounds and really should be closer to 75.

No problem, right? Since we control what he eats and how much he exercises. (I’ve always thought I’d love to go to a diet camp where someone controlled all that for me.)

And we are controlling how much he eats – measuring his food (only a high quality, grain-free dry food) and serving it with a vitamin and probiotics.

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foster dogs, fostering, training

The Moose Project

Cara Sue Achterberg

After three weeks with Moose, I’ve learned a few things about our big boy (who lost five pounds and is now only 87 pounds!).

Moose has no idea that he is enormous. He never uses his muscle or size to break in or out of places. Initially, we put him in our ‘tiger crate’, the giant steel dog crate we purchased after a previous foster broke out of (and in the processed destroyed) two large wire crates.

Moose wasn’t crate-trained when he arrived, so it seemed like the safest place to put him, knowing that at 92 pounds, he could easily force the wire crate open if he wanted to. This week I transitioned him into a regular crate and he’s never challenged it, even when left alone overnight.

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dog rescue, foster dogs, fostering, training

Moose Moves In

Cara Sue Achterberg

I’ve tried. Hard. For the sake of my family and our new home and the holidays and my husband’s patience.

I’ve tried not to foster.

The plan we made (and I agreed on) was once we were settled in our new house, put up a dog fence, and renovated the cottage, then I would start fostering again.

So, we’re here. Mostly settled.

And the dog fence went in last week.

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