Forever Homes

And just like that, the foster dog of dogs, is gone.

Having Gina here was such a treat. Both Nick and I agreed that if we didn’t already have three dogs, we would have seriously considered foster-failing.

So, it’s awesome that she got the perfect home, right here in the valley.

Gina’s adopter has a huge heart for her dogs. Especially big dogs. She shared pictures of her two previous dogs who have both passed on (at 13 and 14 years of age, which is a long life for a large dog!).

Donna was looking for another dog not just for her, but to be a companion and playmate for her dog, Charity. Charity is a young black lab mix with outsize energy and a happy spirit. She was also rescued from West Virginia, which I took as the first sign these girls might be meant to be.

When I took Gina to visit for a home check, the two dogs hit it off immediately tearing around the fenced backyard like puppies. Minutes later, Donna told me that Gina wasn’t going anywhere, she was home.

I was relieved to hear that she and her husband have purchased the lot next to theirs so they can expand the dog’s area – which is a good thing because the shady spot is bound to become a mud pit with these two wild girls playing in it all day.

After hearing Gina’s story, Donna assured me that she would be treated like a queen and spoiled rotten. Which is a good thing, because quite a few of us are pulling for this pup, not the least of which is the family that originally fostered Gina all winter, pulling her out of the small pen in the woods in West Virginia, where she’d been living for the previous year. Besides them, there are all the people who have spent time at Saving Webster Dogs, readers of this blog, and of course, my family. All of us are thrilled.

This is the reason we rescue.

This past weekend we also picked up a foster dog for Operation Paws for Homes. Long-time readers of this blog, know that I fostered nearly 200 dogs and puppies for OPH, but haven’t had an OPH foster dog since December of 2020. We took a break after our parvo nightmare and then subsequent move to Virginia. I’m excited to be back saving dogs with OPH, an all-breed rescue that has foster homes in VA, MD, DC, and south-central PA.

Argus, is a sweet, young pup who weighs about 45 pounds (my guess). He’s mostly white except for his head, which is brown, so he looks like a foster dog we have about 8 years ago. Kylie was one memorable dog who we had two opportunities to babysit for another foster. I think I remember that she was eventually adopted by a man who owns a bar and went to work with him. That was another perfect ending for a party-girl pup.

Back to Argus – he will turn one in May so he’s spent his puppyhood in rescue. Previous to coming to OPH, he was in an outdoor rescue in Mississippi. He’s super sweet and a bit on the shy side. He’s not ready to trust me yet and bolts in and out of doors and crates as if someone has slammed a door on him at some point. I’ve assured him that I’m not the door-slamming type, and always stand well away from openings until he’s gone through them, but so far he’s skeptical.

What he could really use is a buddy. He enjoyed his two days with Gina, but once she was gone, his concern about my intentions have grown. Oddly, my dog-reactive dog Otis has befriended him through the fence, but as I don’t want Argus to have any evidence to back up his fear that we are dangerous, I’m putting off that introduction.

Instead, we are going to meet a possible new foster dog for the Humane Society of Shenandoah County this weekend. She’s a few years older than Argus, and reportedly very dog-friendly, so paws crossed she’s a good fit. Having another dog here would definitely go a long way to helping Argus feel more comfortable and safe.

As I get to know him, I’ll tell you more. For now, I can say that he is very affectionate and loves to be petted and cuddled. Loud noises, like doorways, make his heart race. We will work hard to help this guy feel safe and ready for his forever home, but it always kinda breaks my heart when a dog this young is already so fearful. Thankfully, his fear manifests in bolting into a crate or corner and he doesn’t seem to have an aggressive bone in him.

I know there is a family out there for him, just like Gina and Kylie. So, if you’re that family or know someone who might be, you can apply to adopt through Ophrescue.org or contact me for more information.

Until Each One Has a Home,

Cara

For information on me, my writing, and books, visit CaraWrites.com.

If you’d like regular updates of all our foster dogs past and present, plus occasional dog care/training tips, and occasional foster cat updates (!) be sure to join the Facebook group, Another Good Dog.

And if you’d like to know where all these dogs come from and how you can help solve the crisis of too many unwanted dogs in our shelters, visit WhoWillLetTheDogsOut.org and subscribe to our blog where we share stories of our travels to shelters, rescues, and dog pounds.

If you can’t get enough foster dog stories, check out my book: Another Good Dog: One Family and Fifty Foster Dogs . Or its follow up that takes you to the shelters in the south One Hundred Dogs & Counting: One Woman, Ten Thousand Miles, and a Journey Into the Heart of Shelters and Rescues.

I love to hear from readers and dog-hearted people! Email me at carasueachterberg@gmail.com.