Our adventures as a foster dog family
Okay, I don’t really think I’m a terrible foster mom.
But I want to share the mishaps/mistakes that I made in this last week fostering. Basically, to show you that we are all learning as we go and that no matter how long you’ve been doing this, you still mess up.
And that’s okay.
My worst day saving dogs is better than someone else’s best day wishing they could save them.
Continue reading “Confessions of a Terrible Foster Mom”
My newest book is a little different. It’s a passion project, for sure, and it’s been five years in the making. It’s also a nonprofit venture.
Huskies are special. Leche is the second Husky we’ve fostered. The last one was equally special. Special dogs require special adopters.
Which is why so many Huskies land in shelters. The combined intelligence, athleticism, curiosity, and drive is both a joy and a challenge to live with. In the five days we’ve had Leche with us, I’ve already heard from multiple Husky owners and met several when we’ve taken Leche out with us. They all tell me how much they love the breed, how special they are, how beautiful Leche is, and then I hear stories of the Huskies they’ve loved. It’s like a club.
Continue reading “Huskies are special.”
Since arriving here in my foster cottage, Berry has had a pretty sheltered life. We’ve journeyed all over the back roads around me at dawn and taken dozens of turns around our back pasture, but beyond that, his world has been pretty small.
Not anymore! If there was any doubt that Berry is a dog about town, it has all been shushed. My ‘shy’ guy spent this past Saturday greeting all kinds of people at the Farmer’s Market and in downtown Woodstock.
Continue reading “Berry’s Day Out”
It’s the little moments that feel like big progress with Bonnie and Clyde. Having spent their entire life until now in a small, poop-covered room, they are like giant, bewildered puppies most of the time.
In the early days, we worked on eye contact and impulse control (sit before being let out of crate or out the door or having dinner served). I improved my ability to be patient and learned to respond to the tiniest improvement. Now, over a month later, they’ve both more or less mastered those big asks.
Continue reading “Little Moments Equal Big Progress”
Who is looking for a little dog?
Nearly all the puppies I foster are large breed puppies, but for a change I’ve got some littles!
I was interviewed this week by a reporter from our local paper about fostering dogs. It’s such a regular part of my life and community now, that I don’t really think of it as novel. It’s just what we do.
But her questions made me think about why I foster and what I get out of it.
Continue reading “Why I Foster”
Up until recently, I haven’t really worried about Argus finding an adopter. He’s such a great guy, so easy to have around, so sweet, so minus any serious hang-ups, I figured eventually someone would be willing to drive ‘all the way’ out to the Shenandoah Valley to adopt this guy.
But now we’re going on four months together and he’s still here. Still the same sweetheart. Still full-body waggling his happiness at the sight of me. Still obediently trotting into his crate for too many hours at a time.
Continue reading “Adoptable Argus”
“Sure, and when we find a good one, we’ll keep it.”
This was Nick’s response to my question, “How about if we foster a cat?”
I didn’t point out to Nick that his response was the very same one he’d had about the possibility of fostering dogs seven years ago, and then we subsequently fostered almost 200.
Continue reading “Another Good Cat (or Three)?”
I’m out on shelter tour for Who Will Let the Dogs Out. I’d love for you to follow along….
Another Good Dog™ 