Don’t Give Up On Someone You Love.
–by Laura Miller
HAVING FOSTERED AROUND 50 DOGS OVERTHE LAST 14 YEARS, and having worked with several different rescue organizations, I’ve learned a thing or two about what makes a canine adoption success- ful. One thing is clear: Successful adoptions are much more likely to occur for well-behaved dogs who possess pleasant temperaments. Fortunately, some dogs who
enter the foster care system are real- ly great dogs whom their owners have had to surrender due to cir- cumstances beyond the dear dog’s control such as the owner’s death or a serious illness in the human’s fam- ily. In such cases, the dog comes pre-trained and the adopting party can usually ascertain the dog’s back- ground. Unfortunately, such cases represent the minority. Most dogs who enter the
foster care system have been given up for less compelling reasons. For instance, some of the situations my foster dogs have experienced include: •A boyfriend buying a dog for his girlfriend as a Christmas gift, only to discover that the girlfriend did not want a dog, and thus having to return the animal after a few short days. •A family having a baby and deciding they no longer have time for a dog. •An owner moving, and choosing not to bring his dog with him. •An owner putting in new white carpets in the house, and not wanting the black Lab to shed fur on the new carpet. •A dog who has medical needs. This could include a diabetic dog who needs shots twice a day for the rest of its life, a dog getting cancer, a dog with special needs, etc. •An owner who can no longer afford to keep the dog. •A dog who constantly escapes the owner’s backyard or house. •An owner who did not at first recognize how much time and energy it takes to raise a puppy. •An owner being called away for military duty. •A dog who was purchased for a child who has since grown up and moved off to college; the parents no longer want the dog. •A couple who separated, and one of the partners decided to give the dog away. •A dog who is aggressive or has bitten someone. •A dog who is destructive. Luckily many dog owners who have struggled with the ques- tion, to keep or not to keep, have chosen a more humane path by
60 THE NEW BARKER
surrendering their dogs to a rescue organization instead of to an overfilled shelter. Rescue organizations strive to place animals in lov- ing foster homes until forever homes are located. Shelters, on the other hand, may have to euthanize animals if they are not rehomed quickly. Of course, some shelters are better than others: many shelters work with local rescue groups that will arrange for shelter dogs to be placed in foster homes. Owners could also try to find new homes for their dogs within their circle of family or friends. Whatever path is chosen, deciding whether to keep or give up your dog is usually one of the most painful decisions an owner has to make. The owner often feels guilt about not being able to do more or offer more. The role of a dog foster parent
Laura and Bear.
is not only to take care of these dogs who are given up, but also, (ideally), to rehabilitate the dog as much as possible in order to reduce the
chances of that dog being returned to the rescue organization after he is adopted. (Note: any reputable foster dog organization will offer to take the dog back if the dog and the new family turn out not to be a good fit.) Rehabilitation, of course, necessitates training. Not every foster
parent is a certified dog trainer, and not every dog is surrendered for the same reason. As such, every situation must be addressed differently. Some rescue organizations will have a trainer available or will reach out to an independent dog trainer to help a foster family rehabilitate their new charge. As a certified dog trainer and dog foster mom myself, I have been able to accommodate almost any circumstance. The kind of rehabilitation program you choose will differ
greatly based on the situation. A dog who is showing signs of aggres- sion needs to be introduced to leadership fundamentals in order to establish a trusting, and respectful pack ranking. He will need struc- ture, rules, positive reinforcement, and lots of love to help him rebuild a sense of trust over time. On the other hand, a dog who was sepa- rated from his owner due to the owner’s death, military duty, or mov- ing may need training to address possible separation anxiety or the fearfulness that might come with being in a new house. If the new owner does not provide training, any negative
behaviors that the dog exhibited previously – perhaps the behaviors that led the original owners to give up the dog in the first place – will reintroduce themselves in the next home. For instance, a dog who has been abused might be so fearful and distrustful that he won’t have anything to do with the new owner; he may constantly hide, or go into freeze or flight mode anytime the new owner approaches him.
www.TheNewBarker.com
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