Foster Care Provider for Dogs?

[lostnscared]

I'm very interested in getting a dog. My mom got a toy poodle a while ago, and I enjoyed him so much that I've expressed interest in getting a dog.

 

The only issue is that currently, I do live in an apartment--but I plan to go back to school next year, full time, and most likely will be in a dorm or another apartment with a roommate. There is a great possibility that I may not be able to have a dog next year. So rather than going out there and completely adopting a dog, I'd like to be a foster parent until I'm more sure about what the future holds.

 

I know a few in my area, looking for foster parents, but the only issues I have are:

 

A) I work from 8:30-5:00. I'm usually home by 5:35. And I don't get up until 7:00 AM. I'm not sure if they need someone to be a stay at home dog owner or if it possible for someone with my schedule to provide the dog with a home. I'm perfectly capable of walking the dog in the morning and getting up at 6. And I'm also capable of walking the dog at nite.

 

B)I live in an apartment complex--but it has 10k walking trails and TONS of dogs. But there is no fenced backyard--I wonder if this would be an issue.

 

C) I have an allergy to dogs. But interesting enough there are plenty of hypo-allergenic breeds--maltese, poodles, bichon frise, and so on that are currently up for adoption and awaiting a home at this particular place.

 

D) Finally since I've never had a dog, I don't have any "groomer" reference or associated vetinarion that I work with.

 

So my basic question, is would I still be eligible?

 

Also, beyond food, care, and time, am I purchasing the dog as a foster care owner, or am I getting the dog for free, but paying for all the basic items? What expenses do I pay versus what they pay?

 

(If anyone has experience with this, I'd be grateful--I don't want to try to be a foster parent only to find that I can't)

 

Thanks

[iBroken]

Something else to consider. In my experience with trying to adopt from shelters where the dog is currently in a foster home, they foster parent is there to teach or often rehabiliate the dog. So you are looking at having to train the dog if they arent house trained, teach the dog how to walk on the leash etc etc. I dont think you can be a foster to a dog with a full time job.

 

I think you get money for food and whatnot from the shelter you are fostering for as they receive donations and adoption fees from other animals

[lostnscared]

Something else to consider. In my experience with trying to adopt from shelters where the dog is currently in a foster home, they foster parent is there to teach or often rehabiliate the dog. So you are looking at having to train the dog if they arent house trained, teach the dog how to walk on the leash etc etc. I dont think you can be a foster to a dog with a full time job.

 

I think you get money for food and whatnot from the shelter you are fostering for as they receive donations and adoption fees from other animals

 

That's what I thought.

 

My next question is:

 

My mom has told me that if I adopt a dog, and find that I'm not able to have it next year, she'll be glad to have it, until I finish school. On the adoption application, it asks me to list references of groomer and a vet. Being that I never had a dog, what should I put?

 

It seems like they only want people who've had dogs before, and since I haven't, I wonder if another person will get the dog over me...

 

I don't want to go the pet store route because of A) the money and B) the mistreatment/puppy mill

But it seems like the adoption process is a bit difficult and very much in favor of people with dog experience, which I don't have.

 

The applications are asking if I'll be home during the day an all types of questions that may make it harder for me to get a dog. Whereas just going to the pet store I don't have to go through that.

 

Any thoughts?

 

](*,)

[meteorstrike]

Foster parents must buy everything for the dog. Shelters only cover medical expenses.

 

Foster parents must be able to drive said dog to all applicable adoption events. Does not have to stay but will have to come back for the dog. YOU WILL HAVE TO GIVE UP THE DOG IF SOMEONE WANTS TO ADOPT.

 

If you work that much and the dog doesn't have a companion. It will start to chew your furniture and your wall! Having holes in your wall might get you evicted or cost you more bills from the landlord. It will bark at strangers. It might not be house trained.

 

The dog might not know you that well. The dog might not come on command 100% of the time. No fenced backyard mean the dogs will have to be on a leashed or it will run after squirrels. Energetic dogs will not get enough exercise on just walks. This will lead to, again, chewing and barking.

 

All this can be solved if you take them to doggy day camp twice a week. It is about $20+ per visit depending on weight. You can avoid the chewing by crate training the dog. But the barking will come from bordem, isolation, or separation anxiety. Remember at the shelter the dog gets to socialize with dogs and humans everyday.

 

No fenced yard will mean you have to walk the dog in the rain. It will get muddy paws so bring a towel.

[Parkerperry]

It's great that you are considering fostering a dog since there is always a need for people to do this. I signed up to foster puppies about ten years ago now and was given two adorable 5 week old puppies to foster (a white and a brown one). Well to make a long story short I adopted them after about 6 weeks. I don't know if this is always true but in my case as the foster care provider I was the first in line as a potential adopter for them. I now have two ten year old dogs hehe. I love them to death and they have been wonderful companions for me but I never tried to foster a dog again after that.

 

A couple of things to keep in mind would be 1) it's very easy to get attached to them and if you are not actually able to adopt them this can be a difficult thing to deal with. 2) if you get puppies they need constant care you can't leave them to go to work all day and if you foster a grown dog they sometimes can have behavioral issues, most commonly separation anxiety which can cause them to be destructive.

 

If I were you I would go in person to the animal shelter you are considering working with and tell them your situation and see if they have any recommendations. At the very least maybe you could do some volunteer work for them and perhaps they have a dog that you would be able to care for.

 

And please please don't go to a pet store. There are so many dogs out there who need homes, I'm sure if you are patient and persistent you can find your dog.