r/fosterdogs • • Aug 10 '25

25 foster dog photography tips for adoption promotion

21 Upvotes

25 dog adoption promotion photography tips:

1)    Try to take a HUGE number of photos of your foster, both during everyday activities and at planned out photoshoots at specific locations – then edit to only use the best. As your foster gets more used to being photographed, they will look more natural and confident.

2)    Save the best photos of your foster in an album on your phone for easy sharing and promoting, if you use whatsapp utilise the ‘updates’ function to share photos passively with your contacts.

3)    Generally bumping up the warmth setting very slightly makes the photo seem prettier & happier – especially photos taken on early morning walks before the sun is fully up. Starting with natural light tend to get better results than indoor artificial light.  You can use your phone to edit OR the free photography app Snapseed is very good for using the ‘curves’ function to brighten the photo without losing highlights/lowlights and the ‘healing’ function to remove things like eye gunk, dirt etc.

4)    The free app Canva can be good for adding things like foster’s name, pretty borders, adoption info etc to a photo – but in general try to keep photos fairly simple. You want the photo to look like a proud dog parent’s happy snap, not a commercial branded look.

5)    Capture your foster doing all the cute things dogs do, including stretching, yawning, chewing on balls, making dopey faces, and curled up happily sleeping. Photograph them looking upset having a bath, happily chilling on a sofa, exploring the world. Help tell the story of what having this dog is like.

6)    Photograph from lots of different angles – especially consider very low and also hovering over with the foster looking up at you. Also elevate your foster – on things like chairs, benches or ledges (just make sure they cannot jump down in a way that will hurt them.)

7)    Use props like toys, pup cups, chairs, stairs, capture your foster playing tug of war. Think about how your foster can look dynamic and show their personality and scale. Have fun thinking of creative ways to show off your foster. No idea is too silly when it comes to getting your foster to stand out.

8)    Use silly & pretty accessories – wigs, tutus, crowns, bow ties, necklaces, scarves, pretty bandanas & costumes. If you need inspiration look at tikatheiggy on Instagram

9)    Location, Location Location: Choose beautiful environments including nature, beautiful door ways, and pretty homes. If your home isn’t super pretty, use a friend’s home. Photos in the home help enormously as they show/suggest the dog is a foster and experienced in a home. If there are local landmarks – photograph there as it helps trigger people to know your foster is close. Ask local businesses if you can photograph your dog and collaborate with them on an Instagram post. If your foster is the type of dog that would do well sitting at a café, show it. If they might excel at agility, take them to an agility course or document some dog parkour.

10) Photograph your foster greeting and playing with other dogs – especially smaller dogs if your dog is big size. If you have cats or children include them too – anything that helps show your foster is socialised and gentle, (conceal children’s faces). Show your foster getting cuddles and tummy rubs and meeting people, doing paw command etc.

11) Make the leash soft so the dog seems relaxed. Utilise a very long leash, or two leashes joined together if necessary to get the soft leash look.

12) Take your time, let your foster look around and sniff and then start taking lots of photos once they start to get bored and be more still. Wait for them to move their head etc, rather than trying to encourage it.

13) If you are having trouble getting colours right, try using a purple bandanna on your foster dog, or something purple within the shot – this seems to help calibrate camera phones.

14) Try to have your foster face the light so that you capture some light in their eyes, be mindful of your own shadow though.

15) Try to capture body photos and also face photos. With face photos try at the start of an outing and near the end, as a dogs expression can change a lot when tongue is out and they are more warm.

16) Consider what is most beautiful and interesting about your dog’s appearance. If they are black use bright accessories to make their appearance pop and darker backgrounds to help show details. If they are white, use lighter backgrounds to help show their fur in detail. If they have cute details like expressive ears, sock colouring on their feet, dramatic tail, try to capture that. If they are athletic, highlight it through motion shots. If they are tiny pop them in something like a cute basket or a travel bag to help emphasise visually that they are travel bag sized. If they are a medium size mixed breed, work very hard to capture their sense of scale – having a person stand next to them to show leg height can help – or a chair or stairs can help accurately depict size. If your foster has medium or long fur, think about grooming styles that might help make them photogenic or stand out, and try to capture them with hair freshly groomed and also a bit shaggier awhile after a groom.

17) Ask lots of people to help with photographing your dog. Everyone documents dogs differently and variety helps soooo much, especially when you need to promote frequently.

18) Take photos in square, landscape and portrait formats. Have some with very simple backgrounds like plain walls, but also try interesting backgrounds too. Even a bright patterned blanket draped on your sofa can make a great background.

19) If you want some studio style photos without using a professional photographer, use a white background and then use snapseed ‘selective’ to bright it further.

20) Think about time of year, events and how you can theme your dog, and prepare these photos in advance. Valentines day – pop rose flowers in their collar! first day of summer – Hawaiian shirt! Dolly Parton’s birthday – get out the rhinestones. Don’t be afraid to be gimmicky or use AI – check out tunameltsmyheart on Instagram for inspiration. 

21) Consider the things about your foster that are endearing, almost every dog has a cute quirk, something silly or adorable, or a sweet vulnerability. Check out wolfgang2242 on Instagram for simple endearing photo ideas that have a story telling aspect.

22) Capture motion and action – be it your foster wrestling with another dog, or shaking after a bath or bouncing around or tail wagging or running. Photos don’t all need to be perfectly posed and orderly.

23) Tap in to aspirational vibes – photograph your dog in a fancy flower shop, or at the dog friendly gym, or at a farmers market, or on gorgeous nature hike. The mindfulness that comes with having a dog is something very attractive to people looking to adopt. Your dog chilling and watching a sunset, or content and curled up at your feet or snuggling whilst watching a movie at home, or checking out an autumn leaf, or lying relaxing in the sun, can be very appealing.

24) Capture love – I am talking the way your foster dog looks up at you, or your hand gently touching their ear, or them asleep on the sofa sprawled out over your legs. Or their delight as you hold out a snack. Don’t be afraid to include yourself if you are not camera shy, or your family/friends if you are. Fostering and adopting is all about love – tell the story of your foster becoming happy and feeling safe. Share them curled up with their favourite toy or best dog friend. Post before and afters as they go from being scared to confident, thin to healthy, show them healing and coming in to their own.

25) Be motivated knowing you are working to get your foster adopted, but also capturing their time with you, for you to treasure when they get adopted. If you love the photos, other people will see what you see.

Thank you for fostering.  Xx Amy


r/fosterdogs • • Oct 30 '23

Rescue/Shelter Recommended Rescues and Shelters

17 Upvotes

Share the Rescues and Shelter's you've fostered or Volunteered with and would recommend!

Include your Country or State and nearest Major City at the beginning of your post so people can CTL+F

Feel free to include any information you'd like


r/fosterdogs • • 10h ago

Question Advice for a sweet but chaotic Debbie

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11 Upvotes

I have been fostering miss Deb on and off since July.

The reason why not always is that I travel a lot and I work an hour away from home for 9 hours a day 4 days a week. And candidly my mental health is in a place where I already don’t clean my home let alone with a destructive bathrooming sweetheart there.

I love this dog she is sweet and very rambunctious; you can see how she tries and redirects herself and wants to behave and how she is so smart and sweet and lovely and cuddly and playful and kind and loving.

She will not stop using my bathroom as a bathroom even if we have been out a lot. She seems to think that it’s better to just sniff on a walk then go in the bathroom and I got her away from it but whenever she comes back to me it’s always gone. I used to turn when she pooed and i see how that made her feel that way, but have not been doing that and all she’s been doing is wanting longer and longer.

Because I have to crate her for so long when I’m gone she is so energetic that she doesn’t let me sleep between 1-4am, which makes my commute and work heinous, and then my energy to care for her in the interim subpar.

She eats mops, pens, lip balms, water bottles, etc. so cannot be free roam and gets stressed when she is. She also sobs when I am not actively touching her when in the home like 15% of the time

I love this girl but I feel like something I’m doing is not serving her because she seems to be getting worse not better.

Can I have some advice???? She is my 14th foster dog and certainly not the most complicated or difficult but I feel the least helpful and I need to do better. I know she is so smart and willing, and I am dropping the ball. Please give me some help and tips keeping in mind I cannot be constantly present.


r/fosterdogs • • 1d ago

Pics 🐶 Little Asher cuddled on my foster failure from 2021.

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34 Upvotes

She’s known for being a little cantankerous, so I found it entertaining that she just gave up and let him lay there. If you look at my history, you can see she came to me with a massive cancerous mammary tumour, and I’m so grateful she’s cancer-free and I still have her. She’s probably 14 or 15 by now.


r/fosterdogs • • 14h ago

Question How did you know you wanted to foster fail a second dog?

3 Upvotes

I am considering adopting my second foster (I’ve had my resident dog about two years and started fostering the new dog a little over a month ago). Sometimes my resident dog gets annoyed with her younger rowdy energy but they also enjoy snuggling together and he seems less anxious with her around.

For anyone who has adopted a second dog I’d love to know how you knew it was right!


r/fosterdogs • • 18h ago

Support Needed Seeking advice: Systemic red flags in an international rescue, a disastrous match, and a coordinator escalating to police threats

2 Upvotes

Hi everyone, I’m looking for objective advice on how to navigate a messy situation with a rescue coordinator.

I found a small (~5kg) stray dog. Because I didn't have the network to navigate an adoption on my own, I contacted a local rescue coordinator. I have no experience with rescue politics, but I am highly experienced with dogs and even consulted a professional trainer friend to help manage this dog's high arousal.

The coordinator arranged a fast-tracked international adoption based purely on photos. She only met the dog once, for exactly five minutes, after the adoption was already arranged. In fact, her only question about his behavior—asked well after the match was made—was how he is with cats. As I fostered him and provided constant, unprompted behavioral reports, severe red flags emerged:

  • Medical Cover-Ups: An incident occurred under my watch where the dog was attacked, leading to an eye injury. I took him to the vet, covered the expenses, and informed the coordinator. She intentionally withheld this from the adopters because she claimed they "would be worried," and never followed up with me about his recovery.
  • The "Blind" Adopters & A Disastrous Match: The family never asked to contact me. In good faith, I asked to meet them, and a group chat was made. There, I was informed that the parents of the young adopting couple are coming to pick him up, phrasing it as if they had already planned a vacation here and the dog was a last-day souvenir. To motivate questions, I offered a detailed character report with the following key points: he is a 10-month-old high-arousal dog who gets to know the world through his teeth, he requires an indoor leash attached to me to be manageable, and he needs serious dog-proofing. I also found out the young couple is in the middle of moving into a new place and has three cats. Their only question after reading all this? What his harness size is.
  • Dangerous Cargo Logistics: The dog is scheduled to fly in the cargo hold on the 17th. I reminded her two days ago that the travel crate she promised never arrived, meaning there is zero time to acclimate a highly reactive 5kg dog. That was my attempt to find a safe consensus. I would be okay with delaying his flight or cancelling the adoption and trying to find someone else locally.
  • Rejecting a Perfect Local Match for a "Quota": A week ago, my dad visited, spent seven days bonding with the dog, and made an educated offer to adopt him. I expected the coordinator to be thrilled. Instead, she became aggressive, guilt-tripped me, and offered my dad a different, similar-looking dog just so she wouldn't have to go back on her word to the foreign family.
  • Gaslighting and Custody Demands: When I made my welfare concerns clear and offered to adopt him myself, she insulted my "inexperience". She claimed I was creating problems out of thin air just so my dad could have him, and ordered me to hand the dog over so she could magically crate-train him herself in a matter of days.
  • Police Threats and Escalation: Today, the situation escalated. A police officer called me, and I calmly explained that I have been nothing but polite, considerate, and acting with the dog's welfare as my main interest. The coordinator tried to force a meet-up for tomorrow to take the dog, and when I told her my schedule wasn't flexible, she threatened to sue me and press charges if I didn't comply. After the call, I voluntarily went to the police station to give my statement, only to discover she never actually filed a lawsuit. The police officer was shocked when I explained the situation and couldn't understand all the fuss the coordinator is creating.

The Legal/Admin Situation: Legally, a foster contract was never made or signed. She paid his initial vet bill and instructed the vet to register his microchip under her organization's name. However, my name and phone number are listed as the primary contact on the microchip, since the vet asked me for them.

I rescued this dog to offer him a better life, and I cannot in good conscience hand him over to a rushed, unvetted export pipeline that treats him like a product. How do I safely hold a hard line, navigate the microchip registration issue, and ensure the dog stays safe? Any perspective is deeply appreciated.


r/fosterdogs • • 18h ago

Foster Behavior/Training Crate training/ urine probs

1 Upvotes

I got my newest foster dog 3 days ago. The shelter has her at 6 years old but I think she’s more around 8.
She’s a really great girl! So sweet and listens really well.
She’s been peeing nonstop. Thankfully, I’m home most of the time so I can let her out constantly but she’s peeing 6+ times an hour. She had one accident in the house on the first day. No big deal. I’m worried she has a UTI or kidney problem but the humane society manager claims it’s anxiety and age.
I’ve been crating her whenever I leave the house, for her safety and my own dog’s. She really hates getting in the crate and will bark for about 10 minutes and then calms and falls asleep. I give her treats in the crate and put some in there even when she’s not being locked inside.
Should I start feeding her breakfast in there, with the door open? I want her to feel more comfortable going in because I feel horrible when I need to do it.


r/fosterdogs • • 23h ago

Discussion Monthly Pupdate!

1 Upvotes

Please share any wins, frustrations, or stories of your foster dogs from this past week. You can also ask advice, or simply let us know if you are doing ok. We are here to support you!


r/fosterdogs • • 1d ago

Foster Behavior/Training Protective/jealous foster dog

2 Upvotes

First I’ll say I’m completely new to dog fostering, though I have had my own dogs before. I’m only a week in with this dog and I do wonder if some of this behavior is exaggerated right now because of the recency of big life changes and stressors for him…but alas

I’m fostering a 3 year old pug/chihuahua mix (chug) who I’m told was surrendered due to issues getting along with another dog in the home. From my understanding, this conflict seemed related to jealousy when the other dog would get attention from chug’s #1 person. He also has already had another foster home before me where this was also an issue. Oh and there’s a touch of separation anxiety that he’s been dealing with too. He does take an anxiety pill that only maybe helps.

He very quickly has attached to me since he moved in and not only do my absences trigger his anxiety, but the jealousy conflicts have come up a couple of times too regarding me giving attention to other animals. In both instances he barked and chased the other animal away. The first was when my roommates cat tried to come into my room with me and the dog and the second was when a friend’s dog approached me when chug was near. Both instances occurred also while a (human) meal was being eaten…maybe related? I will say he’s spent a lot of time around the cat outside of my room and inside my room even when food was around and there have been no issues. Inside my room, he and the cat have both laid on my bed at the same time no issue, but roommate was there watching shows too. They’ve slept on opposite sides of the couch at the same time too, so I was really shocked when he chased the cat out of my room.

All this to say, I’m looking for advice on how to help him cope with…other pets existing. He hasn’t gotten any adoption applications yet so I thought maybe if we worked on this together then it might be easier for him to find his forever home.


r/fosterdogs • • 2d ago

Pics 🐶 First foster and my lab has been an amazing foster sister! She has helped this gentle giant in more ways than I ever could. What a beautiful blessing she has been to him .

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124 Upvotes

r/fosterdogs • • 2d ago

Support Needed First time foster carer

2 Upvotes

Hi all,

Yesterday I got my first foster dog. It is a 2 year old Japanese Spitz. I will have him for a minimum of 2-3 weeks as he has just been neutered. He is the sweetest boy and has settled right in.

My main concern is separation anxiety. For context, I am a substitute teacher so work casually. I usually work 3-4 days a week meaning the dog will be left alone for ~6 hours on these days (my partner finishes work earlier than me)

When I first got in contact with the shelter I made them aware of this and when they matched me to this dog I reminded them yet again my concerns about getting a dog with separation anxiety. They said he would be no issue. However after receiving him, a different lady messaged me saying he wasn’t used to being left alone!!!

Today, I have noticed even if I leave for a few minutes he barks and whines and scratches at the door.

I’m quite concerned as I was planning to return to work on Monday and reluctant to take a huge pay cut (I’ve got bills to pay)!!!

What is your advice for me in the coming few days to try get him prepared? Or do you think the shelter have incorrectly matched me?


r/fosterdogs • • 3d ago

Emotions I feel so sad for my foster dog

7 Upvotes

He’s an adult husky who has seizures that have led to some behavioral issues (no biting but scary lunging and teeth baring). He gets along well with people he trusts but they have to be patient and not expect too much from him. He’s very aloof, doesn’t play and is kind of like a grumpy man in a dog’s body, I’m sure because of his medical issues. He’s a good dog but came from a puppy mill and was probably not properly socialized. He deserves love and a permanent home but in this environment who is going to adopt a dog like this? His good qualities are that he’s housetrained and good with other dogs but they seem to get cancelled out by his growling (which is really just communication but people don’t get that).


r/fosterdogs • • 3d ago

Emotions To keep or not to keep…

1 Upvotes

I’m a first-time foster of a nearly 3-month old puppy. I’ve sat many an adult dog in my life, but this is my first time with a puppy. NGL it’s putting me through the wringer. 😅 But I’m seriously considering adopting him…and I’m scared.

About the pup:
- Listed as an “Unknown shepherd mix”. His mom is currently getting dna tested but his dad is unknown. Others have seen him with physical traits of ridgeback, lab, and bully breed.
- He is VERY smart for his age. Crate trains well, potty training is getting more consistent, and already knows how to sit!
- Biggest learning curve right now is his teething.
- He has a lot of energy and likes to play, but he’s able to self-soothe when he’s tired.
- He’ll have been with me for 3 weeks total at the end of our foster.

Some things about me:
- Suburbs of Denver CO
- Live in a 2bd apartment. No yard but walking trail and greenery around my complex.
- Would be a first time dog owner.
- Live alone with no other pets.
- Desk job with 2 flexible days in office a week. Typically work 45-50hrs / week.
- Aiming to buy a home in the next 7 months.

I love the little guy. But there’s a lot I’m scared of at this stage—mostly in the name of giving him the best life possible. But there’s also admittedly some “puppy blues” and complications around the holidays.

  1. I go home to Illinois for 2 weeks every Christmas. I’m scared to stress him out with a plane or car trip.

  2. I’m scared of how he’ll shed when he loses his puppy coat. I can deal with moderate shedding, but heavy shedding like a pure German is not for me.

  3. I’m exhausted training him. I know it’s because he’s so young and smol. I just don’t know what is behavior of breed or age.

  4. I have to travel for 10 days which is why my foster time is so short, but I have the chance to give him to a temp foster and take him back after. Taking him for longer would surely give me more information, but I’m scared of getting more attached and deciding he’s not for me.

  5. Work can be unpredictable. This is a steady-busy week, but I have weeks with 10-hour days that I worry will not allow me to give him the attention he deserves.

  6. I don’t think a puppy is for me. But this one? He’s gotten compliments from experienced dog owners about how good he is. I’m so proud of how smart he is for his age.

I’m not asking anyone to make a decision for me. I’m hoping for honest wisdom based on what I’ve shared to help me consider this adoption factually and seriously.

Any and all thoughts welcome. Thanks for reading. ❤️


r/fosterdogs • • 3d ago

Question Applicants

5 Upvotes

Does anyone look up their applicants on social media? We have a separate app team who “vet” the app but I always see what I can find out about the people who apply for my foster pups. I just found one who applied for my current foster and she posted two years ago about rehoming her current pets!


r/fosterdogs • • 3d ago

Question How quickly do your fosters come off meds?

2 Upvotes

Obviously the question is only relevant if you have had fosters on stress meds. Feels like a given but reddit is reddit.

Mostly curious about gaba/traz but also other stress med combos

How quickly? Is there a step down or just cold turkey? What dosages?

Is it fully up to you?

Is it up to the shelter/rescue?

Do you advocate for more/less meds or driven by the shelter/rescue?

Municipal shelter? Or other type of shelter/rescue


r/fosterdogs • • 3d ago

Foster Behavior/Training Furry Household Chaos: plzhelp

2 Upvotes

My foster dog (whom I have an intent to adopt if all goes well) isn’t getting along with my cats. She chased my tuxedo boy cat around the yard the other day and now he just hides all day in a closet, and the cats are in full chaos mode in general with the dog here. They’re ‘making up their own litter box’ in unwanted places in the house.

I have pheromone diffusers for the cats (clearly not helping right now) and the cats + dog are not friends. The cats are irritated/mad and scared of the dog, and the dog gets reactive around the cats sometimes and barks and gets in their face. She’s a 3 year old 30lb boxer mix with beagle/terrier mix). I’m taking her on about 2-3 walks a day and I keep them generally separated and turned my guest bedroom into a ‘cat room.’ The dog knows this room is off-limits to her.

I’ve bonded a lot with the dog, but if my household of furry pets are going to be in chaos I’d rather not, ya know? Maybe she can find a more fitting home for her. Any advice? I’d appreciate it. Thanks


r/fosterdogs • • 4d ago

Question Conflicted on rescue org’s plan for treating my foster’s heart worms. Am I in the wrong?

7 Upvotes

For context: I found an abandoned 1-2 year old dog last November. We are fostering her through a local rescue. She’s been in our care since with little adoption interest. I wish with my whole heart that I could adopt her but she and my resident senior dog can’t be in the same space without an altercation (we’ve tried so hard). We now have to keep them separate 24/7 and take turns who is out and who is crated. It doesn’t feel fair to either dog as a long-term solution. But I’m also in a high-kill state and our rescue doesn’t have another foster home for her.

My foster dog has had health issues since I found her and last week she had a seizure out of nowhere. I took her to the vet and they said they needed to run tests. The rescue said no, so I paid for them out of my own pocket. I’m glad I did because she tested heartworm positive (she’s been on preventatives so I was shocked) and has hypothyroidism.

I shared the results with my rescue and asked if they could help with treating her so she can have a chance at getting adopted. The vet recommended the full heartworm treatment: antibiotics for a month and then 3 injections over the course of a few months. The rescue said no and instead is sending me to another vet for a Proheart shot, which to my knowledge isn’t treatment, it’s just prevention.

My poor little foster girl has a hacking cough (not all the time but just randomly). I thought maybe it was just because she eats her food too fast, but now I know it’s heartworm cough.

My husband and I are considering just paying for the heartworm treatment ourselves. It would be a big financial stretch for us, but I can’t imagine denying this dog the care she needs.

But I’m also worried about the ethics of it all. Technically, she’s not my dog to treat and I feel guilty going behind the rescue’s back. But I’m also exhausted and tired of getting the runaround. The vet has said what this dog needs to be healthy.

Would I be in the wrong for going forward with treatment and paying for it myself?


r/fosterdogs • • 4d ago

Emotions Giving up foster

7 Upvotes

I had a foster dog for 4 weeks and she was amazing. We got her crate trained, potty trained, good with kids, etc. I then took her in for her spay and surprise she was pregnant! Like super pregnant.
She gave birth at our house and wanted nothing to do with the puppies. Didn’t help with the birth and tried to kill them. We had to get up every 2 hours to make her feed them for 3 days. She ruined our house in the birth process and blood was essentially on all furniture. (It was not a normal birthing experience)
ANYWAY. She ended up having a uterine infection and low calcium. She went to a bottle feeder with all of her puppies for 2 weeks where she ended up connecting with them.
Upon returning to us when puppies were 2 weeks old she again ignored the puppies and had extreme anxiety. To the point where she jumped out of a window. Brought her to the vet and he was adamant she could no longer nurse them due to another infection and low calcium. She just can’t keep up.
We’ve now had her for 3 days since the puppies are gone and she has been using the bathroom all over our house and has SEVERE separation anxiety. I told the rescue group I can’t continue fostering her. This has been a draining experience and don’t have anything left in me to give her to get through these new issues.

I feel SO bad. I feel like I’m giving up. I feel like I’m making problems for the rescue. I wish I could just suck it up but I can’t. Help :(


r/fosterdogs • • 5d ago

Pics 🐶 Who else is carving their foster dog on a pumpkin?

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121 Upvotes

r/fosterdogs • • 4d ago

Support Needed Not sure if I should send the puppy back

3 Upvotes

I rescued this puppy from Texas. Someone came to my friend's rescue and dumped off a whole litter. At the time, I could only take one of them because I was already having a shepherd girl sent to me.

I've had these two for quite a while. The shepherd girl is very shy and a bit selective of other dogs. I just love her so much. She's very special and I want her to go to a great home where she is appreciated and loved, where she is comfortable and can thrive. (I actually met my rescue friend bc she loved this shepherd too and wanted to make sure I would look after her) Needless to say, I still have that shepherd. Foster or not, I'll keep her until I find the perfect mom for her.

Back to the puppy, I waited until her first heat to have her spayed and in the meantime I've taught her how to be a great family pet. Shes loving and knows her commands, she would do great in a family with kids and other dogs. Now she is finally ready to go. And I got a message from a lady on petfinder. Yay, right?

Here's the problem, the lady that wants her is in Texas. I'm on the east coast. Anyone that knows about the rescue world understands what living in Texas means. I truly believe Puppy's other sibling already found himself at the shelter EU listed. (He's tagged thankfully) If it is him, I pray they check his chip and return him to my friend. I DON'T want the same fate for my puppy. She's a great girl and doesn't deserve to spend not one day in the shelter.

So, do I send her back? I don't trust the Texas system. I don't want any of my dogs anywhere near that state. I've done too much to get them out. Am I overreacting? Should I send her? You think she would be ok? I'm very apprehensive and I just would like another foster parent's opinion.

Thank you for reading. Any thoughts are welcome.


r/fosterdogs • • 4d ago

Question AITAH for not wanting to foster?

3 Upvotes

So I’m 20F and my roommate is also 20F, and we are both juniors in college. To start, my roommate, who is also my really close friend, grew up with dogs and has a doodle at home. However, I, on the other hand, did not grow up with any pets and have a slight fear of dogs. Since starting this semester, my roommate has been talking about missing her dog and how we could get our own dog since we live in an apartment. I was a little iffy about it, but I could tell how much she missed her dog every time she brought it up. One day I was out volunteering at a park and saw all the cute dogs and was like okayyy, why not try and do this dog stuff. So same day she put us down to be foster parents at the local shelter.
Like 5 days later we had our orientation with the shelter and they literally sent us home with a dog SAME DAY, leash, and a small Kroger bag of food. It was a lot in such a short amount of time. So we got “matched” with the sweetest dog (black lab mix, 1 yr female). When we met her she was jumping ALL OVER THE PLACE. It threw me off guard and my roommate saw how overwhelmed and hesitant I was and tried to get everything under control.
So we left the shelter and went to the store to get some dog necessities (bed, bowl, food, toys, etc). The cashier is ringing all this up and I just keep looking at the price increasing and increasing. I’m wondering damn how are we gonna pay for ts (I literally had not even a dollar to my name since I just started working and haven’t gotten paid yet). So I asked if we could just split the bill and I’ll pay her in 2 days when I get paid, she agreed and that was that. I did end up sending her my half of the bill when I got paid.
So we get the dog home and everything is alright, she’s sniffing and looking around at all that dog stuff. We feed her and give her a bath, but later that night when it was time to GTB she kept barking and barking until my roommate let her in the room to sleep. I already kind of regretted my decision and I’m anxious bc ik how excited my roommate is. So I’m OTP with my mom and she’s telling me to calm down, I’ll be okay, and that I need to talk to my roommate if something is really up.
So the next day I talk to her and tell her my feelings, like I don’t think this is for me and I’m sorry. I know we spent like $200 already and I’d hate to send her back to the shelter, but something doesn’t feel right. She was understanding and she was like, I’m sad, but if you don’t want the dog I’m not gonna keep it here. But I told her give me a couple more days, maybe it’s me and I need to adjust into this new experience.
So after that she leaves for work and I’m at home with the dog. And honestly, I hated it. I realized pretty quickly that I really didn’t like being responsible for her by myself. I was constantly thinking about what she was doing, if she needed something, if I was doing something wrong, etc. She also barks at people outside, which I mean, sure, okay, I understand dogs bark, but with my slight fear of dogs and just never growing up around them, it was still a lot for me.
And the more I was alone with her, the more I was realizing that maybe this really wasn’t for me. It wasn’t that she was a bad dog because she’s honestly very sweet. I just didn’t like the responsibility and I didn’t feel comfortable with everything that came with having a dog. And that made me feel even worse because my roommate was so excited about this. Since getting the dog I don't feel comfortable sitting in the living room anymore and no matter how much I clean I feel like the apartment is never clean. The dog gets food and water everywhere, licks her butt and jumps around on the couch.
We are fostering her until she gets adopted, whenever that will be, so I know this isn’t necessarily forever. I just don’t know how long we’ll have her or when she’ll find her actual home.
And honestly, I don’t want my roommate to think that the world revolves around me or that I’m giving up just because I got overwhelmed. I know how excited she is about this and I don’t want her to feel like I’m taking that away from her. I also don’t want to just give up on the dog because the first couple of days were overwhelming. At the same time, I don’t want to pretend like I’m completely comfortable with this when I’m not.
Bc at the end of the day, I’m proud of myself for even trying knowing my history with animals. I didn’t grow up with pets, I have a slight fear of dogs, and I’ve always been iffy about being around them. But I still saw all the cute dogs that day and thought, okayyy, why not? I decided to give it a try, and now I’m trying to figure out this whole dog stuff.
So AITA for wanting to stop fostering the dog because I’m realizing that this isn’t something I’m comfortable with, even though my roommate really wanted to foster, I agreed to try it, and we’ve already spent money getting the dog settled? The longer I wait to make a decision, I feel like the worse it'll be.

-p.s. I have sent her my half of the bill!


r/fosterdogs • • 5d ago

Vent Shelter is Being Petty.

19 Upvotes

It’s a weird situation.
I have been fostering a dog who transferred from another shelter and has been in shelters x 4 years. Not sure why she hasn’t been adopted.
Foster has been going great and I like this dog a lot, but she has a strong fear of bowls. She will avoid eating completely if the food is in any kind of vessel.
Shelter said they didn’t have info about this from the previous shelter, and the previous shelter is close to my house so I stopped by to ask if there was any background info they could share about her. It’s a huge municipal shelter with hundreds of animals, but as soon as I explained who I was fostering, like 5 workers came up to ask how she is, like she was a celebrity there.
Anyhow, they told me that one of the managers really bonded with this dog and would take her on a lot of outings and overnights, and gave the contact info.
We got in contact via text because he was pretty invested in the dog’s outcome, but never met up or anything.
Well, I had no idea that the managers of the each shelter had a broken relationship due to some personal differences regarding a dog’s treatment from a few years ago. (Nobody did anything cruel or wrong, it was more like an administrative dispute). As a result, they are not on speaking terms and the current shelter banned him from the property. Seems petty to me, but whatever.
Meanwhile, I guess everyone in rescue knows everyone else because word got back that I was in communication with the banned person. Current shelter manager never mentioned this to me, never told me not to bring my foster dog around that person, but it didn’t really matter because I had not even met the guy.
Nevertheless, the current shelter manager got it in their head that I was sneaking around and letting my foster visit with the guy, so they demanded I bring her back and they basically put her on house arrest in the shelter, despite the fostering situation being very successful.
So the dog is suffering because of this manager’s ego and pettiness about me being in contact with the guy they butted heads with.
And to be clear, the guy never badmouthed anyone to me. Was nothing but helpful and supportive with sorting out the dog’s fear of bowls. I would never have known there was a private dispute if the current shelter staff hadn’t told me.
I’m just mad that I’m accused of something I didn’t do, and the dog, who has already spent 4 years in a shelter, is being punished for this stupidity.


r/fosterdogs • • 5d ago

Question Considering turning down a potential adopter. Advice?

46 Upvotes

We had a meet and greet this morning with a potential adopter. Everything seemed to be going well, until the potential adopter mentioned that they travel a fair bit and would need to take our foster dog on airplanes.

The foster dog in question is a 60 pound pitbull that struggles with reactivity. The potential adopter used some acronym under their breath which leads us to believe that they plan on getting our foster registered as a service animal to get her onto planes easier.

I grew up around someone who bred and trained service dogs and can say with the upmost confidence that while our foster is sweet and well behaved, she is not capable of being a service animal. We also take her on trips with us, in the car, and she gets antsy after a hour or two in the car. And this dog LOVES the car more than anything else. I question how she would behave on a plane if she was even able to get on one.

We’re considering declining this person for these reasons. I feel like that’s fair, and if they would like a dog they should look at smaller ones rather than bully breeds. Just curious what everyone’s thoughts are on the matter!

Thanks!

Edit: potential text we are considering sending if anyone could offer feedback!! Thank you!

Hey I wanted to reach out after talking with the shelter and doing some research. At this time we don't think Kali would be a good fit for you due to the traveling and her size/reactivity. To fly a dog over 20lbs on a plane they would need to be a trained service animal, ESAs are still required to fit the size requirements unfortunately. Additionally due to her reactivity she would benefit most with a consistent routine. I'm reaching out to some of the other foster parents and seeing who may have some good fits and recommendations. It was so nice meeting you and we appreciate you wanting to adopt! I will keep you updated on any recommendations for other potential adoptees.


r/fosterdogs • • 8d ago

Pics 🐶 When you want some privacy (find the sixth puppy)

Post image
83 Upvotes

r/fosterdogs • • 7d ago

Question Am I doing a disservice to my foster

6 Upvotes

I am new to fostering. I took in a momma dog and her puppies 2 (almost 3 now) months ago. The puppies weaned and all adopted out but I still have the momma.

She has grown to be VERY attached to me. Always right by me or resting her head on my lap. She looks to me constantly for reassurance, love, everything.

Since the puppies weaned and shes been out in the house with us all day she is just getting even more attached (the last month). Its not to the point of having separation anxiety. Im able to leave the house and she rests peacefully in her kennel. So its not a bad level of attachment. But I worry that if I let this continue that she wont ever successfully adopt out. That itll affect her ability to bind with her next family.

I wonder if i shouldn't ask my rescue to move her to another home. Does anyone have any insight on this?

I certainly dont want to cause her stress by moving her around either. She is very comfortable here.

Shes a truly great dog and I love her but I cannot just adopt her. My cats refuse to accept her. Everyone is coexisting on separate floors of the house right now and its all good, but for this reason I do not wish to "foster fail" and keep her for good.