So we have officially been okayed to foster a dog for a nearby shelter. After a long discussion, much time, and a chance for our current dog to get to know the dogs that were possible fosters for us, we found a match, and we are meeting her at our house in a few hours.
In the meantime, we've had to 'set up home'. I forgot how much you have to prepare for a new dog: crate, leash, bowls, food, towels, blankets for the crate, and determining what you need to bathe the dog (as that's the first thing we'll do once she arrives from the shelter.) So in preparing, our current dog has been running around the house, following us, all confused. He's been in and out of her crate more times now than I can count, and is moping around the house. (if you don't have a dog or have seen a dog mope around, it's actually quite sad). However, we know he likes her, because when they met yesterday they just had a great time, so we are sure that once she arrives he'll be excited instead of uncertain.
Again, it's day one, but we are excited. If you feel fostering is a part of something you want to do, it's always good to reach out to a shelter and see if you would be a good fit or a good fit for a dog in need. After all, a more well-adjusted dog makes for a happier adoptee. However, understand that the foster dog needs you and will be a dependent whom you need to care for constantly is of the utmost importance. This isn't a toy, it's truly an animal in need, and we cannot wait to help our little Cinder out!
Sunday, March 29, 2015
Saturday, March 21, 2015
Adopt A Dog
My husband and I today found a dog in a shelter we thought we really might like, so we made the trip out to the shelter to meet this pup. We have a corgi, as some of you know, and sometimes we're perfectly contented being a fun little family of three. Other times, it's almost as if Ein is sad or wants to play but just not with us and we wonder if he'd love having a sister.
We've toyed with the idea for about a year now, and I just keep an eye out. Knowing how he is with other dogs, we know he gets along with them and isn't super pushy or alpha-y, but we also know he can get annoyed by overly hyper dogs (as he's the biggest couch potato ever) and we also know with his super short reach a really big dog won't be a good fit for him. So I have been looking.
About six months ago our breeder had another litter of puppies (yes we got Ein from a breeder. Please please PLEASE do your homework on a breeder if you are, in fact, going to purchase a dog from a breeder instead of adopting from a shelter. Just because the person's a 'breeder' doesn't mean they should be breeding dogs or that the dogs are kept in good conditions. Please just be smart. Don't feed the fire of irresponsible breeding). Anyway, back to the point - our breeder knew we were toying with the idea and called to let us know she and another breeder on the list had female 4 mo. old puppies who would be a good fit with Ein. My husband and I thought about it, but I had just started a new job and couldn't take the 2 weeks to Work From Home to acclimate the new puppy and work on training...and, to be honest, we couldn't food the $1200 bill for the new puppy plus the $300 a month dog-walking bill we knew would be needed until the puppy was about 10-12 months old and could hold it for a full day.
Therefore, we reluctantly turned the puppy down and hoped another family could be happily blessed. Still, we've been looking, and we've really had an eye out for a corgi. About three weeks ago a shelter I check in with had a corgi mix that still wasn't adopted so we went to visit. After learning more about the dog and her needs, we just knew it we weren't a good fit for the dog. Then another shelter had a corgi mix pop up last week. I called this morning and she was still available, so we headed over to take a look.
Adorable. So sweet, totally a snuggle-bug, and absolutely loved my husband. We visited for a little and also met with another dog we noticed while we were there. She was also a cutie, but a much bigger dog, albeit just as sweet.
If you haven't thought hard, and I mean really considered, adopting from a shelter, you should. I worked at one in college, and I'm not just saying that to justify why I think adopting is so great. These dogs, you guys, are wonderful. The majority of them just had really stupid or horrible humans who shouldn't have been given a dog in the first place because they either couldn't handle them or didn't believe dogs should be 'adopted for life' / 'through thick and thin' like every other dependent you have. So it's sad- these sweet, amazing, lovable creatures who just want to run up to you and remind you that you are the absolute most important thing in their life - are waiting for a new owner who can see them for the amazing beings they are. And they are truly amazing. If I could foster dogs and had a huge back yard that was fenced in I absolutely would. They deserve it, and the owners who come to adopt them should be able to adopt dogs who have been helped through their trauma by being fostered. I think it's the greatest thing people do for animals.
Anyway - we still don't know if it's a fit yet. Again, adopting and owning a pet isn't a 'cool' thing or a 'fun' thing - it's a real responsibility, and you need to take it as such. And while the two girls we saw were adorable and if we didn't already have Ein I would have taken them both, we have to consider our current baby when looking at others, so we are still unsure of what we're doing. However, and in the meantime, I truly hope that you look into adoption. Yes, you are saving a life, but I promise they will actually bless yours more.
We've toyed with the idea for about a year now, and I just keep an eye out. Knowing how he is with other dogs, we know he gets along with them and isn't super pushy or alpha-y, but we also know he can get annoyed by overly hyper dogs (as he's the biggest couch potato ever) and we also know with his super short reach a really big dog won't be a good fit for him. So I have been looking.
About six months ago our breeder had another litter of puppies (yes we got Ein from a breeder. Please please PLEASE do your homework on a breeder if you are, in fact, going to purchase a dog from a breeder instead of adopting from a shelter. Just because the person's a 'breeder' doesn't mean they should be breeding dogs or that the dogs are kept in good conditions. Please just be smart. Don't feed the fire of irresponsible breeding). Anyway, back to the point - our breeder knew we were toying with the idea and called to let us know she and another breeder on the list had female 4 mo. old puppies who would be a good fit with Ein. My husband and I thought about it, but I had just started a new job and couldn't take the 2 weeks to Work From Home to acclimate the new puppy and work on training...and, to be honest, we couldn't food the $1200 bill for the new puppy plus the $300 a month dog-walking bill we knew would be needed until the puppy was about 10-12 months old and could hold it for a full day.
Therefore, we reluctantly turned the puppy down and hoped another family could be happily blessed. Still, we've been looking, and we've really had an eye out for a corgi. About three weeks ago a shelter I check in with had a corgi mix that still wasn't adopted so we went to visit. After learning more about the dog and her needs, we just knew it we weren't a good fit for the dog. Then another shelter had a corgi mix pop up last week. I called this morning and she was still available, so we headed over to take a look.
Adorable. So sweet, totally a snuggle-bug, and absolutely loved my husband. We visited for a little and also met with another dog we noticed while we were there. She was also a cutie, but a much bigger dog, albeit just as sweet.
If you haven't thought hard, and I mean really considered, adopting from a shelter, you should. I worked at one in college, and I'm not just saying that to justify why I think adopting is so great. These dogs, you guys, are wonderful. The majority of them just had really stupid or horrible humans who shouldn't have been given a dog in the first place because they either couldn't handle them or didn't believe dogs should be 'adopted for life' / 'through thick and thin' like every other dependent you have. So it's sad- these sweet, amazing, lovable creatures who just want to run up to you and remind you that you are the absolute most important thing in their life - are waiting for a new owner who can see them for the amazing beings they are. And they are truly amazing. If I could foster dogs and had a huge back yard that was fenced in I absolutely would. They deserve it, and the owners who come to adopt them should be able to adopt dogs who have been helped through their trauma by being fostered. I think it's the greatest thing people do for animals.
Anyway - we still don't know if it's a fit yet. Again, adopting and owning a pet isn't a 'cool' thing or a 'fun' thing - it's a real responsibility, and you need to take it as such. And while the two girls we saw were adorable and if we didn't already have Ein I would have taken them both, we have to consider our current baby when looking at others, so we are still unsure of what we're doing. However, and in the meantime, I truly hope that you look into adoption. Yes, you are saving a life, but I promise they will actually bless yours more.
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