advice from foster parents - YorkieTalk.com Forums

misslissa · 10-08-2010, 04:27 PM

Some of you might remember that my best friend joined the army and left me with her two dogs to foster until she returned. now she is still paying for there food and vet care.

i wanted to know if there was any tips i could use to help them get acquainted with my house and our routine. The plan now is They will start daycare a week before the move so do you think that will help or should we change everything at once i have never done this before and poky is 12 years old (well almost) so i don't want to stress him out that bad

my other concern is that they eat Purina one and Gatsby eats home-cooked with free fed taste of the wild so how do i make sure they dont eat each others food

any other helpful hints and tips you would share would be much appreciated and greatly thanked

Lisa and Pic · 10-09-2010, 03:06 AM

Bless you for taking on the dogs, while your friend is at Boot Camp. I did that for my daughter when she went into Boot Camp, and ended up keeping her dog.

I have already told her I will do it again when she is deployed in February, so I imagine this time it will be over a year.

Lots of advice can be given here.... For me it really helped to squeeze another crate in our kitchen and I fed her dog in this crate. Evidentually I switched over the food, so all the pups were eating the same thing.

Also, be sure you are the pack leader, so your little Gatsby feels comfortable with these new additions. Good luck.

Bentleys Momma · 10-09-2010, 05:22 AM

Bless you for taking in your friends babies while she goes off and does this very brave thing!!! You both must be incredibly special people. We will keep you all in our prayers.

Peggy, Monkey & Maddie

(Also proud momma of a US Marine!!!

)

shoefelmeyer · 10-09-2010, 05:37 AM

The idea of feeding them in their crate is a good idea. I have to do this for both my dogs so one of our cats does not eat their food BEFORE they eat it all at each feeding. I used to not do this and worried both pups were not getting ALL of their food. Once they are done eating they let me know, I remove the food dish and each pup is out of the kennel.

I thing you are doing a wonderful gesture to foster your friends dogs.

misslissa · 10-09-2010, 06:29 AM

They come with there own crates so feeding them in there would not be a problem but i never thought of it.

Thanks guys i just want to make sure we aren't all a mess when they come im so nervous.
just in case anyone wants to see hear are a few pics of poky and chichi poky is a 15 pound Maltese and chichi is a 8 pound chiweenie(chihuahua dachshund mix)

http://s855.photobucket.com/albums/a...0and%20chichi/

misslissa · 10-09-2010, 06:30 AM

sorry that last one did not work lets try this

http://s855.photobucket.com/albums/a...t=100_1801.jpg

Marilize · 10-09-2010, 06:48 AM

Fostering can be a very rewarding experience

and well done to you for taking care of your friend's dogs. You've gotten some great advice so far, I just want to add a few things. I foster puppies and dogs for welfare all the time - our latest one, Charlie, is proving very, very hard to let go!

Anyway, you didn't mention if the dogs knew each other? If they do, that will help a lot to make them comfortable living in the same house.

Before the dogs come to your home, I'd have their crates and beds set up for them so that they can settle in right away. Also, take away all the toys and then start introducing the toys again slowly, starting with the least interesting ones first.
When the day of the move comes, have your friend bring her dogs over and then take all the dogs for a walk before going into the house. This will help establish them as firm friends and then you can simply walk them into the house together. And once they are inside, they will have their things & should be very happy to stay with you and your dog(s).
If there are any issues between the dogs, let them sort themselves out. Don't interfere because it will only make it worse. If there are any tense moments, the best thing to do is to walk away. They will follow you and the tension will be broken.

Good luck

I'm sure you will have a lot of fun with her dogs!

margaritaville · 10-09-2010, 09:29 AM

It might help them feel more at home if she could leave some of her clothing with her scent on it in their crates.

misslissa · 10-09-2010, 10:00 AM

sorry yes they know each other very well
Chi-Chi even was my dog until i got the kids and realized that i had a way to full house at the time i had 5 dogs then my ex took his two and chichi went to live with my best friend then my sheltie passed and that left just Gatsby
Poky was there to greet Gatsby when he came home they are not the best of friends but they like each other well enough

10-08-2010, 04:27 PM	#1
misslissa YT 1000 Club Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: canton ohio us Posts: 1,574	advice from foster parents Some of you might remember that my best friend joined the army and left me with her two dogs to foster until she returned. now she is still paying for there food and vet care. i wanted to know if there was any tips i could use to help them get acquainted with my house and our routine. The plan now is They will start daycare a week before the move so do you think that will help or should we change everything at once i have never done this before and poky is 12 years old (well almost) so i don't want to stress him out that bad my other concern is that they eat Purina one and Gatsby eats home-cooked with free fed taste of the wild so how do i make sure they dont eat each others food any other helpful hints and tips you would share would be much appreciated and greatly thanked __________________ Don't say I love you unless you mean it, but if you do say it a lot. People forget.

10-09-2010, 03:06 AM	#2
Lisa and Pic ♥ Piccolo & Vivi ♥ Donating Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Kentucky Posts: 14,311	Bless you for taking on the dogs, while your friend is at Boot Camp. I did that for my daughter when she went into Boot Camp, and ended up keeping her dog. I have already told her I will do it again when she is deployed in February, so I imagine this time it will be over a year. Lots of advice can be given here.... For me it really helped to squeeze another crate in our kitchen and I fed her dog in this crate. Evidentually I switched over the food, so all the pups were eating the same thing. Also, be sure you are the pack leader, so your little Gatsby feels comfortable with these new additions. Good luck. __________________ Lisa, Dixie, and Jazzy (RIP Piccolo and Vivi)

10-09-2010, 05:22 AM	#3
Bentleys Momma YT 500 Club Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Texas Posts: 793	Bless you for taking in your friends babies while she goes off and does this very brave thing!!! You both must be incredibly special people. We will keep you all in our prayers. Peggy, Monkey & Maddie (Also proud momma of a US Marine!!! ) __________________ "If there are no dogs in Heaven, then when I die I want to go where they went." — Will Rogers

10-09-2010, 06:29 AM	#5
misslissa YT 1000 Club Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: canton ohio us Posts: 1,574	They come with there own crates so feeding them in there would not be a problem but i never thought of it. Thanks guys i just want to make sure we aren't all a mess when they come im so nervous. just in case anyone wants to see hear are a few pics of poky and chichi poky is a 15 pound Maltese and chichi is a 8 pound chiweenie(chihuahua dachshund mix) http://s855.photobucket.com/albums/a...0and%20chichi/ __________________ Don't say I love you unless you mean it, but if you do say it a lot. People forget.

10-09-2010, 06:30 AM	#6
misslissa YT 1000 Club Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: canton ohio us Posts: 1,574	sorry that last one did not work lets try this http://s855.photobucket.com/albums/a...t=100_1801.jpg __________________ Don't say I love you unless you mean it, but if you do say it a lot. People forget. Last edited by misslissa; 10-09-2010 at 06:32 AM. Reason: new link diddent work

10-09-2010, 05:37 AM	#4
shoefelmeyer Donating YT 500 Club Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: USA Posts: 839	The idea of feeding them in their crate is a good idea. I have to do this for both my dogs so one of our cats does not eat their food BEFORE they eat it all at each feeding. I used to not do this and worried both pups were not getting ALL of their food. Once they are done eating they let me know, I remove the food dish and each pup is out of the kennel. I thing you are doing a wonderful gesture to foster your friends dogs.

10-09-2010, 06:48 AM	#7
Marilize YT 500 Club Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Cape town, South Africa Posts: 703	Fostering can be a very rewarding experience and well done to you for taking care of your friend's dogs. You've gotten some great advice so far, I just want to add a few things. I foster puppies and dogs for welfare all the time - our latest one, Charlie, is proving very, very hard to let go! Anyway, you didn't mention if the dogs knew each other? If they do, that will help a lot to make them comfortable living in the same house. Before the dogs come to your home, I'd have their crates and beds set up for them so that they can settle in right away. Also, take away all the toys and then start introducing the toys again slowly, starting with the least interesting ones first. When the day of the move comes, have your friend bring her dogs over and then take all the dogs for a walk before going into the house. This will help establish them as firm friends and then you can simply walk them into the house together. And once they are inside, they will have their things & should be very happy to stay with you and your dog(s). If there are any issues between the dogs, let them sort themselves out. Don't interfere because it will only make it worse. If there are any tense moments, the best thing to do is to walk away. They will follow you and the tension will be broken. Good luck I'm sure you will have a lot of fun with her dogs! __________________ Cash & Orio RIP Beautiful Joni

10-09-2010, 09:29 AM	#8
margaritaville Donating YT 500 Club Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: west long branch, n.j. Posts: 4,457	It might help them feel more at home if she could leave some of her clothing with her scent on it in their crates. __________________ Joan, Bubba and Sissy-BEWARE OF PUPPY MILLS breathe in, breathe out, move on -jb

10-09-2010, 10:00 AM	#9
misslissa YT 1000 Club Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: canton ohio us Posts: 1,574	sorry yes they know each other very well Chi-Chi even was my dog until i got the kids and realized that i had a way to full house at the time i had 5 dogs then my ex took his two and chichi went to live with my best friend then my sheltie passed and that left just Gatsby Poky was there to greet Gatsby when he came home they are not the best of friends but they like each other well enough __________________ Don't say I love you unless you mean it, but if you do say it a lot. People forget.