As my regular readers know, I’ve been thinking a lot about doing foster care for dogs.  Shortly after I wrote this post asking for advice, Hubby and I decided to take the plunge and give it a try even though several of the comments weren’t encouraging.  I really didn’t think we would be approved as we don’t have a fenced in yard.  But, a day or so later we were notified that yes, they would accept up as fosters.
Just about that time my plate was pretty full. Â I was gone two weekends in a row and had a busy weekly schedule too. Â A corgi came up for foster but I just didn’t think it was right to bring a dog home if I didn’t have time to help it make a good transition. Â Then last week in the weekly update from the Humane Society I saw that they were looking for a foster home for a beagle who was 8 and was an owner surrender. Â They also said the dog was an outside dog but they wanted her to become an inside dog.
I talked to Hubby and Kelli as she has helped a dog adjust from outside to inside and we decided to give it a try. Â We had no idea her name or if she even looked like a traditional beagle..we just knew a new experience was coming our way. Â Before she could come, she had to have vet work done…a spay, shots and lymes testing. Â Monday after waiting almost a week, we met Dixie.
She looks so much like Kelli’s Puppycat-only so far, Dixie is mellow.
I was worried about house training as she was an outside dog but so far, no accidents. Â I was worried that she would be a barker (beagles are known for that) but so far, nope. Â I was worried she would whine and keep us up at night, so far that didn’t happen either. Â I was worried that Ruby would drive her crazy..that didn’t happen yet either.
Now my worries have changed as Dixie is a little timid…a little shy and a little slow to warm up. Â I am hoping that with time here she’ll come out of her shell. Â She needs to seem friendly and out going if she is to get adopted. Â When I pet her she puts her head down a little like she is scared but that has already improved. Â I tried to snap a few photos of her but let’s just say, she’s not photogenic yet.
I love her coloring…I love the ticking in the white.
Right now, the only bad thing I can say, and this is entirely no fault of Dixie’s, she smells like an outdoor dog and desperately needs a bath. Â When I pet her, my hands stink and feel really oily. Â The bad news on that front, I called the vet and asked if I could give her a bath…nope. Â I have to wait seven days because of her spay surgery. Â UGH. Â But honestly if that is the worst thing…that’s okay. Â I am just constantly washing my hands!!
Doesn’t she look like she just needs a boost of confidence??
I do have to tell you that we picked her up at our vet’s office as the Humane Society uses the same vet we do. Â One of the Humane Society volunteers was chatting with me in the lobby when the vet came out holding Dixie. Â The vet was surprised to see me and Kelli and then smiled saying that the Humane Society had found a good place to foster a beagle as the Kramer’s are beagle lovers. Â That’s true for sure!!
As I type she is sleeping at my feet. Â She is slowly warming up to me and that is a good thing.
I am eager for her to recover from her surgery and get acclimated. Â So far, this has been a good experience…but then again, I am only about 24 hours into the adventure. Â I’ll keep you posted…and no, I am not too attached to let her go. Â I keep telling myself…she is going to another home…she is going to another home…Maybe yours?? Â I promise, she’ll have a bath before she comes!!
Dixie does look sad and scared. I’m sure she’ll do well with Ruby and you guys. Wish I could give her scratches!! Good luck to all. Hope that bath comes soon . . .
I’m looking forward to pictures of her when she’s acclimated and looks happy instead of scared. I’m thinking she’s lucky to have found you and your family. Good luck!
dixie probably is sad because she doesn’t like the way she smells either! give her a little time and she will be one of the family! and i’m kind of laying money on her ending up staying with your family… :)
LOL she can’t come to my home, we have SIX dogs. We just adopted one that a friend found on the side of the road. He is a rottie and the SWEETEST dog I have ever met! One is even a beagle though not at all shy…ours is the barker of our group! I hope Dixie gets some confidence and finds her forever home and I am glad you guys will help her make the transition! Way to go.
Dixie does look a little sad and shy but maybe being at the vet and shelter is part of it. Hope at the end of the week she is a little more perky. They do have doggie wipes for between baths; or could try taking her out side, sprinkle cornstarch on her fur, gently work in with your hand or soft cloth, then brush to remove. The cornstarch should remove some of the odor. She is a lucky dog to be in your home.
Bless her heart…she’ll settle in soon…she’s probably afraid that she’s going to have to go somewhere else right away…lots of changes in her little life. She’s a lucky girl to be living at your house for a while.
Love her!!! She looks so precious! My older beagle was a rescue. She has come so far! Still shier than most beagles, but so much better than at first! I hope you can find her a good home! Wish I could take her!!!
She does look a little sad and scared. I’m sure I’d look like that too if I had just been spayed. Good luck at being a foster. I have a couple of friends that are fosters and just love being able to help find good homes for their fosters.
I’m so glad that you took the plunge. I’m fostering two kittens who are pretty shy and scared too, but they just need some loving. I’m sure your sweet beagle will come out of her shell once she begins to feel more secure. She’s adorable, smelly or not!
I was going to say how sad that someone would give up a pet they had for 8 years, but I changed my mind. If the dog was an outside dog, she was probably by herself most of the time. I don’t think that is how a pet should be treated. I think her first 8 years were sad. I bet it doesn’t take her long at all to adjust to living in a loving family. Good for her and good for you to take her in. I am looking forward to seeing her transformation.
We adopted a stray beagle/foxhound mix 3 years ago. He did a lot of slinking around a looking scared at first. It took him about 2 years before he decide he really liked to be petted. And he is pretty oily. The vet said some hunting dogs are just oily. He is a sweet, gentle dog, but he will never be the life of the party. We love him anyway.
Awww Dixie looks so sweet and yes, quite timid. My son just adopted a dog that came from a foster home and they are so in love with there little Cal. It is a good thing you are doing and any dog would be lucky to come to a quilter’s house for foster care!! :)
Dixie is such a pretty dog. She does look timid & sad, but that could be partly from her surgery. I would think it might be harder on a dog her age than for a younger one. She might be missing her previous owner too. She’ll come around.
We’ve fostered for quite a few years. Dixie has been through a lot — she’s been relinquished by her owner, placed in cages, cared for by strangers, undergone surgery, felt pain and all of that without a familiar face — so of course she is frightened. Our humane society requires us to take classes and they’ve given us lots of support. They suggest lots of love and comfort, a dependable walking and feeding schedule so they learn to trust, opportunities for lots of new experiences — such as riding in cars, crossing streets, walking on a leash — and the opportunity to meet lots of people and lots of dogs. That helps them not bond too closely to just one person which would make it harder for them to move on to their forever home. That makes your home perfect!! Lots of kids visiting, Ruby as a playmate and then visits with Puppycat. Not every foster will become the perfect dog and some remain a little timid or fearful but if they’re matched with the right home they can still become someone’s best friend and faithful companion. Good luck Jo! We’ve never had trouble sending one of our fosters to their new home. There are always too many dogs in need and never enough homes.
Ohhhhh my husband would kill me! But I would love to take a trip to Iowa and give Dixie a home. We had two begles when the kids were little and I miss them I every day! So glad she found you!
Good for you Jo, this is special and rewarding work. It’ll all be worthwhile when you start to see signs like a tail wag or you get a little lick as thanks.
Good for you for fostering! I’ve had over a dozen foster dogs over the years, and it’s rewarding to see the shy, timid ones come into their own and start wagging and smiling. I have found that in the beginning, tethering the dog to my belt loop with a 6′ leash worked best to encourage the dog to bond with me: where I went, so did she. It hastened the process of socialization in the house as well as gave me the opportunity to really learn each dog’s signals about when they needed to go outside to potty, were thirsty, etc. I also found that after a few weeks (more or less), when the foster finally felt at home, her REAL personality began to emerge. Often the shy, quiet, well-behaved ones became much less so as the time went on! That’s when basic obedience training really paid off.
Good luck with your new cutie and keep us updated.
Congrgatulations! I am so glad you took the plunge. I know Dixie is in great hands and will learn to love and trust. More than anything, my foster dogs need love. Dixie will come around but may not be as outgoing as Ruby. As for the smell, try dry shampoo. We often have dogs that need a bath but can’t be wet due to surgery so we use dry shampoo. It isn’t perfect but it does help a lot. Give her a big hug for me, when she smells better! ;)
Good for you for doing this. I am an animal lover too. We have 2 cats and 2 dogs. Right now we are doggie sitting my daughter-in-law’s father’s dog while he and his family are gone. It is hard for dogs new to the family to adjust. And it must be hard for Dixie. Just keep loving her and she will be a new dog before you know it!!
Congrats on fostering a dog! She does look so timid but she is cute. I’m sure she’ll get a good home (maybe yours).
Jo, we can’t thank you enough for taking Dixie in to your home! It was nice to meet you at the vets office and I could tell you are going to be a wonderful foster home! Maybe a little history on why her owner gave her up: It was an older gentleman who use to hunt rabbits with Dixie frequently. Because of his age and health, he can’t be outside with her much anymore and called us (someone recommeded us) to find Dixie a good indoor home for the rest of her retirement years. He did not want to just give her away to anyone, and really wanted someone he could trust to take care of her until we found her a good home. So, we are glad he contacted us to help and we encourage others to do the same instead of putting them “free to good home”! So now Dixie is with Jo and her family and they will help her to become a good companion for someone and Dixie is very lucky to have such a great foster home! thanks so much Jo and look forward to working with you!
Awww, Dixie looks like a perfect companion for Ruby!! I know that with my last rescue, she was timid and shy at first but has become a perfect companion! I am so glad you are giving her a loving home, temporary or not! Looking forward to more pictures of a happier Dixie!