Fostering memories and happy tears

[Christina and Cooper plus Benny]

I have been absent from DoodleKisses lately with a crazy work schedule and spending the free time that I do have camping and hiking and walking and whatever else makes my boy, Cooper, happy....however....I had to pause this morning, as I received a wonderful email to share with the DoodleKisses world on the wonders of fostering!

I fostered a very cool, very big, very red dog for the DRC back in late January, early February.  I only had him a bit more than a week before he went to his new home, and the experience was hectic and a bit time consuming, and made me appreciate my Cooper just that much more.  I am not going to lie, there were vet trips, baths, walks, working on basic training, exercising and a basic need for just ATTENTION from an attention starved foster dog.   And then one day, he went to his new home, so happy, so proud, so ready to work with his new mom, and that was that.  UNTIL today, and an email that made it all worthwhile!  (The experience of seeing a shy reserved dog turn in to a happy proud dog was worth it at the time too.)  This morning,  I woke up to a wonderful email from foster dog's new mom!  She was gushing over her new dog and how well he was doing, and that they had hired a trainer to work with them so they knew what to do with "foster dog."  She stated that is was definitely them that needed the training - not the dog!  :)

In an even stranger twist, it turns out that the new trainer had already met foster dog from one of our dog park visits.  She had been at the dog park working with another couple and I had spoke to her briefly and told her about foster dog (she asked because of his striking red color) and we chatted for a while about fostering and how good of a boy he was.  As soon as the new mama opened the door, the trainer recognized "big red dog" right away!  

Anyway, long story short, the new mama's email was bursting with love and joy for her new dog and the desire to make his life the very best it can be, and THAT made everything I did for "foster dog" so worth my time.  To think....I gave that dog the start of a new life...where he can be happy and loved and cherished every single day.  THAT is fostering!   And it is SO worth your time!  :)

 

[Allyson, Peri & Taquito]

This is great.  Christina thank you for sharing!

[Camilla and Darwin]

Aw, I'm so glad that he is doing well in his new home!

[Carol and Banjo]

Christina....that really put a smile on my face : )    What a great thing you did for Big Red!

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

Now this is a really, really "happy ending".  Thanks so much for giving this big red Dood everything he needed to start his new life.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

I'm so glad to hear that our big red guy is doing so well. Christina, you were more than his foster, you were his angel, and he owes every good thing in his life (in fact, his life itself) to you. On his behalf, thank you for being there for him, and for us.

[Jane, Rooney & Stuart]

You amaze me!  What a wonderful story - I'm so happy that you and Cooper were there for this dog in his time of need!  You set such a great example to the rest of us.