Make A Difference In The Life of a Doodle!

During the last few months I've been asked at least 3 times if I could take a foster ...... sadly for health reasons I have had to decline! This is so frustrating to me because I know that there are many Doodles sitting out there in Kill Shelters and the DRC is having trouble finding foster homes to put them in! They can't bring them into the program if they don't have a foster home waiting!

Have you ever considered fostering but just weren't sure you could do it? Even if you haven't considered it, would you just stop for a moment and consider it! Many people worry that they will have a hard time giving the dog up .... yes, there are a few what we call "foster failures" in that the dog ended up staying with its foster family. But honestly, in most of those cases those people really wanted another doodle anyway! :o)

Over the past year my DH and I have had the honor of sharing our home with four Foster Doodles from the DRC. If you had asked me 3 years ago if that is something that I would do, I would of probably told you you were crazy. There wasn't even a Dog in my house, much less a foster dog! Now, we have 2 Doodles permanently and the occasional visitor! My life has become about my Doodles and helping other doodles. I always wondered what I was going to do when I retired ..... and now I know. My life is so full and so busy, but different from the busy that was going to a job every day .... it is busy fun and busy rewarding!

I won't kid you, as I drove to pick up the first foster from his family in KY there were butterflies in my stomach ..... I was wondering if I was in over my head, but as soon as I saw him I knew that I had done the right thing. He was going to have a better life because I had taken the plunge! The reason for this post is to share some experiences and maybe clear up a few myths about fostering, and maybe, just possibly even convince a few of you to come join us and help get some of these Doodles out of these shelters and give them the life they deserve!

MYTHS:

1) I'll Never Be Able to Give Him/Her Up: The best advice I ever got was to never think of the Doodle as Mine .... I am just a stop on the road to their new forever home. I'm just giving them a good foundation and looking for the perfect forever family for them. I can with all honesty say that I have never cried when one of my fosters has left (and I cry when I hear the Star Spangled Banner). With each and every one, they bonded with their new family immediately, climbed right up in the car, tails wagging as they pulled out of the driveway! There is just something so rewarding about seeing all the smiles on their new families faces and the tail wagging!

2) I can't do this by myself: Trust me, with my first foster, poor Karen (Jack Doodle's Mom) had so many e-mails from me .... but she was there for me every single step of the way. Any problems, any issues, she helped me out. I don't think she ever leaves her computer as the responses were almost instant.

3) I can't afford it: There doesn't have to be any expense to you. All the Vet expenses and stuff are covered by the DRC. They go directly onto the DRC Credit Card so there isn't even any out of pocket initial payment. I normally just feed them the food that my girls eat, so that is the only real expense on my part.

4) Easy for you to do this, you don't work outside the home: I'm one of the few fosters that doesn't work outside the home!

5) I'm afraid I'll be pressured to take a dog I'm not comfortable with: At no point has anyone pressured me. Anytime that I had to say No for any reason, they have always understood.

If you have any questions or concerns, post them here. There are many Fosters right here on DoodleKisses that I'm sure can put your mind to rest about any concerns you may have.

What I'm trying to say is we need you, these Doodles need you. Just take the plunge, forget about all those little thoughts in the back of your mind that have been keeping you from volunteering .... you will be so happy that you did, I promise you! Next Christmas your mailbox will be filled from cute little holiday cards from your foster babies and their new families .... there is nothing like it! They will always hold a special place in your heart, a happy memory because you played a key role in giving them the happiness they deserve.

Go to DoodleRescueCollectiveinc.org

Click on the Volunteer Tab and you can complete and submit your application to foster right on line.

P L E A S E !

Thank You

Lucy & Sophie's Mom (a.k.a. Sheri)

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Permalink Reply by Bridget B on February 8, 2011 at 7:26pm

Sherie & Nina,

I wholeheartedly agree with all your comments. I'd like to add: REWARDS - PRICELESS!!

We got our first foster in November, had him for three weeks. Just picked up our second foster last Saturday, and she was spayed yesterday, so we'll have her at least two weeks. It is such a joy to help these homeless doodles! We learn from each one, and we try to teach them as much as we can while they are here. Even our doodle, Nemo, helps in that dept! I've learned so much since I started fostering. About dogs, doggy health, doggy food, training techniques, etc. Each dog is unique, and worthy of all the love and care we can give them.

Great idea to post this, to get the real scoop out there, and to recruit more doodle-lovers into fostering!!

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Permalink Reply by Adrianne Matzkin on February 8, 2011 at 8:04pm

Desperately need good foster homes in Ohio!

Too many in kill shelters that will die if they are not pulled from the shelters. Please consider opening your heart and homes for a few weeks to a doodle in need whose only fault is that their former families didn't know their doodle will get so big; didn't know that they may shed; or the big one - thought they trained themselves. Don't we all know better than that!

I pulled this big, black boy from a shelter here in South Orange, NJ 2 weeks ago. His parents dropped him off after 4 years and never looked back. I would have fostered but I had a bad case of the flu. Patty drove down from CT to meet me in Fort Lee and fostered Sully. I am thrilled to say that as of last night he is living less than 10 minutes from me back here in NJ! I am hoping his new Mom, Leslie, will be joining us here in DK. Sully looks huge but actually my Charli is a bit taller than Sully - he just is broader.

If you are in the position of helping a doodle dog in need, please consider fostering. In the link below, we have lots of info to read to help you decide if fostering is for you - read the discussion 'BEFORE YOU FOSTER' or you can email me at

volunteer@doodlerescuecollectiveinc.org

with any questions you might have.

Thanks for even considering volunteering!

Adrianne

doodlerescuecollectiveinc.org/notes/VOLUNTEER?show=true

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Permalink Reply by Frannie & Callie on February 9, 2011 at 11:01am

I wanna bite that nose!

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Permalink Reply by Kathy Janes on February 9, 2011 at 5:55pm

That big boy is adorable!

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Permalink Reply by Nina, Phil, Harlow & Lacey on February 11, 2011 at 8:08pm

OMD! what a handsone dood!

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Permalink Reply by Karina on February 8, 2011 at 8:11pm

thank you for raising awareness. before we got our Rosie I tried to adopt and I think there wasn't a perfect situation. After we move, fence our yard and our lives settle down we are hoping to get another doodle and a foster or a rescue would be great.

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Permalink Reply by Clifford, Cloud, Jake..and Kim on February 9, 2011 at 2:38am

I have to say fostering doodles is the most rewarding thing I've done. To bring a doodle into our home and have the opportunity to make his life better by finding the perfect forever family for him gives me the opportunity to really make a difference - not only for the doodle but also for the loving family that gets to add a doodle to their home. I will never forget the nervousness the first time I got a call from Adrianne to pick up Cadi, I asked myself all the expected questions but as Cadi and I "talked" on our ride home I knew this wouldn't be my last foster, I already felt and saw the difference I could make in her life as I took her out of the shelter. Every doodle has a different personality and it makes me smile as I watch that personality shine through because I was able to give him/her a chance to learn that life can be good, safe, warm and loving. Fostering gives me the chance to share my life with more doodles than I could have as permanent family members and what could be better than to have more doodles and doodle families as friends?

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Permalink Reply by Jane, Rooney & Stuart on February 9, 2011 at 4:40am

I was asked to help do a transport right around the time I got Rooney. It didn't work out because Rooney hadn't had all of his shots yet and his breeder didn't think I should have another dog in my car till he was past that point. But I am home full time and would love to foster - but I think that they require you to have a fenced yard. I don't have a fenced yard - I'm trying to get one put in but who knows if that will happen. Do you have to have a fence to foster?