When a foster dog arrives at my home, he is immediately set up with a familiar and predictable routine for pottying, eating, socialization and down time. After a few days, it becomes 'business as usual' for the dog because he knows what to expect and can begin to anticipate most activities.
Building trust is important for training and management, and considering the stress that often accompanies big changes, routines help establish this. Some routines will translate nicely into a future adoptive home as well.
A typical transition for a dog in a new environment is 2 to 6 weeks. That takes everything into account - health, previous situation, social skills with people and other animals (not including dogs with significant behavioral issues).
Once the dog begins to settle and training, or re-training as the case often is, is well underway, two things usually happen - the dog's personality and character start to emerge and he begins to 'bond' with the people caring for him.
This is the best and the worst part about fostering.
It's awesome to be a part of a dog blossoming into a 'pet' and becoming part of your family. But that moment when you realize you have become 'their person' is bittersweet. It means you have been successful in transitioning the dog, helping him settle and thrive and teaching him what it means to live like a dog should. It also means he thinks you are his and he is yours. Only he doesn't yet know it's not a forever situation - again.
He wags his little butt when he sees you, he snorts and wiggles and bounces when you talk to him and it's his whole world when he can just lay next to you on the couch. He feels at home.
It is at this point that all my efforts have paid off. Now my job becomes finding him another "me" in his true forever home.
Building trust is important for training and management, and considering the stress that often accompanies big changes, routines help establish this. Some routines will translate nicely into a future adoptive home as well.
A typical transition for a dog in a new environment is 2 to 6 weeks. That takes everything into account - health, previous situation, social skills with people and other animals (not including dogs with significant behavioral issues).
Once the dog begins to settle and training, or re-training as the case often is, is well underway, two things usually happen - the dog's personality and character start to emerge and he begins to 'bond' with the people caring for him.
This is the best and the worst part about fostering.
It's awesome to be a part of a dog blossoming into a 'pet' and becoming part of your family. But that moment when you realize you have become 'their person' is bittersweet. It means you have been successful in transitioning the dog, helping him settle and thrive and teaching him what it means to live like a dog should. It also means he thinks you are his and he is yours. Only he doesn't yet know it's not a forever situation - again.
He wags his little butt when he sees you, he snorts and wiggles and bounces when you talk to him and it's his whole world when he can just lay next to you on the couch. He feels at home.
It is at this point that all my efforts have paid off. Now my job becomes finding him another "me" in his true forever home.