Fostering dogs - does anyone do it? How do you cope?

[GinaGem]

We're getting a foster dog in the next week or so and i'm just wondering how people cope with having to give the dog up and not getting too attached?

We really don't want three dogs permently as it's difficult for my OH to walk them when i go away but the rescue is very full so we thought we'd try fostering here and there. I think it'll be good for one of ours anyway as he's scared of other dogs so it won't do his socialisation any harm!

 

[RubysGold]

Good luck and well done for taking on the commitment of a foster dog.
We've fostered 3 dogs, only one of them went back lol
Angel was first, we took her on while her owner was going through a hard time. After a year he asked if we could keep her because it just wasn't going to work with him having a dog in those circumstances. So we did.
Then came Benji, a young flat coat retriever, for over xmas. I looked after him (I was about 14), did all his walks, feeding, playtime, everything. Fell head over heels for him, and then 2 weeks later mum took him back to the kennel and wouldn't let me go visit. Broke my heart
And then we fostered Jake, an 11 year old (ish) tri colour border collie, but we knew that he wouldn't be able to find a home easily at his age, so he stayed with us too. Hes about 15 now
So, good luck trying to give them back at the end. Its not easy! But at least they can have fun while they are with you, gets them out of the kennel for a bit.

 

[GinaGem]

Thank you. Our second dog was originally going to be a foster. We were close to where the dog was located and offered to pick him up from the owner who couldn't keep him anymore and look after him till the rescue found him a home. We were thinking about a second dog but had kind of decided two would be too much, as it was we picked him up and decided instantly that he wasn't going anywhere and it's worked out really nicely!

This time i'm going to desperately try and treat the dog as not mine and keep in my mind that i'm just looking after him but we'll see!!! I figure if i keep telling myself we can't help more if we keep this one it might help?!!