The Petcast Interview
I was interviewed for a pet-oriented podcast called The Petcast by two very nice people (Steve & Emily) who wanted their listeners to learn more about fostering dogs. My interview is in Episode #193 titled The Dog Fosterer(!), available for MP3 download.
After the interview I had millions of things I wish I would have said. For one, I wish I would have said how DOABLE it is to foster a dog given the right mind set – it is work and more on the front end and easier as it goes on…opposite to raising a little of puppies who for the first two weeks literally nurse and sleep. They are no work at all – just a load of laundry twice a day and taking care of the mama. It is also important to understand some very basic things about dogs – they are social pack animals and assuming the foster dog had some positive experiences with people in her past
So little time, so much to do
I can’t believe it, it is almost over. It is so abrupt; one day you are scrambling to find time to sit down and the next day they are gone and there is this huge hole in your life. But now is the busy time, where they are needing SO much and I have so little left to give. Plus, I am letting go, spending far less time with them so it doesn’t hurt so much when they leave. I am up late at night, reviewing the adoption decisions I’ve made, hoping the families will be good matches. I can only do so much and then I have to just let it go. Let it be what it will be. This is difficult work. Remember when I was saying that I would be happy to see them go? Well, I will be happy to have my house back and my time back and my dogs and family back but I will miss their little fuzzy bodies and puppy breath (what makes is stink so?) and their growing personalities. But (more…)
Hitting My Stride
It is a busy time, as I predicted. But not in the ways I thought it would be. Unless I am getting really good at this, I think I over-estimated the amount of effort caring for these little guys takes. Now, don’t get me wrong – I am correct regarding the amount of time it takes: two to three loads of laundry and cleaning up one extra big garbage bag full of poppy and pee-filled papers, moping two rooms totally 3 times a day, and laying clean papers at least 4 times a day takes a set amount of time. But like most things in life, it isn’t the time something takes that makes it seem so overwhelming, but the energy we put on it..the story about how difficult it is, the effort we put toward forcing ourselves to do it, or the misery we hold as we do it. But if we just do what (more…)
Heavy Workload
It feels like I am constantly going now. Once I feed the pups then I have to take care of Annie’s food. Then I have to clean up the food bowls and let Annie out. Then I play with the pups to give them some stimulation and get them used to being handled and of course Annie’s right there needing some attention too. Then I have to clean up the wet papers, mop the floors and put down new papers. Hopefully at this point the pups are starting to fall asleep. Before they do I have to change their bedding, put the soiled bedding into the washer after taking out the wet bedding and putting it into the dryer after taking out the cleaned and dried bedding and folding it. Once the bedding is laid one pup invariably walks on it and pees. I try to pretend that it doesn’t happen. You can’t ever get the room cleaned – you just try to keep (more…)