I totally skipped a chapter of the "Foster Dog Diaries" when I failed to write about Boris, my last foster, and all of my experiences with him. Perhaps I didn't write because he was one of my most difficult fosters... that happened to come at a time in my life that was fairly new and busy. You see, around the same time Boris came into my life, I started a new job at vet hospital as a vet assistant/kennel caretaker. I've never worked at a vet before... so I had a lot to learn! I STILL have a lot to learn. But... that's irrelevant. Boris was a good dog - obedience trained, crate trained, good on a leash, etc. However, Boris didn't really know how to act around other dogs. He got on well with Brody and Lyla at first... but he and Jackson butted heads quite often. I really had to keep an eye on those two. After a couple weeks, though, Brody and Lyla decided that they didn't really want to tolerate Boris as much as they had at first. This made life a little bit difficult for all of us. Lyla's used to having a playmate... and she started to act out when Boris didn't suffice as such. We stuck it out, though, and Boris eventually found his forever family. While it was difficult, I'm glad that I was a part of helping him find his perfect family. He really is a good dog... but Mr. Boris certainly seemed to prefer being an only dog.
Once Boris was adopted, I spent a few weeks without a foster. Lyla was going crazy without a playmate! So was I! But... K9 Justice League had it all planned out. We were headed down to Paws of Hertford County in North Carolina on January 31st to pull a handful of dogs to bring back home to Virginia for the open foster families of the rescue. I eagerly awaited the day that I'd meet my new foster!
Of course, I scoured the website day and night to see which dog I might just want to pick. But... you know how that goes. You pick one and end up with another! We made the trip early in the morning and were greeted by the amazing volunteers of PAWS who we have come to know and love. They are truly amazing people... who work hard and give these animals love when nobody else will. Talk about a small shelter rising above the rest! They have done a fantastic job getting the word out about their dogs and cats! I really adore them.
Once we got to the shelter, we went to work. My eyes were peeled for my new foster... and Jessica and Tiffany worked hard to pick dogs that matched up well with the available foster families. Of course, I wanted the dog least likely to be adopted. There were two shy dogs, Florence and Olivia. Florence had been in a home for a trial... but do to her extreme shyness, it didn't work out. I adored both of them from the start... but Florence showed the most potential... so that's who I left with. We left with a total of 11 dogs. Ten went into the rescue, and one was transported to a breed rescue. We renamed my foster dog. Her name is now Audrey. The first day was rough. She was so scared that she would barely move. While she was petrified, she wasn't aggressive at all. I could pick her up and pet her... although she really didn't enjoy it! She curled up in a ball and was like a statue while my three dogs greeted her. When she came home with me, I don't think she was expecting to be in a house with a whole pack of dogs! And that's what will save her. My dogs have already helped her in so many ways... and they are doing their job by showing her that humans give food, affection, and playtime. It's going to be a long road... but she's already made a lot of progress. I can't wait to see what the future holds for Audrey's life.
Peace, Love, and Paw Prints
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