The worst thing you can say to a foster parent...

People mean well.  They really do.  And while they don't think there's anything wrong with what they are saying - well - I know my fellow foster families know what I'm talking about...

Your friends see that picture you post - you know - of the new foster dog on the couch snuggled up next to the other dogs?  Or maybe the one of the dog curled up next to you?  They see your posts about how well Fido fits in with the rest of your dogs, and they see how much you love your new temporary addition.

And that's when it starts.  The comments come flooding in: I think you should keep him.  Fido fits in so well with the rest of the pack.  I don't think he'll be leaving.  How can you stand to let him go?

You know what?  You just said the worst thing possible.  I ALREADY want to keep half of the dogs that I foster.  I already fall in love with all of them.  My dogs fall in love with them, too.  So... PLEASE refrain from validating my adoration for these animals.  PLEASE don't tell me that I should keep this one.  Fostering is hard enough... but it gets even harder when you friends remind you how well a dog fits in.

So instead of reminding us how amazing it would be to add our fosters as permanent residents, remind us how important it is to let them go to a new family.  Yes, they fit in great... but tap us on the shoulder and remind us that Fido has the perfect family out there somewhere... and that once he's adopted, we can save another.  'Nuff said.

-Emily

"No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted."

Not to sound cliche, but where do I start?

It's been a couple months since I last posted.  Not much to post about in my "Foster Dog Diaries" blog when I'm not fostering a dog.

Well, we all knew how long that would last.  Do you sense the sarcasm?  I can't remember the last time that I only had four dogs in my house.  What's one more?  I did not intend on acquiring another foster dog until I got word that PAWS of Hertford County had a shy dog that needed to get into a foster home.  So... I got that spark in my heart and started getting excited about possibly having a new dog in the house.  Paige has settled in as a permanent family member... and our days are quite simple.  I felt like I could open up my home and my heart to another dog in need.  Especially a shy dog.  I sure do love my shy dogs...

So I went to the adoption event and stopped by Jackson's (my prospective foster dog's) crate to visit.  However, he wasn't cowered in the corner like my other "shy dogs".  He clearly had some anxiety... but Jackson was nothing like Audrey or Hallie, my nearly feral dog fosters.  I gladly hung out with the PAWS volunteers and noticed shortly a young boy visiting with Jackson.  The look in his eyes as he stood in front of the dog's crate was priceless.  As jealous as I was that this kid was probably going to be taking MY new foster dog, I couldn't help from being in awe over the fact that you could just tell that these two were meant to be together.  And that was that.  The family had their German Shepherd meet Jackson, then they filled out the adoption form.  Just after a week of being back at the shelter, Jackson was back in a home - surely forever this time.

At that point, I had prepared myself to go home with a dog.  I couldn't go home empty-handed now!  I'm always happy to take a dog from PAWS and free up some space there.  It's funny... because I actually ended up taking home the first dog I saw even before I walked into Petsmart.  Before I even walked through the doors, one of the volunteers was walking this old, washed up, sad-looking Hound.  Her name was Wynona... and she had a great story of her escape from the shelter to go with her!  Apparently she escaped from the shelter and was found running down the road, ironically, by a PAWS volunteer who was on her way to work.  I was actually looking at a younger Pittie before I decided on Wynona, but there was something about this girl that pulled at my heartstrings.  She actually reminded me of my old foster dog, Peaches.  Her mopey demeanor, her face, and so much more!  I had to have her.

Now she's got a new name and a new outlook on life!  I ended up naming her Posey... and she's been with me for a week and has been absolutely amazing!  She's extremely easy and is more like a couch ornament than a dog.  She's house-trained, crate-trained, good with dogs, good with cats, walks well on a leash, rides great in the car, wonderful with kids, and she's pretty much perfect.  Her only issue was that she'd possibly try to escape from a yard.  The first few days, I supervised her closely.  But, honestly, this dog wants to be outside, do her business, and come back in to sit on the couch.  I even left her out today with the other dogs... and when I got up to check on them, she was passed out on the deck enjoying some sunshine!  She went to an adoption event today, lasted about an hour, then slept the rest of the day.  She didn't even stand up when new dogs came into the building.  Yeah, she's perfect.  After today, I seriously can't picture her busting out of the shelter and running down the road!  Yeah, she gets playful for all of... 5 minutes... but that's about it!  She's great!  If all of my foster dogs could be like her, I could easily have five dogs in the house.

A Letter to My Dad

Dear Dad...

Tonight, I texted you to come clean about the FOURTH addition to my fur family.  As you know, I'm not good with words... unless I can write them down.  You didn't respond to my text, and I'm worried that you disagree with my decision.

I just want you to know that I didn't make this decision without much thought.  I never thought that I'd have a fourth dog.  When one passed for one reason or another, I figured I'd add another needy dog at some point... not to fill the void... but to save another life.

My future dog... would be of mixed breed... and HE would be a dock dog.  I'm far too involved with the sport to adopt a dog that might not have dock dog potential.

But something silly happened.  A timid Shepherd mix came into my life shortly after a very special hospice dog left.  This little, nervous Shepherd mix... was a GIRL.  God forbid I ever adopted another female dog.  NO MORE GIRLS.  That was my demand... even for future foster dogs.  Lyla got along with males... but she was very particular about her female friends

After we sent Pager off to Rainbow Bridge... and off to a world much different than the one we live in, we went straight to animal control.  We were devastated and saddened as we walked up and down the aisles of homeless canines.  There were a few that caught my eye... and Paige was not one of them.  However, I walked into the kennel... and settled.  I settled.  I didn't look at her and say, "I want to save this dog."  But I knew that I needed a distraction... and I trusted Jessica's opinion.

Within days, I knew that this little girl belonged with me.  She was MINE.  Paige got along well with the dogs - even Lyla.  The cats?  They were great friends.  Toy drive?  Eh, barely.  The love of water?  Not that I know of.  So... as for her being a future dock dog... I have no idea.  I guess we'll have to wait and see!

To give up fostering to adopt another dog... that's a big deal.  I love this dog.  She belongs with me.  So... there it is... no more fostering.  No more dogs.  This is it.  I just hope that those who think I'm crazy for adding a fourth dog can find acceptance in this addition.

Peace, Love, and Paw Prints... Emily

“Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened.”

Fifty-eight days ago I saw this very same picture, and I heard the story about a stray dog that truly seemed to have run out of luck.  His name was Pager, and he was homeless.  He ended up at PAWS of Hertford County where the staff and volunteers took the time to find out what his story was.  Pager was a big, sweet boy with a smile that could make anybody fall in love with him.  It was this very picture that I had seen posted on their Facebook that captured my heart - and my heart refused to let this image go.  The story that followed this picture was a sad one.  Pager's lymph nodes were swollen, and it was thought that he probably had cancer.

50 days ago, Pager went to the vet for a biopsy.  I was following his story like a hawk.  There was something about this dog that I couldn't ignore.

44 days ago, I heard the news.  Pager had cancer, and his prognosis was grim.  He was to be euthanized that afternoon.  His cancer was a death sentence.  On top of that, he was high heart worm positive.  Pager didn't have a chance, and it wasn't fair to make him live the rest of his days out in a shelter environment.  My heart sunk... and while I already had four dogs in my house, I had to do something.  Even though one of the PAWS volunteers was going to take him to the vet to be euthanized rather than having it done in the shelter, I couldn't stand to let it happen.  I frantically texted K9 Justice League, the rescue I foster for, begging for permission to bring this dog into my home.  Apparently I didn't need to beg.  The rescue understood how important this was to me.  I wanted to do something for this dog that otherwise didn't have a chance.



39 days ago, I met the dog that would change my life forever.  He was awesome - and we all the knew this the minute we met him.  One of my fellow K9JL foster parents/friends came and photographed our first meeting.  She has a hospice dog... so she knows just how important it is to have plenty of pictures of a life that might not last all that long.  After we went shopping with Pager in Petsmart, it was time to bring him home to the clan.  He was a little nervous with the initial meeting, but can you blame him?  With four dogs and four cats in the house, it's a little intimidating for a newcomer!  It wasn't long before he settled in, though.


Pager spent the following 8 days living life to the fullest.  We fed him whatever he wanted - whipped cream, bagels, bully sticks, and mass amounts of treats.  When he wasn't visiting pet stores, Starbucks, and parks, Pager was getting loved on at home by me and my pack of dogs and cats.

Pager enjoying a Puppy Latte at Starbucks!

Kisses for Aunt Bethany!

32 days ago, Pager looked me in the eyes and told me that it was time to go.  He had spent eight amazing days with me.  Eight good days... full of happiness, love, and anything he wanted.  That last night, Pager slept in the bed with me.  He had this option since I had brought him into my home... but it wasn't until that night that Pager decided to spend the night in bed... right next to me.

31 days ago,  I had to make a very hard decision.  While I'd like to say it was the hardest decision of my life, it wasn't.  The night before, Pager looked at me with these eyes that said, "I just lived a lifetime in eight days.  It's okay to let me go now."  I woke up the next morning with him next to me, and I looked him in the eyes and knew what I had to do.  It was an easy decision.  Pager and I gave each other what we needed... and it was only fair to release him from his pain.  Overnight, my happy-go-lucky boy had declined greatly, and I simply couldn't stand to see him in that state.  We had to do right by Pager, so we brought him in to the vet that morning to send him across Rainbow Bridge.  Pager was surrounded by three people who loved him very much.  His crossing was quiet and peaceful... though very sad.  In just a short amount of time, Pager had captured the hearts of hundreds.

That very day, we thought that it would be a great tribute to Pager to pull another needy dog from the shelter.  I already had a foster dog, but it only seemed natural to add another to the mix to help distract me from the sadness that ensued from the loss of Pager.  She was a Shepherd mix with a widow's peak similar to Pager's.  I had already sworn off female dogs in my house... but Jessica, the founder of K9JL, thought I'd like her.  She was a little timid and quite underweight.  I wasn't blown away when I first met her, but I did like her.  I took her home that very day, and she met the rest of the clan without an issue.  I had already decided earlier that day that "if I ended up with her", I wanted to name her Paige.  I was fostering her in remembrance of Pager, so I figured that naming her after him made sense, too!


Days later, I couldn't imagine life without this little Shepherd mix.  She was sweet and goofy and got along extremely well with my "difficult dog", Lyla.  Lyla's personality doesn't always mesh well with those of others, but she and Paige got along as if they had lived together forever.  Trust me, there were no plans to adopt a fourth dog.  Ever.  I love fostering.  I've been doing it for two years.  But... there was something about Paige that I couldn't let go of.  I kept thinking, "What are the chances that another dog like this will ever cross my path?"

I like to think that this all happened for a reason - that I brought Pager into my life for those eight days to learn what I learned from him - and perhaps to help me find my way to Paige... and to help Paige find her way to me.  Yes, it's official... and the paperwork has been signed.  Who knew that life would bring me in this direction?  I sure didn't.

Welcome to forever, Paige.

Peace, Love, and Paw Prints... Emily

"Love is patient, love is kind."

Because tomorrow is a special day... a day that I want to write about... I'm trying hard to catch up on what I haven't written about in the last few months.

That brings me to Trixie.  Honestly I can't remember if Trixie came when I still had Hallie or if she came after Hallie had been adopted.  There have been so many "double fosters" in the last six months
that I can't remember when I've had four dogs or five dogs in the house.  It all kind of blends together these days.

Trixie wasn't supposed to end up staying... but I feel like half of the dogs that have come to my house "to visit" have ended up not leaving until they were adopted!  Long story short, Trixie stayed.  And Trixie has yet to leave.  She's been in the rescue since mid-September, my house since the end of October, and really hasn't had much interest.  I'm not sure why.  She's sweet, beautiful, a good size, and a GREAT snuggle buddy!  On top of that, she gets along well with other dogs and cats!  I guess that perfect home will come along eventually.

I love her.  I really do.  However, I suppose after fostering for so long, I've found a "type" that I prefer in my house.  There's nothing wrong with her.  She's house-trained and crate-trained... and under proper supervision, she doesn't chew inappropriately and is simply happy to snuggle up on the couch or get crazy out in the yard with the other dogs.  However, with five dogs in the house, I cannot give Trixie as much attention as she would like.  She gets what she needs and is happy... but I'd love to see her in a new foster home soon... or even better, a forever home.  Trixie wants to play with toys out in the yard.  She wants to snuggle up next to someone on the couch and sleep in the bed at night.  She wants to go for long walks... and maybe even a swim once in a while.  However... my house is full.  Brody doesn't want to share his toys with her.  Lyla doesn't want to give up her spot next to me on the couch for Trixie... though they enjoy nothing more than a good romp outside together!  She's happy... but I think she'd be a lot happier in a home where she can get more attention.  I try to enhance the lives of the dogs in my house as much as I possibly can... and I truly feel guilty that I don't have the time or resources to give Trixie the attention that she deserves.  Clearly she's not deprived... but I know she wants more.

So, please spread the word about this sweet, young lady and help us get her in a home in which she CAN curl up on the couch and snuggle, play with toys, or go on a long walk with her family.  Trixie would love nothing more than to find a forever home for the holidays.  She truly deserves it.  I can't put into words how sweet this little pooch is.  You have to meet her to get it.

And... like I said... tomorrow is an important day.  There will be a lot to write about... and even more to catch up on.  I'm not even sure if I'm ready to write about it... but I'll try.

Peace, Love, and Paw Prints... Emily

"To love someone deeply gives you strength. Being loved by someone deeply gives you courage."

It seems as if the last couple months have unintentionally brought on this hiatus from blogging.  It's been a busy time in my life... between work and pets and the rescue and dock dogs and taking on new responsibilities that allow a lot less time for anything else.  I'm not complaining... especially since I choose to take on all of these tasks... but I am attempting to offer an explanation for my lack of blogging!  I love blogging.  As most of you know, I love to write.  I can write a lot better than I can speak.  In what I cannot say out loud, I can certainly put into words on a computer or on a piece of paper.  So... I'm back.  I'll push the writer's block aside and make an attempt at writing again.

We left off with Hallie just joining my pack.  Believe it or not, just a couple months after welcoming her into my life, a family mourning the loss of their dog came across her picture.  It was love at first sight, though I was skeptical of what they would think when they actually met my shy foster dog.  Shy dogs are difficult... because while they might come out of their shell in their foster homes after being there for a couple of months, they revert back to their almost feral self in any new situation.  It's like starting all over again in anyplace other than where and whom they are used to.  However, Hallie's savior was right around the corner.  A mother of three, whose husband was currently deployed, was on the search for a new canine companion to fill the void of the beloved dog she had recently lost.

We dotted the i's and crossed the t's and did a home visit as soon as we could.  We were concerned that Hallie would be in a home with three young children and as the only dog.  Shy dogs learn how to act from other dogs.  We weren't sure how she'd do without the guidance of other canines.  We were pleasantly surprised to find that Mom knew exactly how to treat a shy dog.  The children did as they were told and didn't even get up from the table when we came into the house with Hallie.  I'm not sure if I could have that much restraint with a new dog in the house... even as an adult!  Mom even noticed that the ceiling fan was making Hallie nervous, even before any of us did, and she quickly got up to turn it off and make Hallie a little more comfortable.

Before we knew it, the papers were signed... and Hallie joined her new family with a new name of "Roxy".  I've kept in touch with her new family, and I love seeing pictures of her in her forever home.  They've had their struggles... but that's expected with such an under socialized dog.  However, Roxy's family has worked hard and has done an amazing job striving towards having a strong bond between them.  I couldn't be happier that I get to see her on occasion and that her family is willing to work so hard to make their relationships stronger.

I'm still not caught up, though.  I still have to write about the dogs that followed this brindle beauty.  I'd combine it all into one post if I could... but there's far too much to write about.  Because between Hallie's story and now... there was/is Trixie, Pager, and Paige.  For now, I'll leave you with this story of a shy dog finding her forever home... something that probably would have never been possible if she had never left the shelter.  Shy dogs are good dogs... just misunderstood.  I'm so glad that I've been able to  contribute to the lives of a handful of a few shy dogs... and have been a piece of their journey to finding their forever homes.

Peace, Love, and Paw Prints... Emily

"Invisible threads are the strongest ties."

It was just another Saturday in the life of Emily... and for some reason... I didn't have to work, I didn't have a K9 Justice League adoption event to attend, and I didn't even have any Tidewater Dock Dogs commitments.  That's a first!  Don't get me wrong - I love my job, I love the rescue, and I love dock dogs!  But for me to have a free day?  That's just strange.  Naturally, I offered to help another shelter set up at Petsmart and handle and hang out with their adoptable dogs and cats for some of the day.  PAWS of Hertford County is a shelter I hold near and is dear to my heart.  Not only has K9JL worked closely with them to transfer dogs from the PAWS shelter to our rescue, but they are also the reason that my sweet Lyla and her siblings ever found their way to myself and their other adopters.  Some of my favorite foster dogs have been from PAWS!

I already had a foster dog... and little did I know... I'd have another unexpected foster join my life about a month later.  My three-legged girl, Lucille, spent a little over 3 months with me.  It baffled me as to why she wasn't adopted sooner.  I suppose the whole "tripod image" threw some people off.  I'm not sure why... because Lucille could outrun ALL of my dogs.  She was house trained, good with dogs, good with cats, and had looks to kill.  People fell in love with her through my pictures of her... but nobody actually put an application in on her.  It wasn't until our Petco adoption event... at a location that we only visit once every couple months... that a married pair walked in the store and looked at Lucille as if they had come to the store specifically to see her.  Apparently... they had.  They saw through Lucille's nervous nature and put in the paperwork that day!  Within the week, Lucille was living happily in her forever home with her new parents and her THREE dog siblings!  Lucille waited so long to find that perfect family, and over 3 months later, it finally happened.  She found her PERFECT match.  It was the first adoption that I actually cried in front of the family.  All of my foster dogs are special... but Lucille taught me a lot about loving life in spite of her "disability"... if you can even call it that.

At some point, though, when Lucille was still a part of my life... and Peaches wasn't part of it yet... I met Hallie.  She was there at the PAWS adoption event at Petsmart to "socialize".  This was probably 3-4 months ago.  She had some treats outside of her crate for people to offer her.  She was hesitant about taking treats from people, and she was huddled in the back of her crate.  I'm a sucker for the shy dogs... and as I chatted with a PAWS volunteer tonight, I realized that maybe I'm such a sucker for the shy dogs... because I used to be painfully shy myself.  I know how it feels to be in a new situation and simply want to shut down.  I know how scared they are... how much they wish that they could just be invisible.  So I sat in front of Hallie's crate and offered her treat after treat after treat... and she continued to take them from me... but she still remained huddled in the back of her crate.  Still... we connected.

However many months later... after both Lucille and Peaches were adopted... K9 Justice League headed down to North Carolina for another pull.  We came at a time that they needed it most.  The shelter was overcrowded and needed to transfer some dogs to rescue badly.  The shelter is basically an animal control facility run by volunteers that offer their blood, sweat, and tears to help the unwanted dogs and cats of rural North Carolina.  I knew who I wanted as my next foster dog before we even traveled down there.  Hallie was STILL there.

So... welcome to Hallie - and seven other needy dogs!  She's not as shy as Audrey, but she exhibits many of the same characteristics.  I highly doubt that she's ever lived in a home before.  The ceiling fan and the standing fan threw her for a loop.  The television intrigued her... and it's obvious that she's never seen or heard one before.  She fits right in with the dogs and is BFFs with Lyla already!  The cats make her a little nervous, though.  She has some threshold issues when it comes to coming in and out between the house and the backyard.  I have to prop the door open and hide around the corner... then sneak behind her and shut the door once she's come in.  She will walk on a leash, so that's a plus!  She's really been a joy so far!  Hallie has only pottied outside... and has remained quietly in her crate when I sleep and when I went to work.  She eats well, too!  You all know how stressed out a finicky eater makes me!  Hallie takes time to settle down in the house and actually sleep, but she's figuring it out.  She needs a lot of socialization with people... but doesn't have a mean bone in her body.  I'm excited to get to know her better and continue working on getting her socialized with the human kind.  So far, so good.  I'm glad that we made that connection a few months ago... and I'm even happier than I'm able to help another dog that would have otherwise been overlooked time and time again.  Get ready, Hallie... you're life is just beginning!