Quote:
Originally Posted by RachelandSadie  okay update time:
to clarify a few things for everyone, right now Mike and I aren't planning children for at least 3 more years. We have considered everything about having children mixed with dogs and we have thought it might be too much a few times.
Sadie does "seem" like a one dog kinda girl when it comes to cats and large breed dogs, but she LOVES all her toy breed friends and family so we're sure she'd be ok with the right sister/brother.
Also some may not know this, but i currently work in a vet's office and have the ability to get vet care, grooming, and daycare/boarding at a fraction of the cost that it is for most people. Not to mention for special needs dogs they will go out of their way to make them fit in at the office and help in their care and needs during the day. (Ex. Velvet the Cocker Spaniel, deaf and blind and now our beautiful office dog)
Having said all that as a background for our decisions so far:
We are still talking about this with each other and the person fostering "Taffy", but we are now talking about only being a foster family. We would take Taffy in as a foster, socialize and train her, have all the costs met totally by the rescue group during her stay with us, and turn her over to the right family when they come along. As a foster family, we'd only take 10 lb and under small breed dogs, we wouldn't be very good with heavy shedding dogs, only yorkies, poodles, and short haired toys. We would take ONE at a time until a family is found with each. And should the right dog come along and work perfectly with our Sadie, we may consider adoption at that point. I told the lady that first and foremost is Sadie, if she's not happy with the second addition, we would no longer be able to foster. This is a way to try this all out without making a lifelong commitment to a puppy and then having to change our minds. We can open our home up and love and teach a dog and rescue it from where it is, but it doesn't put us out financially.
What do you think of this idea. We're still debating it between us and trying to decide. With the help of the vet/lodge as an employer and the ability to connect with many rescues and shelters as possible foster parents for those rare toy breeds that come into their shelter, we think this would be a better choice for us and just might work out.
Thanks for the advice, it was all welcomed and was all taken into consideration. |
Wow, this could be great if you can do it, fostering is really difficult, you socialize the dog, and by the time you get it to be a perfect dog, it's off to live with another family, and you start the process again. To those who have humongous hearts and souls, I say try it, the joy you are giving them and their new family is enormous, and many people can handle a good dog, but just don't know how to train an unruly dog, so it's a win/win situation for the dog and family. If you just can't bare to give up a dog, I do think they make exceptions, but foster families are the best families in the world. I actually think something like this is good for Sadie too, because she doesn't become too dependent on any one dog. Anyway, good luck with your decision, it sounds like you have been carefully thinking things through, and I pray God will guide you with this. Bless you!