Have you ever thought about becoming a foster for Heart of Texas Lab Rescue? One of the best ways to become involved with HOTLR is to foster a pup. It's one of the things we always need. It's been proven over and over again that HOTLR dogs that spend time in someone's home adopt more quickly than those that don't have a foster family. That's because these dogs need to learn to trust people again and how to behave in a normal family environment. That’s where you come in. When you agree to foster with Lab rescue, don't think you've jumped into a situation all by yourself. Keep in mind there is a whole organization available for you to lean on should have questions or problems, too. Here are five things to know if you are thinking of becoming a foster.
Nothing brings more joy than bringing that pup home for the first day. Watching him or her come out of their shell and learn to trust and love humans again can move you to tears. It takes dogs typically three weeks to adjust to a new home environment. Some may take longer depending on their past lives.
You'll smile over and over again watching a dog learn to play with toys or discover the joy and comfort of a dog bed, or run willy-nilly with wild abandon in your backyard. It's equally important that you portray an attitude of happiness and enthusiasm when you're around your foster pup. Often, these dogs need encouragement and confidence to make them feel good about themselves again.
You'll need to be open. We like to say that these dogs are diamonds in the rough. Some may have never spent a night inside a home, or any time at all. Some may need to have their manners polished. They may need to be taught simple commands. Yes, even as simple as "sit."
Some may be afraid of people or other animals or even certain sounds. These dogs are often not perfect. That’s why they need our help. Helping them overcome these hurdles is how we can fix them. So, keep in mind that your foster may not be the perfect Labrador, but you can make a difference.
3) Tears
Be prepared to shed a few tears. There is little doubt that these guys won't work their way into your heart. You may experience tears of sorrow should you know anything about their terrible backgrounds. You may experience tears of compassion when you realize they are in pain either physically or emotionally. You may experience tears of bittersweet sadness when your foster pup that you've loved and worked with so much finds his forever family. Just try to keep in mind that you are merely dog-sitting and providing some training in life skills for someone else's dog. It's not easy, I know.
4) Love
Be prepared to fall in love. You wouldn't sign up for fostering a pup if you didn't feel a certain draw to the cause. The cool thing about any animal that you grow close to is their unique personality and the special things they do to show us their character. That's why you become so attached. Each one is special and when you care for a dog day after day and they begin to behave in a way that is unique to who they are, that's when you fall in love. Don't forget that the human heart has an unlimited capacity to fall in love. Even when your current foster leaves for her new home, there's another waiting to enter your life and make you fall in love all over again.
5) Reward
Most folks don't sign up to be a foster for the reward, but it's an inherent part of becoming a foster and a hook that once you feel take hold is not easy to give up. The reward combines all of the other emotions described above into one. The reward is the happiness you bring to a foster dog and that the foster brings to you. The reward is how your heart feels when you open it to one of these dogs. The reward is the tears of joy and laughter your foster brings you, or the tears of happiness the adoptive family spills when they come to pick up their new dog. The reward is the unlimited capacity to love these unwanted dogs over and over again and the love they will always give back to you. That is both the reward and the miracle of fostering. Don't you think one of our dog's needs you? We think so. If you are interested in learning more about fostering for Heart of Texas Lab Rescue, please email our volunteer coordinator, Audrey Huntsberger at volunteerforlabrescue@gmail.com.
