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Thursday, January 20, 2011

Choco-dile, Wonder Foster

I knew this day would come.  The day when I seriously considered adopting one of my fosters.  Proud to say that I made it past Foster #1...ashamed that it's only Foster #4.


Maybe it's because he's a pitbull, a breed that I adore and am committed to rescuing.

Is it already time for breakfast? 

Maybe it's because he actually sleeps through the night, doesn't whine when I put him in his x-pen at night, and rarely whines in the morning to wake me up.


Maybe it's because Sadie adores him and he's brought out a playfulness in her that I haven't seen in ages.


It's probably not because he's already started to destroy things around the house.  Or that he has a habit of barking at toys, my girls with toys, bones, etc (which Maggie officially stopped putting up with last night).  Or that every time I take my eyes off him for more than 10 seconds, he has managed to get his hands on a shoe, sock, plant, etc.  But it is probably because none of these things faze me in the slightest.  Our previous foster puppies challenged my patience - he totally understands what I mean when I tell him to leave it, drop it, no, good god puppy where did you get that???  And he runs away from whatever is getting him in trouble now to the next thing that will get him in trouble...with the bounciest, goofiest puppy prance.  I am totally in love!

But strong I stand.  Adopting any foster means no more fostering - 3 dogs is maximum capacity at our house.  It is inevitable, I know.  There will be one that I just can't let go.  But two months in, with a highly adoptable (even if he is a pitbull) puppy?  TJ told me last night to remember the good we are doing - the socialization, the wee bit of training.  To take comfort in knowing that his time with us prepares him to be a better pet to his forever family.  So I cherish the moments I have, know that I will cry like a baby when he goes, and commit to finding him the best home that I can.  Sniff, Sniff.

2 comments:

  1. OMG - that nose ALONE makes me want him. TJ is a wise man... damn pragmatic boys. ;)

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  2. We've only had one foster because I too was afraid of the wanting to adopt thing (and there's no way we could financially or otherwise have a 3rd dog long term in our place). Though I always remember seeing this guy on animal planet who fostered for years and he said the reason he never adopted any of them was that he knew he needed to keep that one space open in his home. And if he adopted the dog, then he saved one dog, but if he kept fostering that just opened no many more spaces in the shelter. It helped me put things into perspective when we were fostering. Though he is such an adorable puppyu.

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