Letting Your Foster Adjust

Slow and steady wins the race. While everyone in the household might be very excited to meet the new foster, sometimes foster pets require interactions to be at a very slow pace.

For Dogs:

It it not necessary to have your foster dog or puppy meet all resident pets or even interact with other household humans immediately upon arriving at your home. Some animals do best with a slower introductions to the household - and for dogs who are fearful, under socialized or medically compromised, it is strongly advised that the introductions to the new environment be taken slowly. Sometimes this process can take a few days or even weeks.

Successful residence in your home can depend on not having to go "face to face" with resident animals immediately. Many experienced fosters will bring a dog into the home while all other animals are put away and use various methods of having the animals get to know each other, such as "crating and rotating" or keeping the foster in a separate room while gradually introducing it to the "pack". It's also okay to do these techniques for a bit longer if dogs getting to know each other have a negative interaction. It's also okay to re-introduce the techniques even after the foster has acclimated to the environment but an issue or scuffle ensued (Did you forget that rawhide that someone shoved under the couch and it caused a problem?) Decompression is especially important after minor conflicts before reintroducing dogs to each other.

Click here for more information on "crating and rotating".

For Cats

Give cats and kittens time to decompress to the new home environment. Dedicate a quiet room free from other pets, away from lots of foot traffic and near their food, water, and litter box. Do not force a cat out of a hiding space or force an interaction with household members; let them warm up at their own pace.

See INTRODUCTIONS for additional information on when & how to properly introduce household members and other pets.