Fostering

Thinking about fostering?  We ask that you first make sure that all family members are on board and are willing to participate in the care and nurturing of the new foster dog.  Families who will open their homes to a new Greyhound and provide training and socialization are the heart of our program and are crucial to the adoption process.

Fostering is not always easy.  You may get lucky and receive a dog that has already been in another foster home or with a family or, you might get that harder dog that is coming straight from a farm or track.  Some of them will be delightful right off the bat and others might be a little harder to love but, they all deserve a home and they all deserve the training and care it takes to find them that home.

As you begin your fostering experience and begin making decisions for your foster dog, we hope you will continue to think of how you wanted your first Greyhound to behave when it came home.  Please ALWAYS keep the new adopting family in mind as you are training and forming the personality of your new foster dog.

We hope you will read this manual with an eye toward continuing to improve our Foster Program and sharing ideas and knowledge. Many of you will already know much of this material, but these guidelines are developed and reevaluated periodically to ensure that every aspect of fostering goes as smoothly as possible, both for you and your foster.

Again, thank you for participating in our Foster Program. We hope that you enjoy teaching your foster how to retire to a life as a lovable, loyal, well-behaved family pet.

What is Fostering?     

An ex-racing Greyhound enters your life for a few weeks to a few months, although some dogs have been in foster care for longer or shorter periods of time.

As a Foster Parent, you are responsible for teaching your foster Greyhound:

·   Housebreaking

·   Walking on a leash

·   Responding to his/her name

·   Appropriate behavior indoors – and outdoors

·   Proper interaction with other pets

·   Proper interaction with children and adults

Your foster must be kept indoors as a house pet. Greyhounds have no fur or body fat to shield them from extreme temperatures, have always been kept indoors in temperature-controlled kennels, and are accustomed to being inside around people.

Your foster’s personality will slowly develop and bloom. Please notice their developing personality, likes and dislikes so that this may be shared with their new family.

Remember: We are only a phone call or e-mail away if you have questions or need advice!

Fill out the foster dog evaluation form regularly: Foster Form