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Set your foster dog up for success, rushing into anything will only cause stress for both of you.
This is a new situation for your foster dog - your foster will need time to decompress. Some decompress quickly, while others need a little extra time. Usually this can be anywhere from 24 hours to a week.
Limit the number of people in your home while your dog is settling in.
Keep the pup in their crate or separate area while they settle .
Don't introduce your foster dog to your personal pack until your foster has decompressed.
Keeping your dog tethered to you is a great way to learn the home and rules.
Even if you think your foster is potty trained, they may have accidents or revert to a puppy-like behavior while adjusting.
Give food, treats and high value bones and toys AWAY from your other pets and children.
Familiarize your foster with their crate, this needs to be their "safe space".
Set-up a solid routine for your foster pup, dogs thrive on structure.
NEVER leave your foster dog alone with your personal pack or your children.
Watch for stress (see below) - if they are getting stressed or overwhelmed, put them in their kennel with a bone - a frozen marrow bone or kong with peanut butter is usually a favorite of most dogs!
What and when to communicate with PIPs foster team
What and when to communicate with PIPs foster team
The day you get your foster dog:
Email any medical records or paperwork (you can take a picture of them but scanning is best) to packleader@pipsrescue.org
Is your foster dog up to date on vaccines and preventatives? We can help you figure this out but the schedule is listed on the vaccine page
Do you need any supplies? Email packleader@pipsrescue.org or contact your foster counselor
Request any medical appointments your foster dogs needs with your foster coordinator
Day 4-5 with your new foster dog. This is when we will be getting ready to start advertising your pup! If you are going to adopt your foster NOW IS THE TIME TO TELL US. We can not adopt to a foster family if your foster dog has active applications. So you need to tell us before they go up on the website.
Get us a few good pictures.
Pictures taken outside in natural light tend to be better than those taken with flash (no more “vampire eyes”!)
Use treats or a squeaky toy to grab the dog’s attention. Sometimes, making a “brrrrr” noise or a “meow” does the trick, too.
Exercise the dog before taking pictures; a calmer dog is easier to photograph.
Have fun, and be patient. Allow at least 15-30 minutes to get a couple good photos, since the dog might need time to relax in his position. Sometimes, a great shot happens quickly; but don’t be upset if it takes a few tries!
Pictures to strive for: Dog looking at camera, full body of dog, playing with toys or other dogs, sleeping, being goofy!
Video's are fantastic as well! Either upload them to youtube, make it public and send us the link OR message your coordinator or the main FB page with your video. Texting / emailing videos compresses them and we wont be able to share them.
Your dogs bio. See the bio page for suggestions
See some more tips on Rocket Dog Rescue's page
Day 7-14
Share your dog on your social media. Pictures, cure stories - introduce them to the social media world if you have not yet.
Start bringing them to events, the PIPs events are all listed on the main Facebook page
Watching for Stress
Watching for Stress
If your foster is getting stressed, put them in their kennel with a bone - a frozen marrow bone or kong with peanut butter is usually a favorite!
Taking your dog for a quiet walk (not meeting any new people or dogs) may be a good way to get rid of extra energy (which could be causing the stress).
If your foster is still stressed, try natural calming alternatives like:
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