• After your application is approved, you will need to request to join our private Facebook page. Geauga Mama Members. This is how the majority of our communication occurs.

• Check the Facebook group often. Notifications about pups in need of foster homes will be posted frequently. Please keep in mind that we never know how many puppies we will be receiving, or when, but we will post when we have puppies available to foster.

• If you are able to foster, reply to the post. Often, there is no knowledge of size or breed before the pups arrive at the farm. Fosters will not be able to "choose" which types of puppies they foster. As a team, we care for the pups as they come to us!

• If you are selected to foster, arrive at the farm as directed. Bring a carrier for the car and a small cooler for the medications and vaccinations. Upon arrival, you will be given medication, food, and other supplies as they are available.

• In most cases, two puppies are placed with each foster family. This is imperative so that they can keep each other company and learn important social skills from each other.

• Puppies are typically fostered for 2 weeks, from about 7 weeks until about 9 weeks of age at which time they go to one of our partner APLs for placement. The average length of time puppies will spend with their foster family is 2 weeks.

• Your family, dogs, and kids should interact with the puppies in a positive manner as much as possible. Playing with them and loving them are what make our puppies outgoing and appealing for adoption. We want our pups to greet folks at the front of the cage, not cower in the back.

Some things to think about before you decide to foster:

• Living arrangements - the puppies need an area that is safe and comfortable, large enough to play, eat, and sleep and easy to keep clean. Some fosters have a gated space, a spare room or an exercise pen with a sleeping crate. We will add pictures of how some volunteers set-up their living spaces in the near future.

• Outside - As a foster, you are not expected to house train your puppies, however, taking pups outside to begin the process and to allow them to explore the outdoors is essential. Do you have a way to safely take two puppies outside to experience the world? You can take them out on leash, in a fenced yard or in an ex-pen.

• Your schedule - puppies should not be left alone for more than 8 hours at a time. This includes overnight or during the day. They need to be fed, played with, and cleaned up after. There will be lots of poop and pee, especially the longer they are left unattended.

• If you have your own dogs, they must be up-to-date on their shots and non-aggressive with small canines. Your own dogs can teach the puppies a lot! If your own dogs (or cats) do not want to intereact with the puppies, that's ok, as long as the puppies have their own safe place to be.

• If you have children, they must be supervised at all times while interacting with the puppies so that both benefit from the foster experience.