The Benefits of Fostering to Adopt a Dog

If you’ve been considering getting a dog for awhile but are scared to make it official I suggest looking into a foster to adopt program. It’s like a “trial run” that some rescues offer, where you take the dog home for X amount of time to make sure it’s a good fit.

The biggest benefit of fostering to adopt is predictability. Now you won’t know your foster dog’s temperament 100% on day one, but after a decompression period you’ll have time to watch them come out of their shell. You’ll also have time to make sure they get along with every member of the family — both pets and people.

You can do all the research in the world, but sometimes pets just don’t get along with each other. Like humans, some personalities just don’t mesh.

And as sad as it is, some dogs just don’t like each other (or other pets). If you foster to adopt you can make sure your new dog gets along with everyone else before signing onto a lifelong commitment.

Some people are fine with the “crate and rotate” way of life with pets who fight with each other, but it’s certainly not for everyone. And sometimes it’s your current dog who might be the one deciding they don’t want any new canine friends in the house.

There’s always a bit of a gamble with multi-pet households and how they’ll interact with each other; with foster to adopt you can take some time to make sure it’s the right decision for everyone. I was shocked when my dog who absolutely loves meeting other dogs out in public was a bit standoffish with the new dog. Dogs act different at home than they do at the park, so it will take at least a few days to see how the relationship unfolds.

Another great thing about fostering first is making sure you can match the dog’s physical and mental exercise demands. It can be hard to gauge a dog’s true personality in a shelter environment, and that includes activity levels. Being locked up makes some dogs appear far more hyper-active and/or nervous than they would be in a home environment, since getting out is their once change to let some of that energy out.

The opposite can be true as well. Some dogs “shut down” in the shelter environment, making it hard to gauge their true energy levels. Once they get into a home and comfortable with a routine you might find out one 20 minute walk isn’t quite enough for them.

Medical issues is another reason why fostering to adopt is a good idea. You might be extra nervous to take on a dog that requires medication every day, but after going through it you might decide it’s not so bad. The opposite as well; you might decide a dog with any medical issues is too much for you financially if they require regular vet visits or a special diet. In other words, until you go through it yourself, it’s hard to know how easy and/or challenging something might be.

The other great benefit of fostering first is that you don’t have to feel guilty if it isn’t a perfect match. The dog will still be able to get adopted out into the right family, and you’ll be able to tell the potential adopters all about their personal quirks and what sort of home they’d thrive in. Unlike purchasing or officially adopting a dog, fostering to adopt gives you time to make sure it’s the right fit for your new best friend.

So if you’ve been looking into getting a dog but want to make sure it’s a good match it’s time to start looking into foster to adopt programs near you.