damaquilts

May sound silly to some but 2 hours later I am still shaking.
My brother and I had gone to a yard sale his boss was having . Came home and I let the dogs out like usual. I just got in the house and shut the door to go help get stuff out of the car when I heard THAT sound.
Angel, my foster, had attacked Andy . Angel is 30 lbs , Andy is 13 .
Never had a inkling of it in the last 2 weeks.The first week I went outside with them every time usually if anything is going to happen it will happen then.
Andy seems to be ok no wounds and he is walking Ok but he will not go down that side of the deck . His eyes get real big and he just shakes.
I am really upset because this has never happened in all the years I have been fostering. I have never had to return a dog ever and especially not for attacking one of mine.
I feel bad because Angel just whined when I left her at the vets and she had gotten so she followed me everywhere.
And I feel bad that Andy got attacked.

Its silly but I thought I was having a heart attack literally and I am still having trouble breathing but I know its just a panic attack and will go away.

What really upsets me too is when I called the lady who heads the foster program she acted like I was really inconveniencing her. I told her from the start that if the dog did any thing to Andy it was Gone. And the people at the vets office acted like I was really inconveniencing them. I am not use to that . It would never happened at the rescue I was with in GA . So I am a little mad too.

Thanks for letting me vent.

katieranch

That is so scary. And the response to you from the Vet and the Coordinator is absolutely uncalled for. My niece also fosters dogs and she is ready to stop because the coordinator acts like she is doing everyone a favor by "letting" them foster dogs. Hope Andy is alright and you are breathing easier now.

JanTx

First - what a great foster mom you are! Taking care of your own and your fosters. Blessings to you for opening your heart and your home in this way.

I hope by now the panicky feeling is over - if not sit down with a cup of tea and cuddle Andy until you both feel better.

The vet and the foster lady should have valued your experience more and reacted differently. They didn't and you can't change that so ... water under the bridge.

Hope the day got better from there.

Tink's Mom

Write each of them a note...explaining why you are upset with their behavior....then put the note in an envelope and wait a few days to mail it. IF you still feel it is needed...mail it. They may not know that this is the way they are coming across.

Give Andy a hug from me and Tink.

milp04

I'm so glad that Andy is ok and was not harmed. You need to get a drink of something, calm down and cuddle with Andy all day long.

Your fostering is commendable, but I agree that you and your family, even the dogs, need to come first. I would return the foster as soon as possible.

If the lady who heads this has this kind of attitude then I would think again about fostering for her. I would imagine that there are other programs or ways to foster in your area. You may need to search them out but I would not foster for someone who does not appreciate my efforts.

They need to know and should want to know when a dog is aggresive to anyone, human or dog, for placement purposes. Without doing so put someone else in harms way. This dog should be placed in a single care foster situation until he can be fully evaluated. If the aggresiveness continues then alternative measures may need to be considered. I would not want to have fostered such an dog and then later find out that it injured a small child.

I think I would take a break from being a foster home for a while. If the lady asked you why I would tell her directly. Foster homes are not easy to come by and her attitude needs to change. Her attitude shows a lack of concern for those who are providing foster homes for her and the program. Does she carry this same attitude elsewhere?

Your feelings are just normal for what you and Andy have just been through. Give your attention and love to Andy.

Pam M

Tink's Mom

I fostered a dog whose owner had died. It was a male dalmation 7 yrs old. The owners nephew was going to have him put down because he didn't want him.
The fostering didn't work out for me. The dog didn't like females and I couldn't trust him. My husband and sons, he was happy as a clam, slept with my son.
I was able to get him into a no kill shelter after a long 9 days. I let them know his issues...I was the one feeding and walking and he did not like me. Between my info and what they found at the shelter, he was placed in a home with a middle age male, no children, no girlfriends.

dogsgod

Thank you for what you've done for those foster dogs.
I have been a dog person for over 30 years, showing, training, loving and even fostering. It's really annoying how high and mighty some of these fostering agencies get. They seem to think only they know how to deal with dogs the best when in reality, for most of these dogs, no matter what the situation, a house is better than anything they've ever had.

I think I'd start researching other foster groups who will be more appreciative of what you provide. They should be thankful that you may have discovered a less than desirable trait in this dog that could 'cause problems to an adopter! Think if it was a child or something that set angel off in her new home!

Magdalena

So glad Andy is fine. Of course, continue to keep an eye on him, poor thing. In your heart, you know what needs to be done. And I, for one, thank you for caring for our loving furry kins. May God bless you.

damaquilts

Thanks to everyone. I am now calmed down mostly. After a cup of Tension Tamer tea and a couple of doses of Rescue Remedy . Andy also got Rescue Remedy.
He doesn't want to go outside on that side of the deck. Good thing there are 2 ways down to the yard. And he doesn't want to stay in my bedroom. It took me a minute to figure out why. I put him in there while I took her to the vets office. I am sure he will be ok shortly. He still shakes every once in awhile. But right now he is laying on his bed that is next to my computer. I put his little coat on him too. I just had him shaved down for the summer weather when it was like 80 here and of course now it has gotten cooler. I was freezing and put my flannels back on. So I figured he was cold too. Then realized well duh a shock like that makes someone cold too. :-)
This is the first time in all the years I have been fostering that this has happened so now I am a little leary of fostering again.
Either way we won't be doing it for awhile until Andy is feeling better.

karenchi

Oh that is scary...I once got an airedale from Rescue. My DD came home from school and she had a water bottle in hand. Dog walked backwards and growled. DH came home and he did the same thing.
That nite the dog was out of house. Did not want to take a chance.
The rescue told me that he was seen by a psychologist and was okay. Two days later she called to tell me than he will never go to another home. He sits in chair all day and you do not go near him.
So glad I did what was right and booted him out!